Interactions between long-period stacking ordered phase and β′ precipitate in Mg-Gd-Y-Zn-Zr alloy: Atomic-scale insights from HAADF-STEM

This paper reports on an atomic-scale investigation into the interactions between beta' precipitates and long-period stacking ordered phase (LPSO) in Mg-10Gd-5Y-2Zn-0.5Zr (wt%) alloy, using Cs-corrected high angle annular dark field-scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM). The general morphology within the alloy is LPSO phase intercalated with beta' precipitates and the two structures interconnect into a 3-D network. The beta'/LPSO interactions are fully characterized and categorized into three types: RE-absent gaps parallel to (11 (2) over bar0)(Mg), redistributions of heavy atoms within LPSO structures and interceptions of beta' precipitates by LPSO structures from [10 (1) over bar0](Mg) direction. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.