Crystallography of the bcc/hcp transformation in a Mg–8Li alloy

A magnesium–8 wt% lithium alloy was prepared to give a microstructure of hcp (α) and bcc (β) phases, with the α phase appearing as plates in the β matrix. A near Burgers OR was observed between the two phases, i.e., [ 0   0   0   1 ] α / / [ 0   1 ¯   1 ] β , ( 1 ¯   1   0   0 ) α / / ( 2 ¯   1   1 ) β . An additional ∼0.5° rotation of the bcc lattice around [ 0   0   0   1 ] α / / [ 0   1 ¯   1 ] β axis, as well as the α/β interface orientation, were both predicted by a moiré plane approach and observed experimentally.