Phase stability of σ-CrFe intermetallic compound under fast electron irradiation

Abstract The phase stability of the σ-CrFe intermetallic compound under fast electron irradiation was studied using high-voltage electron microscopy. Under MeV electron irradiation within the temperature range of 298–473 K, the σ phase does not maintain its original structure, but instead transforms into a body-centered cubic solid solution. No changes in the topological structure are observed at temperatures below 103 K. This temperature dependence of the phase stability in σ-CrFe exhibited the opposite tendency to that of solid-state amorphization. The dominant factor affecting the phase stability was discussed in terms of the Gibbs free energy and the microstructural changes associated with the thermally assisted, radiation-enhanced migration of defects and/or constituent atoms.