Effect of hydrogen on surface energy of fcc Fe alloys: A first-principles study
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There is widespread interest in developing catalysts with uniform active sites that consist of single atoms, thereby simplifying the reaction mechanism and improving product selectivity. Here, we examine experimentally how CO can be used to modify the active sites on a strong binding single-atom alloy and examine how this in turn impacts product selectivity for a reaction that has two different pathways. Specifically, we find that CO can be used to selectively block isolated Rh atom active sites in a RhCu(111) model single-atom alloy catalyst surface and promote the dehydrogenation pathway for adsorbed ethyl groups by suppressing the hydrogenation pathway.
The segregation of solute atoms at grain boundaries (GBs) can profoundly impact the structural properties of metallic alloys, and induce effects that range from strengthening to embrittlement. And, though known to be anisotropic, there is a limited understanding of the variation of solute segregation tendencies across the full, multidimensional GB space, which is critically important in polycrystals where much of that space is represented. Here we develop a machine learning framework that can accurately predict the segregation tendency—quantified by the segregation enthalpy spectrum—of solute atoms at GB sites in polycrystals, based solely on the undecorated (pre-segregation) local atomic environment of such sites. We proceed to use the learning framework to scan across the alloy space, and build an extensive database of segregation energy spectra for more than 250 metal-based binary alloys. The resulting machine learning models and segregation database are key to unlocking the full potential of GB segregation as an alloy design tool, and enable the design of microstructures that maximize the useful impacts of segregation.
Abstract Grain boundaries, the two-dimensional defects between differently oriented crystals, tend to preferentially attract solutes for segregation. Solute segregation has a significant effect on the mechanical and transport properties of materials. At the atomic level, however, the interplay of structure and composition of grain boundaries remains elusive, especially with respect to light interstitial solutes like B and C. Here, we use Fe alloyed with B and C to exploit the strong interdependence of interface structure and chemistry via charge-density imaging and atom probe tomography methods. Direct imaging and quantifying of light interstitial solutes at grain boundaries provide insight into decoration tendencies governed by atomic motifs. We find that even a change in the inclination of the grain boundary plane with identical misorientation impacts grain boundary composition and atomic arrangement. Thus, it is the smallest structural hierarchical level, the atomic motifs, that controls the most important chemical properties of the grain boundaries. This insight not only closes a missing link between the structure and chemical composition of such defects but also enables the targeted design and passivation of the chemical state of grain boundaries to free them from their role as entry gates for corrosion, hydrogen embrittlement, or mechanical failure.
Grain boundaries (GBs) profoundly influence the properties and performance of materials, emphasizing the importance of understanding the GB structure and phase behavior. As recent computational studies have demonstrated the existence of multiple GB phases associated with varying the atomic density at the interface, we introduce a validated, open-source GRand canonical Interface Predictor (GRIP) tool that automates high-throughput, grand canonical optimization of GB structures. While previous studies of GB phases have almost exclusively focused on cubic systems, we demonstrate the utility of GRIP in an application to hexagonal close-packed titanium. We perform a systematic high-throughput exploration of tilt GBs in titanium and discover previously unreported structures and phase transitions. In low-angle boundaries, we demonstrate a coupling between point defect absorption and the change in the GB dislocation network topology due to GB phase transformations, which has important implications for the accommodation of radiation-induced defects.
We propose a general and tunable platform to realize high-density arrays of quantum spin-valley Hall kink (QSVHK) states with spin-valley-momentum locking based on a two-dimensional hexagonal topological insulator. Through the analysis of Berry curvature and topological charge, the QSVHK states are found to be topologically protected by the valley-inversion and time-reversal symmetries. Remarkably, the conductance of QSVHK states remains quantized against both nonmagnetic short- and long-range and magnetic long-range disorder, verified by the Green-function calculations. Based on first-principles results and our fabricated samples, we show that QSVHK states, protected with a gap up to 287 meV, can be realized in bismuthene by alloy engineering, surface functionalization, or electric field, supporting nonvolatile applications of spin-valley filters, valves, and waveguides even at room temperature.
Abstract not provided.
Recently, short-range order (SRO) has attracted significant attention, challenging the conventional view of the atomic positions in alloys being random. Furthermore, the presence of SRO has been predicted to have profound effects on the electronic and topological properties of group-IV alloys, offering a different direction in designing group-IV materials for photoelectronic and quantum devices. However, due to the limited understanding of the formation mechanisms, developing effective methods to manipulate SRO in epitaxy is still challenging. To address this, we propose a mechanism for the GeSn alloy, revealing that surface diffusion plays a key role in SRO formation. Building on this mechanism, we show that the distinct surface conditions in MBE and CVD lead to the formation of SRO with enhanced Sn–Sn pairing in MBE-grown samples, while CVD-grown samples remain random alloys. Furthermore, our findings provide an initial understanding of the kinetic process of SRO formation, providing guidance for the design of experiments to manipulate SRO.
The proposed project aims to develop a friction sir based repair technique to heal cracks of stainless steel dry storage canisters (DSCs), created by the effect of stress corrosion cracking (SCC). In real service conditions, the welded parts of the canisters become prone to SCC under exposure to aggressive chemical environment. The focus of the project is on developing a mitigation strategy that can be implemented for countering SCC in DSCs following a two-pronged approach: (i) apply friction stir processing (FSP) as a crack repair technique while creating compressive residual stresses at the canister material surface, thus improving resistance against SCC; (ii) add molybdenum and/or nitrogen by friction stir based alloying process to create compositions that improve pitting resistance and thus enhance resistance against SCC. The specific project objectives are listed below: • Investigate FSW of 304L SS a potential repair welding technique of dry storage canisters; • Optimize the FSW parameters to introduce surface compressive stress profiles in the weldments; • Develop a FSP method to surface alloy the 304L with nitrogen and Mo by adding CrN and Mo powders; • Evaluate the surface compressive residual stress profile during FSW and FSP processes; • Evaluate the localized corrosion resistance of the FSW and FSP samples as a function of temperature, chloride concentration, and surface alloy composition; • Evaluate the SCC behavior of the FSW and FSP samples as a function of stress, chloride concentration, and temperature at different surface chemistries and induced residual stress profiles.
FeCrAl alloys have attracted extensive attention as one of the potential cladding materials for the commercial light water reactors. Although the creep behaviors of coarse-grain FeCrAl alloys have been investigated at elevated temperatures, little is known on the deformation mechanism of fine-grain FeCrAl alloys. We performed surface mechanical grinding treatment to fabricate nanolaminated ferritic FeCrAl alloys. In situ micropillar compression tests were applied to determine the underlying deformation mechanism of nanolaminated FeCrAl alloys at elevated temperatures. The strain rate sensitivity and activation energy for the dominant deformation mechanism were estimated considering the presence of a threshold stress.
Here, in this paper, a novel hybrid wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) and ultrasonic nanocrystal surface modification (UNSM) on porosity manipulation and surface properties of aluminum 5356 alloys was studied. The goal is to improve the quality of the WAAM-built part by eliminating bigger pores and reducing its size, reducing surface roughness, and increasing surface hardness. The as-built WAAM and WAAM-UNSM-treated samples were quantitatively studied for porosity using an X-ray micro-computed tomography (μ-CT). The surface roughness was measured on the surface profile of the same samples before and after UNSM treatment. Followed by the Vickers micro-hardness tests to evaluate the hardness modified by the influence of the UNSM treatment. It was found that the bigger pores in the as-built WAAM samples were eliminated and the medium-sized pores were shrunk to almost half the size after the UNSM treatment. Further, the UNSM treatment showed a significant improvement in both surface roughness and hardness on the WAAM Al5356 samples. This experimental work demonstrates the critical advantages of hybrid WAAM-UNSM in improving the qualities of the WAAM processed parts.
It has been recently demonstrated that eutectic alloys processed by additive manufacturing have excellent high-temperature mechanical properties. We suggest that nickel-base eutectic alloys may enable new combinations of structural and functional properties. To this end, we investigate the processability, microstructure, and thermal stability of five, binary near-eutectic Ni-X (X = B, Ce, La, Y, and Zr) alloys processed via surface laser-remelting. The microstructure of all alloys contain a two-phase lamellar eutectic microstructure consisting of γ-Ni and intermetallic phases; this microstructure is significantly finer (100–200 nm lamellar spacing) in the laser-remelted alloys than in the cast substrate (0.5–1.0 µm lamellar spacing). The microhardness of the laser-remelted alloys (550–770 HV) is 35–50% higher than that of the cast alloys (370–570 HV) due to this finer eutectic spacing. An anomalous eutectic microstructure appears at the meltpool boundaries, containing globular and lamellar γ-Ni phases. The alloys contain a high volume fraction (>50 vol%) of intermetallic phase which forms a continuous network, causing brittleness. Following laser-remelting trials, the alloys showed a high density of solid-state cracks, except for the Ni-Zr alloy which processed well. During thermal exposure at 700 and 900°C for up to 500 h, the eutectic microstructure coarsens. Coarsening occurs heterogeneously and initiates at the meltpool boundaries. This process occurs more slowly in the Ni-Zr and Ni-Y alloys, and more rapidly in the remaining alloys, resulting in greater microhardness retention in the Ni-Zr and Ni-Y alloys following thermal exposure at 700°C. Thus, among the five alloys, the Ni-Zr system exhibits a good combination of high-temperature mechanical properties and processability. Here, we conclude with recommendations for future work on designing additively manufactured alloys based on these eutectic Ni systems.
Samarium hexaboride is a candidate for the topological Kondo insulator state, in which Kondo coherence is predicted to give rise to an insulating gap spanned by topological surface states. Here we investigate the surface and bulk electronic properties of magnetically alloyed Sm 1-x M x B 6 (M = Ce, Eu), using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and complementary characterization techniques. Remarkably, topologically nontrivial bulk and surface band structures are found to persist in highly modified samples with up to 30% Sm substitution and with an antiferromagnetic ground state in the case of Eu doping. The results are interpreted in terms of a hierarchy of energy scales, in which surface state emergence is linked to the formation of a direct Kondo gap, while low-temperature transport trends depend on the indirect gap.
During typical atmospheric conditions, cathodic reduction reactions produce hydroxyl ions increasing the pH in the cathodic region. Therefore, cathodic reduction reactions are investigated on platinum and stainless steel 304 L (SS304L) in NaOH solutions ranging in pH from 13.6 to 16.5. It was found that in solution pHs less than 16.5 the cathodic reduction reaction on Pt and SS304L was ORR with an electron transfer number less than two due to superoxide formation as an intermediate. Increasing pH decreased the number of electrons transferred. At a pH of 16.5, the cathodic reduction reaction on SS304L is no longer ORR and the cathodic current on the surface of the alloy is due to oxide reduction occurring on the surface as indicated by the creation of multi-component Pourbaix diagrams. The results of this study have important implications for predicting corrosion in atmospheric environments.
Throughout its relatively short lifetime, ultra-high vacuum (UHV) surface chemistry has progressed quickly. In the 1960's, pioneers like Ertl and Somorjai started the field using single crystals and gained significant insight into catalytic processes by relating surface structure to reactivity. The more recent proliferation of scanning probes has significantly increased the power of the single crystal approach by enabling the atomic-scale structure of active sites to be correlated with their reactivity. In this perspective we briefly discuss how the field developed, identify some challenges, and highlight Single-Atom Alloys (SAAs), a new class of heterogeneous catalyst that was developed from a fundamental surface science approach. However, despite recent successes, funding for fundamental surface science has declined. Academic hires in the discipline are also declining in part due to the start-up costs. We make the case that fundamental UHV surface chemistry is still too young a field to be in recession.