title: Surface-directed spinodal decomposition on a macroscopic scale in a nitrogen and carbon alloyed steel.
abstract: Interactions with the macroscopic specimen surface can profoundly modify phase-separation processes. This has previously been observed in liquids and polymer films and is theoretically described by the theory of surface-directed spinodal decomposition (SDSD). Here we report first observations of SDSD in a metallic alloy on a macroscopic scale. The influence of the surface leads to the development of concentric domains extending over the whole 10 mm thick cylindrical steel specimen, due to long-range interactions via elastic stresses and long-range diffusion of the interstitial elements nitrogen and carbon.
authors.affiliation: Erich Schmid Institute of Materials Science, Austrian Academy of Sciences & University of Leoben, A-8700 Leoben, Austria. aichmayer@unileoben.ac.at
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Aichmayer
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fratzl
authors.forename: Sanjay
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Puri
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Saller