A novel approach to quantify nitrogen distribution in nanocrystalline- amorphous alloys

A method is introduced to estimate nitrogen partitioning in the structure of nanocrystalline-amorphous alloys, based on X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetry, and differential scanning calorimetery. The technique quantitatively determines the contribution of crystal interstitial sites, crystalline defects, and amorphous phase to nitrogen incorporation. Typically, the method shows that in Fe-18Cr-8Mn-2.5N alloy synthesized by mechanical alloying, about 4, 21 and 75 percent of nitrogen is distributed among the crystal interstitial sites, defects, and amorphous phase, respectively.