Coherent interfacial energy and composition profiles in ternary FCC systems by a discrete lattice plane analysis

A discrete lattice plane, nearest neighbor, broken bond model which had been previously used to calculate the energy of coherent interphase boundaries in binary substitutional and ternary substitutional-interstitial systems was extended to ternary substitutional alloys to study the chemical interfacial energy and composition profiles across the interphase boundary in fcc solid solution. Compared with a binary system, the segregation of the third component atoms at the interphase boundary is demonstrated both with symmetric and asymmetrical composition profiles. Accordingly the interfacial energy is reduced by the presence of the third component. Increasing temperature has an effect of decreasing the gradient of composition profiles across the interface, as well as absolute value and anisotropy of the interfacial energy in ternary system. C 2005 Springer Science + Business Media, Inc