2002 Volume 43 Issue 3 Pages 439-442
The crystallographic structure and morphology of electrodeposited Fe–Cr films under different bath conditions were studied in detail by using XRD, HRTEM and SEM. The crystallographic structures of the Fe–Cr electrodeposits were also compared with the Fe–Cr thermal equilibrium diagram. The results indicated that the crystallographic structure of electrodeposited Fe–Cr alloy film gradually changed from microcrystalline to amorphous with increasing Cr content. The deposited film exists as α-Fe solid solution when the Cr compositions of deposited films are below 3.1 at%, whereas, it existed as a meta-stable crystal when the Cr compositions of deposited films are from 4.5 at% to 22.4 at%, which have not been reported up to now. The deposited films with various Cr compositions from 22.9 at% to 74.4 at% chromium exist as amorphous phase. Hence, the crystallographic structure of the electrodeposited Fe–Cr alloy film is closely related to its thermal equilibrium diagram, but does not always agree with it.
