TY - JOUR A1 - Ahmadian, A. A1 - Scheiber, D. A1 - Zhou, X. A1 - Gault, B. A1 - Darvishi Kamachali, Reza A1 - Romaner, L. A1 - Ecker, W. A1 - Dehm, G. A1 - Liebscher, C. H. T1 - Interstitial segregation has the potential to mitigate liquid metal embrittlement in iron N2 - The embrittlement of metallic alloys by liquid metals leads to catastrophic material failure and severely impacts their structural integrity. The weakening of grain boundaries by the ingress of liquid metal and preceding segregation in the solid are thought to promote early fracture. However, the potential of balancing between the segregation of cohesion-enhancing interstitial solutes and embrittling elements inducing grain boundary decohesion is not understood. Here, we unveil the mechanisms of how boron segregation mitigates the detrimental effects of the prime embrittler, zinc, in a Σ5 [0 0 1] tilt grain boundary in α −Fe (4 at.% Al). Zinc forms nanoscale segregation patterns inducing structurally and compositionally complex grain boundary states. Ab-initio simulations reveal that boron hinders zinc segregation and compensates for the zinc induced loss in grain boundary cohesion. Our work sheds new light on how interstitial solutes intimately modify grain boundaries, thereby opening pathways to use them as dopants for preventing disastrous material failure. KW - Materials Modelling KW - Liquid Metal Embrittlement KW - Alloy Safety KW - CALPHAD KW - Microstructure Design PY - 2023 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-573576 SN - 0935-9648 IS - e2211796 PB - Wiley online library AN - OPUS4-57357 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Darvishi Kamachali, Reza T1 - Melting upon Coalescence of Solid Nanoparticles N2 - The large surface-to-volume ratio of nanoparticles is understood to be the source of many interesting phenomena. The melting temperature of nanoparticles is shown to dramatically reduce compared to bulk material. Yet, at temperatures below this reduced melting point, a liquid-like atomic arrangement on the surface of nanoparticles is still anticipated to influence its properties. To understand such surface effects, here, we study the coalescence of Au nanoparticles of various sizes using molecular dynamics simulations. Analysis of the potential energy and Lindemann index distribution across the nanoparticles reveals that high-energy, high-mobility surface atoms can enable the coalescence of nanoparticles at temperatures much lower than their corresponding melting point. The smaller the nanoparticles, the larger the difference between their melting and coalescence temperatures. For small enough particles and/or elevated enough temperatures, we found that the coalescence leads to a melting transition of the two nominally solid nanoparticles, here discussed in relation to the heat released due to the surface reduction upon the coalescence and the size dependence of latent heat. Such discontinuous melting transitions can lead to abrupt changes in the properties of nanoparticles, important for their applications at intermediate temperatures. KW - Nanoparticles KW - Molecular Dynamics KW - Surface-induced Melting PY - 2022 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-552183 VL - 3 IS - 2 SP - 361 EP - 373 PB - MDPI AN - OPUS4-55218 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Darvishi Kamachali, Reza T1 - A model for grain boundary thermodynamics N2 - Systematic microstructure design requires reliable thermodynamic descriptions of each and all microstructure elements. While such descriptions are well established for most bulk phases, thermodynamic assessment of microstructure defects is challenging because of their individualistic nature. In this paper, a model is devised for assessing grain boundary thermodynamics based on available bulk thermodynamic data. We propose a continuous relative atomic density field and its spatial gradients to describe the grain boundary region with reference to the homogeneous bulk and derive the grain boundary Gibbs free energy functional. The grain boundary segregation isotherm and phase diagram are computed for a regular binary solid solution, and qualitatively benchmarked for the Pt–Au system. The relationships between the grain boundary's atomic density, excess free volume, and misorientation angle are discussed. Combining the current density-based model with available bulk thermodynamic databases enables constructing databases, phase diagrams, and segregation isotherms for grain boundaries, opening possibilities for studying and designing heterogeneous microstructures. KW - Phase Diagram KW - Thermodynamics KW - Grain boundary PY - 2020 VL - 10 IS - 45 SP - 26728 EP - 26741 AN - OPUS4-51268 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Darvishi Kamachali, Reza A1 - da Silva, A. A1 - McEniry, E. A1 - Gault, B. A1 - Neugebauer, J. A1 - Raabe, D. T1 - Segregation-assisted spinodal and transient spinodal phase separation at grain boundaries N2 - Segregation to grain boundaries affects their cohesion, corrosion, and embrittlement and plays a critical role in heterogeneous nucleation. In order to quantitatively study segregation and low-dimensional phase separation at grain boundaries, here, we apply a density-based phase-field model. The current model describes the grain-boundary thermodynamic properties based on available bulk thermodynamic data, while the grain-boundary-density profile is obtained using atomistic simulations. To benchmark the performance of the model, Mn grain-boundary segregation in the Fe–Mn system is studied. 3D simulation results are compared against atom probe tomography measurements conducted for three alloy compositions. We show that a continuous increase in the alloy composition results in a discontinuous jump in the segregation isotherm. The jump corresponds to a spinodal Phase separation at grain boundary. For alloy compositions above the jump, we reveal an interfacial transient spinodal phase separation. The transient spinodal phenomenon opens opportunities for knowledge-based microstructure design through the chemical manipulation of grain boundaries. The proposed density-based model provides a powerful tool to study thermodynamics and kinetics of segregation and phase changes at grain boundaries. KW - Grain Boundary Spinodal KW - Densty-based Thermodynamics KW - Microstrucrue Design PY - 2020 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-519497 VL - 6 IS - 1 SP - 191 PB - Nature AN - OPUS4-51949 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Darvishi Kamachali, Reza A1 - Wallis, Theophilius A1 - Ikeda, Yuki A1 - Saikia, U. A1 - Ahmadian, A. A1 - Liebscher, C. A1 - Hickel, Tilmann A1 - Maaß, Robert T1 - Giant segregation transition as origin of liquid metal embrittlement in the Fe-Zn system N2 - A giant Zn segregation transition is revealed using CALPHAD-integrated density-based modeling of segregation into Fe grain boundaries (GBs). The results show that above a threshold of only a few atomic percent Zn in the alloy, a substantial amount of up to 60 at.% Zn can segregate to the GB. We found that the amount of segregation abruptly increases with decreasing temperature, while the Zn content in the alloy required for triggering the segregation transition decreases. Direct evidence of the Zn segregation transition is obtained using high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy. Base on the model, we trace the origin of the segregation transition back to the low cohesive energy of Zn and a miscibility gap in Fe-Zn GB, arising from the magnetic ordering effect, which is confirmed by ab-initio calculations. We also show that the massive Zn segregation resulting from the segregation transition greatly assists with liquid wetting and reduces the work of separation along the GB. The current predictions suggest that control over Zn segregation, by both alloy design and optimizing the galvanization and welding processes, may offer preventive strategies against liquid metal embrittlement. KW - CALPHAD KW - Microstructure Design KW - Grain boundary engineering KW - Steels KW - Density-based Model KW - Segregation Engineering PY - 2024 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-584292 SN - 1359-6462 SN - 1872-8456 VL - 238 SP - 1 EP - 5 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam AN - OPUS4-58429 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Darvishi Kamachali, Reza A1 - Wang, L. T1 - Elastic energy of multi-component solid solutions and strain origins of phase stability in high-entropy alloys N2 - The elastic energy of mixing for multi-component solid solutions is derived by generalizing Eshelby's sphere-in-hole model. By surveying the dependence of the elastic energy on the chemical composition and lattice misfit, we derive a lattice strain coefficient λ*. Studying several high-entropy alloys and superalloys, we propose that most solid solution multi-component alloys are stable when λ*<0.16, generalizing the Hume-Rothery atomic-size rule for binary alloys. We also reveal that the polydispersity index δ, frequently used for describing strain in multi-component alloys, directly represents the elastic energy e with e=qδ², q being an elastic constant. Furthermore, the effects of (i) the number and (ii) the atomic-size distribution of constituting elements on the phase stability of high-entropy alloys were quantified. The present derivations and discussions open for richer considerations of elastic effects in high-entropy alloys, offering immediate support for quantitative assessments of their thermodynamic properties and studying related strengthening mechanisms. KW - Ordering KW - High-entropy alloys KW - Alloy design KW - Strain energy KW - Phase stability PY - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scriptamat.2021.114226 SN - 1359-6462 VL - 206 SP - 1 EP - 6 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam AN - OPUS4-53427 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Fantin, Andrea A1 - Manzoni, Anna Maria A1 - Springer, H. A1 - Darvishi Kamachali, Reza A1 - Maaß, Robert T1 - Local lattice distortions and chemical short-range order in MoNbTaW N2 - Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) conducted on an equiatomic MoNbTaW bcc medium-entropy alloy that was annealed at 2273 K reveals unexpectedly small 1st and 2nd shell element-specific lattice distortions. An experimental size-mismatch parameter, δexp, is determined to be ca. 50% lower than the corresponding calculated value. Around W, short-range order (SRO) preferring 4d elements in the 1st and 2nd shells persists. A Nb-W ordering is found, which is reminiscent of ordering emerging at lower temperatures in the B2(Mo,W;Ta,Nb)- and B32(Nb,W)-phases. With high-temperature ordering preferences in fcc also foreshadowing low-temperature phase, these findings suggest a general feature of high-temperature SRO. KW - High Entropy Alloys KW - Short-range order KW - Lattice distortions KW - EXAFS PY - 2024 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-598164 SN - 2166-3831 VL - 12 IS - 5 SP - 346 EP - 354 PB - Taylor & Francis AN - OPUS4-59816 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Häusler, Ines A1 - Darvishi Kamachali, Reza A1 - Hetaba, W. A1 - Skrotzki, Birgit T1 - Thickening of T-1 Precipitates during Aging of a High Purity Al–4Cu–1Li–0.25Mn Alloy N2 - The age hardening response of a high-purity Al–4Cu–1Li–0.25Mn alloy (wt. %) during isothermal aging without and with an applied external load was investigated. Plate shaped nanometer size T1 (Al2CuLi) and θ′ (Al2Cu) hardening phases were formed. The precipitates were analyzed with respect to the development of their structure, size, number density, volume fraction and associated transformation strains by conducting transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) studies in combination with geometrical Phase analysis (GPA). Special attention was paid to the thickening of T1 phase. Two elementary types of single-layer T1 precipitate, one with a Li-rich (Type 1) and another with an Al-rich (Defect Type 1) central layer, were identified. The results show that the Defect Type 1 structure can act as a precursor for the Type 1 structure. The thickening of T1 precipitates occurs by alternative stacking of These two elementary structures. The thickening mechanism was analyzed based on the magnitude of strain associated with the precipitation transformation normal to its habit plane. Long-term aging and aging under load resulted in thicker and structurally defected T1 precipitates. Several types of defected precipitates were characterized and discussed. For θ′ precipitates, a ledge mechanism of thickening was observed. Compared to the normal aging, an external load applied to the peak aged state leads to small variations in the average sizes and volume fractions of the precipitates. KW - Al-Cu-Li-alloy KW - Precipitation KW - T1 precipitate KW - Microstructure evolution KW - Thickening KW - Creep KW - Volume fraction KW - Number density KW - Strain difference PY - 2018 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-471207 SN - 1996-1944 VL - 12 IS - 1 SP - 30, 1 EP - 23 PB - MDPI AN - OPUS4-47120 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Ikeda, Yuki A1 - Ni, H.C. A1 - Chakraborty, A. A1 - Ghassemi-Armaki, H. A1 - Zuo, J.M. A1 - Darvishi Kamachali, Reza A1 - Maaß, Robert T1 - Segregation-induced grain-boundary precipitation during early stages of liquid-metal embrittlement of an advanced high-strength steel N2 - Liquid-metal embrittlement (LME) of galvanized (Zn-coated) advanced high-strength steels is a long-known problem in materials science. Here we reveal the initial microstructural processes underneath the Zn-coating that lead to LME-microcrack initiation in the steel substrate. We track the microstructural evolution during the first tens of milliseconds and find pronounced signatures of Fe-Zn intermetallic precipitation in both ferrite grain boundaries and at internal ferrite-oxide phase boundaries. In concert with novel CALPHAD-integrated density-based thermodynamic modelling, we demonstrate that Zn-rich intermetallic phase-nucleation can occur at markedly low processing temperatures due to a segregation transition. We show that a small Znenrichment caused by Zn bulk-diffusion during the initial temperature rise in a joining process is sufficient to induce the segregation transition and subsequent nucleation of Fe-Zn intermetallic grain-boundary phases, which the experiments link to crack initiation sites. These findings direct focus onto LME-controlling microstructural and thermodynamic phenomena at temperatures below the ductility trough and the austenite formation temperature. KW - Resistance spot welding KW - Liquid-metal embrittlement KW - Steels KW - Grain boundaries PY - 2023 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-581067 VL - 259 SP - 1 EP - 12 PB - Elsevier Ltd AN - OPUS4-58106 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Jacobson, D. A1 - Darvishi Kamachali, Reza A1 - Thompson, G. B. T1 - Extending Density Phase-Field Simulations to Dynamic Regimes N2 - Density-based phase-field (DPF) methods have emerged as a technique for simulating grain boundary thermodynamics and kinetics. Compared to the classical phase-field, DPF gives a more physical description of the grain boundary structure and chemistry, bridging CALPHAD databases and atomistic simulations, with broad applications to grain boundary and segregation engineering. Notwithstanding their notable progress, further advancements are still warranted in DPF methods. Chief among these are the requirements to resolve its performance constraints associated with solving fourth-order partial differential equations (PDEs) and to enable the DPF methods for simulating moving grain boundaries. Presented in this work is a means by which the aforementioned problems are addressed by expressing the density field of a DPF simulation in terms of a traditional order parameter field. A generic DPF free energy functional is derived and used to carry out a series of equilibrium and dynamic simulations of grain boundaries in order to generate trends such as grain boundary width vs. gradient energy coefficient, grain boundary velocity vs. applied driving force, and spherical grain radius vs. time. These trends are compared with analytical solutions and the behavior of physical grain boundaries in order to ascertain the validity of the coupled DPF model. All tested quantities were found to agree with established theories of grain boundary behavior. In addition, the resulting simulations allow for DPF simulations to be carried out by existing phase-field solvers. KW - CALPHAD KW - Phase-field modelling KW - Phase-Field Simulations PY - 2023 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-581365 VL - 13 SP - 1 EP - 16 AN - OPUS4-58136 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -