Atomistic simulation of phosphorus segregation to 3(111) symmetrical tilt grain boundary in -iron

Ebihara, Kenichi   ; Suzudo, Tomoaki   

Irradiation-induced grain boundary phosphorus segregation is an important factor for estimating the embrittlement of nuclear reactor pressure vessel steels, but the physical process of phosphorus migration to grain boundaries is still unclear. We numerically studied phosphorus migration toward 3(111) symmetrical tilt grain boundary in -iron using molecular dynamics. We found that, in the vicinity of the grain boundary within 1 nm distance, an iron-phosphorus mixed dumbbell and an octahedral interstitial phosphorus atom push a self-interstitial atom into the grain boundary, and the phosphorus atom becomes a substitutional atom. A phosphorus vacancy complex in the region also becomes dissociated, and the vacancy is absorbed in the grain boundary without dragging phosphorus. The results claim that a novel view of the segregation process is required.