Effect of crystal orientation on grain boundary migration and radiation-induced segregation

Abstract

FeCrNi, NiAI and NiSi alloys were electron-irradiated using a high voltage electron microscope (1 MeV), and in situ observations of the structural evolution and micro-chemical analysis were carried out. During the irradiation, the grain boundaries in the irradiated region migrated, while no grain boundary migration occurred in the unirradiated area. The occurrence of boundary migration depended on the orientation relationship of the boundary interfaces. Grain boundary migration took place in FeCrNi and NiSi alloys with large crystal orientation difference between the two grains across a grain boundary. In Ni-AI, however, the grain boundary migration did not occur. The solute segregation was caused at grain boundary under irradiation and this segregation behavior was closely related to solute size, namely the concentrations of undersized Ni and oversized Cr elements in FeCrNi alloy increased and reduced at grain boundary, respectively. The same dependence of segregation on the solute size was derived in NiSi and NiAl alloys, in which Si and A1 solutes are undersized and oversized elements, respectively. Therefore, Si solute enriched and Al solute depleted at grain boundary. From the present segregation behavior, it is suggested that the flow of point defects into the boundary is the cause of grain boundary migration.