A novel approach for increasing radiation resistance of multicomponent alloys using synergistic solutes

使用协同溶质提高多元合金耐辐射性的新方法

• 批准号: 2105118
• 负责人: Pascal Bellon
• 金额: $ 70.73万
• 依托单位: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2021-07-01 至 2025-06-30
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2105118&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: novel; approach; increasing; radiation; resistance

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARYMaterials employed in current nuclear reactors suffer from detrimental evolutions triggered by their continuous exposure to irradiation by energetic particles, resulting in limited service life. The research explores a novel approach to dramatically suppress the kinetics of some of these evolutions through minor addition of alloying elements. Since it is now known that addition of one solute can only imperfectly meet the many functions required for that goal, here a combination of synergistic elements is pursued. Atomistic simulations and modeling are used to identify the most effective combination of such alloying elements, and nanoscale experiments are designed to test and validate the proposed approach on model metallic alloys, including Cu-based alloys. This research impacts broadly the development of alloy design strategies for new materials that are critical to advanced energy technologies. The program supports the development of workforce in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math fields by supporting two graduate students and several undergraduate students. The research is integrated with undergraduate education by developing modeling modules and by implementing active learning techniques in the courses taught by the PIs.TECHNICAL SUMMARYThis fundamental research investigates the use of solute additions for trapping point defects toward the design of radiation resistant alloys. The motivation stems from the recognition that the sustained fluxes of point defects to sinks such as grain boundaries and dislocations is the main factor contributing to the long-term degradation of materials during irradiation. In alloys, moreover, defect fluxes often couple to chemical fluxes, resulting in irradiation-induced segregation or even precipitation at sinks. An attractive solution is to increase point-defect recombination by adding point defect-trapping solutes. The challenge is to identify the best solutes that can trap point defect efficiently, without being progressively removed from the matrix by solute drag due to defect fluxes. The proposed research introduces the novel idea of using synergistic solutes to meet these multiple requirements, employing first principles calculations to determine solute-point defect interactions and self-consistent mean-field theory to calculate defect and solute transport coefficients. The experimental program aims at measuring directly the effect of solute on the overall vacancy diffusion and on solute drag. This is achieved by measuring the broadening and the drift of thin marker layers placed at strategic positions in a Cu thin film using atom probe tomography. The proposed experimental program is complemented by kinetic Monte Carlo simulations. The broader impact of the research includes the development of alloy design strategies for new materials that are critical to advanced energy technologies. The project will also establish an international collaboration with Dr. T. Schuler, from CEA, France, on the modeling of point defects and solute coupled transport. In addition, research and teaching will be integrated by developing computational modules for undergraduate courses and by mentoring undergraduate students through research experiences.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

非技术概要当前核反应堆中使用的材料由于持续暴露于高能粒子的照射而引发有害的演化，从而导致使用寿命有限。该研究探索了一种新方法，通过少量添加合金元素来显着抑制其中一些演化的动力学。由于现在已知添加一种溶质只能完美地满足该目标所需的许多功能，因此这里追求协同元素的组合。原子模拟和建模用于确定此类合金元素的最有效组合，纳米级实验旨在测试和验证模型金属合金（包括铜基合金）所提出的方法。这项研究广泛影响了对先进能源技术至关重要的新材料合金设计策略的发展。该计划通过支持两名研究生和几名本科生来支持科学、技术、工程和数学领域的劳动力发展。通过开发建模模块和在 PI 教授的课程中实施主动学习技术，该研究与本科生教育相结合。技术摘要这项基础研究研究了使用溶质添加来捕获点缺陷，以实现抗辐射合金的设计。其动机源于这样的认识：晶界和位错等点缺陷向汇的持续通量是导致材料在辐照过程中长期降解的主要因素。此外，在合金中，缺陷通量通常与化学通量耦合，导致辐照引起的偏析，甚至在汇处沉淀。一个有吸引力的解决方案是通过添加点缺陷捕获溶质来增加点缺陷复合。面临的挑战是确定能够有效捕获点缺陷的最佳溶质，而不会因缺陷通量导致的溶质拖曳而逐渐从基质中去除。所提出的研究引入了使用协同溶质来满足这些多重要求的新想法，采用第一原理计算来确定溶质点缺陷相互作用，并采用自洽平均场理论来计算缺陷和溶质输运系数。该实验程序旨在直接测量溶质对整体空位扩散和溶质阻力的影响。这是通过使用原子探针断层扫描测量放置在铜薄膜中战略位置的薄标记层的加宽和漂移来实现的。所提出的实验程序由动力学蒙特卡罗模拟补充。该研究的更广泛影响包括开发对先进能源技术至关重要的新材料的合金设计策略。该项目还将与法国 CEA 的 T. Schuler 博士就点缺陷和溶质耦合输运建模建立国际合作。此外，研究和教学将通过开发本科课程的计算模块以及通过研究经验指导本科生来整合。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。