Study the grain boundary triple junction segregation of phosphorus in a nickel-base alloy using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy on a transmission electron microscope

Segregation of phosphorus at grain boundary triple junctions in a nickel-base alloy was measured using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy on a transmission electron microscope. It was found that the triple junction segregation of phosphorus varies with grain boundaries in that the concentration of phosphorus at triple junction can be higher or lower than that at the adjacent grain boundaries. A concentration gradient was detected along some grain boundaries within a distance of 5-100 nm from the associated triple junctions. The results are discussed with regards to various structural and atomistic diffusion characteristics.