An atom probe tomography study of grain boundary segregation in nanocrystalline Ni-W

Abstract

AbstractAtom probe tomography is used to observe the solute distribution in electrodeposited nanocrystalline Ni-W alloys with three different grain sizes (3, 10, and 20 nm) and the results are compared with atomistic computer simulations. The presence of grain boundary segregation is confirmed by detailed analysis of composition fluctuations in both experimental and simulated structures, and its extent quantified by a frequency distribution analysis. In contrast to other nanocrystalline alloys, the present Ni-W alloys exhibit only a subtle amount of solute segregation to the intergranular regions. This finding is consistent with quantitative predictions for these alloys based upon a thermodynamic model of grain boundary segregation.