Atomic scale investigation of FCC→HCP reverse phase transformation in face-centered cubic zirconium

Mechanism of FCC→HCP reverse phase transformation in face-centered cubic zirconium(FCC-Zr)along with a concomitant 70.5°rotation ofα-Zr matrix were investigated in zircaloy-4(Zr-4)cladding tube by using transmission electron microscopy(TEM).Results showed that the interaction among a secondary phase particle(SPP)and three FCC-Zr grains resulted in the formation of cross stacking faults in SPP and exerted a drag force on minor axis of the adjacent FCC-Zr phase.Moreover,when the shear stress along[112]_(FCC-Zr)direction was large enough to initiate the emission of 1/6[112]Shockley partial dislocation on every other(111)_(FCC-Zr)close-packed plane,the stacking sequence would change from ABC ABCA to AB ABABA viz.(0001)planes of the daughter HCP phase.Thus,FCC→HCP reverse phase transformation in FCC-Zr was presented.