On the crystal structure of Cr2N precipitates in high-nitrogen austenitic stainless steel

The crystal structure of Cr(2)N precipitates in high-nitrogen austenitic stainless steel was investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Based on the analyses of selected area diffraction (SAD) patterns, the crystal structure of Cr(2)N was confirmed to be trigonal (P31m) and was characterized by three sets of superlattice reflections: (001), ((11/33)0)and ((11/33)1). These could be explained in terms of the epsilon-type occupational ordering of nitrogen. The static concentration waves (SCWs) method was applied to describe the ordered superstructure of Cr(2)N. The occupation probability function (OPF) for describing the distribution of N atoms in the Cr(2)N superstructure was derived based on the superlattice reflections obtained in the SAD patterns and could be expressed as: n(r)=c-1/6eta1cos2piz+4/3eta3cos(2pi/3)(x+y+3z). The crystallographic models for epsilon-type ordering, mainly suggested in the Fe-N system, were discussed in comparison to the present model.