Consider two interstitial diffusion events in BCC lattice, (A) via octahedral sites and (B) via tetrahedral sites. Assuming that the atomic jumping frequency is the same for both cases, which diffusion, A or B, will be faster, and why?
In BCC lattice, the size of tetrahedral void is larger than that of the octahedral void. Thus, interstitial diffusion through tetrahedral voids is faster in comparison to octahedral voids.
Explanation
In BCC lattice, each octahedral void is surrounded by 6 spheres at the corners of a slightly compressed octahedron (Two atoms are nearest to the octahedral centre as compared to four others) and that makes the octahedral void smaller than the tetrahedral void in this unit cell.
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