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A combined characterization of clusters in naturally aged Al–Cu–(Li, Mg) alloys using small‐angle neutron and X‐ray scattering and atom probe tomography
Author(s) -
Ivanov R.,
Deschamps A.,
De Geuser F.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of applied crystallography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.429
H-Index - 162
ISSN - 1600-5767
DOI - 10.1107/s1600576717014443
Subject(s) - atom probe , characterization (materials science) , scattering , atom (system on chip) , neutron scattering , neutron , atomic units , materials science , atomic number , crystallography , small angle x ray scattering , molecular physics , small angle scattering , atomic physics , chemistry , physics , nanotechnology , nuclear physics , optics , microstructure , quantum mechanics , computer science , embedded system
A new methodology for the characterization of solute clusters leading to compositional fluctuations is presented and discussed. The methodology makes use of contrast variation arising from a combination of small‐angle scattering using neutrons and X‐rays, and adapts a model for solute correlation to extract the chemistry and length scale of clustered states after quench and after natural ageing. In three subsets of the Al–Cu system, Cu‐rich clusters are reported for all cases. The presence of Mg strongly enhances Cu clustering in the naturally aged state and results in more than double the number of clusters in the complex Al–Cu–Li–Mg system. The results are compared with those obtained using atom probe tomography.