Effect of Heat Treatment on Ordered Structures and Mechanical Properties of Fe-6.5 mass%Si Alloy

The effect of heat treatment on ordered structures and mechanical properties of Fe-6.5 mass%Si alloy is studied. It is revealed that the cooling rate has a great influence on ordering type and degree, and furthermore on ductility and micro-hardness of the alloy. Cooling in furnace leads to the development of B2 and D0(3) orderings, while quenching in water can suppress the formation of the D03 phase, and prevent the growth of the B2 phase. The long range order parameter (LROP) decreases with increasing the cooling rate from the disordered region, and consequently the ductility of the alloy increases and the micro-hardness decreases, which is helpful for the cold-rolling deformation. Anti-Phase Boundaries (APBs) are also examined and discussed here with concern to the long range order parameter.