Using a concurrent multi-scale approach, it was demonstrated that the local environment of transition-metal solutes in refractory body-centered cubic metals had a marked effect upon the mobility and slip-paths of dislocation. The results revealed that solid solutes or nanoclusters of various geometries could lead to solid-solution hardening or softening, in agreement with experiment, including spontaneous dislocation glide and the activation of new slip planes. The underlying electronic mechanism was a change in the anisotropy of the lattice resistance, induced by solutes.

Effect of the Local Environment on the Mobility of Dislocations in Refractory BCC Metals - Concurrent Multiscale Approach. Z.Chen, G.Lu, N.Kioussis, N.Ghoniem: Physical Review B, 2008, 78[13], 134102