Investigation of Fabrication and Microstructure of the Fe<sub>3</sub>Al Intermetallics Compounds Bulks by Hot-Pressing Process

Abstract

The Fe3Al intermetallics compounds bulks were fabricated by hot-pressing process in this research. The Fe3Al intermetallics compounds powders were fabricated by mechanical alloying and heat treatment process. The phase composition and microstructure of the Fe3Al intermetallics compounds powders produced by mechanical alloying and heat treatment were investigated. The phase composition and microstructure of the Fe3Al intermetallics compounds bulks produced by hot-pressing process were investigated. The XRD patterns results showed that the Fe-Al intermetallics compounds powders were fabricated by mechanical alloying for 60h. Then the Fe3Al intermetallics compounds powders were fabricated by heat treatment at 800°C and 1000°C. The microstructure showed that the mean particles sizes of the Fe-Al intermetallics compounds powders produced by mechanical alloying decreased remarkably with the increase of milling time. The microstructure showed that the mean particles size of the Fe3Al intermetallics compounds powders produced by mechanical alloying for 60h and heat treatment was rather fine and about 4-5μm. The Fe3Al intermetallics compounds bulks were fabricated by hot-pressing process at 1100°C for 2h under the pressure of 35MPa. The XRD patterns results showed that there existed only Fe3Al intermetallics compounds phase in the sintered bulks. The Fe3Al intermetallics compounds bulks exhibited the homogenous and compact microstructure. The mean particles size of the Fe3Al intermetallics compounds was rather fine and about 2-3μm. The relative density of the Fe3Al intermetallics compounds sintered bulks was about 99.2%. So the Fe3Al intermetallics compounds bulks with the high relative density were fabricated by hot-pressing process.