Phase stability and precipitation modeling in neutron irradiated Zr–2% Nb alloy

Abstract

Precipitation at thermal treatment and radiation induced precipitation in Zirconium alloy with low concentration of Nb is studied. A corresponding phase field model by taking into account ballistic mixing and dynamics of point defects with their sinks (dislocation loops) is developed. Analysis of precipitation dynamics and statistical distributions of precipitates with local rearrangement of non-equilibrium vacancies around precipitates is provided. It is shown that the competition between ballistic mixing and the thermodynamic force plays a major role in kinetics of radiation induced precipitation and precipitates dissolution. The estimation of mechanical properties of the material at irradiation at reactor conditions is provided.

Phase field modeling microstructural evolution of Fe-Cr-Al systems at thermal treatment

“…Therefore here the model assumptions for concentration-dependent mobilities were used on the basis of previous works (Huang et al, 1995;Wu et al, 2001;Wu et al, 2004;Lee et al, 2020). This approach allows one to study transient dynamics of phase decomposition process in details, and can play a significant effect on the coarsening kinetics (Lacasta et al, 1992;Lacasta et al, 1993;Bray and Emmott, 1995;Zhu et al, 1999;Kharchenko and Dvornichenko, 2008;Kharchenko and Kharchenko, 2014;Kharchenko et al, 2022). A constant mobility model can be used in order to modeling the late time microstructure.…”

Phase field modeling of precipitation in Zr-1%Nb-1%Sn alloy: A study of statistical properties and mechanical response

“…. This approach was successfully used to study Nb precipitation in binary Zr-Nb alloy [53]. Following the standard phase field approach for phase decomposition in ternary systems we adopt Onsager-type microscopic diffusion equations proposed by Khachaturyan [30].…”