Studies of the structure and the atomic diffusion properties of the Σ = 5 [001] twist GB in B2-type intermetallic compound NiAl
The structural properties, the formation energies and the atoms’ diffusion behaviors by vacancy mechanism near the Σ = 5 [001] twist GB of the B2-type intermetallic compound NiAl have been investigated by using the modified analytical embedded-atom method and a molecular dynamics simulation. Both the largest displacement and rippling effect occur at the first layer near the GB. The Ni vacancies at uncoincident sites are most easily formed on the first and second layers of the Ni- and Al-terminations, respectively. Furthermore, the Ni vacancy at an uncoincident site on the second layer of the Al-termination tends to migrate to the coincident Ni site of the first layer of the Ni-termination along a six-step jump path. The Ni vacancies at either the coincident or uncoincident site of the first layer tend to migrate in the first layer and finally return to their original site. Therefore, there is a collective tendency for the Ni vacancies to appear in the GB without local disorder.