Study of Interaction Mechanism between Positrons and Ag Clusters in Dilute Al-Ag Alloys at Low Temperature

• Published in: Materials Vol. 14; no. 6; p. 1451
• Main Authors: Liu, Xiaoshuang, Zhang, Peng, Wang, Baoyi, Cao, Xingzhong, Jin, Shuoxue, Yu, Runsheng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 16.03.2021; MDPI
• Subjects: Ag clusters; Aging; Aging (metallurgy); Aluminum alloys; Al–Ag alloys; Chemical elements; Clusters; Decomposition; Dilution; High resolution electron microscopy; Low temperature; monovacancies; Positron annihilation; Positrons; shallow trapping; Silver base alloys; Spectrum analysis; Transmission electron microscopy; Trapping; Beijing China; United States > US; China; monovacancies; Ag clusters; shallow trapping; positron annihilation; Al–Ag alloys
• ISSN: 1996-1944; 1996-1944
• DOI: 10.3390/ma14061451

The microstructural evolution of dilute Al-Ag alloys in its early aging stage and at low temperatures ranging from 15 K to 300 K was studied by the combined use of Positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and positron annihilation Coincidence Doppler broadening (CDB) techniques. It is shown that at low temperatures below 200 K, an Ag-vacancy complex is formed in the quenched alloy, and above 200 K, it decomposes into Ag clusters and monovacancies. Experimental and calculation results indicate that Ag clusters in Al-Ag alloys can act as shallow trapping sites, and the positron trapping rate is considerably enhanced by a decreasing measurement temperature.