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Results for “BINARY ALLOY SYSTEMS”

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At least 19 records

An informatics guided classification of miscible and immiscible binary alloy systems

The classification of miscible and immiscible systems of binary alloys plays a critical role in the design of multicomponent alloys. By mining data from hundreds of experimental phase diagrams, and thousands of thermodynamic data sets from experiments and high-throughput first-principles (HTFP) calculations, we have obtained a comprehensive classification of alloying behavior for 813 binary alloy systems consisting of transition and lanthanide metals. Among several physics-based descriptors, the slightly modified Pettifor chemical scale provides a unique two-dimensional map that divides the miscible and immiscible systems into distinctly clustered regions. Based on an artificial neural network algorithm and elemental similarity, the miscibility of the unknown systems is further predicted and a complete miscibility map is thus obtained. Impressively, the classification by the miscibility map yields a robust validation on the capability of the well-known Miedema’s theory (95% agreement) and shows good agreement with the HTFP method (90% agreement). Our results demonstrate that a state-of-the-art physics-guided data mining can provide an efficient pathway for knowledge discovery in the next generation of materials design.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

The effects of dose, dose rate, and irradiation type and their equivalence on radiation-induced segregation in binary alloy systems via phase-field simulations

Radiation-induced segregation is a phenomenon commonly observed in many alloys which consists of the redistribution of elements (solute or interstitial impurities) under irradiation. The onset and development of radiation-induced segregation can only occur when a sufficient flux of defects is sustained and defect sinks are present. Irradiation dose, dose rate, and particle types all affect defect flux. In this work, we employ a phase-field model to examine the effects of dose, dose rate, and type of incident particles on radiation-induced segregation behavior in a model binary alloy. The phase-field model takes into account the formation and evolution of point defects as well as defect clusters, the diffusion and clustering of alloy species, the presence of additional extrinsic defect sinks in the form of dislocations, and two different methods of radiation-damage insertion, which are intended to simulate either light-ion/electron irradiation via Frenkel pairs or heavy-ion irradiation in the form of cascades. Our results show a dose-rate and particle-type dependence on the amount of solute segregation. We show that the material systems exposed to higher dose rates are less subjected to solute segregation at equivalent doses. We also show that such dose-rate-dependence behavior is due to a delay of the incubation dose at which radiation-induced segregation effectively starts. Particle type and the presence of dislocations can accentuate this behavior. Our model predictions correlate with many experimental observations made over the years on radiation-induced segregation providing credence to the simulation results. The methodology presented in this study allows for a first-order prediction of the dose rate at which proxy irradiation experiments could be performed to approximate radiation-induced segregation behaviors seen in targeted irradiation conditions.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Revisiting Wagner’s Criteria to Predict Establishment and Retention of Alumina Scales on Ternary NiCrAl Alloys

Despite the advent of numerical modeling approaches and high-performance computing infrastructure, the design and development of corrosion-resistant high temperature alloys (> 500 °C) continue to be largely empirical and typically involve extensive experimentation. This is mainly due to the lack of a single unified physics-based model that can address the impact of multiple competing factors such as time, environment, alloy composition, microstructure, and geometry. The classical Wagner’s criteria have been foundational to estimate the minimum concentrations required of an oxide-forming element to establish and sustain a protective oxide scale. However, the formulation is primarily limited to lower-order alloy systems (binary alloys) and ignores the time dependence of subsurface compositional changes in the alloy. The lack of key data on the temperature and composition dependence of the solubility and transport of oxidants in multicomponent-multiphase alloys further exacerbates the problem. In the present work, a few of these limitations were addressed using a flux-based approach (FLAP) which tracks the spatiotemporal evolution of the fundamental flux balance between oxygen and the oxide-forming elements to enable the prediction of the formation of an external alumina scale in ternary NiCrAl alloys. In conclusion, the modeling results were validated with the literature findings and additional experimental work conducted in the present work.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Copper-based alloys, crystallographic and crystallochemical parameters of alloys in binary systems Cu-Me (Me=Co, Rh, Ir, Cu, Ag, Au, Ni, Pd, Pt)

The article presents the results of the analysis of phase equilibrium of ordered phases in binary systems based on copper Cu- Me (where Me - Co, Rh, Ir, Ag, Au, Ni, Pd, Pt) to find correlations of crystallochemical and crystallographic factors. It is established that the packing index in disordered solid solutions in binary systems based on copper is close to the value of 0.74 against the background of an insignificant deviation of atomic volumes from the Zen’s law.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Diffusion bonding of commercially pure Ni using Cu interlayer

The concentration dependence of diffusivity in a multi-component diffusion system makes it complicated to predict the concentration profiles of diffusing species. This so called chemical diffusivity can be expressed as a function of thermodynamic and kinetic data. DICTRA software can calculate the concentration profiles using appropriate mobility and thermodynamic data. It can also optimize the diffusivity data using experimental diffusivity data. Then the optimized diffusivity data is stored as mobility data which is a linear function of temperature. In this work, diffusion bonding of commercially pure Ni using Cu interlayers is reported. The mobility parameters of Ni-Cu alloy binary systems were optimized using DICTRA/Thermocalc software from the available self-, tracer and chemical diffusion coefficients. The optimized mobility parameters were used to simulate concentration profiles of Ni-Cu diffusion joints using DICTRA/Thermocalc software. The calculated and experimental concentration profiles agreed well at 1100 Degree-Sign C. Agreement between the simulated and experimental profiles was less good at 1050 Degree-Sign C due to the grain boundary contribution to the overall diffusion. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The concentration profiles of Cu in Ni-Cu diffusion joints are modeled. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Interdiffusion coefficients in Ni-Cu system are optimized. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Optimized interdiffusion coefficients are expressed as mobility parameters. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Simulated profiles are comparable with experimental profiles.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

First Principles Evaluation of Phase Stability in the In-Sn Binary System

Abstract The In-Sn binary alloy system exhibits several unusual features that challenge crystallographic and thermodynamic expectations. We combine first principles total energy calculation with simple thermodynamic modeling to address two key points. First, we evaluate energies along the Bain path to interpret the discontinuous transition between the phases α-In (Pearson type tI2) and β-In 3 Sn (also Pearson type tI2) that are identical in symmetry. Second, we demonstrate that the solid solution phases β-In 3 Sn and γ-InSn 4 (Pearson type hP1) exist at high temperatures only, and they exhibit eutectoid decompositions at low temperatures.

Chemistry↗

Design and Development of Stable Nanocrystalline High‐Entropy Alloy: Coupling Self‐Stabilization and Solute Grain Boundary Segregation Effects

Abstract Grain growth is prevalent in nanocrystalline (NC) materials at low homologous temperatures. Solute element addition is used to offset excess energy that drives coarsening at grain boundaries (GBs), albeit mostly for simple binary alloys. This thermodynamic approach is considered complicated in multi‐component alloy systems due to complex pairwise interactions among alloying elements. Guided by empirical and GB‐segregation enthalpy considerations for binary‐alloy systems, a novel alloy design strategy, the “ pseudo‐binary thermodynamic ” approach, for stabilizing NC‐high entropy alloys (HEAs) and other multi‐component‐alloy variants is proposed. Using Al 25 Co 25 Cr 25 Fe 25 as a model‐HEA to validate this approach, Zr, Sc, and Hf, are identified as the preferred solutes that would segregate to HEA‐GBs to stabilize it against growth. Using Zr, NC‐Al 25 Co 25 Cr 25 Fe 25 HEAs with minor additions of Zr are synthesized, followed by annealing up to 1123 K. Using advanced characterization techniques— in situ X‐ray diffraction (XRD), scanning/transmission electron microscopy (S/TEM), and atom probe tomography, nanograin stability due to coupling self‐stabilization and solute‐GB segregation effects is reported in HEAs up to substantially high temperatures. The self‐stabilization effect originates from the preferential GB‐segregation of constituent HEA‐elements that stabilizes NC‐Al 25 Co 25 Cr 25 Fe 25 up to 0.5 T m ( T m –melting temperature). Meanwhile, solute‐GB segregation originates from Zr segregation to NC‐Al 25 Co 25 Cr 25 Fe 25 GBs; this results in further stabilization of the phase and grain‐size (≈14 nm) up to ≈0.58 and ≈0.64 T m , respectively.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Determination of Thermodynamic Properties of Si-B Alloys

This study establishes the thermodynamic properties of the Si-B binary alloy system. The electromotive force (emf) as a function of temperature (823 K to 923 K) was measured using solid-state electrochemical cells, represented as(−) Pt,Ar/{Si∥CaF_2∥} {Si−B(alloy)}/Ar,Pt(+) Using the experimental emf data obtained from the solid-state heterogeneous phase equilibrium, the activities of Si and B in Si-B alloys were calculated. The integral Gibbs energy of mixing (ΔG{sup M}) of alloys were calculated from the activity of Si and B. A large negative deviation from ideality was found for the integral Gibbs energy of mixing (ΔG{sup M}) of the binary Si-B system. From the activities of Si and B, the Gibbs energies of formation (ΔG{sub f}{sup 0}) of phases present were calculated. The ΔG{sub f}{sup 0} of SiB{sub 3}, the most thermodynamically stable phase, was calculated as − 13.13 ± 0.19 kJ/mole-atoms at 923 K. The heterogeneous phases and microstructure after the equilibrium study of the electrode were characterized using XRD, SEM, and EDS analyses.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

The effects of tungsten concentration on crystalline structure and perpendicular magnetic anisotropy of Co-W films

In this study, Co-W thin films deposited by DC magnetron sputtering were demonstrated to be perpendicular magnetic anisotropic with large magnetocrystalline anisotropy energy (MAE). Thermodynamic calculations based on Miedema’s semi-empirical model have been used to estimate the phase in this binary alloy system. Based on the thermodynamic calculations results, a series of Co-W thin films were deposited on amorphous Ta underlayer with different tungsten concentrations. According to the X-ray diffraction results, the crystal structure of Co-W thin films is consistent well with that of thermodynamic calculations. Large MAE of Co-W thin films can be obtained with K{sub u} over 2.1 × 10{sup 5} J/m{sup 3} after vacuum annealing. The perpendicular coercivity (H{sub c}) of Co-W thin film reaches 9.1 × 10{sup 4} A/m. Therefore, the Co-W thin film is considered as a potential choice of high-density magnetic recording media materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Comparative study of local atomic structures in Zr{sub 2}Cu{sub x}Ni{sub 1−x} (x = 0, 0.5, 1) metallic glasses

Extensive analysis has been performed to understand the key structural motifs accounting for the difference in glass forming ability in the Zr-Cu and Zr-Ni binary alloy systems. Here, the reliable atomic structure models of Zr{sub 2}Cu{sub x}Ni{sub 1−x} (x = 0, 0.5, 1) are constructed using the combination of X-ray diffraction experiments, ab initio molecular dynamics simulations and a constrained reverse Monte Carlo method. We observe a systematic variation of the interatomic distance of different atomic pairs with respect to the alloy composition. The ideal icosahedral content in all samples is limited, despite the high content of five-fold symmetry motifs. We also demonstrate that the population of Z-clusters in Zr{sub 2}Cu glass is much higher than that in the Zr{sub 2}Ni and Zr{sub 2}Cu{sub 0.5}Ni{sub 0.5} samples. And Z12 〈0, 0, 12, 0〉 Voronoi polyhedra clusters prefer to form around Cu atoms, while Ni-centered clusters are more like Z11 〈0, 2, 8, 1〉 clusters, which is less energetically stable compared to Z12 clusters. These two different structural properties may account for the higher glass forming ability of Zr{sub 2}Cu alloy than that of Zr{sub 2}Ni alloy.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Analytic Binary Alloy Volume–Concentration Relations and the Deviation from Zen’s Law

Alloys expand or contract as concentrations change, and the resulting relationship between atomic volume and alloy content is an important property of the solid. While a well-known approximation posits that the atomic volume varies linearly with concentration (Zen’s law), the actual variation is more complicated. Here we use the apparent size of the solute (solvent) atom and the elasticity to derive explicit analytical expressions for the atomic volume of binary solid alloys. Two approximations, continuum and terminal, are proposed. Deviations from Zen’s law are studied for 22 binary alloy systems.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Quantum-accurate spectral neighbor analysis potential models for Ni-Mo binary alloys and fcc metals

In recent years, efficient interatomic potentials approaching the accuracy of density functional theory (DFT) calculations have been developed using rigorous atomic descriptors satisfying strict invariances, for example, for translation, rotation, permutation of homonuclear atoms, among others. In this work, we generalize the spectral neighbor analysis potential (SNAP) model to bcc-fcc binary alloy systems. We demonstrate that machine-learned SNAP models can yield significant improvements even over the well-established high-performing embedded atom method (EAM) and modified EAM potentials for fcc Cu and Ni. We also report on the development of a SNAP model for the fcc Ni-bcc Mo binary system by machine learning a carefully constructed large computed data set of elemental and intermetallic compounds. We demonstrate that this binary Ni-Mo SNAP model can achieve excellent agreement with experiments in the prediction of a Ni-Mo phase diagram as well as near-DFT accuracy in the prediction of many key properties, such as elastic constants, formation energies, melting points, etc., across the entire binary composition range. In contrast, the existing Ni-Mo EAM has significant errors in the prediction of the phase diagram and completely fails in binary compounds. Lastly, this paper provides a systematic model development process for multicomponent alloy systems, including an efficient procedure to optimize the hyperparameters in the model fitting, and paves the way for long-time large-scale simulations of such systems.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Glovebox Advanced Casting System Casting Optimization

Casting optimization in the GACS included three broad areas; casting of U-10Zr pins, incorporation of an integral FCCI barrier, and development of a permanent crucible coating. U-10Zr casting was improved over last year’s results by modifying the crucible design to minimize contact with the colder mold. Through these modifications casting of a three pin batch was successful. Incorporation of an integral FCCI barrier also was optimized through furnace chamber pressure changes during the casting cycle to reduce gas pressures in the mold cavities which led to three full length pins being cast which incorporated FCCI barriers of three different thicknesses. Permanent crucible coatings were tested against a base case; 1500°C for 10 minutes in a U-20Pu-10Zr molten alloy. None of the candidate coating materials showed evidence of failure upon initial visual examination. In all areas of work a large amount of characterization will be needed to fully determine the effects of the optimization activities. The characterization activities and future work will occur next year.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Glass formation during combinatorial sputtering in binary alloys

Glass formation is a complex phenomenon influenced by thermodynamic and kinetic aspects, which are often controlled by extrinsic contributions. While bulk metallic glasses are typically multicomponent alloys, binary alloys offer a simplified approach to studying glass formation. In this study, we fabricated 57 binary alloy systems through combinatorial sputtering, where each alloy system is represented in 66 different alloys. We developed an automated analysis to determine structure and composition using X-ray diffraction and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy for over 3700 alloys. We found that ∼17 % of the alloys form glasses under the estimated cooling rate during sputtering of ∼10 8 K/s. Data analysis revealed that commonly used factors like atomic size ratio and heat of mixing are ineffective in predicting glass formation. However, the crystal structure mismatch of the alloys’ elements emerged as the strongest indicator of glass formation under sputtering conditions of binary alloys. Here, the differences in glass formation under slow cooling rates used for bulk glass formation and the here observed glass formation under rapid cooling rates are discussed.

Binary alloys↗

Temperature Dependent Electrical Transport Properties of Ni-Cr and Co-Cr Binary Alloys

The temperature dependent electrical transport properties viz. electrical resistivity and thermal conductivity of Ni{sub 10}Cr{sub 90} and Co{sub 20}Cr{sub 80} alloys are computed at various temperatures. The electrical resistivity has been calculated according to Faber-Ziman model combined with Ashcroft-Langreth partial structure factors. In the present work, to include the ion-electron interaction, we have used a well tested local model potential. For exchange-correlation effects, five different forms of local field correction functions due to Hartree (H), Taylor (T), Ichimaru and Utsumi (IU), Farid et al (F) and Sarkar et al (S) are used. The present results due to S function are in good agreement with the experimental data as compared to results obtained using other four functions. The S functions satisfy compressibility sum rule in long wave length limit more accurately as compared to T, IU and F functions, which may be responsible for better agreement of results, obtained using S function. Also, present result confirms the validity of present approach in determining the transport properties of alloys like Ni-Cr and Co-Cr.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Analytical gradient-based optimization of CALPHAD model parameters

The calibration of CALPHAD (CALculation of PHAse Diagrams) models involves the solution of a very challenging high-dimensional multiobjective optimization problem. Traditional approaches to parameter fitting predominantly rely on gradient-free methods, which while robust, are computationally inefficient and often scale poorly with model complexity. In this work, we introduce and demonstrate a generalizable framework for analytic gradient-based optimization of the parameters of the CALPHAD model enabled by the recently formalized Jansson derivative technique. This method allows for efficient evaluation of gradients of thermodynamic properties at equilibrium with respect to model parameters, even in the presence of arbitrarily complex internal degrees of freedom. Leveraging these semi-analytic gradients, we employ the conjugate gradient (CG) method to optimize thermodynamic model parameters for four binary alloy systems: Cu-Mg, Fe-Ni, Cr-Ni, and Cr-Fe. Across all systems, CG achieves comparable or superior optimality relative to Bayesian ensemble Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) with improvements in computational efficiency ranging from one to three orders of magnitude. Furthermore, our results establish a new paradigm for CALPHAD assessments in which high fidelity data-rich model calibration becomes tractable using deterministic gradient-informed algorithms.

CALPHAD↗

Effects of cluster expansion on the locations of phase transition boundary as a first step to quantify uncertainty in first principles statistical mechanics framework

Predicting phase diagrams from first principle calculations eliminates the need of tedious experimental trials and errors. Fully automating first principle phase diagram calculations without any sort of human intervention has been a long daunting task and troubling scientific communities for decades. This grand problem remains not fully resolved, largely due to the vastly high-dimensional parameter space associated with density functional theory, cluster expansion, lattice Monte Carlo, and the substantial uncertainty propagating through a set of complex simulations. As a first step to tackle this grand problem, we reported a first demonstration of how sensitive phase boundary locations can be to various cluster expansion fittings and input DFT training data. To the best knowledge of the authors, this study reported the first ever attempt to quantify uncertainty in first principles statistical mechanics framework. In addition, a semi-automated phase transition detection algorithm has been devised in this paper to deal with the associated statistical errors and uncertainties from Monte Carlo method and its predecessor DFT calculations and cluster expansions. This algorithm has been applied in a classical cluster expansion Mg-Cd binary alloy system to detect phase transitions at various locations of phase diagram using different cluster expansions to demonstrate its predictive power and quantify uncertainties. The results suggested that using Chebyshev basis function shifted the transition locations toward the dilute solid solution phase and expanded the phase stability of concentrated ordered phases to wider composition range. The addition of perturbed defect configurations into training data set lowered the order-disorder transition temperature to be away from true transition temperature, suggesting the transition nature is indeed configurational disorder dominated rather than defect assisted. Finally, we found that the weighting has negligible effect on the transition locations, except for the case of using Chebyshev basis function to fit all non-weighted configurations that can be susceptible to Monte Carlo sampling hysteresis.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Utilizing Site Disorder in the Development of New Energy-Relevant Semiconductors

We report controlling site disorder in ternary and multinary compounds enables tuning optical and electronic properties at fixed lattice constants and stoichiometries, moving beyond many of the challenges facing binary alloy systems. Here, we consider possible enhancements to energy-related applications through the integration of disorder-tunable materials in devices such as light-emitting diodes, photonics, photovoltaics, photocatalytic materials, batteries, and thermoelectrics. However, challenges remain in controlling and characterizing disorder. Focusing primarily on II–IV–V 2 materials, we identify three metrics for experimentally characterizing cation site disorder. Complementary to these experiments, we discuss simulation methods to understand disordered materials. Nonidealities, such as off-stoichiometry and oxygen incorporation, can occur while synthesizing metastable disordered materials. While nonidealities may seem undesirable, we describe how if harnessed they could provide another knob for tuning disorder and subsequently properties. To illustrate the effects of disorder on device-relevant properties, we provide case examples of disordered materials and their potential in device applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗