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.