Self-Diffusion, Solute-Diffusion and Interdiffusion in Binary Intermetallics

800x600 Intermetallics are compounds of two metals or of metal(s) and semimetal(s). Their structures are usually different from those of the constituents. Some intermetallics are interesting functional materials, others have attracted attention as high-temperature structural materials. We remind the reader of some fundamentals of solid-state diffusion and to the major techniques for tracer diffusion measurements, interdiffusion studies and the growth kinetics of layers in solid diffusion couples. Starting from self-diffusion, which is the most basic diffusion phenomenon in any solid, the paper covers the main features of diffusion in binary intermetallics from the systems Cu-Zn, Ni-Al, Fe-Al, Mg-Al, Ni-Ge, Ni-Ga, Fe-Si, Ti-Al, Ni-Mn, Mo-Si, Co-Nb and Ni-Nb.. We illustrate the influence of phase transitions on diffusion and point out some common features of diffusion in intermetallics. We discuss in detail diffusion in silicides of iron, molybdenum and of silicides of refractory metals. We also consider aluminides of iron, nickel, and titanium and in the aluminium-magnesium system. We consider diffusion in intermetallics of the cobalt-niobium and nickel-niobium system and in in the Nb-Sn and V-Ga systems. We finish with some remarks about grain boundary diffusion in intermetallics. Normal 0 21 false false false UK X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}