Collective effects in grain boundary migration

In situ high-resolution transmission electron microscopy is used to study grain boundary structure and kinetics in bicrystalline Au films at elevated temperature. We report the first direct evidence for the existence of cooperative atomic motion in grain boundary migration. Certain nanoregions at grain boundaries, typically involving up to several hundred atoms, are found to switch back and forth between neighboring grains. Reversible structural fluctuations at temperatures near 0.5T(m) and above have been discovered in [110] and [001] tilt, as well as in general grain boundaries.     

Non-planar grain boundary structures in fcc metals and their role in nano-scale deformation mechanisms

This work presents the results of a comparative molecular dynamics study showing that relaxed random grain boundary structures can be significantly non-planar at the nano-scale in fcc metals characterized by low stacking fault values. We studied the relaxed structures of random [1?1?0] tilt boundaries in a polycrystal using interatomic potentials describing Cu and Pd. Grain boundaries presenting non-planar features were observed predominantly for the Cu potential but not for the Pd potential, and we relate these differences to the stacking fault values. We also show that these non-planar structures can have a strong influence on dislocation emission from the grain boundaries as well as on grain boundary strain accommodation processes, such as grain boundary sliding. We studied the loading response in polycrystals of 40 nm grain size to a level of 9% strain and found that the non-planar grain boundaries favour dislocation emission as a deformation mechanism and hinder grain boundary sliding. This has strong implications for the mechanical behaviour of nano-crystalline materials, which is determined by the competition between dislocation activity and grain boundary accommodation of the strain. Thus, the two interatomic potentials for Cu and Pd considered in this work resulted in the same overall stress–strain curve, but significantly different fractions of the strain accommodated by the intergranular versus intragranular deformation mechanisms. Strain localization patterns are also influenced by the non-planarity of the grain boundary structures.     

Low-temperature resistance anomaly at SrTiO3 grain boundaries: evidence for an interface-induced phase transition

Variable temperature transport between 1.4 and 300 K, structural imaging, and theoretical calculations were used to characterize the properties of electrically active 24 degrees and 36.8 degrees [001] tilt SrTiO3 grain boundaries with 0.1 at. % niobium doping. An anomaly in boundary resistance and capacitance characteristics typical of a positive temperature coefficient effect is observed. This behavior is indicative of interface-induced dipole ordering. The detailed atomic structures of these grain boundaries were determined from a comparison of ab initio calculations and Z-contrast TEM images. The number of excess electrons at the boundaries determined experimentally and theoretically agrees and is associated with the boundary structural units.     

纯铜[0 1 1]倾侧型非共格∑3晶界结构稳定性分子动力学模拟研究

有研究表明, 非共格∑₃晶界的行为在中低层错能面心立方金属晶界 特征分布演化中发挥着重要作用. 为了掌握不同界面匹配的非共格∑₃晶界的特性, 本文利用分子动力学(MD)模拟方法首先研究了纯铜的[0 1 1]倾侧型 非共格∑₃晶界在700–1100 K温度范围内和常压下的结构稳定性. MD模拟采用原子间相互作用长程经验多体势, 步长为5×10^-15 s. 模拟结果表明: 所研究的五个非共格∑₃晶界, 其结构稳定性存在很大差异, 其一般规律是, 与(1 1 1)/(1 1 1)共格孪晶界之间的夹角(Φ角)越小, 晶界匹配值越大, 则非共格∑₃晶界越稳定; 反之亦然. Φ角最小的 (2 5 5)/(2 1 1)非共格∑₃晶界较稳定, 在退火过程中几乎不发生变化. 随着Φ角的增大, 非共格∑₃晶界不再稳定, 这类晶界会通过Miller指数较高一侧晶体每三层原子面合并为一层原子面 (或Miller指数较低一侧晶体每一层原子面分解为三层原子面)的机理 转变为亚稳的“台阶”状晶界, 台阶面部分地处于精确的能量极低 的{111}/{111}共格孪晶界上; 当提高温度退火时, 这种“台阶”状晶界最终会全部转变成稳定平直的{111}/{111}共格孪晶界. 关键词： 纯铜 ∑₃晶界')" href="#">非共格∑₃晶界 分子动力学模拟     

Segregation, Precipitation and Wetting of Tilt Grain Boundaries in Molybdenum

The intrinsic structure of different tilt grain boundaries in bcc molybdenum is determined by electron microscopy and compared to the ones obtained after an annealing treatment of the same boundaries in presence of different impurities like carbon and nickel. Specially grown bicrystals with tilt axes parallel to [001] and [011] are used. The boundaries correspond to the major coincidence relationships ∑ = 5, ∑ = 3 and ∑ = 11. Their experimental atomic structure is compared to calculated ones. After the treatments in presence of carbon or nickel the new structure is determined by electron microscopy from the structural and chemical aspect. After a treatment in presence of carbon the ∑ = 5[001]{310} boundary contains either a segregation or a very thin precipitate layer of a new MoCx quadratic phase. In presence of nickel, the physical phenomenon is possibly a wetting of the boundary. The different [011] tilt boundaries have a different behavior according to their respective energy.     

Grain Boundary Migration in Fe-3wt.%Si Alloys

The studies of three different laboratories on grain boundary migration in Fe-3wt.%Si alloys are presented. In all cases bicrystal techniques employing capillarity as driving force were used. [100] tilt boundaries were studied in the temperature range from 1223 K to 1373 K, and [110] tilt boundaries in the range from 1220 K to 1625 K. Proportionality between grain boundary velocity and driving force was confirmed. All data fulfil a linear relation between activation enthalpies and logarithms of the pre-exponential factors, corresponding to a compensation temperature of 1386 K where all boundaries theoretically should possess the same mobility. A considerably lower activation enthalpy was found in one case for an asymmetrical grain boundary compared to the symmetrical boundary of the same misorientation. High values of activation enthalpy of migration were found for special [100] boundaries compared to general ones although an opposite tendency was also observed for [100] boundaries.     

Effect of grain boundary structures on the behavior of He defects in Ni: An atomistic study

We investigated the effect of grain boundary structures on the trapping strength of He_N(N is the number of helium atoms) defects in the grain boundaries of nickel. The results suggest that the binding energy of an interstitial helium atom to the grain boundary plane is the strongest among all sites around the plane. The He_N defect is much more stable in nickel bulk than in the grain boundary plane. Besides, the binding energy of an interstitial helium atom to a vacancy is stronger than that to a grain boundary plane. The binding strength between the grain boundary and the He _N defect increases with the defect size. Moreover, the binding strength of the He_N defect to the Σ3(12)[110] grain boundary becomes much weaker than that to other grain boundaries as the defect size increases.     

稀土La在$lt;em$gt;α$lt;/em$gt;-Fe中占位倾向及对晶界影响的第一性原理研究

本文采用重合位置点阵理论构建了 α-Fe的Σ3[110]（112）对称倾转晶界模型,通过基于密度泛函理论的平面波超软赝势方法研究了稀土La元素在 α-Fe中的占位倾向. 结果表明,La在 α-Fe晶界的杂质形成能最低,因而La原子倾向于占据晶界区;掺杂La前后的 α-Fe晶界电子结构计算结果显示,La占位于 α-Fe晶界会使体系中的电荷发生重新分配,将提供更多电子用于晶界区成键,使得Fe原子得到更多的电子,这将导致掺杂区原子间结合有离子化趋势,从而使La与晶界区相邻Fe原子之间的相互作用加强,也使晶界原子与晶界两侧Fe原子的键合加强,从能量角度解释了材料宏观力学性能变化的原因;计算同时发现,La加入后,也使晶界上的原子成键区态密度左移,降低了体系的总能量,使晶界结构更为稳定. 关键词： La α-Fe')" href="#">α-Fe 晶界 第一性原理     

Effect of High-Temperature Structure and Diffusion on Grain-Boundary Diffusion Creep in fcc Metals

Molecular dynamics simulations of high-energy twist and tilt bicrystals of fcc palladium reveal a universal, liquid-like, isotropic high-temperature diffusion mechanism, characterized by a rather low self-diffusion activation energy that is independent of the boundary type or misorientation. Medium-energy grain boundaries exhibit the same behavior at the highest temperatures; however, at lower temperatures the diffusion mechanism becomes anisotropic, with a higher, misorientation-dependent activation energy. Our simulations demonstrate that the lower activation energy at elevated temperatures is caused by a structural transition, from a solid boundary structure at low temperatures to a liquid-like structure at high temperatures. We demonstrate that the existence of such a transition has important consequences for diffusion creep in nanocrystalline fcc metals. In particular, our simulations reveal that in the absence of grain growth, nanocrystalline microstructures containing only high-energy grain boundaries exhibit steady-state diffusion creep with a creep rate that agrees quantitatively with that given by the Coble-creep formula. Remarkably, the activation energy for the high-temperature creep rate is the same as that characterizing the universal high-temperature diffusion in high-energy energy bicrystalline grain boundaries.     

The microstructure of hydrogen- and deuterium-doped nanocrystalline palladium studied by small-angle neutron scattering

By means of small-angle neutron scattering the microstructure of two nanocrystalline Pd samples (prepared by inert gas condensation) has been studied at room temperature in a Q-range from [0pt] to [0pt] . An additional subsequent doping of the two samples with H as well as with D (concentrations < 4 at%) caused contrast variations that provided more detailed structural information. The measured scattering intensity was modeled by a Porod contribution from large heterogenities (e.g. pores) and a contribution from spherical grains with a log-normal distribution of their radii. To account for the presence of grain boundaries, the grains were considered to be surrounded by a shell with a reduced Pd density and a thickness half as large as the thickness of the grain boundaries. For the above model, the data of the H-doped, D-doped and undoped sample were simultaneously fitted with one single set of adjustable parameters. The fits yielded for the two samples volume-weighted mean grain radii of 10 nm and 13 nm. The values for the grain boundary thickness lie between 0.2 and 0.8 nm. Almost all of the H- and D-atoms are, at low hydrogen concentrations, located in the grain boundaries. Received 1 May 2000     

Superfluidity of grain boundaries in solid 4He

By large-scale quantum Monte Carlo simulations we show that grain boundaries in 4He crystals are generically superfluid at low temperature, with a transition temperature of the order of approximately 0.5 K at the melting pressure; nonsuperfluid grain boundaries are found only for special orientations of the grains. We also find that close vicinity to the melting line is not a necessary condition for superfluid grain boundaries, and a grain boundary in direct contact with the superfluid liquid at the melting curve is found to be mechanically stable and the grain-boundary superfluidity observed by Sasaki et al. [Science 313, 1098 (2006)10.1126/science.1130879] is not just a crack filled with superfluid.     

Grain boundary chemistry and grain boundary dislocations in bulk YBa2Cu3O7-δ

We report the results of our microchemical analyses of low- large-angle grain boundaries in bulk YBa₂Cu₃O_7- using nanoprobe energy-dispersive-X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and electron-energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS). We observed periodic variation in the concentration of Cu along the boundaries, and oxygen depletion at the boundaries. We found that the chemistry of the grain boundary is very sensitive to grain boundary dislocations (GBDs), while, in turn, the configuration of the GBDs is very sensitive to the boundary misorientation and the boundary plane normal. The strain field associated with closely spaced GBDs reduced the density of mobile holes at the boundary, which is expected to be detrimental to the superconducting properties of the boundary. The possible structural transition of the grain boundaries from an oxygen-deficient state to a fully oxygenated state near a coincidence orientation is discussed, based on the reduction of the elastic strain energy of the boundaries.     

Nucleation and growth of helium bubble at(110) twist grain boundaries in tungsten studied by molecular dynamics

Migration of He atoms and growth of He bubbles in high angle twist grain boundaries(HAGBs) in tungsten(W) are investigated by atomic simulation method. The energy and free volume(FV) of grain boundary(GB) are affected by the density and structure of dislocation patterns in GB. The migration energy of the He atom between the neighboring trapping sites depends on free volume along the migration path at grain boundary. The region of grain boundary around the He bubble forms an ordered crystal structure when He bubble grows at certain grain boundaries. The He atoms aggregate on the grain boundary plane to form a plate-shape configuration. Furthermore, high grain boundary energy(GBE) results in a large volume of He bubble. Thus, the nucleation and growth of He bubbles in twist grain boundaries depend on the energy of grain boundary, the dislocation patterns and the free volume related migration path on the grain boundary plane.     

氦泡在bcc钨中晶界处成核长大的分子动力学模拟

钨(W)是潜在的聚变堆面向等离子体材料.聚变反应中产生的氦(He)不溶于金属W,并在其中易聚集形成He泡,使W基体发生脆化,从而导致W基体的性能发生退化.在前人工作的基础上,本文采用分子动力学研究了He泡在单晶bcc-W中以及bcc-W中∑3[211](110)和∑9[110](411)晶界处He泡形核长大初期的演化过程.结果发现,晶界处He泡的长大机制和单晶W中有所不同.单晶W中He泡通过挤出位错环促进长大.而He泡在∑3[211](110)晶界处的长大机制为:首先挤出并发射少量自间隙W原子,而后挤出1/2⟨111⟩位错线,随后,该位错线会沿晶界面上[111]方向迁移出去;在∑9[110](411)晶界处,He泡在我们的模拟时间尺度范围内没有观察到W自间隙子的发射和位错的挤出.     

Theoretical aspects of solute segregation to high-angle grain boundaries

A high-angle grain boundary is modeled as a planar defect characterized by its thickness and atomic density. We successively examine the elastic and electronic contributions to the solute/grain boundary binding energy. We deduce the effect of the grain boundary physical parameters on its propensity for segregation. The thickness of high-angle grain boundaries is not a fundamental parameter for segregation. The atomic density in the grain boundary controls the electronic binding energy. The rate of change of elastic constants with the density is the important factor in the elastic contribution to segregation. We conclude that segregation to boundaries with small excess volumes is not precluded.     

Asymmetric tilt grain boundary structure and energy in copper and aluminium

Atomistic simulations were employed to investigate the structure and energy of asymmetric tilt grain boundaries in Cu and Al. In this work, we examine the Σ5 and Σ13 systems with a boundary plane rotated about the ? 100 ? misorientation axis, and the Σ9 and Σ11 systems rotated about the ? 110 ? misorientation axis. Asymmetric tilt grain boundary energies are calculated as a function of inclination angle and compared with an energy relationship based on faceting into the two symmetric tilt grain boundaries in each system. We find that asymmetric tilt boundaries with low index normals do not necessarily have lower energies than boundaries with similar inclination angles, contrary to previous studies. Further analysis of grain boundary structures provides insight into the asymmetric tilt grain boundary energy. The Σ5 and Σ13 systems in the ? 100 ? system agree with the aforementioned energy relationship; structures confirm that these asymmetric boundaries facet into the symmetric tilt boundaries. The Σ9 and Σ11 systems in the ? 110 ? system deviate from the idealized energy relationship. As the boundary inclination angle increases towards the Σ9 (221) and Σ11 (332) symmetric tilt boundaries, the minimum energy asymmetric boundary structures contain low index {111} and {110} planes bounding the interface region.