Effect of ballistic re-solution on the nucleation kinetics of precipitates in diluted binary alloys under irradiation. Part 1: Stoichiometric gamma' precipitates in Ni-Al alloys

TL;DR

This paper extends classical nucleation theory to include ballistic re-solution effects under irradiation, providing a new model to understand precipitate nucleation in irradiated Ni-Al alloys.

Contribution

It introduces a modified nucleation model accounting for ballistic re-solution and defect effects, applied to Ni-Al alloys under irradiation.

Findings

The model explains the stability of gamma' precipitates under irradiation.

Ballistic re-solution significantly influences nucleation kinetics.

Results align with experimental NHM test data.

Abstract

A modification of classical nucleation theory is carried out as applied to solid solutions under irradiation, taking into account the influence of ballistic re-solution on the nucleation kinetics of pure unary (single-component) and stoichiometric binary precipitates. The effects of excessive point defects formed under steady irradiation conditions and operating alongside the ballistic re-solution mechanism are incorporated into the new model for a consistent description of the nucleation of incoherent and coherent particles. The developed model was applied to interpret the results of Nelson, Hudson and Mazey (NHM) tests, in which the stability of gamma' phase (Ni3Al) precipitates in diluted Ni-Al alloys under irradiation was studied.