Nb–silicide in situ composites have great potential for
high-temperature turbine applications. Nb–silicide composites
consist of a ductile Nb-based solid solution together with
high-strength silicides, such as Nb5Si3 and
Nb3Si. With the appropriate addition of alloying elements,
such as Ti, Hf, Cr, and Al, it is possible to achieve a promising
balance of room-temperature fracture toughness, high-temperature creep
performance, and oxidation resistance. In Nb–silicide composites
generated from metal-rich binary Nb-Si alloys, Nb3Si is
unstable and experiences eutectoid decomposition to Nb and
Nb5Si3. At high Ti concentrations,
Nb3Si is stabilized to room temperature, and the eutectoid
decomposition is suppressed. However, the effect of both Ti and Hf
additions in quaternary alloys has not been investigated previously.
The present article describes the discovery of a low-temperature
eutectoid phase transformation during which (Nb)3Si
decomposes into (Nb) and (Nb)5Si3, where the
(Nb)5Si3 possesses the hP16 crystal structure, as
opposed to the tI32 crystal structure observed in binary
Nb5Si3. The Ti and Hf concentrations were
adjusted over the ranges of 21 to 33 (at.%) and 7.5 to 33 (at.%) to
understand the effect of bulk composition on the phases present and the
eutectoid phase transformation.