COMPETITIVE GRAIN-BOUNDARY SEGREGATION IN FE-P-S AND FE-P-SB ALLOYS

The main goal of this study was to examine the competitive segregation between P and S and P and Sb. The results show that P and S compete for sites at the grain boundary. This competition appears to be a thermodynamic effect. If the activity of either element in solution is raised, that element will segregate more and decrease the segregation of the other element. Sb has no effect on P segregation, but P decreases Sb segregation. This may be a kinetic effect. Because of variability in segregation from boundary to boundary and sample to sample as well as the possibility of getting the segregation into metastable situations, it is difficult to provide a detailed description of segregation.