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At least 73 records · Page 4

Re-investigation of high-temperature phase equilibria in Fe-rich Sm–Fe–Ti alloys

Recently renewed attempts to develop high-performance rare-earth-lean permanent magnets based on the Sm(Fe,Ti) 12 compound have drawn attention to the limited knowledge about the high-temperature phase equilibria in the Sm–Fe–Ti system. Experimental investigation of equilibrated alloys with electron probe microanalysis, X-ray diffraction and thermomagnetic analysis revealed several inaccuracies in the currently accepted phase relations at 1000°C and allowed for a revision of the Fe-rich corner of the Sm–Fe–Ti phase diagram. The Sm(Fe,Ti) 12 and Sm 3 (Fe,Ti) 29 phases were found to have more extended Ti ranges of 5.1–9.7 at% and 2.8–6.9 at%, respectively. With increasing of the Ti content, the Curie temperature of the Sm(Fe,Ti) 12 remains nearly constant at 306–312°C, whereas that of the Sm 3 (Fe,Ti) 29 increases from 188°C to 207°C. The low-titanium Sm 3 (Fe,Ti) 29 phase equilibrates not only with the Sm(Fe,Ti) 12 and Sm2(Fe,Ti) 17 phases, but also with (α-Fe) solid solution. Newly demonstrated equilibrium between Sm 2 (Fe,Ti) 17 and TiFe 2 phases makes impossible the earlier reported equilibrium between the Sm 3 (Fe,Ti) 29 and Sm(Fe,Ti) 11 phases. Because of an invariant reaction at 1000 °C, the revised phase diagram also features a class II four-phase equilibrium Sm 3 (Fe,Ti) 29 + TiFe 2 + Sm(Fe,Ti) 12 + Sm 2 (Fe,Ti) 17 . Peritectic decomposition of the Sm(Fe,Ti) 11 phase, which occurs either at 1075°C or at 1087°C, was found to have among its products the Sm(Fe,Ti) 12 phase. Although no such equilibration was attempted, it must be possible to obtain above 1087°C a two-phase state composed of the Sm(Fe,Ti) 12 phase and a liquid – which is important for manufacturing of the Sm(Fe,Ti) 12 - based permanent magnets via the liquid-phase sintering.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Operational space and performance limiting events in the first physics campaign of MAST-U

Abstract The MAST-U fusion plasma research device, an upgrade to the Mega Amp Spherical Tokamak, has recently completed its first campaign of physics operation. MAST-U operated with Ohmic, or one or two neutral beams for heating, at 400–800 kA plasma current, in conventional or ‘SuperX’ divertor configurations. Equilibrium reconstructions provide key plasma physics parameters vs. time for each discharge, and diagrams are produced which show where the prevalence of operation occurs as well as the limits in various operational spaces. When compared to stability limits, the operation of MAST-U so far has generally stayed out of the low q , low density instability region, and below the high density Greenwald limit, high beta global stability limit, and high elongation vertical stability limit. MAST-U still has the potential to reach higher elongation, which could benefit the plasma performance. Despite the majority of operations happening below established stability limits, disruptions do occur in the flat-top phase of MAST-U plasmas. The reasons for these disruptions are highlighted, and possible strategies to avoid them and to extend the operational space of MAST-U in future campaigns are discussed.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Reaching the equilibrium state of the frustrated triangular Ising magnet Ca 3 Co 2 O 6

Ca 3 Co 2 O 6 is a frustrated magnet consisting of a triangular arrangement of chains of Ising spins. It shows regular magnetization steps versus magnetic field every 1.2 T that are metastable with very slow dynamics. This has puzzled the community for many years and given rise to numerous potential theories. Here we approach the problem by seeking the elusive magnetic equilibrium state at T=2 K. To this end, we explore two approaches: (1) bypassing the slow dynamics produced by changing fields by instead field-cooling directly to the target temperature and (2) quantum annealing in transverse magnetic fields. While we observe no measurable effect of the quantum annealing in fields up to 7 T, which is likely due to the large Ising anisotropy of Co spins in this material, we find that for the field cooling in longitudinal fields we achieve the predicted equilibrium 1/3 magnetization. We perform Monte Carlo simulations of the ground state phase diagram and we also simulate the quantum annealing process and find good agreement between experiment and theory. Thus we present an investigation of the elusive ground state properties of the canonical frustrated triangular system Ca 3 Co 2 O 6 .

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Parametric study and speciation analysis of rare earth precipitation using oxalic acid in a chloride solution system

Oxalic acid precipitation is a common step in the purification of rare earth elements (REE) from a concentrated pregnant leach solution (PLS). However, the presence of contaminants such as Al, Fe, and Ca in given amounts decreases the REE precipitation efficiency and product purity while also increasing the amount of oxalic acid needed to maximize recovery. As such, a statistically designed test program was performed to identify the optimal conditions necessary for a relatively low REE content PLS containing elevated concentrations of contaminant ions. The performance objective was maximization of REE precipitation efficiency while minimizing the oxalic acid dosage. A central composite design was utilized to quantify performance impacts and identify the ultimate set of parameter values for oxalic acid dosage, Fe(III) contamination concentration, solution pH, and reaction temperature. The resultant model suggested that oxalic acid dosage and reaction pH are the most significant factors for the REE precipitation efficiency, followed by the interaction of oxalic dosage and Fe concentration. Test results indicate that increasing the oxalic acid concentration from 0 g/L to 80 g/L improved the REE precipitation efficiency from approximately 4.2% to 95.0%. Furthermore, raising the solution pH from 0.5 to 2.5 considerably enhanced the precipitation efficiency from 0.0% to 98.9%. A solution temperature elevation decreased REE recovery, which indicated an exothermic reaction between REEs and oxalate anions. Finally, a high level of Fe contamination adversely impacted REE precipitation efficiency. Here, to further the understanding of the REE-oxalate system, a fundamental solution chemistry study was performed using the equilibrium constants of the reactions. The study resulted in the development of oxalate speciation diagrams and provided an analysis of the REE precipitation characteristics at various oxalate anion concentrations and Fe(III) contamination levels using MINTEQ software. The dominant Fe(III) species in the solution system were found to be Fe-(C 2 O 4 ) 3 3- , Fe-(C 2 O 4 ) 2- , and Fe-(C 2 O 4 ) + , which consume the majority of the oxalate anions. The simulated model was found to be in agreement with the experimental findings and helped to explain the adverse impact of increased iron concentrations on REE precipitation efficiency.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Unraveling the Surface Termination and Evolution of Surface States for Electrocatalyst PtSn 4 in Alkaline HER

Semimetal PtSn 4 has been experimentally demonstrated as a promising topological electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) under both acidic and alkaline conditions. While two possible mechanisms have been proposed to explain its activity, the role of its surface states in HER remains unclear. It is indeed in question how the surface states of this alloy evolve as HER proceeds. In this study, we investigate the surface termination that sustains conducting surface states on PtSn 4 , and we track their evolution during HER catalysis. We show that a reconstructed surface with a Sn-poor termination reproduces the scanning tunneling microscopy pattern observed in experiments and sustains a conducting surface. Through phase diagram and geometric structure analysis, we outline the HER profile following the Volmer–Heyrovsky mechanism. As hydrogen atoms adsorb onto the surface, the structure undergoes further reconstruction to an equilibrium phase with a coverage of two hydrides per unit cell. Meanwhile, the surface electronic bands evolve in response to interactions with the adsorbed hydrogen atoms. A hybridization diagram is further proposed for understanding the surface state evolution based on wave function and chemical bonding analyses. While the Pt atoms serve as conventional sites for hydrogen binding, the surface states of PtSn 4 are essential for stabilizing the hydrogen antibonding states via in-phase electronic interactions with the Sn components. This stabilization results in frontier surface bands that are responsible for driving the HER catalysis. Here, our findings provide a detailed description for the direct involvement of surface states on PtSn4 when employed as a catalyst for HER.

catalysts↗

Chemomechanics in alloy phase stability

We describe a first-principles statistical mechanics method to calculate the free energies of crystalline alloys that depend on temperature, composition, and strain. The approach relies on an extension of the alloy cluster expansion to include an explicit dependence on homogeneous strain in addition to site occupation variables that track the degree of chemical ordering. The method is applied to the Si-Ge binary alloy and is used to calculate free energies that describe phase stability under arbitrary epitaxial constraints. We find that while the incoherent phase diagram (in which coexisting phases are not affected by coherency constraints) hosts a miscibility gap, coherent phase equilibrium predicts ordering and negative enthalpies of mixing. Instead of chemical instability, the chemomechanical free energy exhibits instabilities along directions that couple the composition of the alloy with a volumetric strain order parameter. Furthermore, this has fundamental implications for phase field models of spinodal decomposition as it indicates the importance of gradient energy coefficients that couple gradients in composition with gradients in strain.

Materials Science↗

Transmission electron microscopy investigation of phase transformation and fuel constituent redistribution in neutron irradiated U-10wt.%Zr fuel

Uranium-10wt.%zirconium (U-10wt.%Zr) is a primary candidate for fast reactor nuclear fuels. However, there is a lack of data characterizing neutron irradiated crystallographic phases and chemistry. In the current study, the microstructural evolution of a U-10wt.%Zr fuel neutron irradiated to a burnup of 5.7 at.% was investigated by scanning transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and selected area electron diffraction to determine the major phases, alterations in microstructure, and variations in local chemical composition at different localities of a fuel cross-section. The current study revealed that the irradiated U-10wt.%Zr fuel was comprised of various major phases, including a-U, ß-U, and d-UZr2, as well as amorphous and crystalline solid fission product (FP) precipitates within different regions of the fuel cross-section. Regions A and A/B in the center of the fuel were comprised of U-rich, U-intermediate, and U-lean localities with a-U and d-UZr 2 composing the major phases. Regions B and C in the intermediate and peripheral fuel localities, respectively, were comprised of a-U grains, U-rich (ß-U) grains with Zr-rich precipitates, U-intermediate grains (d-UZr2), and solid FP precipitates. The major phases identified were associated with the nanoscopic chemical concentrations, the phase diagram, and the as-characterized specimen temperature, with the exception of the non-equilibrium ß-U phase identified in region B. The U-lean localities in regions A, A/B, B, and C were Zr-enriched pathways along subgrain/grain boundaries. This phenomenon suggests that Zr is susceptible to radiation-induced segregation in U-Zr fuels and indicates a new mechanism for constituent redistribution.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Heterobilayers of 2D materials as a platform for excitonic superfluidity

Excitonic condensate has been long-sought within bulk indirect-gap semiconductors, quantum wells, and 2D material layers, all tried as carrying media. Here, we propose intrinsically stable 2D semiconductor heterostructures with doubly-indirect overlapping bands as optimal platforms for excitonic condensation. After screening hundreds of 2D materials, we identify candidates where spontaneous excitonic condensation mediated by purely electronic interaction should occur, and hetero-pairs Sb 2 Te 2 Se/BiTeCl, Hf 2 N 2 I 2 /Zr 2 N 2 Cl 2 , and LiAlTe 2 /BiTeI emerge promising. Unlike monolayers, where excitonic condensation is hampered by Peierls instability, or other bilayers, where doping by applied voltage is required, rendering them essentially non-equilibrium systems, the chemically-specific heterostructures predicted here are lattice-matched, show no detrimental electronic instability, and display broken type-III gap, thus offering optimal carrier density without any gate voltages, in true-equilibrium. Predicted materials can be used to access different parts of electron-hole phase diagram, including BEC-BCS crossover, enabling tantalizing applications in superfluid transport, Josephson-like tunneling, and dissipationless charge counterflow.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Exploring nonequilibrium phases of photo-doped Mott insulators with generalized Gibbs ensembles

Many experiments show that strong excitations of correlated quantum materials can cause non-thermal phases without equilibrium analogues. Understanding the origin and properties of these nonequilibrium states has been challenging due to the limitations of theoretical methods for nonequilibrium strongly correlated systems. In this work, we introduce a generalized Gibbs ensemble description that enables a systematic analysis of the long-time behavior of photo-doped states in Mott insulators based on equilibrium methods. We demonstrate the power of the method by mapping out the nonequilibrium phase diagram of the one-dimensional extended Hubbard model, which features η -pairing and charge density wave phases in a wide photo-doping range. We furthermore clarify that the peculiar kinematics of photo-doped carriers, and the interaction between them, play an essential role in the formation of these non-thermal phases. Our results establish a new path for the systematic analysis of nonequilibrium strongly correlated systems.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

An Analytical Tool to Evaluate Defect Thermodynamics of (La,Ba)Fe1-xMxO3-δ Perovskites for Solid-Oxide Cell Applications

A modeling tool of the defect thermodynamics of (La,Ba)Fe1-xMxO3-δ perovskites which includes energetic information about oxygen vacancy formation, hydration, hydride formation, and charge disproportionation reactions has been developed1. This tool incorporates defect energies and entropies expressed as sixth order polynomial functions to allow refinements of the defect reaction equilibrium constants in the thermodynamic analysis. Calculation of (La,Ba)Fe1-xMxO3-δ Brouwer diagrams as a function of pO2/pH2O and pH2/H2O in a range of temperatures of interest is facilitated by this modeling tool. The results obtained can provide direct guidance how the electronic and ionic defect concentrations of the triple conducting perovskite materials can be used to optimize performance of solid oxide cells for energy applications. The impact of magnetic and electronic structures of the perovskites on the defect reaction energies and entropies as obtained from density function theory modeling and the role played by hydride defect species will also be discussed.

Lee, Yueh-Lin↗

Phase stability in cast and additively manufactured Al-rich Al-Cu-Ce alloys

Additively manufactured (AM) eutectic Al alloy systems have been studied extensively for advantageous thermal stability and mechanical properties due to their refined microstructures. Al-Cu-Ce alloys are one subset of these AM eutectic alloys. Here we studied phase stability in AM Al-Cu-Ce alloys and compared it to that of conventionally cast ones. A new phase, Al 8 Cu 3 Ce, was identified in the microstructures of both AM and cast Al-Cu-Ce alloys. This Al 8 Cu 3 Ce phase was not previously included on experimental or thermodynamically calculated phase diagrams of the Al-Cu-Ce system. Therefore, we performed additional thermodynamic modeling of the system. These models were experimentally validated with cast and subsequently heat-treated Al-Cu-Ce alloys. We found that despite the refined microstructure of the AM alloys, the phases formed were consistent with the cast alloys, suggesting that AM processing did not significantly alter the formation and stability of phases from that in the conventional alloys. In conclusion, this work has resolved inconsistent previous descriptions of the Al-Cu-Ce ternary phase diagram in the Al-rich region and resulted in the addition of the Al 8 Cu 3 Ce as an equilibrium phase above 500 °C.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Phase transitions in Zr at sub-nanosecond time scales

Here solid-solid phase transitions are investigated in Zr thin films using shock compression induced by a short laser pulse (<1 ns). Shock wave profiles are measured at free surfaces for films of different thicknesses (a few micrometers) using chirped-pulse line velocimetry with 10 ps time resolution. Experiments are performed at pressures up to ~50 GPa, which is sufficient to reach the ω and β phases under equilibrium conditions. The shock wave structures are analyzed using a general Lagrangian analysis method, which allows for the calculation of stress–strain paths and assessments of phase transition behavior. In agreement with recent short laser pulse experiments using ultra-fast x-ray diffraction, we do not find any clear evidence of the α–ω transition, though this would be expected from the phase diagram. Instead, we infer a direct transformation to a metastable β-phase at lower shock pressures (<20 GPa) and equilibrium β at higher pressures. Through the velocimetry analysis, we find α–β transformation onset times of less than ~100 ps and completion times of less than ~200 ps.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Far-from-equilibrium search for the QCD critical point

Initial conditions for relativistic heavy-ion collisions may be far from equilibrium (i.e., there are large initial contributions from the shear stress tensor and bulk pressure) but it is expected that on very short time scales the dynamics converge to a universal attractor that defines hydrodynamic behavior. Thus far, studies of this nature have only considered an idealized situation at LHC energies (high temperatures T and vanishing baryon chemical potential µ B = 0) but, in this work, we investigate for the first time how far-from-equilibrium effects may influence experimentally driven searches for the Quantum Chromodynamic critical point at RHIC. We find that the path to the critical point is heavily influenced by far from equilibrium initial conditions where viscous effects lead to dramatically different {T, µ B } trajectories through the QCD phase diagram. We compare hydrodynamic equations of motion with shear and bulk coupled together at finite µB for both DNMR and phenomenological Israel-Stewart equations of motion and discuss their influence on potential attractors at finite µ B and their corresponding {T, µ B } trajectories.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Accelerating Thermochemical Equilibrium Calculations for Nuclear Reactor Applications

Thermochemical properties play a key role in modeling and simulation of several key phenomena in nuclear reactors. There has been an increasing interest in incorporating CALPHAD-based formulations in multiphysics simulations including for Molten Salt Reactors where knowledge of phase evolution of the salt and the chemical potentials of various elements are of utmost importance in source term analyses and redox control. However, the size of such simulations is often limited by the high computational cost of full thermodynamic equilibrium calculations. This work discusses the current efforts aimed at accelerating thermochemical equilibrium calculations for multiphysics simulations performed using the open-source finite element / finite volume code Multiphysics Object Oriented Simulation Environment (MOOSE) [1]. While several methods have been proposed for accelerating phase equilibrium calculations [2], most focus on relatively small systems and often rely on a- priori knowledge of the state-space of the system. Nuclear materials, however, are often multi-component systems owing to the evolution of composition under irradiation and an approach based on a-priori mapping of phase diagram is often not enough. This work is aimed at demonstrating an on-the-fly surrogate modeling framework that uses active learning to reduce the number of full equilibrium calculations that must be performed. By combining with efficient coupling approaches, the surrogate framework helps in reducing the computational cost of thermodynamic equilibrium informed multiphysics simulations of nuclear materials. The performance is benchmarked against full coupling with the thermochemistry library Thermochimica [3]. This work uses a machine learning based approach for constructing surrogate models to predict the stable phases in a multicomponent system. The surrogates were constructed using neural networks and Gaussian process classification. In this work, we compare the relative performance of the two methods. We also demonstrate the use of caching previous calculations by interpolating the values from nearest neighbors. References [1] Lindsay, A.D., et al. "2.0 – MOOSE: Enabling massively parallel multiphysics simulation", SoftwareX, 20 (2022): 101202. [2] Roos, W.A. and Zietsman J.H. "Accelerating complex chemical equilibrium calculations – A Review", Calphad, 77 (2022): 102380. [3] Piro, M.H.A., et al. "The thermochemistry library Thermochimica", Computational Materials Science, 67 (2013): 266-272.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

The CALPHAD approach for HEAs: Challenges and opportunities

Phases are key microstructural features that determine material properties. The most intuitive way of representing phase stability in a material is by its phase diagram. The vastness of the composition space is the most compelling reason for investigating high-entropy alloys (HEAs), but it also creates major challenges in controlling phases and microstructures of HEAs due to lack of experimental phase diagrams in highly concentrated multicomponent space. The CALPHAD (Calculation of Phase Diagram) approach, although it needs improvements, is the only viable way to calculate multicomponent phase diagrams. The two major property databases in CALPHAD, Gibbs energy and mobility, when coupled, can provide not only the equilibrium phase information, but also information about diffusion and kinetics. In this article, we will review the use of the CALPHAD approach in understanding phase stability and diffusion in high-entropy alloys. Finally, we will discuss the notable trend of coupling the high-throughput CALPHAD approach with machine learning in HEA design.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Fractionating and Purifying Softwood Kraft Lignin with Aqueous Renewable Solvents: Liquid–Liquid Equilibrium for the Lignin–Ethanol–Water System

Hot ethanol–water solutions can be used to simultaneously fractionate and purify softwood Kraft lignin through the Aqueous Lignin Purification with Hot Agents (ALPHA) process, using the regions of liquid–liquid equilibrium (LLE) that form at selected temperatures and solvent-to-lignin feed (S/F) ratios. Lignin, ethanol, and water compositions are measured for the solvent-rich (SR) and lignin-rich (LR) liquid phases in mutual equilibrium, as well as the lignin and metals mass distributions between the two phases. As depicted in quasi-ternary diagrams for clarity, both temperature and S/F ratio can be used to grow, merge, and even split the regions of LLE, giving significant control over both molecular weight (MW) and lignin purity. For example, a solvent comprising 45:55 EtOH/H 2 O at 75 °C and an S/F ratio of 6:1 enables recovery of an ultrapure (95 % of Na removed), higher MW (M n =8400 Da) lignin fraction in the LR phase. On the other hand, 95:5 EtOH/H 2 O at 45 °C and S/F=3:1 enables recovery of an ultrapure, low MW (1500 Da) lignin in the SR phase.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Assessment of Physics Models for Phase Transition Kinetics

The time dependence of phase diagrams and how to model rate dependent transitions remains one of the key unanswered questions in physics. When a material is loaded dynamically through equilibrium phase boundaries, it is the kinetics that determines the real time expression of a phase transition. Here we report the atomic and nanosecond-scale quantification of kinetics of shock-driven phase transition in multiple materials. We uniquely make use of a both a simple shock as well as shock-and-hold loading pathways compress different crystalline solids and induce structural phase transitions below melt. Coupling shock loading with time-resolved synchrotron x-ray diffraction (DXRD), we probe the structural transformations of these solids in the short-lived high pressure and temperature states generated. The novelty and power of using DXRD for the assessment of kinetics of phase transitions lies in the ability to discover and identify new phases and to examine kinetics without prior knowledge of a material's phase diagram. Our results provide a quantified expression and a physics model of kinetics of formation of high-pressure phases under shock loading: transition incubation time, evolution, completion time and crystallization rate.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

First-Principles Insights into the Thermocatalytic Cracking of Ammonia-Hydrogen Blends on Fe(110): 1. Thermodynamics

Ammonia (NH 3 ) is being considered as a practical means to transport hydrogen (H 2 ) because of its higher volumetric energy density for the same temperature and pressure. Thermodynamics suggest high temperature is needed to decompose NH 3 to nitrogen (N 2 ) and H 2 . Furthermore, overcoming decomposition kinetic barriers requires a catalyst. Via density functional theory, we study this reaction on a model catalyst: the close-packed (110) facet of α-Fe. Specifically, we predict detailed in-operando temperature- and pressure-dependent surface phase diagrams on this benchmark catalyst that offer insights for the design of optimal NH 3 decomposition catalysts. Here, we explore the equilibrium composition(s) of the Fe(110) surface when exposed to NH 3 –H 2 mixtures. Further, we predict that both N and NH partially cover the Fe(110) surface at 300–400 °C (far above the NH 3 decomposition-formation coexistence temperature at standard partial pressures of 1 bar: ~ 180 °C) and 2–4 bar of total reactor pressure. At the equilibrium N/NH coverage, these species inhibit coadsorption of H, indicating that direct H 2 production may occur. However, from thermodynamics alone, removal of N/NH as N 2 (g) is extremely unfavorable even at these elevated temperatures–effectively deactivating the surface toward further NH 3 decomposition. Thus, catalysts that remain active toward N–H bond breaking but with weakened N binding relative to Fe are needed to enable high-turnover catalytic NH 3 decomposition to release H 2 .

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗