Abstract
Icosahedral quasicrystals display irregular shape if it is embedded in bulk material. If it has free surface, it has well-defined facets, reflecting its unique 5-, 3-, and 2-fold rotational symmetries. In this study, an Al-Cu-Fe alloy with nominal composition of Al65Cu20Fe15 was prepared by arc melting and the microstructure was studied by using Scanning Electron Microscope, Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy, and Electron Back Scattering Diffraction (EBSD). On the surface of λ crystalline phase, an extra layer is found. EBSD from this layer revealed 5-, 3-, and 2-fold rotational symmetries, demonstrating the icosahedral quasicrystalline structure. Further, it has been found that the icosahedral quasicrystalline extra layer and the λ substrate have orientation relationship revealed by the coincidences of Kikuchi bands and poles on the EBSD patterns. This report is important to future studies regarding the formation of icosahedral quasicrystalline phase and thin film preparation related to icosahedral quasicrystalline phase.
Highlights
Stable icosahedral quasicrystals (IQC) were discovered in an Al-Cu-Fe alloy by Tsai et al in 1987 [1]
An Al-Cu-Fe alloy with nominal composition of Al65Cu20Fe15 was prepared by arc melting and the microstructure was studied by using Scanning Electron Microscope, Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy, and Electron Back Scattering Diffraction (EBSD)
The surface of column-shaped λ phase was found to be covered with IQC extra layer
Summary
Stable icosahedral quasicrystals (IQC) were discovered in an Al-Cu-Fe alloy by Tsai et al in 1987 [1]. This particular Al-Cu-Fe alloy has several advantages such as low cost for mass production and it can be prepared relatively by arc melting. In 1993, Balzuweit et al conducted a study investigating various phases of Al-Cu-Fe alloy prepared by arc-melting [2] They reported a λ2 phase with column-shaped morphology. This phase is called λ phase in later reports and the present paper. It has monoclinic crystal structure [2] [3] with unit cell dimen-
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