Chemically sensitive amorphization process in the nanolaminated Cr2AC (A = Al or Ge) system from TEM in situ irradiation

The effect of 320 keV Xe2+ ion-irradiation in Cr2AlC and Cr2GeC is investigated in situ in the transmission electron microscope. Both compounds amorphize at moderate fluences (1013–1014 Xe cm−2) but exhibit different amorphization mechanisms, bearing witness of the major influence of the chemical composition of the nanolaminated Mn+1AXn phases. It is proposed that amorphization takes place via a direct impact amorphization process in Cr2GeC whereas it is governed by a defect accumulation process in Cr2AlC.