Structural transformations, distribution of nonequilibrium vacancies, and anomalous diffusion in plastically deformed metals and alloys upon mechanical alloying

Processes of structural transformations leading to the generation of fluxes of nonequilibrium point defects and anomalously high rates of diffusion of substitutional impurities in nanostructured metallic systems upon mechanical alloying have been investigated. The basic contribution to the anomalous acceleration of diffusional mass transfer was shown to come from the nonequilibrium vacancies generated by processes of the deformation-induced migration of intercrystallite boundaries. The influence of interstitial atoms on the diffusion and processes of recrystallization was found to be negligible. The specific features of the formation of strongly supersaturated substitutional solid solutions upon severe plastic deformation of metals and alloys have been examined.