Insight into microstructural development by XBroad program: Case of in-situ formation of the Al-Zn solid solution

Formation of the Al-15 at% Zn solid solution was followed by in-situ high-temperature X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) measurements. It was found that the temperature of 200 °C marked an onset of the dissolution of Zn atoms in Al matrix, while the solid solution was formed at 300 °C. Change in the shape of Zn precipitates during the solid solution formation was analyzed by the XBroad program. The program provides adequate information about changes in size and/or transformation of shapes during different crystallization/dissolution processes without any prior information on structural features of the system under study. It was demonstrated that the XBroad program is an excellent tool for the quick and effective microstructural analysis easily used by material science community regardless of their background in the field of crystallography.