Kinetic paths of B2 and DO3 order parameters: Experiment

Abstract

Rapidly quenched powders of Fe3Al were subjected to thermal annealings at temperatures well below the critical temperatures for B2 and DO3 ordering. X-ray diffractometry was used to measure the subsequent evolution of B2 and DO3 long-range order. It was found that the relative rates of change of B2 and DO3 order parameters were temperature dependent; hence at different temperatures the alloy passed through different states of order en route to thermal equilibrium. These temperature dependences of “kinetic paths” can be understood in terms of a theory of kinetic paths based on the kinetic master equation. The theory indicates that the temperature dependence of the observed kinetic paths originates from having first-nearest-neighbor interactions that are stronger than second-nearest-neighbor interactions. This seems consistent with previous thermodynamic analyses of critical temperatures of Fe3Al.