Quasicrystalline Al93Fe3Cr2Ti2 alloys

Aluminium alloy powder having a nominal composition of Al93Fe3Cr2Ti2 (at%) has been prepared using gas atomisation. The atomised powder present a microstructure of an aluminium matrix reinforced with a spherical quasicrystalline icosahedral phase, in the range of nanometre in size. The powder was consolidated into bars using warm extrusion. The microstructure of the extruded bars retains the quasicrystalline microstructure and the bars present outstanding mechanical properties, i.e. proof stress of 280 MPa at 300 degrees C. Upon heating the microstructure evolves towards the equilibrium. The thermal evolution was investigated by means of x-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimeter, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. According to these observations a transformation in two steps is proposed. A first step consists in the decomposition of the supersaturated solid solution of the matrix and the quasicrystals, and a second step in the transformation of the quasicrystals into the equilibrium phases.