Nanostructure and Dislocation Interactions in Refractory Complex Concentrated Alloy—From Chemical Short-Range Order to Nanoscale B2 Precipitates

Refractory complex concentrated alloys (RCCAs) have emerged as a promising class of structural materials, demonstrating exceptional mechanical performance in aggressive environments. However, the complex atomic environments, significant lattice distortion, and vast compositional space of RCCAs present challenges to understanding the mechanisms that govern structure-property relationships. In this study, we explore the dislocation mechanisms in three model quaternary RCCAs, namely Mo25Nb10Ta25W40 (at. %), Mo25Nb25Ta25W25, and Mo25Nb40Ta25W10 using large-scale atomistic simulations and machine learning based Spectral Neighbor Analysis Potential. Our atomistic simulations examine how the chemical composition and local ordering influence the mobility of both edge and screw dislocations, and how lattice distortion and diffuse anti-phase boundary energy (DAPBE) affect dislocation behaviors during nanostructural evolution. Notably, with the increase in Nb concentration in the model RCCAs, both DAPBE and lattice distortion are simultaneously enhanced as the chemical short-range order (CSRO) evolves into nanoscale B2 precipitates. This evolution results in high lattice distortion due to the lattice mismatch between B2 precipitates and the random matrix. Consequently, B2 nanoprecipitates provide a stronger pinning effect, hindering edge dislocation motion while promoting cross-slip of screw dislocations, leading to a reduced screw-to-edge ratio in slip resistance and mobility discrepancy. These findings offer valuable insights into dislocation behaviors and interactions with ordered precipitates, highlighting the importance of exploring non-equiatomic compositions and advancing beyond CSRO in RCCAs. This study has implications for optimizing alloy compositions and processing methods for superior performance in aggressive environments.