Lamellar structure and nanomechanical properties of quasicrystalline Al-Cu-Fe alloys

Abstract

The kinetics of structural phase transformations in quasicrystal-forming Al-Cu-Fe alloys with compositions in the region of stability of the icosahedral (i) phase has been investigated. It has been shown that, depending on the development of metastable transformations i → pentagonal phases P1 and P2, a homogeneous lamellar structure (i + P1 + P2) or a polygrain i-phase is formed in the alloys. The P-h diagrams obtained upon nanoindentation, atomic force microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy of indentations have demonstrated signs of elasto-plastic deformation of the alloys with lamellar and polygrain icosahedral structures. It has been found that, in contrast to the polygrain icosahedral alloys with a normal size effect of nanoindentation, the alloys with a lamellar structure are characterized by a nonmonotonic dependence of the hardness (H) on the maximum load (P max) and exhibit the effect of strain hardening in the range of loads 50 mN ≤ P max < 500 mN. The strain hardening is considered as the result of resistance exerted by boundaries of the lamellar structure to the development of plastic deformation. © 2013 Pleiades Publishing, Ltd.