High-resolution chemical analysis by STEM-EELS of nanosized oxide particles in a mechanically-alloyed FeCrAl intermetallic

•High-resolution chemical analysis of oxide particles was performed using STEM-EELS.•Oxide particles contain Y and O but essentially no elements from the Fe–Cr–Al matrix.•The matrix immediately outside the particles appears to be depleted in Fe.•Diffusion of Y during particle growth possibly transports vacancies to the interface.

The chemical composition of nanosized oxides has been analysed in a mechanically-alloyed (MA) iron–chromium–aluminium intermetallic containing yttria additions using an aberration-corrected, high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM). The oxide particles are seen to contain yttrium and oxygen only, but very little of the matrix metallic elements, while the matrix in the immediate vicinity shows a very low iron content. Possible reasons for the change of matrix composition outside the particle-matrix interface are discussed.