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Title
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Quantitative measurement for the microstructural parameters of nano-precipitates in Al-Mg-Si-Cu alloys
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Author
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Abstract
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| Size, number density and volume fraction of nano-precipitates are important microstructural parameters controlling the strengthening of materials. In this work a widely accessible, convenient, moderately time efficient method with acceptable accuracy and precision has been provided for measurement of volume fraction of nano-precipitates in crystalline materials. The method is based on the traditional but highly accurate technique of measuring foil thickness via convergent beam electron diffraction. A new equation is proposed and verified with the aid of 3-dimensional atom probe (3DAP) analysis, to compensate for the additional error resulted from the hardly distinguishable contrast of too short incomplete precipitates cut by the foil surface. The method can be performed on a regular foil specimen with a modem LaB6 or field-emission-gun transmission electron microscope. Precisions around +/- 16% have been obtained for precipitate volume fractions of needle-like beta ''/C and Q precipitates in an aged Al-Mg-Si-Cu alloy. The measured number density is dose to that directly obtained using 3DAP analysis by a misfit of 45%, and the estimated precision for number density measurement is about +/- 11%. The limitations of the method are also discussed. (C) 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. |
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Language
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English
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Source (journal)
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Materials characterization. - New York
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Publication
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New York
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2016
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ISSN
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1044-5803
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DOI
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10.1016/J.MATCHAR.2016.06.007
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Volume/pages
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118
(2016)
, p. 352-362
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ISI
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000383292000042
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Full text (Publisher's DOI)
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Full text (open access)
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Full text (publisher's version - intranet only)
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