Diffusion intermetallics

Diffusion in Ordered Alloys and Intermetallic Compounds ed. by B. Fultz et al. TMS Publication, Warrendale, PA (1993), 79-90. 

Tin will protect copper from corrosion by neutral water. Pure tin is anodic to copper, and protects discontinuities by sacrificial corrosion. Both intermetallic phases are strongly cathodic to copper, and corrosion is stimulated at gaps in wholly alloyed coatings. An adequate thickness of tin is needed for long service, e.g. 25-50 xm. Another diffusion problem occurs with tin-plated brass. Zinc passes very quickly to the tin surface, where under conditions of damp storage zinc corrosion products produce a film... 

When the coating metal halide is formed in situ, the overall reaction represents the transfer of coating metal from a source where it is at high activity (e.g. the pure metal powder, = 1) to the surface of the substrate where is kept less than 1 by diffusion. The formation of carbides or intermetallic compounds such as aluminides or silicides as part of the coating reaction may provide an additional driving force for the process. 

Hot Dipped Coatings Major attempts have been made to improve the quality of aluminised steel strip. Requirements on coating thickness and uniformity have been imposed. It is the speed of sheet movement, length of path in the molten bath, temperature and composition of the bath that control the thickness of the intermetallic layer which lies below the aluminium outer surface. The process of intermetallic alloy formation is diffusion controlled, and it is usual that some dissolution of iron into the molten aluminium does occur at a rate, Ac/At, which is given by... 

A general treatment of a diffusion-controlled growth of a stoichiometric intermetallic in reaction between two two-phase alloys has been introduced by Paul et al. (2006). A reaction couple in which a layer of Co2Si is formed during inter-diffusion from its adjacent saturated phases was used as a model system. In the discussion it has been emphasized that the diffusion couple is undoubtedly one of the most efficient and versatile techniques in solid-state science it is therefore desirable to have alternative theories that enable us to deduce the highest possible amount of information from the data that are relatively easily attainable in this type of experiments. 

Intermetallic compound formation may be observed as the result from the diffusion across an interface between the two solids. The transient formation of a liquid phase may aid the synthesis and densification processes. A further aid to the reaction speed and completeness may come from the non-negligible volatility of the component(s). An important factor influencing the feasibility of the reactions between mixed powders is represented by the heat of formation of the desired alloy the reaction will be easier if it is more exothermic. Heat must generally be supplied to start the reaction but then an exothermic reaction can become self-sustaining. Such reactions are also known as combustion synthesis, reactive synthesis, self-propagating high-temperature synthesis. 

Additional surface modifications on vapor deposited SiC fibers, including WC. TaC, TiN, B4C, Al, Ni and Fe, have been applied with varying degree of success (Wawner and Nutt, 1980 DeBolt, 1982 Wawner, 1988). After exhaustive trial and error, TiB is selected as an additional coating material to further prevent the diffusion-induced reactions between the SCS-6 fibers and matrix materials, including Ti alloys and Ti Al intermetallic alloys (e.g. Ti Al, TiAl and TiAl ) (Donncllan and Frazier, 1991 James et al., 1991). When the coated fiber is subjected to tensile... 

Reaction 5.45 is at least partly hypothetical. Evidence that the Cl does react with the Na component of the alanate to form NaCl was found by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), but the final form of the Ti catalyst is not clear [68]. Ti is probably metallic in the form of an alloy or intermetallic compound (e.g. with Al) rather than elemental. Another possibility is that the transition metal dopant (e.g. Ti) actually does not act as a classic surface catalyst on NaAlH4, but rather enters the entire Na sublattice as a variable valence species to produce vacancies and lattice distortions, thus aiding the necessary short-range diffusion of Na and Al atoms [69]. Ti, derived from the decomposition of TiCU during ball-milling, seems to also promote the decomposition of LiAlH4 and the release of H2 [70]. In order to understand the role of the catalyst, Sandrock et al. performed detailed desorption kinetics studies (forward reactions, both steps, of the reaction) as a function of temperature and catalyst level [71] (Figure 5.39). 

In some cases, absorption of hydrogen by intermetallic compounds causes decomposition as indicated by Reaction 3. Decomposition also can lead to the formation of a new intermetallic compound, as is observed when Mg2Cu reacts with hydrogen (6) in Reaction 4. Reactions 3 and 4 take place at elevated temperatures where diffusion of the metal atoms becomes possible. 

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