Effects of tensile stress on Cu clustering in irradiated Fe–Cu alloy

Abstract Effects of tensile stress on Cu clustering were explained using atom probe tomography (APT) results of Fe–0.6 wt.%Cu alloy specimens irradiated with 6.4 MeV Fe ions while applying a tensile stress of 60 MPa at room temperature (less than 50 °C) and 290 °C. The hardening under the tensile-stressed irradiation was smaller than that under the stress-free irradiation at both room temperature and 290 °C. APT results showed that well-defined Cu clusters were formed in all specimens even under the room temperature irradiation. The Cu clusters under the tensile-stressed condition were smaller and had higher densities than those under the stress-free condition. The lower Cu content in clusters and more diffuse Cu clustering were obtained for the specimens irradiated under the tensile-stressed condition. The hardening efficiency of Cu clusters was correlated with the Cu content in clusters and the coherency of interface between a cluster and the matrix. Application of tensile stress would control hardening by changing the nature of Cu clusters.