Evolution of Concentration Profiles and Diffusion Paths in Single-Phase Multicomponent Multilayered Assemblies

Abstract

An analysis of multilayered assemblies set up with multicomponent alloys selected in a single phase field has been recently developed on the basis of a matrix of constant interdiffusion coefficients. This analysis employs a transfer matrix method and is applicable to a study of evolution of concentration profiles and diffusion paths as a function of time for multilayered diffusion assemblies (MDAs) where any number of finite layers is sandwiched between two bulk terminal alloys. The analysis is utilized in this study to simulate concentration profiles and diffusion paths for MDAs assembled with (fcc) Cu-Ni-Zn alloys with two terminal alloys, A and B, sandwiching an alloy layer C in the middle. For short diffusion times the diffusion path of the ternary MDA, A/C/B, corresponds to two segments corresponding to the diffusion paths of the infinite diffusion couples, A/C and C/B. At longer times the diffusion zones of the two individual couples overlap and the diffusion path of the MDA varies continuously with time. The evolution of the concentration profiles and diffusion paths is presented and each intermediate path configuration is associated with a unique ratio of the middle layer thickness to the square root of diffusion time. The simulated concentration profiles clearly show the development of uphill diffusion and zero-flux planes (ZFP) for the individual components due to diffusional interactions among the components. At very long times, the diffusion path of the MDA approaches that of the infinite couple A/B between the two terminal alloys.