LY12 aluminum alloy samples were modified by 3–25 times of high current pulse electron beam(HCPEB) treatment at 23.4 or 27 kV.The number of melting craters in the irradiated sample surface decreased with increasing number of the pulses

and the crater size increased with the pulse number.XRD analysis of the virgin sample showed the major phase of-Al and the secondary phases of CuMgAl2and CuAl2

which disappeared partly in XRD patterns of the samples treated with the HCPEB of certain pulses.The microstructure refinement and preferred orientation of crystal planes could be observed in the HCPEB treated samples

and the surface micro-hardness increased to a maximum in certain depths

where it began to decrease because of reduced energy deposition in greater depths.Test results showed that the irradiated samples exhibited a remarkable property enhancement against electrochemical corrosion

with the corrosion potential increased from 0.63 V to 0.52 V and the corrosion current decreased by 2 orders of magnitude.