Effects of aging and irradiation on Fe-Ni-Al alloy

• Published in: Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section B, Beam interactions with materials and atoms Beam interactions with materials and atoms, 2021-12, Vol.509, p.55-59
• Main Authors: Xiao-hui, Zhu, Yuan-fei, Li, Run-zhong, Wang, Wen-qing, Liu, Xiang-bing, Liu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aging and irradiation; Atom probe tomography; B2-FeNi clusters; B2-NiAl clusters; Transmission electron microscope
• ISSN: 0168-583X; 1872-9584
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nimb.2021.08.015

•B2-NiAl clusters formed in aged Fe-2.8Ni-2.0Al alloys while B2-FeNi clusters formed in Ar irradiated alloys.•Ar ion irradiated alloys showed higher nucleation number density of clusters than that in aged alloys.•Formation of B2-FeNi clusters is due to the combination of the irradiation enhanced diffusion of Ni atoms with the interaction between dislocation loops and Ni atoms. To explore the effects of aging and irradiation on the formation of solute clusters, Fe-2.8Ni-2.0Al (at.%) alloys after solid-solution treatment were aged at 500 ℃ for 16 h and 32 h and irradiated with Ar ions to the fluence of 4 × 1016 ions·cm−2 at 290 ℃, respectively. Transmission electron microscope and atom probe tomography were used to characterize the microstructure and solute atoms distribution. Results showed that B2-NiAl clusters were formed in aged alloys and the number density increased with time. The number density of clusters was 8.35 × 1022 m−3 after 32 h at 500 ℃ aging. However, high number density of dislocation loops and B2-FeNi clusters were found after irradiation at 290 ℃. The number density of clusters reached to 3.61 × 1023 m−3. The nucleation of B2-NiAl clusters under aging is driven by the phase transform free energy with the lower mixing enthalpy of Ni and Al atoms, while the formation of B2-FeNi clusters is due to the combination of the interaction between dislocation loops and Ni solutes with the enhanced diffusion rate of Ni atoms due to supersaturated vacancy.