Intermetallic phases formed during tin implantation into iron and steels

Abstract

The surface layers of pure iron, high-carbon steel and stainless steel, ion implanted with 1×1017 Sn+ cm−2, have been characterized by means of 119Sn conversion electrons Mössbauer scattering. The intermetallic phases existent in the as-implanted samples are determined, and then the thermal decomposition of these phases are established. The phase transformations observed in the treated surfaces agree reasonably well with the phase diagrams reported in the literature for stoichiometric intermetallic phases formed in bulk.