Question

It is known that the presence of interstitials can cause significant strengthening in some body-centered-cubic metals, for example, carbon in iron and nitrogen in niobium. Yield strengths of high-purity niobium and a niobium containing 0.01 atomic % of nitrogen are 200 and 260 MPa, respectively. If you have a piece of niobium from a supplier, which contains 0.5 atomic % of nitrogen, what is its estimated yield strength?

Answer 1

0.01 atomic % of nitrogen = 260 MPa

i.e. 0.5 atomic % of nitrogen = (0.5/0.01)*260 = 13000 MPa or 13 GPa

Note: 1 GPa = 10⁹ Pa

Therefore, the yield strength of 0.5 atomic % of nitrogen = 13 GPa