Structural Unit Models for High Angle Symmetrical Tilt Boundaries in Ordered Compounds with the Ll2 Structure

Abstract

ABSTRACTHard sphere models were used to determine densest configurations in symmetrical [100] and [110] tilt boundaries in compounds with the Ll2 structure. The minimum allowed interatomic distances used in these models were estimated from interatomic potentials and the structures of the intermetallic phases in the binary system. The structural unit model is used to analyze the possible ground states for ordering.Two different cases were analyzed corresponding to compounds with “soft” potentials (i.e. Cu3 Au) and “hard” potentials (i.e. Ni3Al). For the Cu3Au type the grain boundary structures obtained were similar to those reported by other investigators for pure fcc metals. Several boundaries were found to be a “two phase” structure, differing in composition and ordering state. This leads to a certain degree of clustering in the boundaries. The contribution of clustering to the grain boundary energy is calculated in a point approximation based on the first coordination shell.For compounds of the Ni3Al type the structures that are densest were found to be generally diffetent from the low energy configurations of boundaries in, pure fcc metals and Cu3 Au. These configurations preserve order, but are much less dense. The possibility of grain boundary “phases” that are not present in other fcc materials may constitute an explanation for the extreme GB weakness observed in Ni3Al and other Ll2 compounds with high ordering energy.