Homogeneous martensitic nucleation in FeCo precipitates formed in a Cu matrix

The martensitic transformation on subambient cooling has been monitored in defect-free nanocrystalline f.c.c. FeCo particles that have been coherently precipitated in a Cu matrix; such a CuFeCo system was chosen for study because the f.c.c. → b.c.c. transformational driving force in FeCo alloys is exceptionally large. Transformation is found to occur at a driving force of ∼ 10kJ/mol, a factor of 7 higher than the known critical driving forces for heterogeneous nucleation in bulk alloys. The observed transformation characteristics are entirely consistent with classical homogeneous coherent nucleation, whereas heterogeneous nucleation and homogeneous semicoherent nucleation can be ruled out in this case. An observed variation in transformation temperatures is explained by the experimentally-determined differences in Co content (and, hence, in transformational driving force) among the FeCo precipitates in relation to their distribution of particle sizes. The role of thermal activation in the homogeneous nucleation process is demonstrated by applying a high magnetic field to impose an increment of driving force at low temperatures.