Phase stability behavior of nanoscaled lead-bismuth peritectic alloys embedded in zinc matrix

Abstract

Pb-Bi alloy inclusions of nanometric size with peritectic composition embedded in zinc matrix are prepared by rapid solidification processing to study their phase stability and solid-state transformation behavior within the Zn matrix. The experimental results indicate the inclusions to be single phase having hcp crystal structure with a mode of size distribution of 25 nm. In-situ transmission electron microscopy using heating stage and high temperature X-ray diffraction results suggest that at small length scales of the confined inclusions, the coexistence of a liquid with two solid phases does not take place at the peritectic temperature.