Theory of a quodon gas. With application to precipitation kinetics in solids under irradiation

Rate theory of the radiation-induced precipitation in solids is modified with account of non-equilibrium fluctuations driven by the gas of lattice solitons (a.k.a. quodons) produced by irradiation. According to quantitative estimations, a steady-state density of the quodon gas under sufficiently intense irradiation can be as high as the density of phonon gas. The quodon gas may be a powerful driver of the chemical reaction rates under irradiation, the strength of which exponentially increases with irradiation flux and may be comparable with strength of the phonon gas that exponentially increases with temperature. The modified rate theory is applied to modelling of copper precipitation in FeCu binary alloys under electron irradiation. In contrast to the classical rate theory, which disagrees strongly with experimental data on all precipitation parameters, the modified rate theory describes quite well both the evolution of precipitates and the matrix concentration of copper measured by different methodsComment: V. Dubinko, R. Shapovalov, Theory of a quodon gas. With application to precipitation kinetics in solids under irradiation. (Springer International Publishing, Switzerland, 2014

Nonmonotonic inelastic tunneling spectra due to surface spin excitations in ferromagnetic junctions

The paper addresses inelastic spin-flip tunneling accompanied by surface spin excitations (magnons) in ferromagnetic junctions. The inelastic tunneling current is proportional to the magnon density of states which is energy-independent for the surface waves and, for this reason, cannot account for the bias-voltage dependence of the observed inelastic tunneling spectra. This paper shows that the bias-voltage dependence of the tunneling spectra can arise from the tunneling matrix elements of the electron-magnon interaction. These matrix elements are derived from the Coulomb exchange interaction using the itinerant-electron model of magnon-assisted tunneling. The results for the inelastic tunneling spectra, based on the nonequilibrium Green's function calculations, are presented for both parallel and antiparallel magnetizations in the ferromagnetic leads.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, version as publishe

Mineralogy and microporous structure of rocks from a natural CO2 reservoir

Different experimental approaches have been combined to reconstruct the mineral association and microporous structure of rocks from a natural CO2 reservoir. The fluid reservoir (Caprese Reservoir), was discovered while drilling PSS1 (Pieve Santo Stefano 1) wellbore in San Cassiano Basin (Eastern Tuscany, Central Italy, and consists of sedimentary rocks (Burano Fm.) interbedded with altered volcanic rocks, its depth being about 3,300 m with respect to the land surface. At 3,700 m depth fluid pressure and temperature are 700 bar and 120 \ub0C respectively, with a density for the supercritical CO2\u2013rich fluid of 840 Kg\ub7m-3. The study was conducted on the volcanic rocks altered by CO2 from the PSS1 wellbore drillcores and on some volcanic rocks unaffected by the presence of CO2. Lastly, rocks from the Burano Formation, unavailable from PSS1, have been sampled on outcrop. Focus is on rocks samples corresponding to the depth 3,864-3,871 m with respect to PSS1 log, which have been investigated with SEM-EDS and XRD for mineralogical characterization. Moreover, Small Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS) experiments at LLB (Saclay, France) served for microporous structure investigation of PSS1 rocks, and other volcanic rocks from Eastern Alps (IG1) and the Albani Hills (IG2 and IG3) unaffected by CO2, as well as Burano Formation rocks from outcrop

Texture analysis of oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) Fe alloys by X-ray and neutron diffraction

The ferritic ODS alloys studied were obtained by mechanical alloying. This strengthening method is very attractive, in particular for nuclear applications. In order to ensure the alloy a good compromise between mechanical resistance and ductility at high temperatures, it is necessary to control the microstructure and in particular the evolution during the recrystallization. First, a preliminary study, performed by X ray diffraction and optical microscopy, shows several grain growth mechanisms ; in particular, the “abnormal” grain growth mechanism which conducts to a large grain size [1], [2]. After annealing (3600s at 1470$^{\circ}$C), the 30% cold-worked (swaging) alloys exhibit an heterogeneous microstructure with a large grains size (~200 to 500 $\mu$m) in the heart and near the surface of the material when the intermediate zone is inhabited by small grains (~1 $\mu$m). Fora higher cold-work level (60%), large size grains are only present in the periphery of the material. On account of the large grain size and strong heterogeneity of the microstructure, texture analysis using laboratory x-ray beam in not well adapted and so we have decided to use neutron beam. The neutron diffraction texture analysis has been performed at the Laboratoire Léon Brillouin on the 6T1 diffractometer on 2 different rods of the alloy (corresponding to the reduction ratios of 30% and 60%). Specific samples have been machined to characterise separately the zones with a different microstructure. After deformation, the alloys exhibit a typical $\alpha$-fibre texture $\{ {\rm hkl} \}$ whatever the area of the sample and the reduction ratio. After recrystallization, a very inhomogeneous texture is evidenced through the thickness of the sample, in particular for the rod deformed with a reduction ratio of 30% : in the heart and in the periphery of the rod, a “single-crystal” type texture is observed; the a fibre remains for the intermediate diameter of the rod. For the rod cold rolled with a reduction ratio of 60%, the $\alpha$-fibre keeps on the heart of the material and as in the precedent case, a “single-crystal” type texture is observed near the surface of the sample. EBSD measurements have been performed to explicit at a local scale this behaviour and in order to furnish some input data for the simulation of static recrystallization.Les aciers ferritiques avec dispersion d'oxydes étudiés sont obtenus par métallurgie des poudres, ce qui leur confère une résistance mécanique accrue à haute température notamment pour des applications nucléaires. La difficulté pour l'utilisation de tels alliages réside dans la maîtrise de leur microstructure au cours de l'élaboration en particulier durant la recristallisation. Une première étude en diffraction des rayons-x et en métallographie optique a permis de révéler différents mécanismes de croissance du grain lors de la recristallisation, notamment une croissance “anormale” conduisant à une taille de grain très importante [t], [2]. Après recuit (3600s à 1470$^{\circ}$C), précédé par un écrouissage de 30% sur des barres (par martelage) on voit apparaître une microstructure hétérogène à gros grains (~200 à 500 $\mu$m) au coeur et en surface externe de la barre alors que la zone intermédiaire est peuplée de grains fins ($\sim 1$ $\mu$m). Pour un écrouissage plus élevé (60%), après le même recuit, on ne voit apparaître des gros grains qu'en périphérie de la barre. Pour ce type de microstructure fortement hétérogène et à gros grains, la diffraction des rayons-x pour l'analyse de texture est mal adaptée, ce qui nous a conduit à utiliser la diffraction des neutrons sur le diffractomètre 6TI du Laboratoire Léon Brillouin. Les deux matériaux, écrouis de 30% et 60%, ont été analysés en réalisant des échantillons particuliers permettant d'étudier séparément le coeur et la périphérie. Après déformation, les deux échantillons présentent une texture de fibre $\alpha$ $\{ {\rm hkl} \} $ en tout point de la barre. Après recristallisation, on retrouve une texture très hétérogène suivant le rayon de la barre, notamment après 30% : le coeur et la périphérie de la barre présentent une texture de type “mono-cristal”, la zone intermédiaire restant une fibre $\alpha$. Après écrouissage de 60%, on garde la fibre $\alpha$ au coeur de la barre, la périphérie présentant, comme pour l'écrouissage précédent, une texture de type “mono-cristal”. Des analyses en EBSD ont également été réalisées pour foumir des éléments de compréhension sur les mécanismes locaux de recristallisation afin de simuler la recristallisation statique de ses alliages via une approche numérique

Investigating a Chalcolithic gold bead from Mehrgarh (Balochistan). Hammering or casting process tracked by neutron diffraction texture analysis

International audienc

SANS study of the microstructural evolution of martensitic steels under thermal ageing and neutron irradiation

International audienceSANS technique has been used to study the microstructural evolution of martensitic steels containing 7-12% Cr, under thermal ageing and neutron irradiation. Some of the investigated alloys are industrial low activation martensitic (LAM) materials, where alloying elements have been substituted by elements with low radiological impact. For materials quenched from the austenitic phase, a direct correlation was found between the hardening and the number density of M2C precipitates induced by thermal ageing at 500 °C. Irradiation-accelerated spinodal decomposition of the B.C.C. ferrite was observed in alloys containing large (= 11%) chromium content

Analyse par diffraction des neutrons des déformations résiduelles dans un alliage de zirconium après un chargement thermomécanique

After a thermomechanical loading, it resides within a polycrystalline material an heterogeneous elastic strain field resulting from accommodation of the plastic and/or thermal local deformations. X-rays or neutrons diffraction makes it possible to quantify the average strain and their fluctuations within the diffracting volume (displacement and broadening of the line profil). When measurements are taken in volume (neutrons in our case) on a massive sample containing a large number of grains, they can be compared precisely with the results of homogenisation methods. Indeed, they are, as well as diffraction, a statistical method to analysis local mechanical fields. Moreover, they give access not only to the average mechanical fields by family of orientation (first order moment), but also to the heterogeneity of these fields (second order moment) on the same family and thus by extension on a diffracting volume. We have the results obtained on Zircaloy-4 having undergone a creep in traction at 400$^{\circ}$C, which validates the methodology of comparison between measurements and the simulation carried out with a model of nonlinear homogenisation (self-coherent type affine in thermoelastoviscoplasticity) via the “residual strain map”.Après un chargement thermomécanique, il réside au sein d'un matériau polycristallin un champ de déformation élastique hétérogène issu de l'accommodation des déformations locales plastiques et/ou thermiques. La diffraction des rayons X ou des neutrons permet de quantifier les déformations moyennes et leurs fluctuations au sein du volume diffractant (déplacement et élargissement de la raie de diffraction). Lorsque les mesures sont effectuées en volume (neutrons dans notre cas) sur un échantillon massif contenant un grand nombre de grains, elles peuvent être comparées précisément aux résultats des méthodes d'homogénéisation. En effet, ils sont, au même titre que la diffraction, une méthode statistique d'analyse des champs mécaniques locaux. De plus, ils donnent accès non seulement aux champs mécaniques moyens par famille d'orientation (moment d'ordre 1), mais aussi à l'hétérogénéité de ces champs (moment d'ordre 2) sur la même famille et donc par extension sur un volume diffractant. Nous présentons les résultats obtenus sur un Zircaloy-4 ayant subi un fluage en traction à 400$^{\circ}$C, qui valide la méthodologie de comparaison entre les mesures et la simulation menée avec un modèle d'homogénéisation non linéaire (type auto-cohérent affine en thermoé lastoviscoplasticité) via la “carte de déformations résiduelles”

Etude de la précipitation du cuivre sous irradiation électronique dans des alliages dilués à base de fer

The copper precipitation in dilute ferritic alloys ( FeCu et FeCuMn ) has been studied under electron irradiation in the 170-370°C temperature range. The matrix depletion at low fluence has been followed by in situ electrical resistivity measurements, the mean radius and the number density of precipitates have been measured at higher fluence by Small Angle Neutron Scattering. The copper precipitation is not affected by manganese at 300°C but is strongly inhibited at 215°C. It is shown that a simple radiation enhanced precipitation model can reproduce quit well the first stage of precipitation but fails in the pure coarsening regime