Experimental study of Fe-rich region in the Fe–Nb–Zr system at 1000 °C

Abstract

The Fe-rich corner of the Fe–Nb–Zr phase diagram was studied at 1000 °C by using synchrotron x-ray powder diffraction (SXPD) technique and quantitative electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). The MgCu2 (C15) and MgZn2 (C14) structures corresponding to Fe2Zr and Fe2Nb Laves phases were observed in the Fe2Zr–Fe2Nb pseudo-binary system. The MgNi2 (C36) structure corresponding to Fe2(Zr1-xNbx) Laves phase was not found in any of the compositions explored at this temperature. The existence of two three-phase fields (C15 + Fe23Zr6 + C14) and (C14 + Fe(α) + Fe23Zr6) and five two-phase fields (Fe(α) + C14), (Fe(α) + Fe23Zr6), (C15 + Fe23Zr6), (C15 + C14) and (Fe23Zr6 + C14) is proposed in the present work.