Spinodal decomposition of Fe−Cr−Ni alloys studied by Mössbauer spectroscopy

Summary A thermodynamic calculation of the Fe−Cr−Ni phase diagram suggests that the composition 30 at.%Cr-5 at.%Ni is expected to be found inside the spinodal line, whereas 16 at.%Cr-5 at.%Ni is expected outside at 723 K. These two alloys have been thermally aged for time periods up to 40 minutes at 723K. A significant broadening of the magnetic-hyperfine-field distribution indicates that Fe-30 at.%Cr-5 at.%Ni undergoes typical spinodal decomposition in agreement with the calculation. Spinodal decomposition is distinguished from nucleation-growth by a detailed analysis of the magnetic-hyperfine-field distribution. Paper presented at ICAME-95, Rimini, 10–16 September 1995