Thermal Stability and Mechanical Properties of Nanocrystalline L12 Al3Hf and (Al+12.5 at.%Zn)3Hf Prepared by MA and SPS
Thermal stability and mechanical properties of L12 Al3Hf and (Al+12.5 at.%Zn))3Hf synthesized by mechanical alloying(MA) and spark plasma sintering(SPS) were investigated. Nanocrystalline L12 phase was produced after MA for 8 and 10 hrs in Al3Hf and (Al+12.5 at.%Zn))3Hf powders, respectively. The grain sizes were reduced to about 10 nm in both systems after MA for 20 hrs. After SPS, L12 phase was maintained only in Zn added system. In (Al+12.5 at.%Zn))3Hf, L12 to D023 phase transformation was started at about 850°C and finished at about 1150°C Microhardness was decreased with increasing the annealing temperature while fracture toughness was increased due to the grain growth. Fracture toughness of (Al+12.5 at.%Zn))3Hf was greater than that of Al3Hf in all annealing temperatures. Fracture toughness of (Al+12.5 at.%Zn))3Hf after annealing at 1200°C was about 5.38 MPam1/2.