Effect of the stress field of an edge dislocation on carbon diffusion in alpha-iron: Coupling molecular statics and atomistic kinetic Monte Carlo

International audienceCarbon diffusion near the core of a [111] ((1) over tilde 01) edge dislocation in alpha-iron has been investigated by means of an atomistic model that brings together molecular statics and atomistic kinetic Monte Carlo (AKMC). Molecular statics simulations with a recently developed embedded atom method potential have been carried out in order to obtain atomic configurations, carbon-dislocation binding energies, and the activation energies required for carbon hops in the neighborhood of the line defect. Using information gathered from molecular statics, on-lattice AKMC simulations have been performed for temperatures in the 300-600 K range, so as to study the behavior of a carbon atom as it interacts with the edge dislocation stress field. This model can be seen as a very first step toward the modeling of the kinetics of carbon Cottrell atmosphere formation in iron during the static aging process