Yttrium incorporation in Cr2AlC : On the metastable phase formation and decomposition of (Cr,Y)(2)AlC MAX phase thin films

• Herein we report on the synthesis of a metastable (Cr,Y)(2)AlC MAX phase solid solution by co-sputtering from a composite Cr-Al-C and elemental Y target, at room temperature, followed by annealing. However, direct high-temperature synthesis resulted in multiphase films, as evidenced by X-ray diffraction analyses, room-temperature depositions, followed by annealing to 760 degrees C led to the formation of phase pure (Cr,Y)(2)AlC by diffusion. Higher annealing temperatures caused a decomposition of the metastable phase into Cr2AlC, Y5Al3, and Cr-carbides. In contrast to pure Cr2AlC, the Y-containing phase crystallizes directly in the MAX phase structure instead of first forming a disordered solid solution. Furthermore, the crystallization temperature was shown to be Y-content dependent and was increased by similar to 200 degrees C for 5 at.% Y compared to Cr2AlC. Calculations predicting the metastable phase formation of (Cr,Y)(2)AlC and its decomposition are in excellent agreement with the experimental findings.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Kemi -- Materialkemi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Chemical Sciences -- Materials Chemistry (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Kemi -- Oorganisk kemi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Chemical Sciences -- Inorganic Chemistry (hsv//eng)

Keyword

crystallization

decomposition

MAX phases

metastable phase formation

solid solution

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)