XPS STUDY OF ELECTRONIC-STRUCTURE CHANGE OF THE FE-CR SYSTEM AT TEMPERATURES BELOW THE BRITTLENESS THRESHOLD

A comparative X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) study of the electroni c structure change and chemical bond change of the 3d-metal-based allo ys at temperatures below the brittleness threshold has been carried ou t. It has been found that the redistribution of the interatomic bond t akes place in the transition metal alloys. When decreasing the tempera ture below the brittleness range, the bond covalent component prevails , in which Fe and Cr 3d-electrons take part. It has been shown that th e hybridization is affected by the Cr separation into layers. It is ch aracteristic that the changes of the Fe-Cr system chemical bond is rev ersible, i.e. on heating the system to room temperature, the hybridiza tion decreases. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.