Detection and quantification of solute clusters in a nanostructured ferritic alloy

A series of simulated atom probe datasets were examined with a friends-of-friends method to establish the detection efficiency required to resolve solute clusters in the ferrite phase of a 14YWT nanostructured ferritic alloy. The size and number densities of solute clusters in the ferrite of the as-milled mechanically-alloyed condition and the stir zone of a friction stir weld were estimated with a prototype high-detection-efficiency (∼80%) local electrode atom probe. High number densities, 1.8 × 1024 m−3 and 1.2 × 1024 m−3, respectively of solute clusters containing between 2 and 9 solute atoms of Ti, Y and O and were detected for these two conditions. These results support first principle calculations that predicted that vacancies stabilize these Ti-Y-O- clusters, which retard diffusion and contribute to the excellent high temperature stability of the microstructure and radiation tolerance of nanostructured ferritic alloys.