Determination of Size Distribution of Guinier-Preston Zones in Al-Ag Alloys by Small-Angle X-ray Scattering Method

Small-angle X-ray scattering method recognised to be very useful in the studies of structural problems of materials inhomogeneous in nanoscale. Studies by small-angle X-ray scattering on the Al-Ag alloys are presented. The size distributions of spherical Guinier-Preston zones were calculated using Vonk's and Glatter's methods. Small-angle X-ray scattering studies were performed on Al-5.0 at.%Ag alloy containing spherical Guinier-Preston zones in theη-state. For this alloy one can assume that scattering particles are of spherical shape, have uniform electron density and scatter independently. Moreover, the size distributions were calculated for Al-1.6 at.%Ag alloy containing Guinier-Preston zones in ε-state (scattering particles with not uniform electron density). Both, Vonk's and Glatter's, methods gave similar size distributions. Profiles of size distributions for Guinier-Preston zones inε-state are more complex in comparison to Guinier-Preston zones inη-state. It is connected with a complex structure of Guinier-Preston zones in ε-state. A modification of the structure model of Guinier-Preston zones inε-state is proposed.