First-principles-based statistical thermodynamic study of atomic interactions and phase stability in Ni-rich Ni-W alloys

Abstract

Atomic interactions and phase stability in Ni-rich Ni-W alloys have been investigated by using first-principles methods and statistical thermodynamic simulations. First-principles methods have been employed to explore lattice expansion, enthalpies of formation, atomic interactions, and ordering energies of ordered as well as random structures in Ni-rich Ni-W alloys with consideration of the corresponding temperature-dependent magnetic states. It is found that atomic interactions in Ni-rich Ni-W alloys depend on alloy composition, atomic volume, and magnetic state. Nevertheless, the magnetic state of Ni greatly affects the formation enthalpies, which leads to a diverse phase separation behavior at finite temperature in Ni-rich Ni-W alloys. By using atomic interactions that reproduce the ordering energies obtained in the direct total energy calculations, our statistical thermodynamic simulations of chemical short-range order results show that fcc-based ordered D1a, D022, and Pt2Mo phases can be observed in Ni-20 at.% W, Ni-25 at.% W, and Ni-33 at.% W alloys, respectively. Moreover, the short-range order diffuse intensity and atomic stacking for aforementioned ordered phases have been analyzed, the order–disorder transition behaviors have been also investigated in detail for the Ni-rich Ni-W alloys up to 35 at.% W with comparison of current experimental results. Both magnetic state and alloy composition have the potential to induce the formation of distinct ordered phases, offering promising avenues for designing Ni-based alloys. The methodologies we used in this study can be applied to investigate the atomic interactions as well as phase stability in other alloy systems.