The role of metastable LPSO building block clusters in phase transformations of an Mg-Y-Zn alloy

We present a systematic atomic scale analysis of the structural evolution of long-period-stacking-ordered (LPSO) structures in the (i) α-Mg matrix and in the (ii) interdendritic LPSO phase of an Mg₉₇Y₂Zn₁ (at. %) alloy annealed at 500°C, using high resolution high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM). Various types of metastable LPSO building block clusters have been observed in both regions. The thermodynamic phase stabilities computed by density-functional-theory calculations explain the diversity of the LPSO structures which are distinguished by their different arrangements of the Y/Zn enriched LPSO building blocks that have a local fcc stacking sequence on the close packed planes. A direct evidence of the transformation from 18R to 14H is presented. This finding suggests that LPSO structures can change their separation distance - quantified by the number of α-Mg layers between them - at a low energy penalty by generating the necessary Shockley partial dislocation on a specific glide plane. Based on our results the most probable transformation sequence of LPSO precipitate plates in the α-Mg matrix is: single building block → various metastable LPSO building block clusters → 14H, and the most probable transformation sequence in the interdendritic LPSO phase is: 18R→ various metastable LPSO building block clusters → 14H. The thermodynamically most stable structures in both the α-Mg matrix and the interdendritic LPSO phase are a mixture of 14H and α-Mg.