Diffuse and Small Angle Neutron Scattering Studies of Clustering and Decomposition in Electron-Irradiated Cu-Ni-Fe Alloys

ABSTRACTEarlier investigations of short range clustering (SRC) and long range decomposition (LRD) in Cu-Ni alloys upon electron irradiation [1,2] have been extended to alloys containing 0.5 and 2 at.% Fe. Moreover, quenching instead of furnace cooling was applied to achieve a well defined homophase equilibrium state with a small degree of SRC. Under subsequent irradiation at temperatures between 373 K and 623 K the decomposition kinetics of the alloys have been followed by diffuse and small angle neutron scattering experiments within a momentum transfer range of 0.001 < κ(Å−1) < 8. The addition of Fe is found to extend the miscibility gap to higher temperatures. The observed scattering curves are discussed in terms of the existing models for the initial stages of spinodal decomposition, irradiation enhanced diffusion and phase stability under irradiation.