Melting and solidification behavior of Pb–Sn embedded alloy nano-particles

Nano-sized bimetallic dispersoids consisting of (Pb) and β-(Sn) phases of eutectic composition (Pb_26.1Sn_73.9) embedded in aluminum and Al–Cu–Fe quasicrystalline matrices have been prepared by rapid solidification processing. The two phases, face centered cubic (Pb) and body center tetragonal, β-(Sn) solid solution co-exist in all the embedded nano-particles at room temperature. The phases bear crystallographic orientation relationship with the matrix. In situ TEM study has been carried out for the alloy particles to study the melting and the solidification behavior. The detailed microscopic observations indicate formation of a single-phase metastable fcc (Pb) in the nano-particles prior to the melting during heating. Solidification of these particles begins with nucleation of fcc (Pb), which phase separates into fcc (Pb) and β-(Sn) lamellae in the solid state. In situ X-ray diffraction study is carried out to obtain lattice parameter of metastable fcc (Pb) and thereby an estimate of amount of Sn dissolved in the metastable (Pb) prior to the melting. The results are discussed in terms of a metastable phase diagram between fcc Pb and fcc Sn and invoking the size effect on the metastable phase diagram. The size factor is found to play a critical role in deciding the pathway of phase transformation as well as the extension of solid solubility of Sn in fcc (Pb) in the nano-particles.