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

The Fe-rich corner of the Fe-Nb-Zr phase diagram was studied at 1000 degrees 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 Fe-2(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(alpha) + Fe23Zr6) and five two-phase fields (Fe(alpha) + C14), (Fe(alpha) + Fe23Zr6), (C15 + Fe23Zr6), (C15 + C14) and (Fe23Zr6 + C14) is proposed in the present work.

Automated summary

The Fe-rich corner of the Fe-Nb-Zr phase diagram was investigated at 1000 degrees C using SXPD technique and EPMA. The structures of MgCu2 (C15) and MgZn2 (C14), corresponding to Fe2Zr and Fe2Nb Laves phases, were observed. However, the MgNi2 (C36) structure, corresponding to Fe-2(Zr1-xNbx) Laves phase, was not found at this temperature. The present work proposes the existence of two three-phase fields and five two-phase fields.