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Using the first-principles self-consistent discrete variational method based upon density functional theory, we investigated the energetics and the electronic structure of the 3d impurities Ni and Co in a kink on the [100](010) edge dislocation (ED) in bcc iron. The calculated results show that the interatomic energies between the impurity atom and the neighboring host atoms decrease. The bonding for the impurity atom (Ni, Co) and the neighboring host Fe atoms is weaker than that for an Fe atom at the X site and the corresponding atoms in the clean kink. These results indicate that sideways motion of the kink in the <100>{010} ED is accelerated by an impurity atom such as Ni or Co and that, consequently, the presence of impurities increases the dislocation mobility, thus leading to solid-solution softening.

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The optimal geometries and mechanical properties of a kink with P are studied by applying density functional theory to the ½[111](1¯10) edge dislocation in bcc iron. The calculated impurity segregation energy shows that the P atom can be potentially trapped by the kink, and the doping P preferably segregates to the core region of the ½[111](1¯10) edge dislocation rather than to the <100>(010) edge dislocation. The analysis of the electronic structure indicates that the sideward motion of the kink is impeded owing to strong a interaction between P and neighboring Fe atoms. That is, the P induces a pinning effect on the ½[111](1¯10) edge dislocation. The hybridizations between P and Fe come from P 3p and Fe 3d4s4p. The p and d states have an obvious orientation, which may not be favorable to the toughness of iron. The localized effect of the P-kink complex distinctly affects the electronic structure as well as the energy of the system.

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