The Zr – Fe system has been investigated by many authors [89Ale], [95Liu], [95Ser], [96Gra], [97Abr], [99Kum], [02Ste], but there still remain some uncertainties about the intermetallic phases present.
Experiments with samples of Zr-2 at. % Fe, Zr-10 at. % Fe and Zr-30 at. % Fe were carried out, obtained from Zr 99.95 %, Zr 99.8 % nuclear grade and Fe 99.995 %. The heat treatments were performed between 830°C and 700°C. Zr3Fe, Zr2Fe intermetallics and in same samples a few ZrFe2 precipitates were identified with optical and electron microscopy, electron microprobe and X-ray diffraction. The eutectoid temperature (bZr « aZr + Zr3Fe) was determined to be Te = (780 ± 5)°C, by measurements of electrical resistivity vs. temperature in Zr-2 at. % Fe alloy (obtained with purity Zr 99.95%).
Our results as well as those corresponding to other authors regarding intermetallics on the Fe rich region, are finally discussed.
References
[89Ale] Z. M. Alekseeva, M. V. Korotkova. Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR Metally, 4, 202 (1989).
[95Liu] Y. Liu, S. M. Allen, J. D. Livingson. Scripta Metallurgica et Materialia, 32, 8, 1129 (1995).
[95Ser] C. Servant, C. Gueneau, I. Ansara. Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 220, 19, (1995).
[96Gra] M. S. Granovsky, D. Arias. Journal of Nuclear Materials, 229, 29, (1996).
[97Abr] D. P. Abraham, J. W. Richardson Jr, S. M. McDeavitt. Scripta Materialia, 37, 2, 239, (1997)
[99Kum] L. Kumar, R. V. Ramanujan, R. Tewari, P. Mukhopadhyay, S. Banerjee. Scripta Materialia, 40, 6, 723, (1999).
[02Ste] F. Stein, G. Sauthoff, M. Palm. Journal of Phase Equilibria, 23, 6, (2002)
* Present address: Chemical Engineering/ Institute for Micromanufacturing Louisiana Tech University. 911 Hergot St. Ruston, LA 71272
E-mail: arias@cnea.gov.ar