Characterization of Precipitated Phase in Cu–Ni–Si Alloy by Small-Angle X-ray Scattering, Small Angle Neutron Scattering and Atom Probe Tomography

Abstract

The strength of Cu–Ni–Si alloy can be improved by finely dispersing a Ni–Si-based compound as a precipitate into the Cu parent phase by heat treatment. In order to investigate the strengthening effect of the precipitate, quantitative evaluation of the size distribution and dispersion state is necessary. In this work, we utilized transmission electron microscopy, small-angle X-ray scattering, small-angle neutron scattering, and atom probe tomography to analyze this Ni–Si precipitated phase. The small-angle X-ray and neutron scattering results showed that the precipitated phase gradually became coarser as the aging temperature increased. The atom probe tomography and small-angle scattering provided complementary measurements of the diffusion layer at the interface between the Cu parent phase and the precipitated phase.

 

This Paper was Originally Published in Japanese in J. Japan Inst. Copper 60 (2021) 309–314.

3D atom probe tomographic reconstruction of 550°C heat-treated copper and SANS profiles of copper alloys.