B2 order transformation in a Fe – 25 at% Co – 9 at% Mo alloy

Abstract

The ternary system Fe - 25 at% Co - 9 at% Mo shows an age hardening behavior similar to aluminum alloys. After solution annealing followed by rapid quenching, the Fe-Co-matrix is hardened during subsequent aging through precipitation of the intermetallic µ-phase (Fe,Co)₇Mo₆. In aged condition the entire Mo content is present in coarse primary and fine µ-phase particles and, therefore, the matrix consists exclusively of 71 at% Fe and 29 at% Co. The binary system Fe-Co shows a transformation from the disordered bcc structure to the ordered B2 structure between 25 and 72 at% Co at a critical ordering temperature ranging from room temperature to 723°C. As a consequence, the remaining overaged matrix in the Fe - 25 at% Co - 9 at% Mo system should also show such a transition. However, an ordered phase is brittle and, thus, not wanted for many applications. Better mechanical properties in terms of ductility can be achieved with a partially or fully disordered phase. Such a state can be obtained by rapid quenching from temperatures above the critical ordering temperature. In this study such an approach was implemented on the ternary Fe - 25 at% Co - 9 at% Mo alloy. The effect of different cooling rates on the mechanical properties was investigated by means of hardness testing. The actual ordering transition of the Fe - 29 at% Co matrix was determined with differential scanning calorimetry and neutron diffraction.