Formation of Surface Microcracks and Ejection of Particles into a Vacuum under Irradiation of an Aluminum–Magnesium Alloy in the Vikhr’ Plasma Focus Setup

• Published in: Inorganic materials : applied research 2023-06, Vol.14 (3), p.621-627
• Main Authors: Kolokoltsev, V. N., Pimenov, V. N., Demin, A. S., Morozov, E. V., Maslyaev, S. A., Borovitskaya, I. V., Gaydar, A. I.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aluminum oxide; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Effects of Energy Fluxes on Materials; Ejection; Energy flow; Focus devices; Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering; Inorganic Chemistry; Magnesium base alloys; Materials Science; Melting; Metal particles; Microcracks; Oxide coatings; Plasma focus; Surface layers; Thermal stress; Thermonuclear fusion
• ISSN: 2075-1133; 2075-115X
• DOI: 10.1134/S2075113323030206

It is found that metal particles are ejected into a vacuum upon the formation of microcracks in the surface film of a model alloy of the aluminum–magnesium system (AMG type) under the influence of pulsed plasma beam flows with a power density of q ~ 10 6 –5 × 10 7 W/cm 2 in a Vikhr’ plasma focus device. The formation of microcracks in the surface film of refractory aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3 ) is associated with sputtering processes, the mechanical impact of pulsed energy flows, and thermal stresses arising in the surface layer. The ejection of alloy particles through microcracks in the oxide film is observed after melting of the surface layer of the alloy at q > 10 7 W/cm 2 . The possible influence of such an effect on the process of ejection of dust particles in thermonuclear fusion facilities is noted.