Cu-rich Precipitates Structural Forms During Decomposition of Alloys in Fe-Cu System

Abstract

Structural forms of copper during decomposition of supersaturated solid solutions in the Fe-Cu system are analyzed in thermodynamic terms. First-principles methods are used to calculate free energies of BCC, 9R and FCC phases of copper at themperature 0 K. The possibility that a spinodal reaction, which is followed by formation of a copper-rich BCC phase, takes place at initial stages of decomposition in the Fe-Cu system is substantiated.