The Influence of Plastic Deformation, Thermal Treatment, and Electron Irradiation on Structural-Phase State of Cu–40 at % Pd Alloy

This article studies the influence of plastic deformation, thermal treatment, and electron irradiation on the structural-phase state of Cu–40 at % Pd. Initial specimens, specimens obtained by rolling to 0.2 mm, specimens annealed after rolling in an argon environment at 950°C for 1 h, and specimens irradiated with high energy electrons in air at 300°C were exposed to X-ray diffraction analysis. The phase composition of the specimens changed after rolling: about ~6% of the ordered β phase with BCC structure was formed, which disappeared after annealing. As a consequence of irradiation, a layer of copper oxide CuO was formed on the alloy surface, which under normal thermal conditions was formed at 400–500°C; in addition, the reflections of the ordered β phase in the near surface layers disappeared. The elemental composition of the alloy changed over depth starting from the irradiated metal surface. Phases with a low extent of long range order and higher palladium content were formed. The existence of these phases was due mainly to selective oxidation of copper.