Interstitial Segregation has the Potential to Mitigate Liquid Metal Embrittlement in Iron
Ali Ahmadian1, Daniel Scheiber2, Xuyang Zhou1
1Max-Planck-Institut fuer Eisenforschung GmbH, 40237, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
|April 8, 2023
Summary
This study reveals how boron doping prevents liquid metal embrittlement in alloys. Boron hinders zinc segregation and restores grain boundary cohesion, preventing material failure.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Metallurgy
- Physical Chemistry
Background:
- Liquid metal embrittlement (LME) causes catastrophic failure in metallic alloys by weakening grain boundaries (GBs).
- Segregation of embrittling elements and cohesion-enhancing solutes at GBs influences LME, but their interplay is poorly understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the mechanisms by which boron segregation mitigates zinc-induced embrittlement in a model iron alloy.
- To investigate the balance between embrittling (zinc) and cohesion-enhancing (boron) elements at grain boundaries.
Main Methods:
- Utilized ab initio simulations to study boron's effect on zinc segregation at a Σ5 [001] tilt GB in Fe-4at.%Al.
- Analyzed the structural and compositional changes at the GB induced by zinc and boron.
Main Results:
- Observed that zinc forms nanoscale segregation patterns, creating complex GB states.
- Demonstrated that boron effectively hinders zinc segregation at the GB.
- Showed that boron compensates for the loss of GB cohesion caused by zinc.
Conclusions:
- Boron acts as a beneficial dopant, mitigating LME by controlling zinc segregation and enhancing GB cohesion.
- Interstitial solutes like boron can be strategically used to prevent catastrophic material failure in metallic alloys.
Keywords:
grain boundary embrittlementgrain boundary segregationliquid metalsnanoscale segregation patternszincMore Related Videos
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