On the interaction between Mn, Sb and O during the annealing and selective oxidation of Fe-Mn-Sb alloys

The effect of Mn on the interfacial segregation of Sb for a series of cold-rolled Fe- (2–10) Mn-0.03Sb (at. pct) alloys was determined. Using Atom Probe Tomography (APT), it was found that increasing the substrate Mn content increased Sb segregation at both internal and external Mn-oxide/substrate interfaces, which in turn decreased the excess oxygen content at these interfaces. This is attributed to the reduction of Sb solubility in α-Fe with increasing Mn concentration and positive interactions between Sb and Mn. APT analysis revealed that the excess interfacial oxygen content decreased with increasing Sb segregated to the interfaces due to site competition between O and Sb.