Anisotropy in grain boundary segregation in copper-bismuth alloys

Abstract

Abstract The fracture surfaces of an alloy of copper containing 60 p.p.m. of bismuth have been analysed by Auger electron spectroscopy. Alloys annealed in the temperature range 400° to 700°C before fracture all show marked anisotropy in the segregation of bismuth to the intergranular fracture surface. This is in marked contrast to the results obtained by Seah and Hondros (1973) for sulphur and tin segregation in iron. Possible reasons for this contrasting behaviour are discussed briefly.