Refinement of edge-to-edge matching model and its application in the Mg17Al12/α-Mg and α-Y/α-Mg systems

A refined version of the edge-to-edge matching model is described here. In the original model, the matching directions were obtained from the planes with all the atomic centers that were exactly in the plane, or the distance from the atomic center to the plane which was less than the atomic radius. The direction-matching pairs were the match of straight rows–straight rows and zigzag rows–zigzag rows. In the refined model, the matching directions were obtained from the planes with all the atomic centers that were exactly in the plane. The direction-matching pairs could be the match between any two matching directions. Four eighths of the predicted orientation relationships (ORs) were consistent with the experimental OR in the Mg17Al12/α-Mg system using the original model, but four sixths of the predicted ORs were consistent with the experimental ORs using the refined model. The refined model also successfully interpreted the grain refining mechanism of α-Y in the magnesium alloys.