Supersaturation and solute enrichment and their role in phase transformations in metal alloys

Abstract

Supersaturations and depletion or enrichment of solute/solvent are known to be the driving forces for phase transformations. In the present work, a series of different experiments is presented where in a single phase or a two-phase mixture supersaturation or enrichment/depletion of solute occur in at least one of the phases. In all cases the result is a phase transformation, particularly either the precipitation of a secondary phase out of a primary phase, or the migration of the interface in a two-phase mixture. It is demonstrated that solute transport in the phase exhibiting faster kinetics controls the phase transformation process.