Preparation of quasicrystalline powdered Al-Cu-Fe alloys and related materials by mechanical activation

Author: S. D. Kaloshkin, V. V. Cherdyntsev, V. D. Danilov

Institute: State Technological University “Moscow Institute of Steel and Alloys”, Leninsky Ave. 4, Moscow, 119049, Russia; Institute of Mechanical Engineering of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 101990, Moscow, Maly Kharitonovsky lane, 4, Russia

Nowadays, materials with crystalline structures play an important role in many industries, including metallurgy, energy, electronics and others. However, there are also materials that harmoniously coexist with crystalline and amorphous states – these are quasicrystalline alloys. The dwarf world of their diversity and potential offers us unstoppable opportunities for research, development and application in various fields of science and technology.

Over the years, much attention has been paid to the production of quasicrystalline powdered Al-Cu-Fe alloys and their close relatives. Mechanical activation, a tool used by scientists and engineers, opens the door to a world of unique structures and properties of materials. This process, also known as mechanical alloying, involves mechanically acting on the elements of the alloy, usually in the form of ball mills or other types of equipment. This makes it possible to improve the mixing process and leads to the formation of characteristic structural components that determine the properties of the alloy.

Mechanical activation is a powerful tool for improving material properties such as hardness, strength, electrical conductivity and magnetic properties. It also allows the creation of unique microstructures and control of crystalline phases, which leads to a decrease in the density of the alloys and an improvement in their mechanical stability.

But not only the properties of materials are the goal of research. The ultimate goal is to create new metal alloys that combine superior properties with the ability to cost-effectively produce at an industrial level. The emergence and development of new powdered quasicrystalline Al-Cu-Fe alloys and related materials opens the door to a new era of functional materials, providing the ability to solve complex engineering problems in a more efficient and suitable way.