2009 Volume 15 Issue 3 Pages 333-336
The in-situ observation of the reaction between iron and carbon in TEM was carried out. The contact between iron and carbon was realized utilizing the carbon deposition on the surface of iron and FIB enabled to prepare TEM specimens. The reaction occurred beyond 773K as the precipitation from the boundary between iron and carbon and the precipitates grew into the carbon layer. The growth rate of the precipitates was 100-200nm/min at 873K. EDS and EELS showed that the concentration of the iron in the precipitates was almost 100% and carbon was seldom detected. Only the diffusion of iron into the carbon layer was clarified. The images of the precipitates and the results of EDS and EELS indicated the precipitates were as the result of exchange of iron and carbon.
