Structural characteristics of a mechanically alloyed Al–Fe powder composite

Abstract

The published data on the use of functional composite materials on the basis of Al–Fe intermetallic compounds are presented. Advantages of the solid-phase technology of aluminide production (mechanical alloying + thermal synthesis) when compared to the liquid-phase technology, namely, lower energy consumption and better control over the structure and phase composition of the material, are noted. The distribution of Al and Fe in the powder composite is determined using metallographic methods. It is shown that the use of the fraction of Al powder of 60–80 μm and the fraction of Fe powder of 20–40 μm is reasonable for production of composite materials with a more uniform distribution of the Fe component. It follows from the results of microhardness measurements that significant strain hardening of Al and Fe particles occurs during mechanical alloying.