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Aluminothermic reduction without the separation of individual metals is currently considered as a possible method for processing ferromanganese sea nodules and creating new alloys. In this study, the product of their reduction—a manganese-based polymetallic mixture—was added to pure aluminum, as a mixture of alloying elements in their natural ratios. After extrusion, two new aluminum alloys with a total percentage of metallic additives ranging from 1 to 6 percent were prepared. The possibilities of the precipitation strengthening of these aluminum alloys, especially those containing Mn, Fe, Si, Ni, and Cu, were investigated under a wide range of heat treatment conditions. After each tested combination of annealing and artificial aging temperatures, the phase composition and the microstructure changes were recorded by X-ray diffraction, optical, and scanning electron microscopy with EDS analysis. Under none of the tested heat treatment conditions is a significant hardening effect observed, even though the precipitate phases are observed by TEM. However, the changes in the morphology of the present intermetallic phases caused by the heat treatment are revealed, which highlights the further possible development of these multicomponent alloys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ti–Al–Si alloys are prospective material for high-temperature applications. Due to low density, good mechanical properties, and oxidation resistance, these intermetallic alloys can be used in the aerospace and automobile industries. Ti–Al–Si alloys were prepared by powder metallurgy using reactive sintering, milling, and spark plasma sintering. One of the novel SPS techniques is high-pressure spark plasma sintering (HP SPS), which was tested in this work and applied to a Ti–10Al–20Si intermetallic alloy using a pressure of 6 GPa and temperatures ranging from 1318 K (1045 °C) to 1597 K (1324 °C). The low-porosity consolidated samples consist of Ti5Si3 silicides in an aluminide (TiAl) matrix. The hardness varied between 720 and 892 HV 5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the formation of intermetallics in Ni–Ti system by reactive sintering at 500 and 650 °C was studied. Mechanism and kinetics of the reactions leading to Ni–Ti phases were determined by DTA and the application of an experimental model consisted of nickel-plated titanium. It was found that Ti 2 Ni phase forms already at 500 °C. At 650 °C this phase undergoes a reaction with nickel to NiTi and Ni 3 Ti. The reactions were determined to be diffusion-controlled. The formation of Ni 3 Ti contributes to the porosity evolution during reactive sintering production of NiTi alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) was previously proposed as alternative preparation route for Fe–Al intermetallics. However, this process was not optimized and the mechanism and kinetics of the phases'' formation was not fully clarified up to current days. In this work, in situ high energy X-ray diffraction analysis was carried out during the SHS process and the mechanism of the intermetallic'' formation in FeAl25 powder mixture was described during rapid heating and isothermal annealing at 800 °C as well as during a slower continuous heating to 900 °C. During slower heating, the formation of Fe2Al5 and FeAl2 intermetallics starts below the melting point of aluminium. When the heating rate is high, intermetallics are created after melting of aluminium. During long-term annealing, all of the phases can be transformed to FeAl phase when fine powders were applied. Detailed mechanism is proposed in this paper and kinetics of the intermetallics'' formation is described. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this work, the dependence of microstructure of Fe–Al–Si alloy on conditions of reactive sintering was studied. It was shown that heating rate strongly affects the structure of this alloy. The microstructure consisting of uniformly distributed Al2Fe3Si3 particles in Al2FeSi matrix can only be obtained in this material by rapid heating (over 300Kmin−1). Sufficient reactive sintering temperature to obtain Al2Fe3Si3–Al2FeSi two-phase structure is 750°C. Further increase of the reaction temperature reduces porosity but causes a growth of Al2Fe3Si3 particles. Reactive sintering process is completed during less than 10min in the investigated material. Temperatures over 1050°C produce material composed of FeSi, FeAl and Al2Fe3Si3 phases. However, strongly exothermal reaction of FeSi formation causes melting of the sample. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Intermetallic compounds based on Ti-Al- (Si) are attractive materials with good thermal stability and low density. However, the production of these materials is quite complicated. Partially modified conventional methods of melting metallurgy are most often used due to availability, possible high productivity, and relatively low production costs. Therefore, some technologies for the production of intermetallics based on Ti-Al are currently available, but with certain disadvantages, which are caused by poor casting properties or extreme reactivity of the melt with crucibles. Some shortcomings can be eliminated by modifying the melting technology, which contributes to increasing the cost of the process. The work deals with the preparation of Ti-Al-Si intermetallic compounds with different contents of aluminum and silicon, which were produced by centrifugal casting in an induction vacuum furnace Linn Supercast-Titan. This process could contribute to the commercial use of these alloys in the future. For this research, the TiAl15Si15(in wt.%) alloy was selected, which represents a balanced ratio of aluminides and silicides in its structure, and the TiAl35Si5 alloy, which due to the lower silicon content allows better melting conditions, especially with regard to the melting temperature. This alloy was also investigated after HIP ("Hot Isostatic Pressing") treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Rapidly solidified aluminum alloys are promising materials with very fine microstructure. The microscopy observation of these materials is complicated due to overlay of fcc-Al matrix and different intermetallic phases. A possible way to solve this problem is to dissolve the Al matrix. By this process powder formed by single intermetallic phase particles is obtained. In this paper a new aqueous based dissolving agent for Al-based alloy is presented. The influence of oxidation agent (FeCl3) concentration on quality of extraction process was studied. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Only differential thermal analysis at low heating rates or mathematical modelling have been used to determine Fe–Al phase formation reactions up to this day. In this work, Self-propagating High-temperature Synthesis high-speed reaction was analysed during extremely high heating rates using scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction in this work. Samples, whose chemical composition corresponded to FeAl phase, were sintered at heating rate of 300 °C/min, the highest heating rate applied so far. The course of heating was observed by optical pyrometer with sampling rate of 0.02 s. Pre-combustion peak (diffusion stage) was identified in the alloy prior steep combustion peak corresponding to SHS reaction itself. Accordingly to the temperature development, a FeAl phase formed initially allowing to react with aluminium and forming Fe 2 Al 5 phase. Furthermore, the later mentioned phase partially reacted with aluminium resulting in a presence of metastable FeAl 3 phase. Resulted microstructure was composed of only FeAl phase. This is completely reverse order of phase formation as was presented in previous studies focusing on lower heating rates where Fe 2 Al 5 formed first during diffusion stage followed by the formation of FeAl at SHS reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study is devoted to the intermetallic alloy FeAl20Si20 (wt.%) with the potential applications in high temperature aggressive environments. The samples of the same chemical composition were prepared by spark plasma sintering from the different mechanically alloyed powders (pure elements and pre-alloyed powders). Differences in mechanical properties were characterized. Whereas no significant differences were found in hardness and Young's modulus, fracture resistance was higher for the samples from pre-alloyed powders in which Palmqvist and lateral cracks were observed (contrary to the sample made of pure elements where only Palmqvist cracks were identified). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reactive sintering is currently considered as a promising production route for titanium aluminides in many research works. However, the published descriptions of the reaction mechanism are contradictory or lacking, especially at the temperatures below the melting point of aluminium. This work aims to fill this gap, providing the description of the reactive sintering process at the temperatures between 400 and 900 °C. The phases' formation sequence and reaction kinetics were studied and explained using experimental model (Ti/Al diffusion couple) and real reactively sintered samples of equiatomic Ti-Al compressed powder blend. Moreover, phase formation was thermodynamically assessed. It was revealed that Ti 2 Al 5 phase formed preferentially. This phase has not been reported previously as a starting phase in reactive sintering. According to results obtained by experimental model, its formation is controlled by diffusion at 700 °C. This phase reacted with aluminium forming pure TiAl 3 phase or with titanium, resulting in TiAl phase. Subsequently, TiAl phase reacted with titanium, leading to the Ti 3 Al phase, or with already present Ti 2 Al 5 phase yielding TiAl 2 intermetallic compound. Titanium-rich Ti 3 Al phase could form only at the temperature of 600 °C or above. Image 10885 • Phase formation is controlled by diffusion. • Ti 2 Al 5 phase forms preferentially. • Ti reacts above 600 °C, Al starts to react under its melting point. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work aims to describe the formation of intermetallics in the Ni-Ti-Al system in dependence on the heating rate, which has been determined previously as the crucial factor of thermal explosion self-propagating synthesis (TE-SHS). The tested alloys contained 1–7 wt % aluminum. Thermal analysis has been realized by the optical pyrometer under the conditions of high heating rates up to 110 °C·min−1. TE-SHS process in Ni-Ti-Al system is initiated by exothermic reaction of nickel aluminides Ni2Al3 and NiAl3 at the temperature of 535–610 °C. The next reactions occur in dependence on the heating rate. Samples containing 1–3 wt % of aluminum exhibit the similar initiation temperature as Ni-Ti binary mixture. The samples containing 5 wt % and more of aluminum were fully reacted after sintering at 800 °C with the heating rate of 300 °C·min−1 and the initiation temperature of the TE-SHS was observed close to Al-Al3Ni eutectic temperature (between 630–640 °C). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]