Relaxation of the elastic strain energy of misfitting inclusions due to diffusion of vacancies

摘要

Vacancy diffusion is investigated as a mechanism for relaxation of the elastic strain energy caused by a misfitting inclusion. The kinetics of reduction of the total eigenstrain by the deposition or removal of an atom layer along the interface is derived. The time evolution, as well as an estimate for the characteristic time of the relaxation process, is presented. The relaxation times are compared with recent in situ measurements of stress relaxation times in aluminum with small lead-alloy inclusions after their solidification. Experimentally observed relaxation times and those theoretically predicted agree very well.