Papers by Keyword: Grain Boundary Structure

Abstract: The influence of Co as an alloying element on grain boundary diffusion (GBD) in Cu attracts particular interest due to anomalous GBD of Co in Cu. Ni as a neutral to Co and Cu element was chosen for GBD study. The triple products of Ni GBD in Cu and Cu-Co alloys (with concentration up to 2.9 wt. %) were determined in temperature range 500 – 700 °C by X-ray microprobe analysis. It was shown, that in spite of some scattering the triple product does not depend on Co concentration at all temperatures of experiments. From the obtained results it follows that Co does not change the GB structure.

Abstract: In order to fabricate varistors with low varistor voltage, the effects of thermal annealing of CoMnBaSi-added Bi based ZnO varistors on electrical properties and the grain boundary structure were investigated. The varistor voltage for the BiCoMnBaSi-added ZnO varistor decreased in half by thermal annealing for a short time. The resistance to electrical degradation was most improved by the addition of SiO₂ and thermal annealing for 1020 min. It is suggested that the composition of Bi and Si in the sheet-like deposit is changed by varying the annealing time and the resistance to electrical degradation is improved by both addition of SiO₂ as well as thermal annealing for short time.

Abstract: This paper reviews our recent investigations on grain growth in ceramics. Grain growth behavior has been found to be governed by the grain boundary structure: normal growth with a stationary relative grain size distribution for rough boundaries and non-normal (nonstationary) growth for faceted boundaries. Based on the concept of nonlinear migration of faceted boundaries, the mixed control model of grain growth is introduced and the principle of microstructural evolution is deduced. This principle states that various types of grain growth behavior are predicted as a result of the coupling effect between the maximum driving force for growth and the critical driving force for appreciable migration of the boundary. A wealth of experimental results supports the theoretical predictions of grain growth behavior, showing the generality of the suggested principle of microstructural evolution. Application of this principle is also demonstrated for the fabrication of single crystals as well as polycrystals with desired microstructures.

Abstract: Grain boundary properties depend on both composition and structure. To test the relative contributions of composition and structure to the grain boundary energy, we calculated the energy of 388 grain boundaries in four elemental, fcc metals: Ni, Al, Au and Cu. We constructed atomic-scale bicrystals of each boundary and subjected them to a rigorous energy minimization process to determine the lowest energy structure. Typically, several thousand boundary configurations were examined for each boundary in each element.

Abstract: An Al–0.5 Mg alloy and a commercial AA5182 alloy were subjected to high pressure torsion (HPT) to five turns under pressure of 6 GPa at room temperature. The grain boundary structure and deformation defects were investigated after HPT using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Low-angle, high-angle, equilibrium and non-equilibrium grain/subgrain boundaries, twin boundaries, full dislocations, dipoles, microtwins and stacking faults were identified by HRTEM. Extrinsic 60° dislocations in the form of dipoles were frequently observed in non-equilibrium grain/subgrain boundaries. In addition subgrain size distributions and dislocation densities were quantified by x-ray line profile analysis. It was observed that the average grain size decreased from about 120 nm to 55 nm as the Mg content increased from 0.5 to 4.1 wt%. Concomitantly the average stored dislocation density increased from 1.7 to 12.8  1014 m-2. Based on the HRTEM investigations and the x-ray line profile analyses, the deformation mechanism associated with the typical grain boundaries and deformation defects in the aluminium alloys were discussed.

Abstract: Intergranular corrosion (IGC) of model alloys in the 6000-series, with and without 0.2 wt% Cu, was studied using an accelerated corrosion test (BS ISO 11846 B), FE-SEM and FE-TEM. Low Cu alloys (0.02wt%) did not exhibit IGC even though they contained excess Si. The high-Cu, naturally aged material (T4) was susceptible to severe superficial etching. In the underaged state (below peak strength), the Cu-containing material was highly susceptible to IGC. Materials aged to peak strength (T6) or overaged were only slightly susceptible to IGC, with localized, shallow attacks. FE-TEM investigation of the underaged material revealed scattered, small AlMgSiCu-type precipitates, as well as a Cu-enriched film along the grain boundaries. The overaged material showed more extensive, coarse grain boundary precipitation. However, the Cu-enriched film was still present at localized sites. The reduced susceptibility to IGC upon artificial ageing was attributed to breaking of the continuity of the grain boundary film. The possible role of matrix precipitation is also discussed.

Abstract: Grain boundary structures in the Accumulative roll-bonding (ARB) processed copper (ARB-Cu) have been studied. The grain boundary structures were observed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). In order to clarify the difference between the grain boundaries in ARB-Cu and equilibrium boundaries, calculated atomic structure of symmetric tilt grain boundaries with <110> common axis (<110> symmetric tilt grain boundary; <110> STGB) in Cu were used. The near 14° boundary in the ARB-Cu could be described by the dislocation model, but the dense dislocation region existed near the grain boundary. The high angle boundaries in ARB-Cu could be described by the structural units which were obtained by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. Furthermore, in the 2 cycles and 6 cycles ARB-Cu (2cARB-Cu and 6cARB-Cu), the deformation twin boundaries could be observed and described by the structural unit. Therefore, it was concluded that the grain boundary structure in the ARB-Cu was not much different from the normal equilibrium grain boundary and explained by conventional dislocation and structural unit models.

Abstract: The fundamentals of X-ray line profile analysis are summarised in terms of subgrain size and size-distribution, dislocation density and dislocation types, especially edge and screw dislocations, intrinsic and extrinsic stacking faults and twin boundaries and vacancies produced during plastic deformation. It is shown that deformation induced vacancy concentrations in the grain boundaries of compressed copper polycrystals are close to the equilibrium values at the melting temperature. The discrepancy between X-ray and TEM size values is discussed in terms subgrain- and grain size. It is shown that this apparent discrepancy might be used to determine the status of fragmentation by severe plastic deformation.

Abstract: In the present study, grain boundary energy and atomic structure of <110> symmetric tilt boundaries in copper were evaluated by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. From the simulations, the grain boundary energy of <110> symmetric tilt boundaries depended on misorientation angle and there were large energy cusps at the misorientation angles which corresponded to (111) S 3 and (113) S 11 symmetric tilt boundaries. It was found that the atomic structure of each <110> symmetric tilt boundary was described by the combination of three kinds of structural units which consisted of (331) S 19, (111) S 3 and (113) S 11 symmetric tilt boundaries and two single crystal units which consisted of (110) S 1and (001) S 1 single crystals. From the the analysis of the excess free volume in each grain boundary, it was found that the energy of structural units depended on the excess free volume of the units and that the misorientation dependence of grain boundary energy agreed with that of the free volume in grain boundaries.

Abstract: Optimum parameters in the thermomechanical treatment during grain boundary engineering (GBE) were investigated for improvement of intergranular corrosion resistance of type 304 austenitic stainless steel. The grain boundary character distribution (GBCD) was examined by orientation imaging microscopy (OIM). The intergranular corrosion resistance was evaluated by electrochemical potentiokinetic reactivation (EPR) and ferric sulfate-sulfuric acid tests. The sensitivity to intergranular corrosion was reduced by the thermomechanical treatment and indicated a minimum at a small roll-reduction. The frequency of coincidence-site-lattice (CSL) boundaries indicated a maximum at the small pre-strain. The ferric sulfate-sulfuric acid test showed much smaller corrosion rate in the thermomechanical-treated specimen than in the base material for long time sensitization. The optimum thermomechanical treatment introduced a high frequency of CSL boundaries and the clear discontinuity of corrosive random boundary network in the material, and resulted in the high intergranular corrosion resistance arresting the propagation of intergranular corrosion from the surface.