High-Throughput and Systematic Study of Phase Transformations and Metastability Using Dual-Anneal Diffusion Multiples

Abstract

This article highlights the capabilities of dual-anneal diffusion multiples (DADMs) in performing high-throughput and systematic studies of phase transformations and metastability. DADMs create wide ranges of solid solution compositions through elemental interdiffusion during a first anneal at a high temperature. After quenching to ambient temperature, each diffusion multiple can be cut into several slices, and each slice is further annealed individually at a lower/second temperature. Phase transformations take place in the supersaturated regions of the solid solution compositions that are formed during the first anneal, leading to various precipitates due to different driving force, interfacial energy, and other factors as composition varies across the regions in the sample. By subjecting the sliced diffusion multiples individually to different anneal durations and different second anneal temperatures, very large datasets can be collected on phase transformation kinetics and evolution of precipitate morphology as a function of composition, time, and temperature. Metastable phases and their transitions to more stable phases have been systematically observed in the Fe-Cr-Mo ternary system across a wide range of composition, temperature, and anneal time, thus providing a large amount of information on metastability of the phases. The solvi of the metastable and stable phases can be systematically collected for more reliable CALPHAD assessments of the Gibbs free energy of the metastable phases. By adjusting the interfacial energy value in simulations using models such as the Kampmann–Wagner Numerical (KWN) model and matching the simulated precipitate sizes at different compositions with experimentally measured sizes of the corresponding compositions in a DADM, the interfacial energy value can be obtained. Opportunities and challenges in using DADMs to collect large datasets on precipitation kinetics and morphology will be explained to enable full utilization of the capabilities of DADMs in the future. This review not only presents experimental results collected to date, but also explains the vast more datasets that can be collected from DADMs in the future. An approach that iteratively and holistically integrates experimental results with model predictions is advocated as a very effective means to advance the understanding of various phase transformation mechanisms. In this way, the new mechanistic understanding can be integrated to more robust models to simulate the “abnormal” behaviors that are observed in DADMs, especially related to sequential precipitations of phases that are common in engineering alloys. Examples are also shown to illustrate the systematic nature of DADMs as a result of their continuously varying composition regions in catching unusual phenomena and emergent trends that are easily missed during studies using discrete compositions afforded by individual alloys.