Prediction of the morphology of Mg32(Al, Zn)49 precipitates in a Mg–Zn–Al alloy

A geometrical model has been applied to predict the morphology of faceted Mg32(Al, Zn)49 precipitates in a Mg–Zn–Al alloy using the observed orientation relationship (OR) and the lattice parameters of the precipitates and the matrix as inputs. Planes in rational or in irrational orientations with higher densities of good matching sites are more likely to be preferred, which agrees well with experimental observations.