An analytical electron microscope study of the kinetics of the Equilibrium Segregation of Bismuth in Copper

The detection and quantification of the segregation of Bi to grain boundaries in Cu using Analytical Electron Microscopy is demonstrated and the effects of time and temperature are observed. The experimental data are compared with the theoretical prediction of McLean’s segregation isotherm. Special grain boundaries are also considered. The analysis shows that the detection of the variation of segregation with time and temperature as well as grain boundary characteristics is possible using analytical electron microscopy and that the quantification techniques used here agree well with theoretical calculations of the segregant levels.