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Title: Role of twinning on the omega-phase transformation and stability in zirconium

Journal Article · · Acta Materialia

Typically, Group-IV transition metal zirconium is used in nuclear and chemical industries as a choice material for operating in extreme environments. At ambient-conditions, zirconium has a stable hexagonal-close-packed structure (α-phase), but under high-pressures it transforms into a simple-hexagonal structure (ω-phase). Experimental research involving high-pressures have reported retention of ω-phase upon recovery to ambient-pressures, which is undesirable since the ω-phase is brittle compared to the α-phase. Understanding the α-to-ω transformation is relevant for enhancing the applicability of transition metals. In this work using in-situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction, we show that deformation twins in the α-phase lower the transformation pressure and increase the amount of retained ω-phase. Our analysis concludes that the characteristics of the stress fields associated with the twins promote the α-to-ω transformation while making the reverse transformation energetically unfavorable. This work reflects a plausible way to design Zr microstructure for high-pressure applications via controlling twinning and retained ω-phase.

Research Organization:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES); USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); National Science Foundation (NSF)
Grant/Contract Number:
89233218CNA000001; AC02-06CH11357
OSTI ID:
1579697
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1579433
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-18-24949
Journal Information:
Acta Materialia, Vol. 185, Issue C; ISSN 1359-6454
Publisher:
ElsevierCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 11 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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