Synthesis of Zr-Zn alloys from elemental powders by severe plastic deformation under pressure

Highlights: • Zr–Zn alloys prepared from elemental powders by severe plastic deformation at a pressure. • The structure of the synthesized alloys depends on both the zinc content and the plastic deformation degree and pressure. • High pressure torsion at a pressure of 8 GPa results in intensive α → ω transformation in all the alloys. • An amorphous structure forms in alloys with 40 and 50 at % zinc. -- Abstract: Zr–Zn alloys with a zinc content to 50 at.% have been prepared from elemental powders by severe plastic deformation under pressure. Synthesized alloys have been studied by X-ray diffraction analysis and transmission electron microscopy. The study suggests that both the plastic deformation degree and the zinc content are responsible for the grain size. High pressure torsion at a pressure of 8 GPa results in intensive α → ω transformation in all the alloys. It forms an amorphous structure in alloys with 40 and 50 at.% zinc. Aging of a Zr–20 at.% Zn alloy at 500 °C for 15 min causes transformation of an ω phase into a zinc supersaturated α phase, which subsequently decomposes to an equilibrium α phase and a ZrZn intermetallic compound.