Quasicrystals, materials with an ordered but non-periodic structure, attract attention due to their unique physical and chemical properties. The production of nanoquasicrystal structures, in particular, opens up prospects for the development of new materials with improved characteristics.
In this paper, a simple and efficient method for synthesizing nanoquasicrystals in the AlCuFeB quaternary alloy system via short-term high-energy milling is presented. This method avoids labor-intensive processes such as zone melting or long-term annealing, which are usually required for growing quasicrystals.
Discovered by Daniel Shechtman in 1984, quasicrystals have been the subject of intense research aimed at understanding their complex structure and unique physical properties. Their quasi-periodic atomic order has placed them in a distinct category of solids, distinct from crystalline and amorphous materials. Quasicrystal-based alloys exhibit non-crystallographic rotational symmetries, such as quintuple, octuple, and tenfold axes, which are not found in ordinary crystals.
Due to the unusual combination of excellent physical and mechanical properties, quasicrystal-based alloys find application in various fields. These properties include high strength, hardness, resistance to corrosion and wear, low adhesion, low thermal and electrical conductivity, and outstanding optical characteristics.
In this paper, we investigate the synthesis, structural evolution, microstructure, thermal stability, microhardness, and electrical and optical properties of nanoquasicrystal Al59Cu25.5Fe12.5B3 alloy, which is promising as a selective absorber of solar radiation. Various modern methods for the synthesis of nanostructured quasicrystals are considered, including laser ablation, sol-gel method, electrodeposition, mechanical alloying, and hydrothermal methods.
The structural and microstructural changes of AlCuFeB powders obtained by mechanical alloying were studied using X-ray diffractometry and scanning electron microscopy. The thermal stability of AlCuFeB powders was determined using differential thermal analysis.
It is shown that nanocrystalline quasicrystalline phases are formed after only a short milling of the AlCuFeB powder mixture. The structural characteristics of the obtained materials are studied using X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy, confirming the formation of a nanoquasicrystalline structure.
The proposed short-term milling method is a promising approach to the synthesis of nanoquasicrystals in various alloy systems, opening up opportunities for the study and application of these unique materials.
Author:Meysam Amini, Mohammad Reza Rahimipour, Seyed Ali Tayebifard, Yahya Palizdar
Institute: Department of Ceramics, Materials and Energy Research Center, Karaj, Iran, Semiconductor Department, Materials and Energy Research Center, Karaj, Iran, Department of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Materials and Energy Research Center, Karaj, Iran