Investigations into the segregation behavior and line tension of triple lines in tricrystals of copper alloys (Tripellinienspannung)

Basic data for this project

Description

It is proposed to combine tomographic atom probe characterization and atomic force microscopy to measure the segregation of alloying elements in copper to grain boundary triple junction lines and its effect on triple junction energy. This will be achieved by a measurement of the force equilibrium at a triple junction as established by the curvature of the adjourning grain boundary grooves at the root of the triple junction. A corresponding theoretical basis has been developed and first measurements on specimens of pure copper with random triple junction crystallography have been conducted. This methodology will be utilized in conjunction with tomographic atom probe analysis on tricrystals with defined triple line crystallography. It is expected that the obtained information can serve as a tool for grain boundary engineering at the nanoscale.