High-heat flux Cu-0.8Y alloys investigated by positron annihilation spectroscopy

This work studies the thermal stability of the microstructure and the evolution of the defects of two high-heat flux Cu-0.8 wt%Y alloys fabricated following two alternative powder metallurgy routes. One batch was produced by direct hot isostatic pressing (HIP) consolidation of Cu-0.8 wt%Y pre-alloyed atomized powders while an additional ball milling processing step was introduced before HIP sintering for the second alloy. The stability and recovery characteristics of the vacancy type defects in these alloys in the as-produced state and after processing by severe equal channel angular pressing to achieve a refine microstructure have been investigated by positron lifetime and coincidence Doppler broadening measurements in samples subjected to isochronal annealing from room temperature to 900 °C. Microhardness measurements and electron transmission microscopy analysis have also been performed to support the results obtained from the positron annihilation spectroscopy analysis techniques. The recovery curves of the positron lifetime and S-W plots show a recovery stage in agreement with the recovery stage V for Cu. However, a full recovery is not accomplished, and a stage that reverts the previous recovery takes place after annealing above ~600 °C, that leads to the formation of very stable defects at temperatures up to 900 °C, identified as vacancy aggregates and nanocavities. The characteristic shape of the coincidence Doppler broadening indicates that the dispersed Y-O particles in the Cu matrix appear to be responsible for stabilizing the vacancy aggregates and nanocavities for temperatures above 600–700 °C.