Coexistence of decagonal and icosahedral phases in Al4Mn alloy

Abstract

Electron diffraction patterns obtained from coexisting decagonal and icosahedral phases in Al4Mn have confirmed that the decagonal phase is related to the icosahedral phase by a set of mirror planes intersecting a fivefold axis. The tenfold axis is shortened by about 5.1%. The misfit between the tenfold and fivefold axis is accommodated by discommensurations across the grain boundary between the decagonal and icosahedral phases. The idea that the diffuse streaking is due to the packing of rods has been supported by high-resolution electron microscopy.