The role of chemical bonding in grain boundary embrittlement

Regulation Law of Tempering Cooling Rate on Toughness of Medium-Carbon Medium-Alloy Steel

Temper embrittlement is a major challenge encountered during the heat treatment of high-performance steels for large forgings. This study investigates the microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of Cr-Ni-Mo-V thick-walled steel, designed for large forgings with a tensile strength of 1500 MPa, under different tempering cooling rates. Optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) were employed to analyze the microstructural features. The results demonstrate that the embrittlement occurring during air cooling after tempering is attributed to the concentration of impurities near Fe3C at the grain boundaries. The low-temperature impact toughness at -40 °C after water quenching reaches 29 J due to the accelerated cooling rate during tempering, which slows down the diffusion of impurity elements towards the grain boundaries, resulting in a reduced concentration and dislocation density and an increased stability of the grain boundaries, thereby enhancing toughness. The bainite content decreases and the interface between martensite and bainite undergoes changes after water quenching during tempering. These alterations influence the crack propagation direction within the two-phase microstructure, further modifying the toughness. These findings contribute to the understanding of temper embrittlement and provide valuable guidance for optimizing heat treatment processes to enhance the performance of high-performance steels in large forgings.

Effect of Intercritical Annealing Time on Microstructure Evolution and Mechanical Properties of Low Carbon Medium Manganese Steel Subjected to Multi-Step Heat Treatment Process

A novel multi-step heat treatment process was performed for 0.2C–5Mn steel, and the effect of intercritical annealing (IA) durations on the microstructure evolution and mechanical properties was studied. The results showed that the content of primary reversed austenite (PRA) hardly changed as the IA time increased from 6 h to 50 h, but only less than 10% of PRA remained after being tempered at 200 °C due to the appearance of secondary martensite (SM). The final microstructure contained SM, the primary martensite (PM), and RA, which was protected by the SM so that the transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) effect was unlikely to occur. Meanwhile, the (Ti, V, Mo)C particle sizes were 14.27, 14.68 and 15.65 nm for the intermediate processes of IA-6 h, IA-12 h, and IA-50 h, respectively. As the IA time increased from 6 h to 50 h, both the dislocation and precipitation strengthening increment decreased. As a result, the best mechanical properties were obtained from the intermediate process of IA-12 h, with a yield strength of 1115.5 MPa, tensile strength of 1573.5 MPa, and −20 °C impact energy of 30.4 J.

Strengthening Effect of Nb on Ferrite Grain Boundary in X70 Pipeline Steel

Understanding the strengthening effect of niobium on ferrite grain boundaries from the perspective of valence electron structures will help to use niobium and other microalloying elements more effectively to improve the performance of steel materials. In this paper, the effect of niobium element on ferrite grain boundary strengthening is studied based on microstructure analysis at the nanometer scale. The enrichment of niobium in pipeline steel at ferrite boundary was observed by a three-dimensional atomic probe test. Segregation of Nb is observed in the ferrite grain boundaries of X70 steel, and its maximum concentration is 0.294–0.466 at.%. The charges in the occupancy of the Fe 3d state in grain and grain boundary were 7.23 and 7.37, respectively, based on quantitative analysis of electron energy loss spectra (EELS). The first-principle calculation suggests that the charges in the occupancy of 3d state for grain boundary iron are 6.57 and 6.68, respectively, before and after the Nb doping (with an increase of 1.67%), which reveals a similar trend to that of the EELS results. Through Nb alloying, the 3d valence electronic density of the state of Fe in grain boundary moves to a lower energy, which can reduce the total energy of the system and make the grain boundary more stable. Meanwhile, the charges in the occupancy of the 3d state for Fe in the grain boundary increases, providing more electrons for grain boundary bonding. These improve the strength and toughness of the material. This work provides a fundamental understanding for pipeline steel strengthening by element alloying.

A model for grain boundary thermodynamics

Systematic microstructure design requires reliable thermodynamic descriptions of each and all microstructure elements. While such descriptions are well established for most bulk phases, thermodynamic assessment of microstructure defects is challenging because of their individualistic nature. In this paper, a model is devised for assessing grain boundary thermodynamics based on available bulk thermodynamic data. We propose a continuous relative atomic density field and its spatial gradients to describe the grain boundary region with reference to the homogeneous bulk and derive the grain boundary Gibbs free energy functional. The grain boundary segregation isotherm and phase diagram are computed for a regular binary solid solution, and qualitatively benchmarked for the Pt-Au system. The relationships between the grain boundary's atomic density, excess free volume, and misorientation angle are discussed. Combining the current density-based model with available bulk thermodynamic databases enables constructing databases, phase diagrams, and segregation isotherms for grain boundaries, opening possibilities for studying and designing heterogeneous microstructures.

New nanoscale toughening mechanisms mitigate embrittlement in binary nanocrystalline alloys

Nanocrystalline metals offer significant improvements in structural performance over conventional alloys. However, their performance is limited by grain boundary instability and limited ductility. Solute segregation has been proposed as a stabilization mechanism, however the solute atoms can embrittle grain boundaries and further degrade the toughness. In the present study, we confirm the embrittling effect of solute segregation in Pt-Au alloys. However, more importantly, we show that inhomogeneous chemical segregation to the grain boundary can lead to a new toughening mechanism termed compositional crack arrest. Energy dissipation is facilitated by the formation of nanocrack networks formed when cracks arrested at regions of the grain boundaries that were starved in the embrittling element. This mechanism, in concert with triple junction crack arrest, provides pathways to optimize both thermal stability and energy dissipation. A combination of in situ tensile deformation experiments and molecular dynamics simulations elucidate both the embrittling and toughening processes that can occur as a function of solute content.

An Ab Initio Study of Connections between Tensorial Elastic Properties and Chemical Bonds in Σ5(210) Grain Boundaries in Ni₃Si

Using quantum-mechanical methods we calculate and analyze (tensorial) anisotropic elastic properties of the ground-state configurations of interface states associated with Σ 5(210) grain boundaries (GBs) in cubic L1 2 -structure Ni 3 Si. We assess the mechanical stability of interface states with two different chemical compositions at the studied GB by checking rigorous elasticity-based Born stability criteria. In particular, we show that a GB variant containing both Ni and Si atoms at the interface is unstable with respect to shear deformation (one of the elastic constants, C 55 , is negative). This instability is found for a rectangular-parallelepiped supercell obtained when applying standard coincidence-lattice construction. Our elastic-constant analysis allowed us to identify a shear-deformation mode reducing the energy and, eventually, to obtain mechanically stable ground-state characterized by a shear-deformed parallelepiped supercell. Alternatively, we tested a stabilization of this GB interface state by Al substituents replacing Si atoms at the GB. We further discuss an atomistic origin of this instability in terms of the crystal orbital Hamilton population (COHP) and phonon dispersion calculations. We find that the unstable GB variant shows a very strong interaction between the Si atoms in the GB plane and Ni atoms in the 3rd plane off the GB interface. However, such bond reinforcement results in weakening of interaction between the Ni atoms in the 3rd plane and the Si atoms in the 5th plane making this GB variant mechanically unstable.

Si segregation at Fe grain boundaries analyzed by ab initio local energy and local stress

Using density-functional theory calculations combined with recent local-energy and local-stress schemes, we studied the effects of Si segregation on the structural, mechanical and magnetic properties of the Σ3(1 1 1) and Σ11(3 3 2) Fe GBs formed by rotation around the [1 1 0] axis. The segregation mechanism was analyzed by the local-energy decomposition of the segregation energy, where the segregation energy is expressed as a sum of the following four terms: the local-energy change of Si atoms from the isolated state in bulk Fe to the GB segregated state, the stabilization of replaced Fe atoms from the GB to the bulk, the local-energy change of neighboring Fe atoms from the pure GB to the segregated GB and the local-energy change of neighboring Fe atoms from the system of an isolated Si atom in the bulk Fe to the pure bulk Fe. The segregation energy and value of each term greatly depends on the segregation site and Si concentration. The segregation at interface Fe sites with higher local energies in the original GB configurations naturally leads to higher segregation-energy gains, while interface sites with lower local energies can lead to larger energy gains if stronger Si-Fe interactions occur locally in the final segregated configurations. The high Si concentration reduces the segregation-energy gain per Si atom due to the local-energy increases of Si atoms neighboring to each other or through the reduction in the number of stabilized Fe atoms per Si atom as observed in a Si dimer in bulk Fe. In the Si-segregated GBs, Si-Fe bonds enhance local Young's moduli and tend to suppress the interface weakening, while the GB adhesion is slightly reduced. And Fe atoms contacting Si atoms have reduced magnetic moments, due to Si-Fe sp-d hybridization interactions.

Parameterized electronic description of carbon cohesion in iron grain boundaries

We employ a recently developed iron-carbon orthogonal tight-binding model in calculations of carbon in iron grain boundaries. We use the model to evaluate the properties of carbon near and on the Σ5 (3 1 0)[0 0 1] symmetric tilt grain boundary (GB) in iron, and calculations show that a carbon atom lowers the GB energy by 0.29 eV/atom in accordance with DFT. Carbon segregation to the GB is analyzed, and we find an energy barrier of 0.92 eV for carbon to segregate to the carbon-free interface while segregation to a fully filled interface is disfavored. Local volume (via Voronoi tessellation), magnetic, and electronic effects are correlated with atomic energy changes, and we isolate two different mechanisms governing carbon's behavior in iron: a volumetric strain which increases the energy of carbon in interstitial α iron and a non-strained local bonding which stabilizes carbon at the GB.

Catalyst incorporation at defects during nanowire growth

Scanning and transmission electron microscopy was used to correlate the structure of planar defects with the prevalence of Au catalyst atom incorporation in Si nanowires. Site-specific high-resolution imaging along orthogonal zone axes, enabled by advances in focused ion beam cross sectioning, reveals substantial incorporation of catalyst atoms at grain boundaries in <110> oriented nanowires. In contrast, (111) stacking faults that generate new polytypes in <112> oriented nanowires do not show preferential catalyst incorporation. Tomographic reconstruction of the catalyst-nanowire interface is used to suggest criteria for the stability of planar defects that trap impurity atoms in catalyst-mediated nanowires.

Grain Boundary Embrittlement of Fe Induced by P Segregation: First-Principles Tensile Tests

The GB embrittlement mechanism of Fe enhanced by P segregation has been investigated by first-principles tensile tests because a P atom is a famous GB embrittler in Fe. The first-principles tensile tests have been performed on Fe with two P-segregated GBs, where P atoms are located at the different sites, and with a nonsegregated GB. The tensile strength and the strain to failure in the P-segregated GBs were lower than those in the nonsegegated GB. The first bond breaking occurred at the Fe-P bond owing to the covalent-like characteristics, although the charge densities were high at the Fe-P bonds even just before the bond breaking. This premature bond breaking of Fe-P was independent of the location of the P atom.

Design of Ductile Polycrystalline Ni3 Al Alloys

This paper provides a comprehensive review of current efforts on design of ductile polycrystalline Ni3 AI alloys. Microalloying has proven to be very effective in alleviating the grain-boundary emibrittlement problem. The ductility and fabricability of Ni3 Al (24 at. % Al) are dramatically improved by adding a few hundred parts per million of boron. The beneficial effect of boron is related to its unusual segregation behavior as predicted from the theory of grain-boundary cohesion developed by Rice, based on thermodynamic analyses. Alloy stoichiometry strongly influences grain-boundary chemistry, which, in turn, affects the boundary cohesion and overall ductility of Ni3 Al.

The solid-solution hardening of Ni3 AI depends on the substitutional behavior of alloying elements, atomic size misfit, and the degree of nonstoichiometry of the alloy. Hafnium additions are very effective in improving high-temperature properties of ternary Ni3Al (Al + Hf = 24 at. %) doped with boron. Alloying with <2% Hf substantially increases the yield stress and raises the peak-strength temperature. In addition, hafnium substantially improves creep properties and oxidation resistance. The Ni3 Al aluminides truly represent a new series of heat resistant materials which do not depend on chromium for oxidation resistance.

A review of Rapid Solidification Studies of Intermetallic Compounds

A review of rapid solidification studies of high temperature ordered intermetallic compounds is presented. Emphasis is on the nickel - and iron - aluminides which are of potential interest as structural materials. The nickel-base aluminides which have been rapidly solidified exhibit changes in grain size, compositional segregation, and degree of long range order (as reflected in APB size and distribution) which markedly affect mechanical properties. Some experiments indicate the formation of a metastable L12 phase in rapidly solidified Fe-(Ni, Mn)-Al-C alloys, while other work observes only a metastable fcc phase in the same composition range. The metastable phases and/or microstructures in both nickel and iron aluminides are destroyed by annealing at temperatures >750K, with subsequent degradation of mechanical properties. Rapid solidification studies of several other intermetallic compounds are briefly noted.

Ordered Alloys for High Temperature Applications

This paper will provide an overview of the current status of the development of ordered alloys for high temperature structural applications. The physical and mechanical properties of ordered alloys will be reviewed with particular emphasis on aluminides and (FeNiCo)3V alloys. Alloy theory, slip systems, yielding, strain hardening, fatigue, wear resistance and processing are among the subjects to be covered. Current research programs in the U.S. and abroad will be outlined, and the kinds of scientific and application-oriented research needed in the future will be discussed.

Effects of segregated Cu on an Fe grain boundary by first-principles tensile tests

Cu is known as one of the harmful tramp elements in recycled Fe. In the present work, the effects of Cu on Fe grain boundary (GB) embrittlement have been investigated by first-principles tensile tests. Because the Fe-Cu bonds are rather isotropic and the effects due to their difference in atomic size are negligibly small, the GB atomic structure prior to straining is little changed by Cu segregation. However, the Fe-Fe bond around the Cu atom is weakened due to charge transfer from the Fe atom to the Cu atom, and premature bond breaking occurs at the weakened Fe-Fe bond, resulting in an enhancement of GB embrittlement by Cu segregation. The s and p electrons play a vital role in the charge transfer.

Ductile ordered intermetallic alloys

Many ordered intermetallic alloys have attractive high-temperature properties; however, low ductility and brittle fracture limit their use for structural applications. The embrittlement in these alloys is mainly caused by an insufficient number of slip systems (bulk brittleness) and poor grain-boundary cohesion. Recent studies have shown that the ductility and fabricability of ordered intermetallics can be substantially improved by alloying processes and control of microstructural features through rapid solidification and thermomechanical treatments. These results demonstrate that the brittleness problem associated with ordered intermetallics can be overcome by using physical metallurgical principles. Application of these principles will be illustrated by results on Ni(3)Al and Ni(3)V-Co(3)V-Fe(3)V. The potential for developing these alloys as a new class of high-temperature structural materials is discussed.

Embrittlement of metal by solute segregation-induced amorphization

Impurities segregated to grain boundaries of a material essentially alter its fracture behavior. A prime example is sulfur segregation-induced embrittlement of nickel, where an observed relation between sulfur-induced amorphization of grain boundaries and embrittlement remains unexplained. Here, 48x10(6)-atom reactive-force-field molecular dynamics simulations provide the missing link. Namely, an order-of-magnitude reduction of grain-boundary shear strength due to amorphization, combined with tensile-strength reduction, allows the crack tip to always find an easy propagation path.

Grain Boundary Decohesion by Impurity Segregation in a Nickel-Sulfur System

The sulfur-induced embrittlement of nickel has long been wrapped in mystery as to why and how sulfur weakens the grain boundaries of nickel and why a critical intergranular sulfur concentration is required. From first-principles calculations, we found that a large grain-boundary expansion is caused by a short-range overlap repulsion among densely segregated and neighboring sulfur atoms. This expansion results in a drastic grain-boundary decohesion that reduces the grain-boundary tensile strength by one order of magnitude. This decohesion may directly cause the embrittlement, because the critical sulfur concentration of this decohesion agrees well with experimental data on the embrittlement.

Bismuth embrittlement of copper is an atomic size effect

Embrittlement by the segregation of impurity elements to grain boundaries is one of a small number of phenomena that can lead to metallurgical failure by fast fracture. Here we settle a question that has been debated for over a hundred years: how can minute traces of bismuth in copper cause this ductile metal to fail in a brittle manner? Three hypotheses for Bi embrittlement of Cu exist: two assign an electronic effect to either a strengthening or weakening of bonds, the third postulates a simple atomic size effect. Here we report first principles quantum mechanical calculations that allow us to reject the electronic hypotheses, while supporting a size effect. We show that upon segregation to the grain boundary, the large Bi atoms weaken the interatomic bonding by pushing apart the Cu atoms at the interface. The resolution of the mechanism underlying grain boundary weakening should be relevant for all cases of embrittlement by oversize impurities.

Bismuth-induced embrittlement of copper grain boundaries

Catastrophic brittle fracture of crystalline materials is one of the best documented but most poorly understood fundamental phenomena in materials science. Embrittlement of copper by bismuth is a classic example of this phenomenon. Because brittle fracture in any structural material can involve human tragedy, a better understanding of the mechanisms behind it is of the highest interest. In this study, we use a combination of two state-of-the-art atomic characterization techniques and ab initio theoretical materials simulations to investigate the geometric and electronic structure of a copper grain boundary with and without bismuth. Only with this unique combination of methods are we able to observe the actual distribution of bismuth in the boundary and detect changes in the electronic structure caused by the bismuth impurity. We find that the copper atoms that surround the segregated bismuth in the grain boundary become embrittled by taking on a more zinc-like electronic structure.

Topology of electronic charge density and energetics of planar faults in fcc metals

Using ab initio calculations we have studied the energetics and the evolution of the electronic charge density with shear in three fcc metals exhibiting different deformation properties, aluminum, silver, and iridium. The charge redistribution described by the change in character of specific charge density critical points (cps), is ascertained from the values of the charge density, rho(0), and its three principal curvatures, rho( parallel parallel), rho(hh), and rho(vv), respectively. The change in character of cps correlates with the energetics. For all three metals, rho(hh) vanishes near the unstable stacking configuration. The symmetry or asymmetry of the charge redistribution, measured by rho(hh)/rho(vv), may be an important factor determining stacking fault energies.