Phase-field modeling of radiation-induced composition redistribution: An application to additively manufactured austenitic Fe-Cr-Ni

TL;DR

This paper develops a phase-field model to simulate radiation-induced composition changes in additively manufactured austenitic Fe-Cr-Ni alloys, revealing complex segregation behaviors and providing insights for nuclear material design.

Contribution

The study introduces a mesoscale model capturing coupled atomic and defect evolution in irradiated alloys with microstructural heterogeneity, tailored for additive manufacturing microstructures.

Findings

Radiation-induced segregation involves Cr depletion and Ni enrichment at grain boundaries and dislocation walls.

Dislocation biasing affects segregation, with interstitial absorption influencing Ni and Cr distribution.

Non-monotonic segregation patterns emerge from combined thermodynamic and irradiation effects.

Abstract

Multicomponent alloys undergoing irradiation damage develop radiation-induced composition redistribution at point defect sinks such as grain boundaries (GBs) and dislocations. Such redistribution results in undesired changes to their mechanical behavior and corrosion resistance. Additively manufactured alloys proposed for future nuclear applications are expected to demonstrate a distinct response to irradiation owing to their unique microstructure with as-solidified dislocation density and chemical microsegregation. To capture the composition redistribution in such systems, we develop a mesoscale model with coupled evolution of atomic and point defect components in the presence of dislocation density, dislocation heterogeneity, and thermodynamic interactions at the GB. The model is parameterized for an FCC Fe-Cr-Ni alloy as a representative system for austenitic stainless steels, and simulations are performed in 1D and 2D as a function of irradiation temperature, dose, dislocation density, and grain size. Radiation-induced segregation (RIS) characterized by Cr depletion and Ni enrichment is predicted at both the GB and the dislocation cell wall, with RIS being lower in magnitude but wider at the cell wall. Strongly biased absorption of self-interstitials by dislocations is found to suppress Ni enrichment but slightly enhance Cr depletion under certain conditions. Thermodynamic segregation at the GB is predicted to be narrower and opposite in sign to RIS for both Cr and Ni. Importantly, non-monotonic segregation is found to occur when both thermodynamic and RIS mechanisms are considered, providing a novel physical interpretation of experimental observations. The model is expected to serve as a key tool in accelerated qualification of irradiated materials.