Grain-boundary structure and segregation behavior in a nickel-base stainless alloy

Atom-probe tomography (APT) is utilized to obtain three-dimensional chemical information concerning grain boundary (GB) segregation in a Ni–Cr–Fe alloy 600 with atomic spatial resolution. Detailed crystallography of GBs is determined using an approach that combines electron backscatter diffraction and focused ion-beam microscopy to establish a GB’s five macroscopic degrees of freedom, followed by an APT GB composition analysis. Characterizations of GB microstructure and microchemistry are performed to improve our understanding of mechanisms controlling intergranular attack and stress-corrosion cracking.