On Relaxation of Point Defects in Metals

Methods for studying the phenomenon of relaxation of point defects (thermal vacancies) and their influence on properties of metals are reviewed. For refractory metals, an equation for the temperature dependence of the relaxation time of an equilibrium concentration of thermal vacancies and calculation of this time at the melting temperatures of metals is proposed. The possible methods for determining the contribution of vacancies to the enthalpy are considered in the case of using a pulsed electric current for bulk heating of metals. The heating rates reached in the pulsed method, at which overheating of the metal-melting onset is observed and the relaxation phenomenon in the premelting region can be studied, are estimated.