Positron annihilation study of the micro-defects induced by cavitation in mild steel

Cavitation-induced micro-defects in mild steel after cavitation experiment in the fluid field have been studied by positron Doppler broadening measurement and positron annihilation lifetime spectra (PALS). Depth-resolved positron Doppler S-parameter (DPDS) results showed that S-parameter increased and micro-defects between the surface and the bulk has obvious variation with depth during the cavitation process. From the positron lifetime results, it was found that the size and number of micro-defects increase with the development of cavitation. These results suggest that more micro-defects are generated in mild steel bulk during the cavitation process than those in the mild steel surface layer region, although more mico-defects seen in the mild steel surface layer. Moreover, the size of micro-defects in mild steel bulk increases remarkably owing to their transfer and aggregation.