Xe-ion-irradiation-induced structural transitions and elemental diffusion in high-entropy alloy and nitride thin-film multilayers

Year: 2022

Type: article

Abstract: The study aims to understand the irradiation behavior of multilayer coatings composed of high-entropy materials. Here, we report the structural stability and elemental segregation of high-entropy TiNbZrTa/CrFeCoNi metallic and nitride multilayer coatings under 3-MeV Xe20+ ion-irradiation at room temperature and 500 °C, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy analysis shows that the microstructure of nanocrystalline CrFeCoNi high-entropy-alloy sublayers are not stable and readily transforms into amorphous state at 500 °C and/or under irradiation conditions. The elemental distribution, acquired by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy under scanning transmission electron microscopy mode, shows preferential diffusion of Co and Ni into TiNbZrTa sublayers, while Fe and Cr preferentially remain within the previous CrFeCoNi sublayers. TiNbZrTaN/CrFeCoNiNx nitride multilayers exhibit a higher crystallinity and structural stability as well as resistance to diffusion at high-temperature and/or irradiation conditions than their TiNbZrTa/CrFeCoNi metallic multilayer counterparts. These findings are explained by atomic size differences, the difference in Gibbs free energy of the mixing system, and interstitial-solute-induced chemical heterogeneity. Our findings thus provide a design strategy of high entropy nitride for nuclear fuel cladding.

Source: Materials & Design

DOI: 10.1016/j.matdes.2022.110749

Authors: Ji Wang, Rui Shu, Jianlong Chai, Smita G. Rao, Arnaud le Febvrier, Haichen Wu, Yabin Zhu, Cunfeng Yao, Laihui Luo, Weiping Li, Peifeng Gao, Per Eklund

Institutions: Ningbo University, Linköping University, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Modern Physics, Ningbo Institute of Industrial Technology, Lanzhou University

Language: English

Topic: High Entropy Alloys Studies

Subfield: Mechanical Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,630

Funders: Stiftelsen för Strategisk Forskning, National Natural Science Foundation of China, VINNOVA, China Postdoctoral Science Foundation, Linköpings Universitet, Knut och Alice Wallenbergs Stiftelse, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Vetenskapsrådet, Ningbo University, Southwest University, Uppsala Universitet, Natural Science Foundation of Ningbo, Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province

OpenAlex ID: W4280640243