Abstract
Nanocrystalline alloys often show exceptional thermal stability as a consequence of kinetic and thermodynamic impediments to grain growth. However, evaluating the various contributions to stability requires detailed investigation of the solute distribution, which is challenging within the fine structural-length-scales of nanocrystalline materials. In the present work, we use a variety of techniques to assess changes in the grain size, chemical ordering, grain-boundary segregation, and grain-boundary structure during the heat treatment of Ni-W specimens synthesized over a wide range of grain sizes from 3 to 70 nm. A schematic microstructural evolution map is also developed based on analytical models of the various processes activated during annealing, highlighting the effects of alloying in nanocrystalline materials.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 3233-3248 |
Number of pages | 16 |
Journal | Journal of Materials Research |
Volume | 22 |
Issue number | 11 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Nov 2007 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Materials Science
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Mechanics of Materials
- Mechanical Engineering