This article is cited in 14 papers

REVIEWS OF TOPICAL PROBLEMS

Diffusion phase transitions in alloys

Yu. I. Ustinovshchikov

Physical-Technical Institute, Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Abstract: We present a critical analysis of research on the thermodynamics, kinetics, and morphology of diffusion phase transitions in alloys. We show that diffusion phase transitions are mainly driven by the chemical potential difference due to a change in the sign of the chemical interaction among the component atoms. We explain how the sign of the chemical interaction energy can be obtained from experimental measurements. Examples are given to illustrate the kinetics and morphology of the ordering–separation phase transition in Ni- and Co-based alloys. We show how introducing the concept of the ordering–separation phase transition may affect our thinking in this area.

Keywords: phase transitions, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray electron spectroscopy, microstructure.

PACS: 61.46.-w, 64.75.-g

Received: October 18, 2013
Revised: December 2, 2013
Accepted: December 17, 2013

DOI: 10.3367/UFNr.0184.201407b.0723

 English version: Physics–Uspekhi, 2014, 57:7, 670–683

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