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Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy Study of Interfacial Segregation of Mn during the Formation of Partitioned Grain Boundary Ferrite in a Fe-C-Mn-Si Alloy

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Abstract

Interfacial segregation of Mn was studied during the growth of partitioned ferrite allotriomorphs from austenite at 656 °C in a Fe-0.37C-3.0Mn-1.90Si alloy. Quantitative estimates of the segregation were obtained by combining scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) raster window scanning with simulation of the interaction of the electron beam with the sample. For most interfaces, the estimated Mn interfacial segregation is of the order of one-half monolayer. Certain interfaces, however, possessed a much lower level of Mn enhancement and showed no evidence of a Mn buildup in the parent austenite; it is considered that these were essentially immobile under the conditions of precipitate growth.

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Notes

  1. JEOL is a trademark of Japan Electron Optics Ltd., Tokyo.

  2. The segregation levels can also be described in terms of a number of monolayers,[9] each of which contains a 2 segregant atoms per unit area, where a 3 is the atomic volume of the segregant. The atomic volume is usually determined from the first phase that occurs if the solute concentration is increased just beyond the solubility limit. According to the Fe-Mn phase diagram,[10] the corresponding phase is α Mn, which has a complex bcc structure, with lattice parameter 8.89 Å and 58 atoms per unit cell. Then, a monolayer of Mn has 18.90 atoms/nm2; the segregation, expressed in monolayers, will be calculated by dividing Γ (the coverage in atoms/nm2) by 18.90.

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This research was supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. One of the authors (HG) thanks the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 50601002) for financial support. The authors are grateful to Drs. D. Malakhov, H. Zurob, and A. Perovic for their kind help on the project. HG also expresses her sincere thanks to Dr. M. Enomoto for his valuable advice.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Materials Physics and Chemistry, University of Science and Technology, Beijing, 100083, People’s Republic of China

    H. Guo (Associate Professor)

  2. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, L8S4L7, Canada

    G.R. Purdy (University Professor Emeritus)

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  1. H. Guo
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  2. G.R. Purdy
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Correspondence to G.R. Purdy.

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Manuscript submitted August 2, 2007.

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Guo, H., Purdy, G. Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy Study of Interfacial Segregation of Mn during the Formation of Partitioned Grain Boundary Ferrite in a Fe-C-Mn-Si Alloy. Metall Mater Trans A 39, 950–953 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11661-008-9473-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11661-008-9473-x

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