Enhanced Radiation Damage Tolerance of Amorphous Interphase and Grain Boundary Complexions in Cu-Ta

Aksoy, Doruk; Cao, Penghui; Trelewicz, Jason R.; Wharry, Janelle P.; Rupert, Timothy J.

doi:10.1007/s11837-024-06382-z

Enhanced Radiation Damage Tolerance of Amorphous Interphase and Grain Boundary Complexions in Cu-Ta

Journal Article · Sun Jan 28 23:00:00 EST 2024 · JOM. Journal of the Minerals, Metals & Materials Society

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/s11837-024-06382-z· OSTI ID:2283564

Aksoy, Doruk ^[1]; Cao, Penghui ^[2]; Trelewicz, Jason R. ^[3]; Wharry, Janelle P. ^[4]; Rupert, Timothy J. ^[2]

Univ. of California, Irvine, CA (United States); University of California, Irvine
Univ. of California, Irvine, CA (United States)
Stony Brook Univ., NY (United States)
Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN (United States)

Amorphous interfacial complexions are particularly resistant to radiation damage and have been primarily studied in alloys with good glass-forming ability, yet recent reports suggest that these features can form even in immiscible alloys such as Cu-Ta under irradiation. In this work, the mechanisms of damage production and annihilation due to primary knock-on atom collisions are investigated for amorphous interphase and grain boundaries in a Cu-Ta alloy using atomistic simulations. Amorphous complexions, in particular amorphous interphase complexions that separate Cu and Ta grains, result in less residual defect damage than their ordered counterparts. Stemming from the nanophase chemical separation in this alloy, the amorphous complexions exhibit a highly heterogeneous distribution of atomic excess volume, as compared to a good glass former like Cu-Zr. Complexion thickness, a tunable structural descriptor, plays a vital role in damage resistance. Thicker interfacial films are more damage-tolerant because they alter the defect production rate due to differences in intrinsic displacement threshold energies during the collision cascade. Overall, the findings of this work highlight the importance of interfacial engineering in enhancing the properties of materials operating in radiation-prone environments and the promise of amorphous complexions as particularly radiation damage-tolerant microstructural features.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Univ. of California, Irvine, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES); USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0021224; SC0020150; SC0021060; SC0022295

OSTI ID:: 2283564

Journal Information:: JOM. Journal of the Minerals, Metals & Materials Society, Journal Name: JOM. Journal of the Minerals, Metals & Materials Society Vol. 76; ISSN 1047-4838

Publisher:: SpringerCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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