New amorphous interface for precipitate nitrides in steel

According to classical theories precipitate interfaces are described by their degree of coherency with the matrix, which affects their strengthening contribution. Investigations of nitride precipitate interfaces in 12% Cr steels with transmission electron microscopy have shown the nitrides to be enveloped in an amorphous shell a few nm thick, thus leaving them without any coherency with the matrix. The amorphous nature of the shells could be...