Effect of the supersaturation on the precipitation kinetics of the Guinier-Preston zones in Al-rich Ag alloys

Abstract

The precipitation kinetics of the GP zones in a supersaturated solid solution depends on the level of its supersaturation which induces a driving force. The magnitude of this driving force increases with the increasing of the undercooling and the increasing of the solute supersaturation. At a given temperature, the increasing of the supersaturation accelerates the precipitation of the GP zones. In an Alxat.%Ag alloy, the transformation kinetics depends on the contribution of the driving force and on that of the thermal activation which is preponderant.

Keywords

• precipitation
• diffusion
• vacancies
• hardening