Papers by Keyword: Nonequilibrium Grain Boundary

Abstract: Kinetic characteristics of internal interfaces in ultrafine grained (UFG) materials represent an aspect that is central to their potential applications. Interface diffusion is strongly affected by ultrafine crystallinity and incorporated defects. In the present study the radiotracer technique was applied for measuring grain boundary (GB) diffusion of Ni in UFG Cu-1wt.%Pb alloy. The UFG specimens were prepared by equal channel angular pressing at room temperature. GB diffusion was investigated at room temperature in Harrison’s C kinetic regime under conditions in which Ni diffusion - even along general high-angle GBs in pure Cu - would hardly be measurable by the mechanical sectioning (as the corresponding penetration depths would be less than 100 nanometers). The present study highlights the existence of ultra-fast diffusion paths in severely deformed material. An atypical time dependence of the room-temperature diffusion data indicates a quite involved nature of these “fast” diffusion paths in the Cu-1wt.%Pb alloy.

Abstract: The paper provides an overview of recent results of the radiotracer investigations of short-circuit diffusion in ultra fine grained (UFG) materials produced by severe plastic deformation (SPD). Different material classes (copper of different purity levels and Cu alloys) are considered. The study is focused on the existence of non-equilibrium grain boundaries after SPD. Although a dominant contribution of common high-angle grain boundaries with very similar diffusivities as those in the corresponding coarse-grained material is established, much faster diffusion rates are also observed experimentally. The nature and kinetic properties of these “high mobility” paths in different materials are investigated and critically discussed.

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: Junction disclinations are important elements of the structure of nanostructured metals produced by severe plastic deformation (SPD). Effect of these defects on the formation energy of vacancies in grain boundaries (GBs) is studied by means of atomistic computer simulations. Estimates based on the calculations of vacancy formation energies suggest that at least two orders of magnitude increase of the GB diffusion coefficient can be expected due to junction disclinations in nanostructured metals.