Configurational thermodynamics of Fe-Ni alloys at Earths core conditions

• By means of ab-initio calculations, we perform an analysis of the configurational thermodynamics, effects of disorder, and structural energy differences in Fe-Ni alloys at the pressure and temperature conditions of the Earths core. We show from ab-initio calculations that the ordering energies of fcc and hcp-structured Fe-Ni solid solutions at these conditions depend sensitively on the alloy configuration, i.e., on the degree of chemical disorder, and are on a scale comparable with the structural energy differences. From configurational thermodynamic simulations we find that a distribution of Fe and Ni atoms in the solutions should be very close to completely disordered at these conditions. Using this model of the Fe-Ni system, we have calculated the fcc-hcp structural free energy difference in a wide pressure-temperature range of 120-360 GPa and 1000-6600K. Our calculations show that alloying of Fe with Ni below 3000 K favours stabilisation of the fcc phase over the hcp, in agreement with experiments. However, above 3000 K the effect is reversed, and at conditions corresponding to those of the Earths inner core, Ni acts as an agent to stabilise the hcp phase.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Den kondenserade materiens fysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Condensed Matter Physics (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Earths inner core

Fe-Ni alloy

ab-initio calculations

crystal structure

TECHNOLOGY

TEKNIKVETENSKAP

Condensed matter physics

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)