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.

非技术概述当前核反应堆中使用的材料由于持续暴露于高能粒子的辐照而遭受有害的演变，导致使用寿命有限。该研究探索了一种新的方法，通过少量添加合金元素来显着抑制其中一些演变的动力学。由于现在已知添加一种溶质只能不完全地满足该目标所需的许多功能，因此在此寻求协同元素的组合。原子模拟和建模用于确定这些合金元素的最有效的组合，和纳米级的实验设计来测试和验证模型金属合金，包括铜基合金的建议的方法。这项研究广泛影响了对先进能源技术至关重要的新材料的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。该研究与本科教育相结合，通过开发建模模块，并通过实施积极的学习技术，在课程中教授的PI.TECHNICAL SUMMARYThis基础研究探讨了使用溶质添加剂对耐辐射合金的设计用于捕获点缺陷。的动机源于认识到，持续的通量的点缺陷汇，如晶界和位错是导致长期降解的材料在辐照过程中的主要因素。此外，在合金中，缺陷通量通常与化学通量耦合，导致辐射诱导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。面临的挑战是要确定最好的溶质，可以有效地捕获点缺陷，而不会被逐步从基质中删除的溶质阻力，由于缺陷通量。拟议的研究介绍了新的想法，使用协同溶质，以满足这些多个要求，采用第一性原理计算，以确定溶质点缺陷相互作用和自洽平均场理论计算缺陷和溶质输运系数。该实验方案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Cu薄膜中的战略位置处的薄标记层的加宽和漂移来实现的。建议的实验方案是补充动力学蒙特卡罗模拟。该研究的更广泛影响包括为对先进能源技术至关重要的新材料制定合金设计策略。该项目还将与T.来自法国CEA的舒勒，关于点缺陷和溶质耦合输运的建模。此外，通过为本科生课程开发计算模块和通过研究经验指导本科生，将研究和教学结合起来。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。