Effect of carbon decoration on the absorption of (100) dislocation loops by dislocations in iron

This work closes a series of molecular dynamics studies addressing how solute/interstitial segregation at dislocation loops affects their interaction with moving dislocations in bodycentred cubic Fe-based alloys. We consider the interaction of (100) interstitial dislocation loops decorated by different numbers of carbon atoms in a wide temperature range. The results reveal clearly that the decoration affects the reaction mechanism and increases the unpinning stress, in general. The most pronounced and reproducible increase of the unpinning stress is found in the intermediate temperature range from 300 up to 600 K. The carbon-decoration effect is related to the modification of the loop–dislocation reaction and its importance at the technologically relevant neutron irradiation conditions is discussed.