Multi-principal element grain boundaries: Stabilizing nanocrystalline grains with thick amorphous complexions
Source abstract
Abstract
Amorphous complexions have recently been demonstrated to simultaneously enhance the ductility and stability of certain nanocrystalline alloys. In this study, three quinary alloys (Cu-Zr-Hf-Mo-Nb, Cu-Zr-Hf-Nb-Ti, and Cu-Zr-Hf-Mo-W) are studied to test the hypothesis that increasing the chemical complexity of the grain boundaries will result in thicker amorphous complexions and further stabilize a nanocrystalline microstructure. Significant boundary segregation of Zr, Nb, and Ti is observed in the Cu-Zr-Hf-Nb-Ti alloy, which creates a quaternary interfacial composition that limits average grain size to 63 nm even after 1 week at ~97% of the melting temperature. This high level of thermal stability is attributed to the complex grain boundary chemistry and amorphous structure resulting from multi-component segregation. High resolution transmission electron microscopy reveals that the increased chemical complexity of the grain boundary region in the Cu-Zr-Hf-Nb-Ti alloy results in an average amorphous complexion thickness of 2.44 nm, approximately 44% and 32% thicker than amorphous complexions previously observed in Cu-Zr and Cu-Zr-Hf alloys.
Source: openaire · Quality: candidate unverified · Source record ↗
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Metallic Glasses and Amorphous Alloys · High Entropy Alloys Studies · Microstructure and mechanical properties
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
References (81)
Show source-provided references
1. S.J. Dillon, M. Tang, W.C. Carter, M.P. Harmer, Complexion: a new concept for kinetic engineering in materials science. Acta Mater. 55, 6208–6218 (2007)10.1016/j.actamat.2007.07.029 ↗
2. P.R. Cantwell, M. Tang, S.J. Dillon, J. Luo, G.S. Rohrer, M.P. Harmer, Grain boundary complexions. Acta Mater. 62, 1–48 (2014)10.1016/j.actamat.2013.07.037 ↗
3. S.J. Dillon, M.P. Harmer, Demystifying the role of sintering additives with “complexion.” J. Eur. Ceram. Soc. 28, 1485–1493 (2008)10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2007.12.018 ↗
4. M. Tang, W.C. Carter, R.M. Cannon, Diffuse interface model for structural transitions of grain boundaries. Phys. Rev. B 73, 024102 (2006)10.1103/PhysRevB.73.024102 ↗
5. A. Subramaniam, C.T. Koch, R.M. Cannon, M. Rühle, Intergranular glassy films: an overview. Mater. Sci. Eng. A 422, 3–18 (2006)10.1016/j.msea.2006.01.004 ↗
6. E.I. Rabkin, L.S. Shvindlerman, B.B. Straumal, Grain boundaries: phase transitions and critical phenomena. Int. J. Mod. Phys. B 05, 2989–3028 (1991)10.1142/S0217979291001176 ↗
7. E.W. Hart: Grain boundary phase transformations, in The Nature and Behavior of Grain Boundaries, ed. By H. Hu (Springer US, New York, NY, 1972), pp. 155–17010.1007/978-1-4757-0181-4_6 ↗
8. M. Tang, W.C. Carter, R.M. Cannon, Grain boundary order-disorder transitions. J. Mater. Sci. 41, 7691–7695 (2006)10.1007/s10853-006-0608-4 ↗
9. J.W. Cahn, Transitions and phase equilibria among grain boundary structures. J. Phys. Colloques 43, C6-199-C196-213 (1982)10.1051/jphyscol:1982619 ↗
10. P. Wynblatt, D. Chatain, Solid-state wetting transitions at grain boundaries. Mater. Sci. Eng. A 495, 119–125 (2008)10.1016/j.msea.2007.09.091 ↗
11. M. Tang, W.C. Carter, R.M. Cannon, Grain boundary transitions in binary alloys. Phys. Rev. Lett. 97, 075502 (2006)10.1103/PhysRevLett.97.075502 ↗
12. J. Luo, Grain boundary complexions: the interplay of premelting, prewetting, and multilayer adsorption. Appl. Phys. Lett. 95, 071911 (2009)10.1063/1.3212733 ↗
13. P. Lejček, Grain boundaries: description, structure and thermodynamics, in Grain Boundary Segregation in Metals. ed. by B.P. Lejcek (Springer, Berlin, 2010), pp. 5–2410.1007/978-3-642-12505-8_2 ↗
14. Y. Mishin, W.J. Boettinger, J.A. Warren, G.B. McFadden, Thermodynamics of grain boundary premelting in alloys. I. Phase-field modeling. Acta Mater. 57, 3771–3785 (2009)10.1016/j.actamat.2009.04.044 ↗
15. P.L. Williams, Y. Mishin, Thermodynamics of grain boundary premelting in alloys. II. Atomistic simulation. Acta Mater. 57, 3786–3794 (2009)10.1016/j.actamat.2009.04.037 ↗
16. L. Wang, R. Darvishi Kamachali, Density-based grain boundary phase diagrams: application to Fe-Mn-Cr, Fe-Mn-Ni, Fe-Mn-Co, Fe-Cr-Ni and Fe-Cr-Co alloy systems. Acta Mater. 207, 116668 (2021)10.1016/j.actamat.2021.116668 ↗
17. N. Zhou, Z. Yu, Y. Zhang, M.P. Harmer, J. Luo, Calculation and validation of a grain boundary complexion diagram for Bi-doped Ni. Scr. Mater. 130, 165–169 (2017)10.1016/j.scriptamat.2016.11.036 ↗
18. O.I. Noskovich, E.I. Rabkin, V.N. Semenov, B.B. Straumal, L.S. Shvindlerman, Wetting and premelting phase transitions in 38° [100] tilt grain boundary in (Fe-12 at.% Si)-Zn alloy in the vicinity of the A2–B2 bulk ordering in Fe-12 at.% Si alloy. Acta Metall. Mater. 39, 3091–3098 (1991)10.1016/0956-7151(91)90042-Y ↗
19. E.I. Rabkin, V.N. Semenov, L.S. Shvindlerman, B.B. Straumal, Penetration of tin and zinc along tilt grain boundaries 43° [100] in Fe-5 at.% Si alloy: premelting phase transition? Acta Metall. Mater. 39, 627–639 (1991)10.1016/0956-7151(91)90131-J ↗
20. B.B. Straumal, Y.O. Kucheev, I.L. Yatskovskaya, I.V. Mogilnikova, G. Schütz, A.N. Nekrasov, B. Baretzky, Grain boundary wetting in the NdFeB-based hard magnetic alloys. J. Mater. Sci. 47, 8352–8359 (2012)10.1007/s10853-012-6618-5 ↗
21. M. Takashima, P. Wynblatt, B.L. Adams, Correlation of grain boundary character with wetting behavior. Interface Sci. 8, 351–361 (2000)10.1023/A:1008727728076 ↗
22. L.S. Chang, E. Rabkin, B.B. Straumal, S. Hofmann, B. Baretzky, W. Gust, Grain boundary segregation in the Cu-Bi system. Defect Diffus. Forum 156, 135–146 (1998)10.4028/www.scientific.net/DDF.156.135 ↗
23. S. Divinski, M. Lohmann, C. Herzig, B. Straumal, B. Baretzky, W. Gust, Grain-boundary melting phase transition in the Cu-Bi system. Phys. Rev. B 71, 104104 (2005)10.1103/PhysRevB.71.104104 ↗
24. D.R. Clarke, G. Thomas, Grain boundary phases in a hot-pressed MgO fluxed silicon nitride. J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 60, 491–495 (1977)10.1111/j.1151-2916.1977.tb14089.x ↗
25. R. Brydson, S.-C. Chen, F.L. Riley, S.J. Milne, X. Pan, M. Rühle, Microstructure and chemistry of intergranular glassy films in liquid-phase-sintered alumina. J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 81, 369–379 (1998)10.1111/j.1151-2916.1998.tb02343.x ↗
26. I. MacLaren, R.M. Cannon, M.A. Gülgün, R. Voytovych, N. Popescu-Pogrion, C. Scheu, U. Täffner, M. Rühle, Abnormal grain growth in alumina: synergistic effects of yttria and silica. J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 86, 650–659 (2003)10.1111/j.1151-2916.2003.tb03354.x ↗
27. D. Raabe, M. Herbig, S. Sandlöbes, Y. Li, D. Tytko, M. Kuzmina, D. Ponge, P.P. Choi, Grain boundary segregation engineering in metallic alloys: a pathway to the design of interfaces. Curr. Opin. Solid State Mater. Sci. 18, 253–261 (2014)10.1016/j.cossms.2014.06.002 ↗
28. P. Lejček, S. Hofmann, Thermodynamics and structural aspects of grain boundary segregation. Crit. Rev. Solid State Mater. Sci. 20, 1–85 (1995)10.1080/10408439508243544 ↗
29. J. Nie, J.M. Chan, M. Qin, N. Zhou, J. Luo, Liquid-like grain boundary complexion and sub-eutectic activated sintering in CuO-doped TiO2. Acta Mater. 130, 329–338 (2017)10.1016/j.actamat.2017.03.037 ↗
30. J. Luo, H. Wang, Y.-M. Chiang, Origin of solid-state activated sintering in Bi2O3-doped ZnO. J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 82, 916–920 (1999)10.1111/j.1151-2916.1999.tb01853.x ↗
31. E. Jud, C.B. Huwiler, L.J. Gauckler, Sintering analysis of undoped and cobalt oxide doped ceria solid solutions. J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 88, 3013–3019 (2005)10.1111/j.1551-2916.2005.00567.x ↗
32. J. Luo, Liquid-like interface complexion: from activated sintering to grain boundary diagrams. Curr. Opin. Solid State Mater. Sci. 12, 81–88 (2008)10.1016/j.cossms.2008.12.001 ↗
33. V.K. Gupta, D.-H. Yoon, H.M. Meyer, J. Luo, Thin intergranular films and solid-state activated sintering in nickel-doped tungsten. Acta Mater. 55, 3131–3142 (2007)10.1016/j.actamat.2007.01.017 ↗
34. X. Shi, J. Luo, Grain boundary wetting and prewetting in Ni-doped Mo. Appl. Phys. Lett. 94, 251908 (2009)10.1063/1.3155443 ↗
35. G. Fletcher, M.R. James, J.R. Moon, The nickel activated sintering of Tungsten. Scr. Metall. 5, 105–107 (1971)10.1016/0036-9748(71)90039-1 ↗
36. V.V. Panichkina, V.V. Skorokhod, A.F. Khrienko, Activated sintering of tungsten and molybdenum powders. Sov. Powder Metall. Met. Ceram. 6, 558–560 (1967)10.1007/BF00774073 ↗
37. H.V. Atkinson, Overview no. 65: theories of normal grain growth in pure single phase systems. Acta Metall. 36, 469–491 (1988)10.1016/0001-6160(88)90079-X ↗
38. H. Li, F. Ebrahimi, Ductile-to-brittle transition in nanocrystalline metals. Adv. Mater. 17, 1969–1972 (2005)10.1002/adma.200500436 ↗
39. C.C. Koch, D.G. Morris, K. Lu, A. Inoue, Ductility of nanostructured materials. MRS Bull. 24, 54–58 (1999)10.1557/S0883769400051551 ↗
40. J.D. Schuler, O.K. Donaldson, T.J. Rupert, Amorphous complexions enable a new region of high temperature stability in nanocrystalline Ni-W. Scr. Mater. 154, 49–53 (2018)10.1016/j.scriptamat.2018.05.023 ↗
41. J. Ding, Z. Shang, Y.F. Zhang, R. Su, J. Li, H. Wang, X. Zhang, Tailoring the thermal stability of nanocrystalline Ni alloy by thick grain boundaries. Scr. Mater. 182, 21–26 (2020)10.1016/j.scriptamat.2020.02.032 ↗
42. J.T. Zhao, J.Y. Zhang, L.F. Cao, Y.Q. Wang, P. Zhang, K. Wu, G. Liu, J. Sun, Zr alloying effect on the microstructure evolution and plastic deformation of nanostructured Cu thin films. Acta Mater. 132, 550–564 (2017)10.1016/j.actamat.2017.05.007 ↗
43. Z. Pan, T.J. Rupert, Amorphous intergranular films as toughening structural features. Acta Mater. 89, 205–214 (2015)10.1016/j.actamat.2015.02.012 ↗
44. S. Pal, K. Vijay Reddy, C. Deng, On the role of Cu-Zr amorphous intergranular films on crack growth retardation in nanocrystalline Cu during monotonic and cyclic loading conditions. Comput. Mater. Sci. 169, 109122 (2019)10.1016/j.commatsci.2019.109122 ↗
45. A. Khalajhedayati, Z. Pan, T.J. Rupert, Manipulating the interfacial structure of nanomaterials to achieve a unique combination of strength and ductility. Nat. Commun. 7, 1–8 (2016)10.1038/ncomms10802 ↗
46. C.M. Grigorian, T.J. Rupert, Thick amorphous complexion formation and extreme thermal stability in ternary nanocrystalline Cu-Zr-Hf alloys. Acta Mater. 179, 172–182 (2019)10.1016/j.actamat.2019.08.031 ↗
47. C.M. Grigorian, T.J. Rupert, Critical cooling rates for amorphous-to-ordered complexion transitions in Cu-rich nanocrystalline alloys. Acta Mater. 206, 116650 (2021)10.1016/j.actamat.2021.116650 ↗
48. A.I. C. Suryanarayana: Bulk Metallic Glasses, 22 November 2017 edn. (City, 2017).
49. A. Inoue, Stabilization of metallic supercooled liquid and bulk amorphous alloys. Acta Mater. 48, 279–306 (2000)10.1016/S1359-6454(99)00300-6 ↗
50. J.W. Yeh, S.K. Chen, S.J. Lin, J.Y. Gan, T.S. Chin, T.T. Shun, C.H. Tsau, S.Y. Chang, Nanostructured high-entropy alloys with multiple principal elements: novel alloy design concepts and outcomes. Adv. Eng. Mater. 6, 299–303 (2004)10.1002/adem.200300567 ↗
51. E.P. George, D. Raabe, R.O. Ritchie, High-entropy alloys. Nat. Rev. Mater. 4, 515–534 (2019)10.1038/s41578-019-0121-4 ↗
52. N. Zhou, T. Hu, J. Huang, J. Luo, Stabilization of nanocrystalline alloys at high temperatures via utilizing high-entropy grain boundary complexions. Scr. Mater. 124, 160–163 (2016)10.1016/j.scriptamat.2016.07.014 ↗
53. G. Wu, C. Liu, L. Sun, Q. Wang, B. Sun, B. Han, J.-J. Kai, J. Luan, C.T. Liu, K. Cao, Y. Lu, L. Cheng, J. Lu, Hierarchical nanostructured aluminum alloy with ultrahigh strength and large plasticity. Nat. Commun. 10, 5099 (2019)10.1038/s41467-019-13087-4 ↗
54. G. Wu, S. Balachandran, B. Gault, W. Xia, C. Liu, Z. Rao, Y. Wei, S. Liu, J. Lu, M. Herbig, W. Lu, G. Dehm, Z. Li, D. Raabe, Crystal-glass high-entropy nanocomposites with near theoretical compressive strength and large deformability. Adv. Mater. 32, 2002619 (2020)10.1002/adma.202002619 ↗
55. T. Yang, Y.L. Zhao, W.P. Li, C.Y. Yu, J.H. Luan, D.Y. Lin, L. Fan, Z.B. Jiao, W.H. Liu, X.J. Liu, J.J. Kai, J.C. Huang, C.T. Liu, Ultrahigh-strength and ductile superlattice alloys with nanoscale disordered interfaces. Science 369, 427 (2020)10.1126/science.abb6830 ↗
56. N. Zhou, T. Hu, J. Luo, Grain boundary complexions in multicomponent alloys: challenges and opportunities. Curr. Opin. Solid State Mater. Sci. 20, 268–277 (2016)10.1016/j.cossms.2016.05.001 ↗
57. J.D. Schuler, T.J. Rupert, Materials selection rules for amorphous complexion formation in binary metallic alloys. Acta Mater. 140, 196–205 (2017)10.1016/j.actamat.2017.08.042 ↗
58. Z. Huang, P. Wang, F. Chen, Q. Shen, L. Zhang, Understanding solute effect on grain boundary strength based on atomic size and electronic interaction. Sci. Rep. 10, 16856 (2020)10.1038/s41598-020-74065-1 ↗
59. D. McLean, A. Maradudin, Grain boundaries in metals. Phys. Today 11, 35 (1958)10.1063/1.3062658 ↗
60. M. Kapoor, T. Kaub, K.A. Darling, B.L. Boyce, G.B. Thompson, An atom probe study on Nb solute partitioning and nanocrystalline grain stabilization in mechanically alloyed Cu-Nb. Acta Mater. 126, 564–575 (2017)10.1016/j.actamat.2016.12.057 ↗
61. M. Yoshitake, K. Yoshihara, Surface segregation of substrate element on metal films in film/substrate combinations with Nb, Ti and Cu. Surf. Interface Anal. 18, 509–513 (1992)10.1002/sia.740180710 ↗
62. C. Suryanarayana, Mechanical alloying and milling. Prog. Mater Sci. 46, 1–184 (2001)10.1016/S0079-6425(99)00010-9 ↗
63. V. Uvarov, I. Popov, Metrological characterization of X-ray diffraction methods at different acquisition geometries for determination of crystallite size in nano-scale materials. Mater. Charact. 85, 111–123 (2013)10.1016/j.matchar.2013.09.002 ↗
64. M.A. Tschopp, H.A. Murdoch, L.J. Kecskes, K.A. Darling, “Bulk” nanocrystalline metals: review of the current state of the art and future opportunities for copper and copper alloys. JOM 66, 1000–1019 (2014)10.1007/s11837-014-0978-z ↗
65. O.K. Donaldson, K. Hattar, T. Kaub, G.B. Thompson, J.R. Trelewicz, Solute stabilization of nanocrystalline tungsten against abnormal grain growth. J. Mater. Res. 33, 68–80 (2017)10.1557/jmr.2017.296 ↗
66. H.A. Murdoch, C.A. Schuh, Stability of binary nanocrystalline alloys against grain growth and phase separation. Acta Mater. 61, 2121–2132 (2013)10.1016/j.actamat.2012.12.033 ↗
67. H.A. Murdoch, C.A. Schuh, Estimation of grain boundary segregation enthalpy and its role in stable nanocrystalline alloy design. J. Mater. Res. 28, 2154–2163 (2013)10.1557/jmr.2013.211 ↗
68. C. Brandl, T.C. Germann, A. Misra, Structure and shear deformation of metallic crystalline–amorphous interfaces. Acta Mater. 61, 3600–3611 (2013)10.1016/j.actamat.2013.02.047 ↗
69. L. Li, E.-B. Liu, Q.-F. Li, Z. Li, Non-equilibrium grain boundary cosegregation of Mo and P. Appl. Surf. Sci. 252, 3989–3992 (2006)10.1016/j.apsusc.2005.09.032 ↗
70. H. Erhart, H.J. Grabke, Equilibrium segregation of phosphorus at grain boundaries of Fe–P, Fe–C–P, Fe–Cr–P, and Fe–Cr–C–P alloys. Met. Sci. 15, 401–408 (1981)10.1179/030634581790426877 ↗
71. W. Yu-Qing, C.J. McMahon, Interaction of phosphorus, carbon, manganese, and chromium in intergranular embrittlement of iron. Mater. Sci. Technol. 3, 207–216 (1987)10.1179/mst.1987.3.3.207 ↗
72. J.R. Rice, J.-S. Wang, Embrittlement of interfaces by solute segregation. Mater. Sci. Eng. A 107, 23–40 (1989)10.1016/0921-5093(89)90372-9 ↗
73. W. Xing, A.R. Kalidindi, C.A. Schuh, Preferred nanocrystalline configurations in ternary and multicomponent alloys. Scr. Mater. 127, 136–140 (2017)10.1016/j.scriptamat.2016.09.014 ↗
74. W. Xing, A. Kalidindi, D. Amram, C. Schuh, Solute interaction effects on grain boundary segregation in ternary alloys. Acta Mater. 161, 285–294 (2018)10.1016/j.actamat.2018.09.005 ↗
75. P. Wynblatt, D. Chatain, Modeling grain boundary and surface segregation in multicomponent high-entropy alloys. Phys. Rev. Mater. 3, 054004 (2019)10.1103/PhysRevMaterials.3.054004 ↗
76. D. Ma, M. Yao, K.G. Pradeep, C.C. Tasan, H. Springer, D. Raabe, Phase stability of non-equiatomic CoCrFeMnNi high entropy alloys. Acta Mater. 98, 288–296 (2015)10.1016/j.actamat.2015.07.030 ↗
77. L. Li, Z. Li, A. Kwiatkowski da Silva, Z. Peng, H. Zhao, B. Gault, D. Raabe, Segregation-driven grain boundary spinodal decomposition as a pathway for phase nucleation in a high-entropy alloy. Acta Mater. 178, 1–9 (2019)10.1016/j.actamat.2019.07.052 ↗
78. Q. Ye, G. Yang, B. Yang, Segregation engineering in a promising heat-resistant AlCoCrFeMo0.05Ni2 high entropy alloy. J. Alloys Compd. 869, 159336 (2021)10.1016/j.jallcom.2021.159336 ↗
79. Z. Sun, X. Tan, C. Wang, M. Descoins, D. Mangelinck, S.B. Tor, E.A. Jägle, S. Zaefferer, D. Raabe, Reducing hot tearing by grain boundary segregation engineering in additive manufacturing: example of an AlxCoCrFeNi high-entropy alloy. Acta Mater. 204, 116505 (2021)10.1016/j.actamat.2020.116505 ↗
80. F. Otto, A. Dlouhý, K.G. Pradeep, M. Kuběnová, D. Raabe, G. Eggeler, E.P. George, Decomposition of the single-phase high-entropy alloy CrMnFeCoNi after prolonged anneals at intermediate temperatures. Acta Mater. 112, 40–52 (2016)10.1016/j.actamat.2016.04.005 ↗
81. L. Lutterotti, M. Bortolotti, G. Ischia, I. Lonardelli, H.R. Wenk: Rietveld texture analysis from diffraction images. Tenth European Powder Diffraction Conference, (De Gruyter, Berlin, Boston, 2007), pp. 125–13010.1524/9783486992540-020 ↗