STUDY OF FACTORS INFLUENCING DUCTILITY OF IRON-ALUMINUM ALLOYS. Monthly Letter Report No. 1, June 1, 1961-November 30, 1961

Studies are being made on the effects of variation of aluminum content, heat treatment, surface preparation, and other metallurgical factors on the room temperature ductility of Al-- Fe alloys. The variation of Fe/sub 3/Al order as a function of temperature for 13.9 Alfenol was redetermined under constant instrumental conditions. The variation of the electrical resistivity of the three alloys under consideration with temperature on slow cooling is illustrated. An anomaly in the disordering process near the Fe/sub 3/Al -- FeAl transformation temperature was manifested in the stoichiometric Fe/sub 3/Al alloy. Above a temperature of 490 deg C there was a rapid decrease in the integrated intensity of the (210) FeAl superlattice reflection. The best ductilities obtained corresponded to heat treatments involving slow cooling to produce a high degree of Fe/sub 3/Al order and subsequent annealing of the ordered material for short periods of time near the Fe/sub 3/Al -- FeAl transformation temperature. (M.C.G.