Identification of the second phases formed in VDM® alloy C-4

Abstract The electrochemical extraction of the second phase in the VDM® alloy C-4 alloy has been studied by transmission and scanning microscopy, as well as by X-ray phase analysis. It was found that annealing, which consists in heating up to 850 °C with further holding for 32 hours and cooling in a furnace, leads to the precipitation of a second phase in VDM® alloy C-4 alloy. It can lead to embrittlement and a general decrease in the corrosion resistance of the alloy. The precipitation of the anode deposit (the second phase in the samples of the VDM® alloy C-4 alloy after annealing) and its identification was carried out by the methods indicated above.