Microstructure and Positron Lifetimes of Aluminide Coatings on Inconel 713

The microstructure of the palladium modified and non-modified aluminide coatings was examined by the EDS and the positron annihilation spectroscopy methods. Both coatings have a double layer structure: β-NiAl phase or β-(Ni,Pd)Al phase on the top and the interdiffusion zones with the chromium and molybdenum rich phases in the β-NiAl or or β-(Ni,Pd)Al phase below. Palladium, that forms the β-(Ni,Pd)Al phase and substitutes for nickel atoms causes the increase of the positron lifetime value due to the increase in the number of open volume defects in the lattice which are jogs or vacancies on dislocation lines.

Positron Annihilation Lifetime Spectroscopy in the study of defects in materials

The Positron Annihilation Lifetime Spectroscopy (PALS) is a valuable method for the study of the open volume defects in materials. The reduced electron density at the vacant/defect site increases the positron lifetime, and positron lifetime increases as the size of defect increases. In the current paper the experimental apparatus for the measurement of the positron lifetime in materials is described and the spectra from W and Cd specimens are analyzed. The presence of dislocations and vacancy defects is found, since the positron lifetimes of specimens are higher than the defect-free (bulk) values.

Positron Lifetime Calculation for Plastic Deformed Nanocrystalline Copper

Positron lifetime calculation has been performed on a computer-generated nanocrystalline copper with a mean grain size of 9.1 nm during its deformation. For the undeformed and deformed nanocrystalline copper, calculated positron lifetimes are around 157 ps which come from the positron annihilation in the free volume in grain boundaries. Due to the grain-boundary deformation mechanism, no vacancies or vacancy clusters will be induced in grains during the plastic deformation of the nanocrystalline copper, which is different to the deformation of the conventional polycrystal. From this point of view, in-situ positron annihilation measurements can provide important experimental information on the deformation mechanism of nanocrystalline metals.

Estimation of Dislocation Concentration in Plastically Deformed FeCrNi Alloy by Positron Annihilation Lifetime

Dislocations would be induced after plastic deformation, which might change the mechanical properties of solids. FeCrNi austenitic model alloy and its Mo-diluted alloy were cold rolled with different degree of thickness reduction. Positrons are sensitive to point defects, which are easily trapped and annihilated around the trapping sites. The mean positron lifetimes have been used to estimate the average dislocation concentration in solids. Meanwhile, the trapping efficiency μ was calculated from the lifetime results. The trapping efficiency value is estimated about 3.31×10-7 cm3s-1 for FeCrNi alloy and 3.31×10-7 cm3s-1 for Mo-diluted alloy, respectively. The increment of the hardness value during plastic deformation is related to the increase of the dislocation density and dislocation pile up in solids.

Defect Characterization in Thermoelectric Zn-Sb Systems by Positron Annihilation

Positron lifetimes and momentum distributions of annihilating electron-positron pairs have been calculated for vacancies in ZnSb and Zn4Sb3. The calculated positron lifetimes for bulk ZnSb and Zn4Sb3 are 203 ps and 208 ps, and for VZn in ZnSb and Zn4Sb3 are 249 ps and 237 ps respectively. The calculated momentum distribution results indicate the VZn in both ZnSb and Zn4Sb3 has less characterization from elemental Zn. Using coincidence Doppler broadening spectra combined with lifetime measurements can reveal the vacancy structure in ZnSb and Zn4Sb3.

First-Principles Calculation of Defect Formation and Positron Annihilation States in Bi2Te3

Defect formation energy in Bi2Te3 thermoelectric material was calculated using a first principles approach based on the Density Functional Theory (DFT). For vacancy-type defect, the Te1 vacancy (VTe1) is the most stable defect with low formation energy in both Bi-rich and Te-rich conditions, which indicates that the Te1 vacancies have higher probability to be formed. For antisite defects, the formation energy of BiTe1 is much lower than that of BiTe2 in Bi-rich condition, while in Te-rich condition it is beneficial for TeBi with lower formation energy. Positron wave function distribution and positron lifetimes of different annihilation states in Bi2Te3 were also calculated using the atomic superposition (ATSUP) method. The positron bulk lifetime in Bi2Te3 is about 231 ps, and for the neutral vacancy-type defects without relaxation, the positron lifetimes of VBi, VTe1 and VTe2 are 275 ps, 295 ps and 269 ps, respectively.