Discontinuous coarsening and dissolution in an Fe13.5at.%Zn solid solution

Abstract

Abstract The morphology and growth kinetics of discontinuous coarsening and discontinuous dissolution of discontinuous precipitate in Fe13.5at.%Zn have been studied by light and scanning electron microscopy. Analysis of the velocities of the reaction fronts and the precipitate lamellar spacings show that the reactions are controlled by boundary diffusion in the reaction front. In agreement with previous work on discontinuous precipitation and diffusion-induced grain boundary migration in FeZn alloys, the boundary diffusivities in the reaction fronts are found to be much greater than those of zinc and iron in grain boundaries of pure α-Fe.