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ABSTRACT
The possibility of bonding between two layers of a bifilm defect submerged in a Zn4Al liquid alloy is studied by maintaining two bars in contact with each other and the atmosphere trapped between them in a furnace for different times up to 48 h. The oxide layers on the bases of the bars were then studied by SEM, EDS, and XRD. The oxide layers on the bars' bases were identified as ZnAl2O4. This phase transformed to ZnO when the concentration of Al in the vicinity of the oxide layers decreased dramatically. This transformation was reversible, and ZnO changed back to ZnAl2O4 when an adequate Al concentration was provided near the layers. However, it is shown that these transformations, and hence the healing of bifilm defects, are improbable to occur in actual bifilm defects submerged in Zn4Al melt.
Disclosure statement
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