Published online by Cambridge University Press: 11 February 2011
Nb-silicide based composites have excellent potential for future high-temperature structural applications. Nb-silicide composites possess Nb together with high-strength silicides, such as Nb5Si3 and Nb3Si. Alloying elements such as Ti and Hf, are added to obtain a balance of properties such as creep performance and oxidation resistance. In Nb-silicide composites generated from Nb-rich binary Nb-Si alloys, Nb3Si is unstable and experiences eutectoid decomposition to Nb and Nb5Si3. The present paper describes a low temperature eutectoid phase transformation during which (Nb)3Si decomposes into (Nb) and (Nb)5Si3, where the (Nb)5Si3 possesses the hP16 structure, as opposed to the tI32 structure observed in binary Nb5Si3.