Papers by Keyword: Interdiffusion

Abstract: This work presents experimental and computational research on the influence of hot isostatic pressing (HIP) of CMSX-4, a second-generation single-crystal nickel-based superalloy, on interdiffusion behavior and the formation of Kirkendall voids in subsequently assembled diffusion couples under isothermal annealing. Two sets of Ni/CMSX-4 diffusion couples were prepared: one using CMSX-4 that had undergone HIP treatment, and the other using CMSX-4 in the as-cast condition. The diffusion couples were annealed at 1250 °C for 144 h. Experimentally measured interdiffusion profiles of all alloying elements, together with synchrotron X-ray 3D μ-tomography of Kirkendall voids, were compared with calculated diffusion profiles and phase-field simulations of void evolution. A direct comparison between the simulation and experimental results enables an explanation of the HIP effect on the density, distribution, and size of the voids, as well as on the observed shifts in the interdiffusion profiles.

Abstract: A novel study of interdiffusion analysis in multicomponent alloys is presented. A custom written Matlab fitting program (MFP) is used as the main tool for the present study. The interdiffusion matrices are obtained using a newly developed mathematical approach based on the fitting into the closed form solution for the composition profiles. Overall, the new fitting method gives very good outcomes and allows the probing of multiple solutions (validated by back tests) that exist when a single diffusion couple is used in a multicomponent system. An important finding of the present investigations is that small differences in composition profiles may lead to large differences in the interdiffusion coefficients.

Abstract: A novel study of analysis interdiffusion in multicomponent alloys is investigated by means of closed form solutions and numerical simulations. Quaternary as well as selected CoCrFeMnNi (HEAs) quinary metallic systems are analysed using one, two and three diffusion couples with the full set of interdiffusion coefficients being calculated. A custom written Matlab fitting program (MFP) is used as the main tool for the simultaneous fitting into multiple composition profiles in both systems. The retrieved interdiffusion matrices are obtained using a newly developed approach that is interlinked with composition vectors, eigenvalues and eigenvector. On average, it can be concluded that the accuracy of the obtained matrices steadily improves with the increase of the number of couples used in the analysis.

Abstract: High entropy alloys (HEAs) are equimolar multi-principal-element alloys (MPEAs) that are different from traditional solvent-based multicomponent alloys based on the concept of alloy design. Based on initial work by Yeh and co-workers, HEAs were postulated to exhibit four “core” effects: high entropy, sluggish diffusion, lattice distortion, and cocktail effect. Out of these four proposed core effects, “high entropy” and “sluggish diffusion” effects were most debated in the literature as these core effects directly affect the thermodynamic and kinetic understanding of HEAs. The initial work on HEAs by several researchers utilized these effects to indirectly support the experimentally observed “unique” properties, without independent investigation of these core effects. The presumed implications of these core effects resulted in justification or generalization of properties to all HEAs, e.g., all HEAs should exhibit high temperature stability based on high entropy effect, high temperature strength owing to limited grain growth, good diffusion barrier application due to sluggish diffusion kinetics, etc. However, many recent studies have challenged these core effects, and suggested that not all HEAs were observed to exhibit these core effects.

Abstract: A series of accelerated degradation experiments at high temperatures have been performed for Pd-coated V-10 mol% Fe alloy membranes in order to investigate the degradation behavior of hydrogen permeability. The degradation of the membrane becomes severer with increasing testing temperature. The temperature dependence of the 20% degradation rate almost obeys the Arrhenius relationship, suggesting that the degradation phenomenon occurs by a kind of thermal activation process. It is found that the addition of a small amount of W into Pd overlayer improves the durability of the membrane significantly.

Abstract: In crystalline solids, during such processes as chemical interdiffusion in alloys, ionic conductivity and the annealing out of radiation damage there will inevitably be a net flux of vacancies. In most cases, when different species of atoms have different jump rates with vacancies within a net flux of vacancies, the phenomenon of the vacancy-wind effect will occur. This effect was first discovered in the 1960s by the late Dr John Manning. It is a subtle phenomenon that comes about because of the local redistribution of the equilibrium concentration of vacancies with respect to two or more species of drifting atoms in a driving force. The effect is captured in various ‘vacancy-wind factors’ (some of which are now sometimes called Manning factors) which formally arise from non-zero off-diagonal Onsager phenomenological transport coefficients and non-unity values of the tracer correlation factors. In this paper, the effect is reviewed and discussed.

Abstract: High entropy alloys (HEAs) are composed of five or more principal elements with equal (or nearly equal) compositions. In this paper, interdiffusion phenomenon in the HEAs is investigated. Two composition dependent (as well as composition independent) interdiffusion matrices have been used for detailed studying of the diffusion behaviour in CoCrFeMnNi HEAs. These matrices are calculated according to the Darken and Manning formalisms and are used in combination with the explicit finite difference method (EFDM) to obtain interdiffusion profiles. First, the interdiffusion profiles are calculated for the case of the terminal binary diffusion couple. A significant difference in the composition profiles is found between predictions according to the Darken and Manning formalisms. Next, the interdiffusion problem in the 5-component alloy is addressed numerically by considering the interdiffusion coefficients as constant, independent of composition, in CoCrFeMnNi alloys for several diffusion couples (mainly quasi-binary and quasi-ternary). The simulated composition profiles are found to be in a very good agreement with the available experimental results [1, 2]. It should be pointed out that the independence on composition of the interdiffusion matrix should be used for diffusion couples under two conditions: relatively small changes in composition, and the non-zero/non-dilute terminal compositions. The composition dependent interdiffusion matrix should be used in the diffusion couple if the composition differences are large and/or zero/dilute terminal compositions. In this paper, the Darken and Manning formalisms are used for modelling the composition dependent interdiffusion matrices. The purpose of this modelling is to systematically investigate interdiffusion in CoCrFeMnNi alloys in diffusion couples with substantial changes in composition. The main application of the present research is in the prediction of possible interdiffusion profiles in the framework of the random alloy model.

Abstract: Heusler NiMnGa alloys are often categorized as ferromagnetic shape memory alloys or magnetocaloric materials, which are important for both practical applications and fundamental research. The NiMnGa alloys undergo a series of diffusion and diffusionless transformation from high temperature to low temperature. Among these transformation, martensitic transformation from austenitic phase to martensitic phase is critical in determining the properties of the alloys. Although martensitic transformation is considered diffusionless, diffusion also has important applications in the research of NiMnGa alloysDiffusion couples along with equilibrium alloys have been used to determine the ternary phase diagrams in NiMnGa alloys. Phase diagrams are important in selecting NiMnGa alloys, in particular two-phase NiMnGa alloys for practical applications. Furthermore, the diffusion couples effectively assist in the determination of compositions that exhibit martensitic transformation temperature near room temperature. Diffusion coefficients have been assessed for NiMnGa alloys. Tracer diffusivity of Ni, Mn and Ga was reported in a wide temperature range and followed Arrhenius behavior. Two different activation energies were obtained, corresponding to B2 and L2₁ crystal structure, respectively. Interdiffusion coefficients for NiMnGa alloys with B2 crystal structure are measured, which showed that Ni diffuses the fastest, followed by Mn then Ga. The diffusion coefficients provide useful information for fabricating NiMnGa alloys through diffusional process.A combinatorial approach involving diffusion couples and advance characterization has been developed to investigate the mechanical properties, microstructure and crystallography of NiMnGa alloys rapidly and systematically over a large compositional range. The composition-dependent modulus and hardness for NiMnGa alloys was extracted from the diffusion couples with the help of nanoindentation. Martensitic phases with non-modulated and various modulated crystal structures, and austenitic phase were identified in the interdiffusion zones by transmission electron microscopy. The results demonstrate the capability of using diffusion couples to speed up the discovery of new NiMnGa alloys or other similar alloys showing martensitic transformation.

Abstract: High entropy alloys (HEAs) are considered as a novel class of materials with a large number of components (five and more) available in equiatomic or nearly equatomic proportions. One of the characteristic properties of HEAs was believed to be so-called 'sluggish' diffusion that should be crucial for intended high-temperature technological applications. The faith on this myth instead of rigorous experimental analysis played such a dominant role that the first set of data on interdi usion, in fact based on an improper analysis, were cited in hundreds of articles to state the presence of sluggishness of di usion rates in high entropy alloys.

Abstract: The diffusion of a B element into an A matrix was studied by the random walk theory. Considering that concentration of B element in the A matrix is very low, the jumps of diffusing atoms are independent of each other. The A matrix is a two-region material with different properties, such as a two-phase material, a single crystal with dislocations, or regions influenced by other solute and a polycrystalline material.It is assumed that material B has a penetration that allows it to cross each region of material A several times. This implies that jumps across the surface between those regions have an average frequency and, as a consequence, there is an interdiffusion coefficient between them. The interdiffusion coefficient between those regions is different than the coefficient of the diffusion in each region.Expressions were obtained that allow to delimit the ranges of validation with greater precision than the corrected Hart-Mortlock equation for solute diffusion. In addition, an original relationship was obtained between the segregation coefficient and parameters specific to the diffusion. New powerful tools were also found that can help to understand diffusion in nanocrystalline materials, diffusion in metals influenced by impurities and diffusion produced by different mechanisms.