Radiation-induced solute segregation and precipitation in alloys

Solute segregation and precipitation in dilute alloys during irradiation have been studied by means of the Johnson--Lam kinetic model. The model is based on a combination of chemical reaction rates and diffusion equations for free defects, solutes, and bound defect-solute complexes. The enrichment of solute at sink surfaces and solute depletion in the matrix have been calculated as functions of temperature, damage rate, defect-solute binding energy, and initial solute concentration. Using parameters appropriate for Be in Ni, significant solute segregation is found in the temperature range from 0.2 to 0.7 T/sub m/. The temperature for maximum segregation is higher for the high displacement rates typically used in charged-particle bombardment experiments than for the low displacement rates used in fast-reactor irradiations. The solute concentration at the sink surface builds up at high temperatures, without surpassing the solubility limit, until a steady state is attained. At lower temperatures solute enrichment at sinks becomes larger and the solubility, in general, becomes lower. Precipitation will occur when the local solute concentration reaches that of the phase boundary. The solute concentration at the precipitate-matrix interface is determined by the solubility limit, and precipitation continues until the matrix is sufficiently solute-depleted to achieve a steep concentration gradient that will balance the defect-induced solute flow by back-diffusion. The steady-state matrix composition is determined by radiation conditions and is independent of the initial alloy composition when precipitation occurs. The solute depletion at steady state is more severe at low displacement rates than at high rates. The calculations are qualitatively compared with recent experimental observations of the temperature and compositional dependence of solute precipitation in the Ni--Be system