Analysis of atomic distribution near grain boundary in Zr Sn Nb Fe-(Cu) alloys by atom probe tomography

Abstract Atom probe tomography was used to study the distribution of alloying elements near grain boundaries (GBs) in Zr-1.0Sn-0.3Nb-0.3Fe-(0.1Cu) alloys at the early stage of aging after β quenching. Cu was observed to segregate at GBs for the first time. Zr 3 Fe, Zr 3 (Fe,Cu) and Zr(Nb,Fe,Cr) 2 are precipitated on or near GBs. In addition, the impurity Si is mainly precipitates in the form of second-phase particles (SPPs), forming Zr 3 (Fe,Si) and Zr 3 (Fe,Cu,Si).