Radiation resistance and parameters of activation of aluminium-magnesium-scandium and aluminium-magnesium-vanadium alloys under neutron irradiation

Abstract Alloys Al2.24Mg0.23Sc0.04Zr, Al2.24Mg0.12Sc0.04Zr, and Al2.24Mg0.05V (at.)) annealed at 150°C and 400°C were irradiated ≈70 and ≈150°C in the SM-2 reactor. The maximum neutron fluence was 4.7×10 24 m −2 ( E > 0.1 MeV). The tensile tests were carried out in the temperature range 20 to 350°C. Alloy Al2.24Mg0.23Sc0.04Zr annealed at 400°C and alloy Al2.24Mg0.12Sc0.04Zr annealed at 150°C at all test temperature, retained good mechanical properties after irradiation. The mechanisms for the radiation resistance of aluminiumscandium and aluminiummagnesiumscandium alloys are discussed. Calculations of induced radioactivity and its decay behaviour after shutdown in aluminium and Al2.24Mg(0.12–0.23)Sc alloys were carried out. Composition of the radionuclides in these materials after irradiation in the SM-2 reactor were also determined using a gamma-spectroscopy technique.