The microstructural in-sight to the mechanical behavior of alumina after high energy proton irradiation

Abstract

• Mechanical behaviour of specimens extracted from alumina tubes manufactured by slip casting. • Influence of high-energy proton irradiation on the mechanical properties of alumina ceramics. • Compression and micro-indentation tests. • Microstructural changes induced by high-energy proton irradiation. The mechanical behaviour of prismatic bars extracted from a high purity alumina tube was studied comparatively in the as-received condition and after being irradiated with high-energy protons. For this study, ten samples were irradiated with 8 MeV H + ion beams up to a fluence of 1.63 × 10 16 ions/cm 2 . Values of compressive strength, elastic modulus, hardness, and fracture toughness were determined from compression and micro-indentation tests. After the mechanical tests, the relationship of the mechanical behaviour shown with the microstructure was considered by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). A clear trend was observed, compressive strength and elastic modulus were considerably reduced, while hardness and fracture toughness increased. This change is attributed to radiation-induced cavities and dislocation loops after high-energy ion-irradiation.