Formation of stacking fault tetrahedra around α-Fe particles in a Cu–Fe alloy

Abstract

The formation of stacking fault tetrahedra in a Cu–Fe alloy containing α-Fe particles has been examined by in situ observation in a high-vacuum and high-voltage electron microscope. A sudden disappearance of secondary defect contrast has been noted during prolonged electron irradiation. Concurrently, a moiré pattern develops inside the α-Fe, indicating the alignment of the low-index direction along the electron beam by rotation of the particles.     

Titanium segregation mechanism in deformed vanadium-titanium alloys

Deformed V-Ti alloys with 0.3-5at.% Ti have been characterized by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. A mechanism for Ti segregation during annealing, related to the formation of deformation twins, has been identified. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy indicates strong local changes in Ti content along the twins. Samples post-deformation annealed at 1473K show Ti segregation and the formation of Ti-rich precipitates which have been identified using electron microdiffraction and X-ray spectroscopy. X-ray diffraction measurements reveal changes in the lattice parameter of the alloys induced by the Ti segregation and the precipitation processes.     

Mechanical hysteresis due to microplasticity in alumina with microcracks

Abstract

Stress-strain hysteresis in alumina with microcracks has been investigated by a loading–unloading test in the microstrain range around 10 ^?4 While there remains a permanent strain after the initial loading, steady-state cyclic loading results in a single closed hysteresis loop with a symmetrical shape. Such a stabilized hysteresis loop is responsible for internal friction and can be attributed to the microplasticity associated with a forerunning phenomenon of fracture.     

Electron-microscope study of a non-stoichiometric phase in InSb heated in a vacuum

Abstract

When thin-foil specimens of InSb are heated in the vacuum of an electron microscope, a depletion of Sb takes place because of the preferential evaporation of Sb. This results in the formation of a novel non-stoichiometric (In-rich) solid phase having a cubic structure with a lattice parameter of 5·9 Å, which is about 10% smaller than that of InSb. It has been shown that the twin-orientation relationship exists between the matrix and the non-stoichiometric phase.     

Stair-rod dislocations in perovskite films on LaAlO3 substrates

Two types of stair-rod dislocation formed at junctions of {111} stacking faults in SrTiO₃-SrRuO₃ two-layer films on LaAlO₃ substrates have been studied by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The first type, formed by the interaction of two stacking faults situated at the flat SrRuO₃-LaAlO₃ interface without any step, has a Burgers vector (a/3)<110>. The other type, formed by the interaction of two stacking faults, of which one starts from the SrRuO₃-LaAlO₃interface area involving an interface step, has a Burgers vector (a/3)<120>. The formation mechanism of the stair-rod dislocations and the effect of the step are discussed.     

Investigation of tensile deformation mechanisms at room temperature in a new Ni-based single crystal superalloy

The deformation microstructures of a new Ni-based single crystal superalloy, M 4706, have been characterized by transmission electron microscopy after interrupted tensile tests at room temperature. It is found that besides shearing of γ′ precipitates by strongly coupled dislocations, another unusual shearing process involving a single a/2 〈1?0?1〉 matrix dislocation as well as the formation of the isolated superlattice stacking fault and Shockley loop also operates actively during initial yielding. Based on experimental observations, occurrence of these different shearing processes is discussed.     

Scanning electron microscopy-electron channelling contrast investigation of recrystallization during cyclic deformation of ultrafine grained copper processed by equal channel angular pressing

Cyclic deformation has been performed at ambient temperature on ultrafine-grained copper processed by equal channel angular pressing. Observations by electron channelling contrast in a scanning electron microscope revealed that pronounced recrystallization occurred and several distinct dislocation configurations such as dislocation walls and labyrinth structures were found within the recrystallized regions. A model is proposed to account for the evolution of recrystallization, emphasizing that its development results from an interaction between the cyclic deformation and the growth of recrystallized regions. The formation of recrystallized regions of different sizes is discussed.     

In-situ high-voltage electron microscopy observations of reactions between molten Zn and Fe

Reactions between molten Zn and Fe have been observed directly by means of an in-situ heating experiment in a high-voltage electron microscope. In order to suppress evaporation of Zn during the in-situ heating experiment the specimen was coated with a plasma-polymerized hydrocarbon film. Mechanisms for the formation of Fe-Zn intermetallic compounds are discussed and it is concluded that all the models proposed so far are of doubtful validity.     

Direct evidence that an apparent splitting pattern of gamma particles in Ni alloys is a stage of coalescence

High-resolution electron microscopy is used to determine the translation order domains of gamma particles in arrangements formed during Ostwald ripening in the alloy Ni-12at.%Al. Such arrangements have been often identified with the operation of a mechanism of particle splitting in the late stages of the coarsening process, that is when the elastic strain contribution becomes predominant. It is shown that the translation order domains are not identical in such a particle array. This leads to the conclusion that particle splitting is not necessarily the mechanism responsible for the formation of such characteristic particle arrangements. Instead, particle migration can also be considered to be the responsible mechanism for the formation of such a correlated gamma-particle spatial distribution observed in Ni-based alloys.     

Spontaneous atom mixing and unmixing in metallic nanoparticles

The behaviour of atom mixing and unmixing in metallic nanoparticles has been studied in situ by transmission electron microscopy, using particles in the Au₂Pb-Sn system. It is confirmed that not only spontaneous mixing but also spontaneous unmixing take place in Au₂Pb particles. At room temperature, spontaneous mixing of tin atoms into Au₂Pb particles takes place, and this mixing induces unmixing of lead from Au₂Pb, resulting in the formation of AuSn particles accompanied by lead precipitates.     

Planar dissociations and recombination energy of [110] superdislocations in Ni3Al: Generalized Peierls model in combination with ab initioelectron theory

Planar dissociation configurations of the [110] superdislocation in stoichiometric Ni₃Al are investigated by the generalized Peierls model using the {111} γ-surface energies calculated by the ab initio electron theory. The dissociation into four Shockley partials with the formation of an antiphase boundary and two complex stacking fault (CSF) ribbons turned out to be the energetically most favourable configuration. For the edge superdislocation the obtained dissociation widths should be large enough to be resolved in a weakbeam image, whereas for the corresponding configuration of the screw superdislocation the CSF ribbon has a rather small width which may be beyond the limit of the resolution. A twofold dissociation involving a superlattice intrinsic stacking fault is energetically less favourable. The recombination energy of the two Shockley partials in one superpartial is found to be 0.24eV/b.     

Approximant phases,phason planes and domain-boundary networks in Al−Ni−Rh alloys

Structurally complicated ξ′- and ξ-phases have been found, for the first time, in as-cast Al₇₃Ni₅Rh₂₂ and Al₇₅Ni₁₅Rh₁₀ alloys. The lattice parameters of these two phases were determined by means of electron diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HREM). These two phases have similar orthorhombic structures but with different lattice parameters of a?=?23.2?Å, b?=?16.4?Å, c?=?12.0?Å for the ξ′-phase and a?=?20.3?Å, b?=?16.4?Å, c?=?14.8?Å for the ξ-phase. A new two-dimensional domain-boundary network has also been observed in these two phases. Domain boundaries with normals closely parallel to the [001] direction are actually phason planes represented by a translation vector of r?=(1/2)a?+(1/2τ)c in the ξ′-phase and r=±(1/2τ²) a?+(τ/2)c in the ξ-phase, whereas the newly-found wide and zigzag boundaries perpendicular to the above set were attributed from the step-like boundary structures of domains related by a translation vector of r?=(1/τ)((1/2)a?+(1/2τ)c). The structural difference between the two types of planar faults is discussed.     

Structural characteristics of a high-quality Al?Ni?Ru decagonal quasicrystal with 1.6nm periodicity,studied by atomic-scale electron microscopy observations

We report the structural characteristics of a high-quality stable decagonal quasicrystal (D phase) with 1.6nm periodicity, formed in Al₇₅Ni₁₅Ru₁₀ alloy annealed at 890°C for 24h. The tiling structure and the arrangement of transition-metal atoms (Ru and Ni) in this Al-Ni-Ru D phase have been clearly revealed by high-resolution electron microscopy (HREM) and by highangle annular detector dark-field (HAADF) scanning transmission electron microscopy (STM) respectively. On the basis of the HREM and HAADF STM observations, the relationship between the arrangement of local structural units and the formation of the long-range quasiperiodic tiling structure is discussed.     

Formation of ductile Al-based metallic glasses without rare-earth elements

Al₇₅Cu₁₇Mg₈ is a eutectic composition according to the ternary phase diagram, which can be quenched into a fully amorphous phase by adding 2-8at.% Ni, but the addition of a similar percentage of Gd failed to form the amorphous phase. The amorphous alloys obtained exhibit two broad diffuse peaks in the X-ray diffraction curves and, correspondingly, two halo rings in the electron diffraction patterns, implying that two types of local atom configuration exist. Thermal analysis of the amorphous alloys indicates that the primary crystallization peak shifts to higher temperatures with increasing Ni content. The occurrence of a nucleation and crystal growth peak during isothermal crystallization reveals the amorphous nature of the quenched ribbon alloys. The quenched amorphous ribbons do not break after bending by 180°. Mechanical testing yielded a tensile strength of 810MPa for (Al₇₅Cu₁₇Mg₈)₉₅Ni₅, and a vein structure, characteristic of amorphous fracture, is apparent in scanning electron micrographs. The different effects of Ni and Gd on the glass formation indicate that the large atomic size of Gd is not critical to the glass formation.     

Local translational order in the icosahedral quasicrystalline phase of V41Ni36Si23

Abstract

The local translational order of the icosahedral quasicrystalline phase in rapidly solidified V₄₁Ni₃₆Si₂₃ has been investigated by means of selected-area electron diffraction and high-resolution electron microscopy. Experimental results show that translational order always occurs in the twofold direction and can be observed when the quasicrystal is examined along its fivefold and threefold as well as twofold axes. Sometimes it occurs in two or three coplanar twofold directions simultaneously. In these cases some crystalline islands exist in the icosahedral quasicrystal and this corresponds to the initial stage of transformation from a quasicrystal to the stable crystalline phase.     

Transmission electron microscopy of dislocations in SrTiO3

Dislocations have been introduced in SrTiO₃ by Vickers indentation at room temperature and analysed by transmission electron microscopy. The slip systems in SrTiO₃ were identified as ?110?-{110}. ?110? dislocations are dissociated into two partial dislocations. The stacking-fault energy γSF was determined to be 136 ± 15 mJm^-2.     

On the shape of a dislocation shear loop in stable equilibrium

It is demonstrated that the shape of a dislocation shear loop held in stable equilibrium by an infinitesimal shear loop of the same sign at its centre is a circle. This unexpected result may help to explain some discrepancies between the shape of loops predicted by de Wit and Koehler and experimental observation.     

On the dislocation mechanism of amorphization of Si by indentation

The formation of an amorphous phase underneath a Vickers indentation produced on a Si(001) surface at room temperature has been observed by cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy. Two types of location are observed for the amorphous phase. One is formed just underneath the image of the indentation and the other is parallel to the slip planes of Si. It is concluded that the latter type, at least, is formed as a result of activation of dislocations which is induced by an external shear stress combined with a hydrostatic pressure.     

Structural characterization of double stacking faults induced by cantilever bending in nitrogen-doped 4H-SiC

Defects in highly nitrogen-doped 4H-SiC deformed by cantilever bending at 550°C have been identified by weak-beam and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy techniques. The induced-defects consist of double stacking faults (DSFs) whose expansion produces a local 4H?→?3C phase transformation. Each DSF is bound by two identical 30° Si(g) partial dislocations which glide on two adjacent basal planes. The DSFs belong to three different populations which differ by their extension as a function of the applied-stress and the 30° Si(g) characteristics (line direction L , Burgers vector b , glide planes and glide direction). The external mechanical stresses are the main driving forces involved in the DSF expansion. However, extra driving forces such as thermodynamic or electronic forces are also likely to be involved.     

Formation of icosahedral quasicrystals in an annealed Zr65Al7.5Ni10Cu12.5Ag5 metallic glass

The formation and thermal stability of an icosahedral quasicrystalline phase in an annealed Zr₆₅Al_7.5Ni₁₀Cu_12.5Ag₅ metallic glass have been investigated by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy analyses. It was found that the quasicrystalline phase can precipitate from the glassy state and the supercooled liquid of the alloy over a wide range of annealing temperatures. After optimizing the heat-treatment conditions, the volume fraction of the quasicrystalline phase in the alloy can reach as high as about 80%. Investigation of the thermal stability of the quasicrystalline phase demonstrates that it is very stable when the annealing temperature is below the glass transformation temperature T _g of the alloy.