Structure analysis of aluminium silicon manganese nitride precipitates formed in grain-oriented electrical steels
- OCAS N.V., ArcelorMittal Global R and D Gent, Pres. J.F. Kennedylaan 3, 9060 Zelzate (Belgium)
- Université Libre de Bruxelles, 4MAT (Materials Engineering, Characterization, Synthesis and Recycling), Avenue F.D. Roosevelt 50, 1050 Brussels (Belgium)
We report a detailed structural and chemical characterisation of aluminium silicon manganese nitrides that act as grain growth inhibitors in industrially processed grain-oriented (GO) electrical steels. The compounds are characterised using energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX) and energy filtered transmission electron microscopy (EFTEM), while their crystal structures are analysed using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and TEM in electron diffraction (ED), dark-field, high-resolution and automated crystallographic orientation mapping (ACOM) modes. The chemical bonding character is determined using electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). Despite the wide variation in composition, all the precipitates exhibit a hexagonal close-packed (h.c.p.) crystal structure and lattice parameters of aluminium nitride. The EDX measurement of ∼ 900 stoichiometrically different precipitates indicates intermediate structures between pure aluminium nitride and pure silicon manganese nitride, with a constant Si/Mn atomic ratio of ∼ 4. It is demonstrated that aluminium and silicon are interchangeably precipitated with the same local arrangement, while both Mn{sup 2+} and Mn{sup 3+} are incorporated in the h.c.p. silicon nitride interstitial sites. The oxidation of the silicon manganese nitrides most likely originates from the incorporation of oxygen during the decarburisation annealing process, thus creating extended planar defects such as stacking faults and inversion domain boundaries. The chemical composition of the inhibitors may be written as (AlN){sub x}(SiMn{sub 0.25}N{sub y}O{sub z}){sub 1−x} with x ranging from 0 to 1. - Highlights: • We study the structure of (Al,Si,Mn)N inhibitors in grain oriented electrical steels. • Inhibitors have the hexagonal close-packed symmetry with lattice parameters of AlN. • Inhibitors are intermediate structures between pure AlN and (Si,Mn)N with Si/Mn ∼ 4. • Al and Si share the same local arrangement; Mn is incorporated in both Mn{sup 2+} and Mn{sup 3+}. • Oxygen incorporation is invoked to account for the thermal stability of (Al,Si,Mn)N.
- OSTI ID:
- 22288695
- Journal Information:
- Materials Characterization, Vol. 86; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2013 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1044-5803
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
ALUMINIUM
ALUMINIUM NITRIDES
CHEMICAL BONDS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CRYSTAL DEFECTS
CRYSTALLOGRAPHY
DECARBURIZATION
ELECTRON DIFFRACTION
ENERGY-LOSS SPECTROSCOPY
GRAIN GROWTH
HCP LATTICES
INTERMEDIATE STRUCTURE
LATTICE PARAMETERS
MANGANESE
MANGANESE NITRIDES
PRECIPITATION
SILICON
SILICON NITRIDES
STEELS
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
X-RAY DIFFRACTION
X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY