Transmission electron microscopy study on the phase transformation of metastable precipitates to stable phases.

Nanosized precipitates play a critical role in increasing the strength of metallic alloys. There are many reports that the initial precipitates are metastable phases holding a different composition and crystal structure from the equilibrium precipitate. The metastable precipitate transforms to its stable phase during heat treatment. A transmission electron microscope enables researchers to study the phase transition of metastable precipitates to stable phases due to its fine resolution in identifying crystal structures and chemical compositions. This review introduces the various phase transformation mechanisms of metastable precipitates to stable phases obtained from the analysis using a transmission electron microscope. The role of dislocation movement in the phase transition is further discussed.