Crystallography of the bcc/hcp transformation in a Mg-8Li alloy

A magnesium-8 wt% lithium alloy was prepared to give a microstructure of hcp (α) and bcc (β) phases, with the α phase appearing as plates in the β matrix. A near Burgers OR was observed between the two phases, i.e., [0001]α//[01¯1]β, (1¯100)α//(2¯11)β. An additional ∼0.5° rotation of the bcc lattice around [0001]α//[01¯1]β axis, as well as the α/β interface orientation, were both predicted by a moiré plane approach and observed experimentally.