Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Radiation-induced solute segregation and precipitation in alloys

  • Published:
Metallurgical Transactions A Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Solute segregation and precipitation in dilute alloys during irradiation have been studied by means of the Johnson-Lam kinetic model. The model is based on a combination of chemical reaction rates and diffusion equations for free defects, solutes, and bound defect-solute complexes. The enrichment of solute at sink surfaces and solute depletion in the matrix have been calculated as functions of temperature, damage rate, defect-solute bind-ing energy, and initial solute concentration. Using parameters appropriate for Be in Ni, significant solute segregation is found in the temperature range from 0.2 to 0.7 Υm. The temperature for maximum segregation is higher for the high displacement rates typically used in charged-particle bombardment experiments than for the low displacement rates used in fast-reactor irradiations. The solute concentration at the sink surface builds up at high temperatures, without surpassing the solubility limit, until a steady state is at-tained. However, at lower temperatures solute enrichment at sinks becomes larger and the solubility, in general, becomes lower. Precipitation will occur when the local solute concentration reaches that of the phase boundary. The solute concentration at the precipi-tate-matrix interface is determined by the solubility limit, and precipitation continues until the matrix is sufficiently solute-depleted to achieve a steep concentration gradient that will balance the defect-induced solute flow by back-diffusion. Hence, the steady-state matrix composition is determined by radiation conditions and is independent of the initial alloy composition when precipitation occurs. The solute depletion at steady state is more severe at low displacement rates than at high rates. The calculations are quali-tatively compared with recent experimental observations of the temperature and com-positional dependence of solute precipitation in the Ni-Be system.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. P. R. Okamoto and H. Wiedersich:J. Nucl. Mater, 1974, vol. 53, p. 336.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. W. G. Johnston, W. G. Morris, and A. M. Turkalo:Proc. Int. Conf. Radiation Effects in Breeder Reactor Structural Materials, p. 421, Scottsdale, AZ, 1977.

  3. E. A. Kenik:Scr. Met, 1976, vol. 10, p. 1047.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. P. R. Okamoto, A. Taylor, and H. Wiedersich:Proc. Intl. Conf. on Funda-mental Aspects of Radiation Damage in Metals, CONF-751006-P2,vol. II, p. 1188, 1975.

  5. A. Barbu and A. J. Ardell:Scr. Met., 1975, vol. 9, p. 1233.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. L. E. Rehn,P. R. Okamoto, D. I. Potter, and H. Wiedersich:J. Nucl. Mater., 1978, vol. 74, p. 242.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. P. R. Okamoto, N. Q. Lam, H. Wiedersich, and R. A. Johnson:J. Nucl. Mater., 1978, vol. 69 and 70, p. 821.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. P. R. Okamoto, N. Q. Lam, and H. Wiedersich:Workshop on Correlation of Neutron and Charged-Particle Damage, p. 111, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, 1976.

    Google Scholar 

  9. R. A. Johnson and Nghi Q. Lam:Phys. Rev. B, 1976, vol. 13, p. 4364.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Nghi Q. Lnm and R.A. Johnson:Nucl.Met., 1976, vol. 20, p. 121.

    Google Scholar 

  11. R. A. Johnson and Nghi Q. Lam:Phys. Rev. B, 1977, vol. 15, p. 1794.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. R. A. Johnson and Nghi Q. Lam:J. Nucl. Mater., 1978, vol. 69 and 70, p. 424.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. A. Hindmarsh: Unpublished research, Lawrence Livermore Laboratory Re-port UCID-30001, 1974.

  14. Nghi Q. Lam, S. J. Rothman, and R. Sizmann:Rad. Effects, 1974, vol. 23, p. 53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. M. L. Swanson and F. Maury:Canad. J. Phys., 1975, vol. 53, p. 1117.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. M. L. Swanson, L. M. Howe, and A. F. Quenneville:Proc. Intl. Conf. on Fundamental Aspects of Radiation Damage in Metals, vol. I, p. 316, CONF-751006-P1, 1975.

    Google Scholar 

  17. T. H. Blewitt, C. Sartain, T. L. Scott, and R. A. Connor, Jr.:Bull. Amer. Phys. Soc, 1975, vol. 20, no. 3, p. 296.

    Google Scholar 

  18. C. Dimitrov:Proc. Intl. Conf. on Fundamental Aspects of Radiation Damage in Metals, vol. I, p. 608, CONF-751006-P1, 1975.

    Google Scholar 

  19. G. Vogl and W. Mansel:Proc. Intl. Conf. on Fundamental Aspects of Radiation Damage in Metals, vol. I, p. 349, CONF-751006-P1, 1975.

    Google Scholar 

  20. H. Wollenberger:J. Nucl. Mater, 1978, vol. 69 and 70, p. 362.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. P. H. Dederichs, C. Lehmann, H. R. Schober, A. Scholz, and R. Zeller:J. Nucl. Mater, 1977, vol. 69 and 70, p. 176.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. A. Seeger and H. Mehrer:Vacancies and Interstitials in Metals, A. Seegeret al, eds., pp. 1–58, North-Holland, Amsterdam, 1970.

    Google Scholar 

  23. J. W. Corbett: inElectron Radiation Damage in Semiconductors and Metals, p. 276, Academic Press, New York, 1966.

    Google Scholar 

  24. W. Wycisk and M. Feller-Kniepmeier:Phys. Status Solidi (a), 1976, vol. 37, p. 183.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. K. Maier, H. Mehrer, E. Lessmann, and W. Schüle:Phys. Status Solidi (b), 1976, vol. 78, p. 689.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. M. Hansen: inConstitution of Binary Alloys, 2nd ed., pp. 290–91, McGraw-Hill, New York, 1958.

    Google Scholar 

  27. T. D. Ryan: PhD. Thesis, University of Michigan, 1975.

  28. C. A. Allen and P. R. Okamoto:Phys. Status Solidi (a), 1976, vol. 36, p. 107.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. P. R. Pronko, P. R. Okamoto, and H. Wiedersich:Nucl. Inst. Meth., 1978. vol. 149, p. 77.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. A. Barbu:Comm. à l’Energie Atomique (France), Rapp. 4543, BIST No. 216, p. 33, 1976.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Materials Science Division of Argonne National Laboratory, Atlanta, Georgia

    N. Q. Lam (Scientists), P. R. Okamoto (Scientists), H. Wiedersich (Scientists) & A. Taylor (Scientists)

Authors
  1. N. Q. Lam
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. P. R. Okamoto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. H. Wiedersich
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. A. Taylor
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

This paper is based on a presentation made at a symposium on “Radiation In-duced Atomic Rearrangements in Ordering and Clustering Alloys” held at the annual meeting of the AIME, Atlanta, Georgia, March 7 to 8, 1977, under the sponsorship of the Physical Metallurgy and Nuclear Metallurgy Committees of The Metallurgical Society of AIME.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lam, N.Q., Okamoto, P.R., Wiedersich, H. et al. Radiation-induced solute segregation and precipitation in alloys. Metall Trans A 9, 1707–1714 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02663400

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02663400

Keywords

Search

Navigation