Study of Chromium Activity in the Cr-Fe-N System by Galvanic Cell Method

In the present work, the Cr-Fe-N alloys with different compositions were synthesized by nitriding the Cr-Fe powder mixtures in the purified nitrogen gas (101,325 Pa) at 1473 K for 2 weeks. The phase relationships in the synthesized alloys and the alloys equilibrated at 1173 K were carried out by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. The nitrogen content in the alloys equilibrated in the nitrogen gas (101,325 Pa) at 1173 K was analyzed using the inert-gas fusion thermal conductivity (IGFTC) method. The thermodynamic activities of Cr in Fe-Cr-N alloys were measured in the temperature range 973 to 1123 K using the solid-state galvanic cell technique with CaF(2) single crystal as the solid electrolyte. Based on the measured EMF values, the chromium activities in the alloys were calculated with respect to pure Cr with bcc structure as the standard state. The effect of nitrogen on Cr activities in the Cr-Fe-N system was examined by comparing the experimental results of the Cr activities in the Cr-Fe and Cr-Fe-C systems.