Effect of Mo doping on the microstructure and properties of an Fe36Ni Invar alloy

The effects of doping with different Mo contents on the microstructure and properties of Fe36Ni Invar alloys were investigated. The results show that when 0.9 wt.% Mo and 1.8 wt.% Mo were added to Fe36Ni, the tensile strengths of the hot rolled alloys were 46 and 61 MPa higher than that of the 0 wt.% Mo sample, respectively. With an increase in Mo content from 0.9 to 1.8 wt.%, the solution temperature of the highest hardness after heat treatment increased from 800[Formula: see text]C to 850[Formula: see text]C, respectively. The addition of 0.9 wt.% Mo refined the average grain size from 37 to 15 [Formula: see text]m, and an excessive amount of Mo (1.8 wt.%) did not refine the grains further. After Mo was added, the precipitates on the original grain boundaries changed into nanoprecipitates dispersed in the grain boundaries and inside the grains. Mo was present in the alloy in the form of a carbide and in solid solution, which affected the magnetic lattice effect and increased the thermal expansion coefficient of the alloy. However, upon comparing the samples doped with 0 wt.% Mo, 0.9 wt.% Mo and 1.8 wt.% Mo, it was found that the addition of 0.9 wt.% Mo not only refined the grain size and improved the mechanical properties of the alloy but also led to a low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) over the range from 20[Formula: see text]C to 300[Formula: see text]C.