Effects of Nb content on the Zr2Fe intermetallic stability

With the aim of studying the stability range of the Zr2Fe intermetallic when adding Nb, the range of existence of the cubic ternary phase (λ1) and the corresponding two-phase field between them, four samples were analyzed, each one containing 35 at.% Fe and different at.% Nb: 0.5, 4, 10 and 15. Optical and scanning electron metallographies, X-ray diffraction, microprobe analysis and Mössbauer spectroscopy were performed to determine and characterize the phases present in the samples. Results show that the Zr2Fe compound accepts up to nearly 0.5 at.% Nb in solution, since the Zr2Fe+λ1 region is stable in the (0.5–3.5) at.% Nb range. To summarize these results an 800 °C section of the ternary Zr–Nb–Fe diagram, in the studied zone, was proposed.