In situ Solute and Grain Character Mapping of Nanocrystalline Alloys at Elevated Temperatures using Sub-Second Heating Capability

Abstract

Two nanocrystalline alloys of Fe-4Cr and Fe-16Cr were sputter deposited and formed a solid solution A2 phase. Each alloy was then in situ annealed up to 800 deg C with the phase and microstructure quantified by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The low partial pressure of oxygen in the TEM column (~2.6 10[expn -6]Pa) oxidized both films at temperatures at and above 700 deg C. However, the oxide morphologies were quite different. The Fe-4Cr revealed nanosphere Cr oxide clusters within the grains which has been explained by the thermodynamic preference for Cr to be in solution. The Fe-16Cr precipitated distinct Cr2O3 grains which has been described by Cr phase separation at the grain boundaries. Iron oxide was not observed and demonstrating Crs strong preference for oxygen, even in very low oxygen environments. Using precession electron diffraction (PED), the grain characters of these boundaries were determined revealing a significant effect of high angle grain boundaries on the growth and precipitation behavior of the oxides. The collective results reveal the initial stages of oxidation evolution in nanocrystalline grains, the role of Cr content on such behavior.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 04, 2018
Accession Number
AD1063172

Entities

People

  • Gregory B. Thompson

Organizations

  • University of Alabama

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Corrosion Resistance
  • Diffraction
  • Electron Diffraction
  • Electron Microscopy
  • Engineering
  • Films
  • Grain Boundaries
  • Grain Growth
  • Grain Size
  • High Angles
  • Materials
  • Materials Engineering
  • Materials Science
  • Molecular Dynamics
  • Nuclear Materials
  • Partial Pressure
  • Phase Separation
  • Solid Solutions
  • Thin Films
  • Transmission Electron Microscopy
  • X Rays

Fields of Study

  • Materials science

Readers

  • Electrochemical Engineering/ Fuel Cell Technologies
  • Materials Science and Engineering.
  • Thin Film Deposition Science.

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics