Inoculating solid-state homogeneous precipitation by impurity atoms through a spinodal decomposition like pathway

Abstract: Solid-state homogeneous precipitation of nano-sized precipitates is one of the most effective processes to strengthen metal alloys, where the final density and size distribution of precipitates are largely controlled by the precipitation kinetics. Here, we report a strategy to inoculate the homogeneous precipitation of coherent precipitates to enhance the precipitation strengthening. Using the technologically important dilute Al-Zr alloys as an example, we demonstrate that an addition of a trace level of economical and readily available, non-L1${2}$ phase forming impurity atoms, X (X= Sn, Sb, Bi or Cd) and Si, can significantly enhance the diffusivity of Zr atoms and overturn the precipitation of L1${2}$-structured Al${3}$Zr nanoparticles from the classical homogeneous nucleation and growth pathway into a nonclassical nucleation pathway: Al${3}$Zr forms through the spontaneous formation of nano-scale local concentration fluctuations of Zr atoms on Zr-X(-Si)-vacancy clusters followed by a continuous increase of the concentration and chemical short-range ordering (CSRO). Such an impurity atoms induced heterogeneous nucleation based on a "spinodal decomposition like" mechanism dramatically accelerates the precipitation kinetics, leading to an order of magnitude higher number density of precipitates and a record high hardening efficiency of solute Zr atoms. By formulating the generalized selection principles for inoculating impurity elements, this inoculation strategy should be extendable to a broader range of materials to further explore the precipitation strengthening potentials.