Relaxation mechanisms in Fe-Al-C alloys

Abstract
The relaxation spectrum of Fe-Al alloys has been studied as a function of Al content and ordering reaction in Fe-Al. Three types of relaxation peaks are observed, with activation energies between 0.8 and 3 eV. Snoek-type relaxation is studied in Fe-(0 to 50 at. pct)Al and compared with the Snoek relaxation in pure iron (C in α-Fe), chromium (C in Cr), and nibium (O in Nb). The snoek-type relaxation peak in iron (at 314 K for 1 Hz) shifts to higher temperatures with increasing Al content in iron. Significant changes in the peak parameters occur when α-Fe is alloyed with Al, because of the ordering reaction in Fe-Al. Peculiarities of the carbon-atom distribution in ordered and disordered Fe-Al alloys are discussed using an atom-interaction model, in which the elastic interaction is supplemented by the chemical C-Al interaction. Two other peaks are observed only when a certain Al content is exceeded: a Zener peak for Fe-(>10 pct)Al and an X peak for Fe-(>26 pct)Al. Parameters of these peaks are discussed with respect to alloy structure. Three hypotheses are discussed for the X-peak mechanism with an activation energy about 1.7 eV. A map of relaxation peaks in the Fe-Al system is constructed.