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Gallium penetration of aluminum: In-situ TEM observations at the penetration front[Transmission Electron Microscopy]

Journal Article · · Scripta Materialia
The Al-Ga system provides a remarkable example of intergranular Liquid Metal Embrittlement (LME). The Al-Ga equilibrium phase diagram reveals no intermetallic compounds and very limited mutual solubilities, which implies that interactions between Al and Ga should be minimal. Yet when liquid Ga wets the surface of an Al specimen, the Ga will penetrate the Al grain boundaries, replacing each boundary with a liquid layer. In a previous study, the authors found that the penetration front travelled as rapidly as 8.7 {micro}m/s, generating a moving strain field that was visible in the transmission Electron Microscope (TEM). Also, they found that different grain boundaries in a polycrystalline solid were penetrated at different rates, implying that grain boundary structure determines penetration behavior. Finally, they estimated that the initial Ga thickness in the grain boundary was on the order of a monolayer. In this paper the authors present in-situ TEM studies that elucidate processes occurring at the penetration front, and refine their estimate for the initial thickness of the penetration front. Although all of the TEM specimens were bicrystals, the grain boundaries studied were all general boundaries; that is, they were low symmetry boundaries with high-index rotation axes, and no low-index planes common to both grains.
Research Organization:
Washington State Univ., Pullman, WA (US)
Sponsoring Organization:
US Department of Energy
DOE Contract Number:
FG06-87ER45287
OSTI ID:
20006437
Journal Information:
Scripta Materialia, Journal Name: Scripta Materialia Journal Issue: 12 Vol. 41; ISSN 1359-6462; ISSN SCMAF7
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English