High-resolution transmission electron microscopy study of small hexagonal precipitates produced during the dezincification of β-CuZn

Abstract

Abstract The evaporation of Zn from β-phase Cu—Zn alloys produces a phase transformation in the material. For low evaporation temperatures (450°C) and short dezincification times (around 14 min) the phase transformation is observed solely close to the sample surface. Two phases are formed during this process: the fcc phase, expected at lower Zn concentration, and a metastable phase with an approximately hexagonal structure, which is not expected in principle. Previous transmission electron microscopy studies have reported that this hexagonal structure has a 4H stacking sequence and that the precipitates contain a high density of stacking faults. In this paper the formation of hexagonal precipitates is studied with high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. It is shown that the precipitates do not have a homogeneous structure. Different regions present different stacking sequences, which on the average result in a diffraction pattern corresponding to a 4H structure. The interface with the matrix app...