Phase decomposition of liquid-quenched Al-14 at. % Ag: small-angle X-ray scattering study

Small-angle X-ray scattering was used to study phase decomposition of liquid-quenched Al-14 at. % Ag. Ageing was carried out at temperatures from 50 to 175° C. Though it is clear that ideal linear spinodal behaviour was not obtained, the general trend points to the early unmixing of this alloy as being characterized by spinodal decomposition. The activation energy for the process is that for equilibrium volume diffusion, and it is therefore concluded that quenched-in vacancies play no role in phase decomposition following liquid quenching.