Secondary M6C precipitation in K40S cobalt-base alloy

Secondary M,C precipitation was investigated in K40S cobalt-base alloy after 100 h aging at 950 degreesC. The results showed that it was closely related to the tungsten-rich zones inherited from the as-cast condition and the degeneration of the primary M7C3 carbide. A direct element reaction, 6M + C --> M6C, in which C comes from the decomposition of the M7C3 carbides, is suggested as the mechanism of secondary M6C precipitation in K40S alloy. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.