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Metallography and properties of cerium‐iron intermetallics in steel
Author(s) -
Daizhong Li,
Shugin Gao,
Liefu Zhang
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
steel research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1869-344X
pISSN - 0177-4832
DOI - 10.1002/srin.198500624
Subject(s) - intermetallic , cerium , metallurgy , chemistry , materials science , electron microprobe , analytical chemistry (journal) , alloy , chromatography
Samples of steel containing Ce‐Fe intermetallics were prepared in our laboratory. The Ce‐Fe intermetallics were identified with metallograph and electron microprobe, and their possibilities of separation using the electrolytic method were investigated. CeFe 2 phase in steel is light yellow in a bright field, opaque in a dark field, and is isotropic in polarized light. The colour of the Ce 2 Fe 17 phase is the same as that of the α ‐iron matrix in a bright field, it is also opaque in a dark field, but anisotropic in polarized light. These phases are electrolysed more easily than the α ‐Fe matrix during electrolytic separation. On heating at high temperatures in an oxidizing atmosphere, these Ce‐Fe phases are transformed to Ce 2 O 3 . When the steel contains a higher amount of rare earths, RE‐inclusion containing carbon may appear.