Nitrogen solubility and aluminum nitride precipitation in liquid iron alloys containing nickel and aluminum

The solubility of nitrogen in liquid iron-base Fe-Ni-Al alloys has been measured up to the solubility limit for formation of aluminum nitride using the Sieverts’ method. Measurements were conducted over the temperature range from 1843 to 2023 K and aluminum concentration range from 1.5 to 3.0 wt pct Al. The effect of nickel additions was determined at 2, 5 and 10 wt pct Ni. The cross interaction parameter describing the effect of nickel and aluminum on the activity coefficient of nitrogen in iron was determined. The first and second order effects of nickel on the activity coefficient of aluminum also were determined. The solubility product of aluminum nitride increases with increasing aluminum content and increasing temperature. Addition of nickel decreases the solubility products of aluminum nitride in lower aluminum content alloys. However, the effect of the cross interaction terme _Al ^NiAl becomes significant with increasing aluminum content and compensates for the effects of the first and second order nickel-nitrogen and nickelaluminum interaction terms. Therefore the effect of nickel additions show little effect on the solubility products of aluminum nitride in higher aluminum alloys.