No Arabic abstract
The Mg-Zn and Al-Zn binary alloys have been investigated theoretically under static isotropic pressure. The stable phases of these binaries on both initially hexagonal-close-packed (HCP) and face-centered-cubic (FCC) lattices have been determined by utilizing an iterative approach that uses a configurational cluster expansion method, Monte Carlo search algorithm, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Based on 64-atom models, it is shown that the most stable phases of the Mg-Zn binary alloy under ambient condition are $rm MgZn_3$, $rm Mg_{19}Zn_{45}$, $rm MgZn$, and $rm Mg_{34}Zn_{30}$ for the HCP, and $rm MgZn_3$ and $rm MgZn$ for the FCC lattice, whereas the Al-Zn binary is energetically unfavorable throughout the entire composition range for both the HCP and FCC lattices under all conditions. By applying an isotropic pressure in the HCP lattice, $rm Mg_{19}Zn_{45}$ turns into an unstable phase at P$approx$$10$~GPa, a new stable phase $rm Mg_{3}Zn$ appears at P$gtrsim$$20$~GPa, and $rm Mg_{34}Zn_{30}$ becomes unstable for P$gtrsim$$30$~GPa. For FCC lattice, the $rm Mg_{3}Zn$ phase weakly touches the convex hull at P$gtrsim$$20$~GPa while the other stable phases remain intact up to $approx$$120$~GPa. Furthermore, making use of the obtained DFT results, bulk modulus has been computed for several compositions up to pressure values of the order of $approx$$120$~GPa. The findings suggest that one can switch between $rm Mg$-rich and $rm Zn$-rich early-stage clusters simply by applying external pressure. $rm Zn$-rich alloys and precipitates are more favorable in terms of stiffness and stability against external deformation.
The mechanical properties of Mg-4wt.% Zn alloy single crystals along the [0001] orientation were measured through micropillar compression at 23C and 100C. Basal slip was dominant in the solution treated alloy, while pyramidal slip occurred in the precipitation hardened alloy. Pyramidal dislocations pass the precipitates by forming Orowan loops, leading to homogeneous deformation and to a strong hardening. The predictions of the yield stress based on the Orowan model were in reasonable agreement with the experimental data. The presence of rod-shape precipitates perpendicular to the basal plane leads to a strong reduction in the plastic anisotropy of Mg.
Precipitation in Mg-Zn alloys was analyzed by means of first principles calculations. Formation energies of symmetrically distinct hcp Mg1-xZnx (0 < x < 1) configurations were determined and potential candidates for Guinier-Preston zones coherent with the matrix were identified from the convex hull. The most likely structures were ranked depending on the interface energy along the basal plane. In addition, the formation energy and vibrational entropic contributions of several phases reported experimentally (Mg4Zn7, MgZn2 cubic, MgZn2 hexagonal, Mg21Zn25 and Mg2Zn11) were calculated. The formation energies of Mg4Zn7, MgZn2 cubic, and MgZn2 hexagonal Laves phases were very close because they were formed by different arrangements of rhombohedral and hexagonal lattice units. It was concluded that beta_1^ precipitates were formed by a mixture of all of them. Nevertheless, the differences in the geometrical arrangements led to variations in the entropic energy contributions which determined the high temperature stability. It was found that the MgZn2 hexagonal Laves phase is the most stable phase at high temperature and, thus, beta_1^ precipitates tend to transform into the beta_2^ (MgZn2 hexagonal) precipitates with higher aging temperature or longer aging times. Finally, the equilibrium beta phase (Mg21Zn25) was found to be a long-range order that precipitates the last one on account of the kinetic processes necessary to trigger the transformation from a short-range order phase beta_2^ to beta .
Dislocation velocities and mobilities are studied by Molecular Dynamics simulations for edge and screw dislocations in pure aluminum and nickel, and edge dislocations in Al-2.5%Mg and Al-5.0%Mg random substitutional alloys using EAM potentials. In the pure materials, the velocities of all dislocations are close to linear with the ratio of (applied stress)/(temperature) at low velocities, consistent with phonon drag models and quantitative agreement with experiment is obtained for the mobility in Al. At higher velocities, different behavior is observed. The edge dislocation velocity remains dependent solely on (applied stress)/(temperature) up to approximately 1.0 MPa/K, and approaches a plateau velocity that is lower than the smallest forbidden speed predicted by continuum models. In contrast, above a velocity around half of the smallest continuum wave speed, the screw dislocation damping has a contribution dependent solely on stress with a functional form close to that predicted by a radiation damping model of Eshelby. At the highest applied stresses, there are several regimes of nearly constant (transonic or supersonic) velocity separated by velocity gaps in the vicinity of forbidden velocities; various modes of dislocation disintegration and destabilization were also encountered in this regime. In the alloy systems, there is a temperature- and concentration-dependent pinning regime where the velocity drops sharply below the pure metal velocity. Above the pinning regime but at moderate stresses, the velocity is again linear in (applied stress)/(temperature) but with a lower mobility than in the pure metal.
The sub-gap density of states of amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide ($a$-IGZO) is obtained using the ultrabroadband photoconduction (UBPC) response of thin-film transistors (TFTs). Density functional theory simulations classify the origin of the measured sub-gap density of states peaks as a series of donor-like oxygen vacancy states and acceptor-like Zn vacancy states. Donor peaks are found both near the conduction band and deep in the sub-gap, with peak densities of $10^{17}-10^{18}$ cm$^{-3}$eV$^{-1}$. Two deep acceptor-like metal vacancy peaks with peak densities in the range of $10^{18}$ cm$^{-3}$eV$^{-1}$ and lie adjacent to the valance band Urbach tail region at 2.0 to 2.5 eV below the conduction band edge. By applying detailed charge balance, we show increasing the density of metal vacancy deep-acceptors strongly shifts the $a$-IGZO TFT threshold voltage to more positive values. Photoionization (h$ u$ > 2.0 eV) of metal vacancy acceptors is one cause of transfer curve hysteresis in $a$-IGZO TFTs owing to longer recombination lifetimes as they get captured into acceptor-like vacancies.
Kinetics parameters for three anion exchange reactions - Zn-LDH-NO3 - Zn-LDH-Cl, Zn-LDH-NO3 - Zn-LDH-SO4 and Zn-LDH-NO3 - Zn-LDH-VOx - were obtained by in situ synchrotron study. The first and the second ones are two-stage reactions; the first stage is characterized by the two-dimensional diffusion-controlled reaction following deceleratory nucleation and the second stage is a one-dimensional diffusion-controlled reaction also with a decelerator nucleation effect. In the case of exchange NO3 - Cl host anions are completely released, while in the case of NO3 - SO42 the reaction ends without complete release of nitrate anions. The exchange of Zn-LDH-NO3 - Zn-LDH-VOx is one-stage reaction and goes much slower than the previous two cases. It is characterized by a one stage two-dimensional reaction and nucleation considered to be instantaneous in this case. As a result, at the end of this process there are two crystalline phases with different polyvanadate species, presumably V4O124 and V2O74, nitrate anions were not completely released. The rate of replacing NO3 anions by guest ones can be represented as Cl > SO42 > VOxy.