Position sensitive atom probe study of segregation in molybdenum alloys

Three dimensional atom-probe measurements have been carried out to study the segregation behaviour of Mo(x)W((1-x)) alloys (x = 0.9; 0.75; 0.5; 0.25). As predicted from alloy thermodynamics, on in situ annealed specimens a significant surface enrichment of molybdenum has been observed. For alloys with tungsten contents above 25% the composition profiles measured are in a good agreement with the theoretical predictions. The positive regular solution parameter of this binary system gives reason for a random distribution of alloy components. In the three-dimensional reconstructions local agglomerations and combined features of tungsten atoms are to observe in alloys with Mo as major component.