Formation Of Icosahedral Quasicrystalline Phase Research Articles

Icosahedral Quasicrystal Layer Observed on λ Phase in Al-Cu-Fe Alloy

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.

Structural evolutions of the mechanically alloyed Al70Cu20Fe10 powders

Elemental mixtures of Al, Cu, Fe powders with the nominal composition of Al70Cu20Fe10 were mechanically alloyed in a planetary ball mill for 80 h. Subsequent annealing of the as-milled powders were performed at 600–800°C temperature range for 4 h. Structural characteristics of the mechanically alloyed Al70Cu20Fe10 powders with the milling time and the heat treatment were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and differential thermal analysis (DTA). Mechanical alloying of the Al70Cu20Fe10 did not result in the formation of icosahedral quasicrystalline phase (i-phase) and a long time milling resulted in the formation of β-Al(Cu,Fe) solid solution phase (β-phase). The i-phase was observed only for short-time milled powders after heat treatment above 600°C. The β-phase was one of the major phases in the Al70Cu20Fe10 alloy. The w-Al7Cu2Fe1 phase (w-phase) was obtained only after heat treatment of the short-time milled and unmilled samples. The present investigation indicated that a suitable technique to obtain a large amount of quasicrystalline powders is to use a combination of short-time milling and subsequent annealing.

Effects of Nb on the formation of icosahedral quasicrystalline phase in Ti-rich Ti–Zr–Ni–Cu–Be glassy forming alloys

As-cast (Ti40Zr25Ni8Cu9Be18)100−xNbx (0⩽x⩽5) (Ф3) glassy forming alloys were investigated in order to clarify the role of Nb on the formation of icosahedral quasicrystalline phase (I-phase) in Ti-rich Ti–Zr–Ni–Cu–Be glassy system. It is found that an I-phase is formed in Ti–Zr–Ni–Cu–Be glassy alloy by addition of Nb element; however, the nucleation rate of I-phase increases, whereas the grain growth rate decreases with increasing Nb content. Moreover, with increasing Nb content, the thermal stability against crystallization increases, while the temperature range of stability of the I-phase decreases.

Crystallographic orientations and interfaces of icosahedral quasicrystalline phase growing on cubic W phase in Mg–Zn–Y alloys

Formation of icosahedral quasicrystalline phase on the W cubic phase in α-Mg matrix has been studied in a Mg 97Zn 2.5Y 0.5 alloy. The orientation relationship of the W phase with the matrix is determined to be [0 0 1] W∥ [ 1 ¯ 0 0 ] Mg , (1 1 0) W∥(0 0 1) Mg, equivalent to Burgers orientation relationship. The icosahedral phase forms curved interfaces with the W phase, but planar interfaces on five-fold and two-fold planes with the matrix. The icosahedral phase shows its unique orientation relationship to the W phase, which results in two orientation relationships WOR1 and WOR2 with the matrix. WOR1 is a slight deviation of the orientation relation, OR1, of icosahedral phase precipitates in the matrix. In WOR2, one of the five-fold axes occur along the hexagonal axis. The resulting morphology and the interface structures are described here. It is shown that WOR1 and WOR2 are related to each other by twinning of the icosahedral phase.

Evidence of icosahedral short-range order in Zr70Cu30 and Zr70Cu29Pd1 metallic glasses

Change in local atomic environment during crystallization of Zr-based glassy alloys was studied by extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy. The formation of icosahedral quasicrystalline phase followed by crystallization of tetragonal CuZr2 has been observed in the Zr70Cu29Pd1 glassy alloy during annealing up to 850 K. On the other hand, the binary Zr70Cu30 alloy shows a single glassy to crystalline CuZr2 phase transformation. The local atomic environment of as-quenched Zr70Cu30 alloy is matched to an icosahedral local atomic configuration, which is similar to that of the as-quenched Zr70Cu29Pd1 alloy and the alloy annealed at 593 K containing icosahedral phase. Considering that the supercooled liquid region appears prior to crystallization in the Zr70Cu30 glassy alloy, the observed results support the theory claiming a strong correlation between the existence of local icosahedral short-range order and stability of the supercooled liquid state.

Icosahedral quasicrystalline phase formation in Zr–Al–Ni–Cu glassy alloys by the addition of V, Nb and Ta

The formation of an icosahedral quasicrystalline phase as a primary phase was found in Zr 65Al 7.5Ni 10Cu 12.5X 5 (X=V, Nb or Ta) glassy alloys. The icosahedral phase was precipitated during the first exothermic reaction in a two-stage crystallization process after a distinct glass transition. The diameters of the icosahedral particles are as small as 10–50 nm, similar to those found in Zr-based glassy alloys made with the addition of noble metals. Based on a Johnson–Mehl–Avrami analysis, we suggest that nano-quasicrystallization proceeds by a diffusion-controlled growth mode. The icosahedral phase in the Zr 65Al 7.5Ni 10Cu 17.5− x Ta x ( x=0–4) glassy alloys was formed at a Ta concentration of as little as 1 at.%, the primary crystallization phases were the fcc Zr 2Ni and icosahedral phases. For Ta concentrations above 3 at.%, a nearly single icosahedral phase was formed as the primary phase. The formation of a nano-scale icosahedral phase in Zr–Al–Ni–Cu glassy alloys with the addition of V, Nb or Ta, as well as noble metals, indicates that an increasing nucleation rate contributes to the precipitation of the icosahedral phase, leading to the concept that icosahedral short- or medium-range order exists in the glassy state of the Zr–Al–Ni–Cu alloy.

Effects of Nb addition on icosahedral quasicrystalline phase formation and glass-forming ability of Zr–Ni–Cu–Al metallic glasses

This work shows that the crystallization process of Zr–Ni–Cu–Al metallic glass is greatly influenced by adding Nb as an alloying element. Based on the results of the differential scanning calorimetry experiments for metallic glasses Zr69−xNbxNi10Cu12Al9 (x=0–15 at. %), the crystallization process takes place through two individual stages. For Zr69Ni10Cu12Al9 (x=0), metastable hexagonal ω-Zr and a small fraction of tetragonal Zr2Cu are precipitated upon completion of the first exothermic reaction. Contrary to this alloy, the precipitation of a nanoquasicrystalline phase is detected when 5–10 at. % Nb is added. Furthermore, the crystallization temperature Tx, supercooled liquid region ΔTx and reduced temperature Tg/TL (Tg is the glass transition temperature, TL the liquidus temperature) increase with increasing Nb content. These results indicate that adding Nb content to Zr–Ni–Cu–Al metallic glasses not only induces quasicrystalline phase formation, but also enhances glass-forming ability.

Precipitation of icosahedral quasicrystalline phase in Hf65Al7.5Ni10Cu12.5Pd5 metallic glass

An icosahedral quasicrystalline phase was found in a Hf65Al7.5Ni10Cu12.5Pd5 metallic glass annealed in the supercooled liquid region. Upon annealing at high temperature, the quasicrystalline phase was found to decompose to regular crystalline phases, indicating that it is a metastable phase. The present alloy was compared with the previously reported Zr- and Ti-based alloys with the formation of icosahedral quasicrystalline phases. Hf, Zr, and Ti belong to the same 4A column in the element periodical table. Based on the above comparison, conditions in terms of atomic radius and alloy composition which favor the formation of icosahedral quasicrystalline phase in 4A element based alloys, were suggested.

Formation of icosahedral quasicrystalline phase in Zr70Ni10M20(M=Pd, Au, Pt) ternary metallic glasses

An icosahedral quasicrystalline phase was confirmed as a primary precipitation phase in melt-spun Zr70Ni10M20 (M=Pd, Au and Pt) ternary metallic glasses with two-stage crystallization process. The onset temperature of the transformation from amorphous to icosahedral phase are 687 K for Pd, 754 K for Au and 783 K for Pt at a heating rate of 0.67 K s−1. The size of the icosahedral particles is in the range of 5–20 nm. The second crystallization reaction results in the formation of Zr2Ni+Zr2Pd and Zr2Ni+ZrPt phases in the Zr–Ni–Pd and Zr–Ni–Pt alloys, respectively, and Zr3Au phase in the Zr–Ni–Au alloy through a single exothermic reaction. The formation of nanoscale icosahedral phase indicates the possibility that icosahedral short-range order exists in the glassy state.

Formation of icosahedral quasicrystalline phase by successive deposition of Al and transition metal: the effects of oxide coverage of the host Al film surface

Formation of icosahedral quasicrystalline phase by successive deposition of Al and transition metal: the effects of oxide coverage of the host Al film surface