Precipitation of the FeCu system: A critical review of atomic kinetic Monte Carlo simulations

Cu is of primary importance in the embrittlement of the neutron-irradiated reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steels. It has been observed to segregate into copper-rich precipitates within the ferrite matrix under irradiation. Since its role was discovered more than 40 years ago, Cu precipitation in α-Fe has been studied extensively under irradiation as well as under thermal ageing using atom probe tomography, small angle neutron scattering, and high resolution transmission electron microscopy. Numerical simulation techniques such as Rate Theory or Monte Carlo methods have also been used to investigate this problem, however not always with a great success. In this paper, we provide a critical review of the different kinetic Monte Carlo models dedicated to the study of Cu precipitation, with the aim of determining which elements are key to an accurate description of precipitation.