Nanoscale structural evolution of Al3Sc precipitates in Al(Sc) alloys

E. A. Marquis, D. N. Seidman*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

509 Scopus citations

Abstract

Precipitation of the Al3Sc (L12) phase in aluminum alloys, containing 0.1, 0.2 or 0.3 wt% Sc, is studied with conventional transmission and high-resolution (HREM) electron microscopies. The exact morphologies of the Al3Sc precipitates were determined for the first time by HREM, in Al-0.1 wt% Sc and Al-0.3 wt% Sc alloys. The experimentally determined equilibrium shape of the Al3Sc precipitates, at 300°C and 0.3 wt% Sc, has 26 facets, which are the 6 {100} (cube), 12 {110} (rhombic dodecahedron), and 8 {111} (octahedron) planes, a Great Rhombicuboctahedron. This equilibrium morphology had been predicted by first principles calculations of the pertinent interfacial energies. The coarsening kinetics obey the (time)1/3 kinetic law of Lifshitz-Slyozov-Wagner theory and they yield an activation energy for diffusion, 164±9 kJ/mol, that is in agreement with the values obtained from tracer diffusion measurements of Sc in Al and first principles calculations, which implies diffusion-controlled coarsening.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1909-1919
Number of pages11
JournalActa Materialia
Volume49
Issue number11
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 22 2001

Keywords

  • Aluminum
  • Microstructure
  • Phase transformations
  • Scandium
  • Transmission electron microscopy (TEM)

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Ceramics and Composites
  • Polymers and Plastics
  • Metals and Alloys

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