Formation of an Ordered Structure in the 40Au–25.4Pd–34.6Cu Alloy (wt %)

Abstract

This paper presents the results of a study of the formation of the structure and properties of the 40Au–25.4Pd–34.6Cu alloy (wt %) in the course of its atomic ordering. A number of literature sources have been analyzed, and possible reasons for the deviation between experimental data of different authors are discussed here. Earlier field ionic microscopy (FIM) results have been confirmed: ordered В2-phase nuclei in a matrix with an L1₀-superstructure were observed in this alloy after prolonged annealings. It has been shown that the kinetic of atomic ordering is abruptly accelerated in a field of external tensile stresses. The results of this work demonstrate the possibility to control the structure in the course of “disorder ↔ order” transitions and can be used for the creation of new approaches to the treatment of orderable alloys.