Magnetic ordering phase transition and abnormal brittleness in dilute Fe–Mn solid solution

Experiments showed an antiferromagnetic (AFM)-to-ferromagnetic (FM) phase transition in the Fe–Mn solid solution as the Mn content increases to about 2 at.%. Surprisingly, just approximately from this concentration to 4.8 at.% Mn, Mn-bearing steel becomes very brittle, completely denying its metalli...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Wei Liu, Yunfeng Liang, Xiangyan Li, Yichun Xu, Yange Zhang, Wenliang Li, Q.F. Fang, Caetano R. Miranda, Chuan-Lu Yang, C.S. Liu, Xuebang Wu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-05-01
Series:Journal of Materials Research and Technology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2238785425009573
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850149632696385536
author Wei Liu
Yunfeng Liang
Xiangyan Li
Yichun Xu
Yange Zhang
Wenliang Li
Q.F. Fang
Caetano R. Miranda
Chuan-Lu Yang
C.S. Liu
Xuebang Wu
author_facet Wei Liu
Yunfeng Liang
Xiangyan Li
Yichun Xu
Yange Zhang
Wenliang Li
Q.F. Fang
Caetano R. Miranda
Chuan-Lu Yang
C.S. Liu
Xuebang Wu
author_sort Wei Liu
collection DOAJ
description Experiments showed an antiferromagnetic (AFM)-to-ferromagnetic (FM) phase transition in the Fe–Mn solid solution as the Mn content increases to about 2 at.%. Surprisingly, just approximately from this concentration to 4.8 at.% Mn, Mn-bearing steel becomes very brittle, completely denying its metallic nature. However, mechanisms for the magnetic ordering phase transition and the extraordinary brittleness remain unclear. Based on magnetism-constrained/unconstrained calculations and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations within density functional theory, we show that while the AFM phase prevails at low Mn contents, the FM phase becomes dominant at 1.85 at.% Mn under elevated temperatures and pressures. We show that the phase transition involves electron transfer among 3d states of Mn, revealing a clear difference in the mechanical properties. Furthermore, our results suggest that the AFM−FM phase transition with increasing Mn concentration is correlated to the thermal effect. With this in mind, a concentration and temperature phase diagram at the low-Mn content regime was constructed. It is noted that the abnormal brittleness might be related to the stress variations resulting from the local Fe–Mn magnetic coupling phase changes within the grains.
format Article
id doaj-art-8a9acd3f6e074e1ba642333c3d4c976a
institution OA Journals
issn 2238-7854
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Journal of Materials Research and Technology
spelling doaj-art-8a9acd3f6e074e1ba642333c3d4c976a2025-08-20T02:26:51ZengElsevierJournal of Materials Research and Technology2238-78542025-05-01364284429210.1016/j.jmrt.2025.04.136Magnetic ordering phase transition and abnormal brittleness in dilute Fe–Mn solid solutionWei Liu0Yunfeng Liang1Xiangyan Li2Yichun Xu3Yange Zhang4Wenliang Li5Q.F. Fang6Caetano R. Miranda7Chuan-Lu Yang8C.S. Liu9Xuebang Wu10School of Physics and Optoelectronics Engineering, Ludong University, Yantai, 264025, China; Key Laboratory of Materials Physics, Institute of Solid State Physics, HFIPS, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, ChinaDepartment of Systems Innovation, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan; Key Laboratory of Materials Physics, Institute of Solid State Physics, HFIPS, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, China; Corresponding author. Department of Systems Innovation, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan.Key Laboratory of Materials Physics, Institute of Solid State Physics, HFIPS, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, ChinaKey Laboratory of Materials Physics, Institute of Solid State Physics, HFIPS, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, ChinaKey Laboratory of Materials Physics, Institute of Solid State Physics, HFIPS, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, ChinaCollege of Energy Engineering, Xinjiang Institute of Engineering, Urumqi, 830091, ChinaKey Laboratory of Materials Physics, Institute of Solid State Physics, HFIPS, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, ChinaInstituto de Física, Universidade de São Paulo, CP 66318, São Paulo, SP, 05315-970, Brazil; Corresponding author. Instituto de Física, Universidade de São Paulo, CP 66318, São Paulo, SP, 05315-970, Brazil.School of Physics and Optoelectronics Engineering, Ludong University, Yantai, 264025, ChinaKey Laboratory of Materials Physics, Institute of Solid State Physics, HFIPS, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, ChinaKey Laboratory of Materials Physics, Institute of Solid State Physics, HFIPS, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, China; Corresponding author. Key Laboratory of Materials Physics, Institute of Solid State Physics, HFIPS, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, China.Experiments showed an antiferromagnetic (AFM)-to-ferromagnetic (FM) phase transition in the Fe–Mn solid solution as the Mn content increases to about 2 at.%. Surprisingly, just approximately from this concentration to 4.8 at.% Mn, Mn-bearing steel becomes very brittle, completely denying its metallic nature. However, mechanisms for the magnetic ordering phase transition and the extraordinary brittleness remain unclear. Based on magnetism-constrained/unconstrained calculations and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations within density functional theory, we show that while the AFM phase prevails at low Mn contents, the FM phase becomes dominant at 1.85 at.% Mn under elevated temperatures and pressures. We show that the phase transition involves electron transfer among 3d states of Mn, revealing a clear difference in the mechanical properties. Furthermore, our results suggest that the AFM−FM phase transition with increasing Mn concentration is correlated to the thermal effect. With this in mind, a concentration and temperature phase diagram at the low-Mn content regime was constructed. It is noted that the abnormal brittleness might be related to the stress variations resulting from the local Fe–Mn magnetic coupling phase changes within the grains.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2238785425009573Iron alloysMagnetic phase transitionTemperature effectEmbrittlementab initio calculationsMolecular dynamics simulations
spellingShingle Wei Liu
Yunfeng Liang
Xiangyan Li
Yichun Xu
Yange Zhang
Wenliang Li
Q.F. Fang
Caetano R. Miranda
Chuan-Lu Yang
C.S. Liu
Xuebang Wu
Magnetic ordering phase transition and abnormal brittleness in dilute Fe–Mn solid solution
Journal of Materials Research and Technology
Iron alloys
Magnetic phase transition
Temperature effect
Embrittlement
ab initio calculations
Molecular dynamics simulations
title Magnetic ordering phase transition and abnormal brittleness in dilute Fe–Mn solid solution
title_full Magnetic ordering phase transition and abnormal brittleness in dilute Fe–Mn solid solution
title_fullStr Magnetic ordering phase transition and abnormal brittleness in dilute Fe–Mn solid solution
title_full_unstemmed Magnetic ordering phase transition and abnormal brittleness in dilute Fe–Mn solid solution
title_short Magnetic ordering phase transition and abnormal brittleness in dilute Fe–Mn solid solution
title_sort magnetic ordering phase transition and abnormal brittleness in dilute fe mn solid solution
topic Iron alloys
Magnetic phase transition
Temperature effect
Embrittlement
ab initio calculations
Molecular dynamics simulations
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2238785425009573
work_keys_str_mv AT weiliu magneticorderingphasetransitionandabnormalbrittlenessindilutefemnsolidsolution
AT yunfengliang magneticorderingphasetransitionandabnormalbrittlenessindilutefemnsolidsolution
AT xiangyanli magneticorderingphasetransitionandabnormalbrittlenessindilutefemnsolidsolution
AT yichunxu magneticorderingphasetransitionandabnormalbrittlenessindilutefemnsolidsolution
AT yangezhang magneticorderingphasetransitionandabnormalbrittlenessindilutefemnsolidsolution
AT wenliangli magneticorderingphasetransitionandabnormalbrittlenessindilutefemnsolidsolution
AT qffang magneticorderingphasetransitionandabnormalbrittlenessindilutefemnsolidsolution
AT caetanormiranda magneticorderingphasetransitionandabnormalbrittlenessindilutefemnsolidsolution
AT chuanluyang magneticorderingphasetransitionandabnormalbrittlenessindilutefemnsolidsolution
AT csliu magneticorderingphasetransitionandabnormalbrittlenessindilutefemnsolidsolution
AT xuebangwu magneticorderingphasetransitionandabnormalbrittlenessindilutefemnsolidsolution