The irradiation of metals by energetic particles causes significant degradation of the mechanical properties, most notably an increased yield stress and decreased ductility, often accompanied by plastic flow localization. Such effects limit the lifetime of pressure vessels in nuclear power plants, and constrain the choice of materials for fusion-based alternative energy sources. Although these phenomena have been known for many years, the underlying fundamental mechanisms and their relation to the irradiation field have not been clearly demonstrated. Here we use three-dimensional multiscale simulations of irradiated metals to reveal the mechanisms underlying plastic flow localization in defect-free channels. We observe dislocation pinning by irradiation-induced clusters of defects, subsequent unpinning as defects are absorbed by the dislocations, and cross-slip of the latter as the stress is increased. The width of the plastic flow channels is limited by the interaction among opposing dislocation dipole segments and the remaining defect clusters.
Models and rules for short-range interactions, cross slip and long-range interactions of dislocation segments for implementation in a 3D dislocation dynamics (3DD) model are developed. Dislocation curves of arbitrary shapes are discretized into sets of straight segments of mixed dislocations. Long-range interactions are evaluated explicitly based on results from the theory of dislocations. Models for short-range interactions, including, annihilation, formation of jogs, junctions, and dipoles, are developed on the basis of a `critical-force' criterion that captures the effect of the local fields from surrounding dislocations. In addition, a model for the cross-slip mechanism is developed and coupled with a Monte Carlo type analysis to simulate the development of double cross slip and composite slip. The model is then used to simulate stage I (easy glide) stress-strain behaviour in BCC single crystals, illustrating the feasibility of the 3DD model in predicting macroscopic properties such as flow stress and hardening, and their dependence on microscopic parameters such as dislocation mobility, dislocation structure, and pinning points.
The motion of dislocations at velocities approaching the speed of sound is considered. An equation of motion with a velocity-dependent thermodynamic force is presented. An expression for the effective mass of the dislocation that can be used in the equation of motion is derived. The expression for the effective mass reduces to the standard result in the low-velocity limit. Other possible choices for the effective mass are discussed.
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