Tensile behavior of post-irradiation annealed Cu–Ni alloy

The present paper investigates the tensile properties of post-irradiation annealed Cu–Ni alloy. The specimens were irradiated with a 15 MeV electron beam at room temperature and the post-irradiation annealing (PIA) of the specimens was carried out under vacuum at 450 °C for 15–120 min. The yield stress (YS), ultimate tensile stress (UTS), percentage elongation, stress relaxation rate and activation volume of both as-irradiated and post-irradiation annealed specimens were examined at room temperature using a universal testing machine. The results show that PIA of the specimen at 450 °C for 15 min decreases its YS and UTS, whereas the percentage elongation is increased. The changes in the tensile parameters become more pronounced with increases in annealing time. Effects of PIA on the stress relaxation rate and activation volume indicate that the relaxation rate of post-irradiation annealed specimens increases, and the activation volume decreases, with an increase in annealing time.