Characterisation of an Al93Fe3Cr2Ti2 alloy obtained by spray forming

Al93Fe3Cr2Ti2 is a highly promising alloy due to its capacity to form quasicrystals. In the present work bulk Al93Fe3Cr2Ti2 obtained by spray forming is microstructurally characterised. A microstructure gradient is observed, in which the external layer consists of an α-Al matrix with Al3Ti precipitates and fine quasicrystals while the internal core presents intermetallics of the equilibrium phases Al13Cr2 + Al13Fe4, with intermediate stages between both areas. The hardness ranges from the 140 Hv of the external layer to the 90 Hv of the core. Spray forming can therefore produce nanoquasicrystalline Al93Fe3Cr2Ti2 which evolves towards equilibrium as the process proceeds, due to the heating produced by the deposition of successive layersThis work has formed part of a European Union funded Research Training Network Project entitled “Manufacture and Characterisation of Nanostructured Al alloys”. Contract HPRN-CT-2000-00038Peer reviewe