Kinetics of iron α-εphase transition under thermodynamic path of multiple shock loading-unloading

Abstract

The dynamics of iron under extreme conditions like high temperature and high pressure has been well studied for several decades. But, there have been not many reports about the phase transition kinetics coupled with complicated thermodynamic paths, especially loading-unloading-reloading path, which is closer to the real applications. A three-layer structure impactor with five stages performed in the front-surface experiment is made up to approach the special path. We choose epoxy to be the adhesive as it has low impedance and high strength. Tantalum, the standard material of high impedance which also has single wave structure, is selected for reloading process. The wave profile shows a 3-wave structure in the first unloading period and the inverse phase transition threshold is calculated to be about 11.3 GPa. This onset pressure of reverse phase transition is not consistent with Barker’s result, higher than his result (about 2.5 GPa). By comparing with recalculated result of Jensen’s data, we find that our result is consistent with theirs.In this work the inverse phase transition ends at about 10 GPa, the value from this way which is higher than Barker’s finding, even higher than his result of the threshold pressure of reverse phase transition. And at this state there remains 12%–15% of ε phase. So it cannot be seen as the completed reverse phase transformation. The phase transition onset pressure is 10–12 GPa on the reloading path and it is about 1–2 GPa lower than the first phase transition. By simulating the wave profile, the discrepancy of using different phase transformation characteristic time <i>τ</i> as 30 ns and 5 ns is analyzed. It can be seen that the phase transition rate of reloading is faster than that of the first loading process. These phenomena may be caused by the twins and the dislocations which are produced by the inverse phase transition. Also, as unloading time becomes longer, the mass fraction of ε phase becomes lesser and the onset pressure of α → ε phase transition becomes lower. This because with more ε phases transforming into α phase, more twins and dislocations will be produced in material. Therefore, it brings the lower onset pressure.