Grain boundary segregation in bright nitrided α-irons alloyed with chromium, molybdenum and silicon

Interfacial segregation in bright nitrided binary alpha -iron alloys containing 3.0 at% Cr, 2.4 at% Mo and 3.6 at% Si were studied by Auger electron spectroscopy. Chromium, molybdenum and silicon were found to segregate to interfaces in these alloys. Segregation of chromium and molybdenum is, however, partly reduced by the formation of clusters or precipitate between nitrogen and solute atoms. Segregation of silicon is slight owing to the repulsive interaction between silicon and nitrogen atoms. It was not found that such surface active elements as sulfur and phosphorus had segregated to the interfaces in the bright nitrided alloys studied.