Study of Nano-Precipitates Using Small-Angle Neutron Scattering...

Small-Angle-Neutron-Scattering (SANS) experiments were performed on a Ni-based nano-precipitate strengthened superalloy. A theoretical model for SANS absolute intensity distribution, I(Q), was developed to extract the structural properties. During the deformation process, a change in the morphology of precipitates was discovered. However, the average inter-precipitate distance and the average volume of precipitate were found to remain invariant. This microstructural information resolved by SANS is in good agreement with the results obtained from the quantitative transmission-electron-microscopy (TEM) image analysis.