In-situ atomic-scale observation the escape of irradiation-induced dislocation loops in magnesium

2021 ◽  
pp. 162708
Author(s):  
Shujing Wu ◽  
Chong Cao ◽  
Huifeng Bo ◽  
Qingjun Zhang
Author(s):  
D.I. Potter ◽  
A. Taylor

Thermal aging of Ni-12.8 at. % A1 and Ni-12.7 at. % Si produces spatially homogeneous dispersions of cuboidal γ'-Ni3Al or Ni3Si precipitate particles arrayed in the Ni solid solution. We have used 3.5-MeV 58Ni+ ion irradiation to examine the effect of irradiation during precipitation on precipitate morphology and distribution. The nearness of free surfaces produced unusual morphologies in foils thinned prior to irradiation. These thin-foil effects will be important during in-situ investigations of precipitation in the HVEM. The thin foil results can be interpreted in terms of observations from bulk irradiations which are described first.Figure 1a is a dark field image of the γ' precipitate 5000 Å beneath the surface(∿1200 Å short of peak damage) of the Ni-Al alloy irradiated in bulk form. The inhomogeneous spatial distribution of γ' results from the presence of voids and dislocation loops which can be seen in the bright field image of the same area, Fig. 1b.


Author(s):  
Wilfried Sigle ◽  
Matthias Hohenstein ◽  
Alfred Seeger

Prolonged electron irradiation of metals at elevated temperatures usually leads to the formation of large interstitial-type dislocation loops. The growth rate of the loops is proportional to the total cross-section for atom displacement,which is implicitly connected with the threshold energy for atom displacement, Ed . Thus, by measuring the growth rate as a function of the electron energy and the orientation of the specimen with respect to the electron beam, the anisotropy of Ed can be determined rather precisely. We have performed such experiments in situ in high-voltage electron microscopes on Ag and Au at 473K as a function of the orientation and on Au as a function of temperature at several fixed orientations.Whereas in Ag minima of Ed are found close to <100>,<110>, and <210> (13-18eV), (Fig.1) atom displacement in Au requires least energy along <100>(15-19eV) (Fig.2). Au is thus the first fcc metal in which the absolute minimum of the threshold energy has been established not to lie in or close to the <110> direction.


Author(s):  
E. Holzäpfel ◽  
F. Phillipp ◽  
M. Wilkens

During in-situ radiation damage experiments aiming on the investigation of vacancy-migration properties interstitial-type dislocation loops are used as probes monitoring the development of the point defect concentrations. The temperature dependence of the loop-growth rate v is analyzed in terms of reaction-rate theory yielding information on the vacancy migration enthalpy. The relation between v and the point-defect production rate P provides a critical test of such a treatment since it is sensitive to the defect reactions which are dominant. If mutual recombination of vacancies and interstitials is the dominant reaction, vαP0.5 holds. If, however, annihilation of the defects at unsaturable sinks determines the concentrations, a linear relationship vαP is expected.Detailed studies in pure bcc-metals yielded vαPx with 0.7≾×≾1.0 showing that besides recombination of vacancies and interstitials annihilation at sinks plays an important role in the concentration development which has properly to be incorporated into the rate equations.


Nanomaterials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 163
Author(s):  
Iryna Zelenina ◽  
Igor Veremchuk ◽  
Yuri Grin ◽  
Paul Simon

Nano-scaled thermoelectric materials attract significant interest due to their improved physical properties as compared to bulk materials. Well-shaped nanoparticles such as nano-bars and nano-cubes were observed in the known thermoelectric material PbTe. Their extended two-dimensional nano-layer arrangements form directly in situ through electron-beam treatment in the transmission electron microscope. The experiments show the atomistic depletion mechanism of the initial crystal and the recrystallization of PbTe nanoparticles out of the microparticles due to the local atomic-scale transport via the gas phase beyond a threshold current density of the beam.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 578-586
Author(s):  
Lin-Kun Shi ◽  
Xiaobing Zhou ◽  
Jian-Qing Dai ◽  
Ke Chen ◽  
Zhengren Huang ◽  
...  

AbstractA nano-laminated Y3Si2C2 ceramic material was successfully synthesized via an in situ reaction between YH2 and SiC using spark plasma sintering technology. A MAX phase-like ternary layered structure of Y3Si2C2 was observed at the atomic-scale by high resolution transmission electron microscopy. The lattice parameters calculated from both X-ray diffraction and selected area electron diffraction patterns are in good agreement with the reported theoretical results. The nano-laminated fracture of kink boundaries, delamination, and slipping were observed at the tip of the Vickers indents. The elastic modulus and Vickers hardness of Y3Si2C2 ceramics (with 5.5 wt% Y2O3) sintered at 1500 °C were 156 and 6.4 GPa, respectively. The corresponding values of thermal and electrical conductivity were 13.7 W·m-1·K-1 and 6.3×105 S·m-1, respectively.


Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 1431
Author(s):  
Seiichiro Ii ◽  
Takero Enami ◽  
Takahito Ohmura ◽  
Sadahiro Tsurekawa

Transmission electron microscopy in situ straining experiments of Al single crystals with different initial lattice defect densities have been performed. The as-focused ion beam (FIB)-processed pillar sample contained a high density of prismatic dislocation loops with the <111> Burgers vector, while the post-annealed specimen had an almost defect-free microstructure. In both specimens, plastic deformation occurred with repetitive stress drops (∆σ). The stress drops were accompanied by certain dislocation motions, suggesting the dislocation avalanche phenomenon. ∆σ for the as-FIB Al pillar sample was smaller than that for the post-annealed Al sample. This can be considered to be because of the interaction of gliding dislocations with immobile prismatic dislocation loops introduced by the FIB. The reloading process after stress reduction was dominated by elastic behavior because the slope of the load–displacement curve for reloading was close to the Young’s modulus of Al. Microplasticity was observed during the load-recovery process, suggesting that microyielding and a dislocation avalanche repeatedly occurred, leading to intermittent plasticity as an elementary step of macroplastic deformation.


2012 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 32-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Zhu ◽  
M. Milas ◽  
M.-G. Han ◽  
J.D. Rameau ◽  
M. Sfeir

In-situ electron microscopy has gained considerable attention in recent years. It provides a “live” view of a material or device under study at various length scales. For example, by heating or cooling a sample one can study structural change at the atomic scale to understand the driving forces and mechanisms of phase transitions. By applying electric and magnetic fields on a ferroelectric or magnetic architecture in operation, one can directly observe how electric and magnetic domains switch, how anions and cations shift their positions, and how spins change their configuration across a domain wall, aiding the development of better electromagnetic devices. In the study of photovoltaic devices and junctions, a major challenge is to directly correlate light-induced electric currents with local structural inhomogeneities and dynamics. Such a capability would allow us to evaluate the performance of individual p-n junctions and to improve optoelectronic efficiency.


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