The Mechanical Properties of FeAl

Abstract

ABSTRACTIn the last few years, considerable progress been made in obtaining reproducible mechanical properties data for binary FeAl alloys. Two sets of observations are the foundation of this progress. The first is that the large equilibrium vacancy concentrations that exist in FeAl at high temperature are easily retained during cooling, and that these strongly affect the low-temperature mechanical properties. The second is that room-temperature ductility is adversely affected by water vapor. The purpose of this paper is to highlight our understanding of key phenomena and to show how an understanding of the factors which control the yield strength and fracture behavior has followed from the discovery of the above two effects.