MSE 250: Structure and Properties of Materials

4. Defects in Solids I

Instructor: Prof. Yang Jiao (yang.jiao.2@asu.edu)

Office: Engineering Research Center Rm 387
Phone: 480-965-4560

Expected Outcome
Key concepts:
Types of defects in solids
Different types of point defects
Different types of line defects (dislocations)
Burgers vector

Skills:
Determine the size of a vacancy in given solid
Predict vacancy concentration
Determine the type of a given dislocation
Draw illustrations for different types of defects

B
A

a
a = 2R

Interstitials: Usually small atoms (H, C, N, O, B) in crystal of large atoms

Example: C in FCC Fe

Determine the largest size of the interstitial hole in BCC Fe.

RFe = 0.124 nm.

The radius of a carbon atom: Rc = 0.071 nm.

How vacancies are formed?

Both atoms have low electronegativity (less than 1.8), so valence
(outermost) electrons are only weakly attracted by specific
atoms, and hence are shared between the atoms, e.g., Fe +Fe,
Fe+Ni

Equilibrium Concentration of Vacancies =

nv
Gvf
exp( )
N
kT

nv
Gfv
k

- Number of vacancies
N - number of atom sites
- Gibbs free energy to form vacancy
- Boltzmanns constant
T - Temperature
nv
10 3
At 99% of Tmp,
N
nv
10
At 50% of Tmp, N 10
nv
N

ln

nv
N

1 /T

Example 1
Calculate the vacancy concentration in aluminum at 80%
of TMP=923 K. Gvf = 0.66 eV, and k = 8.62 x 10-5 eV/K.

nv
Gvf
exp(
)
N
kT

Example 2
The vacancy concentration in Al at 90% of TMP=923 K is
9.93 x 10-5 .Compute the activation energy Gvf . k = 8.62 x
10-5 eV/K.

nv
Gvf
exp(
)
N
kT

Dislocations
Dislocations are lines of defective bonding in crystals. There are 3 types: edge,
screw and mixed dislocations.
Edge Dislocation
b

An edge dislocation can be

thought of as the bottom of
an extra half-plane inserted
into a crystal. (See line)

Front view of an edge

dislocation with the
dislocation line coming out
of the paper

Burgers vector b

Screw dislocation

Expected Outcome
Key concepts:
Types of defects in solids
Different types of point defects
Different types of line defects (dislocations)
Burgers vector

Skills:
Determine the size of a vacancy in given solid
Predict vacancy concentration
Determine the type of a given dislocation
Draw illustrations for different types of defects