Fabrication and characterization of nanocrystalline Al/Al₁₂(Fe,V)₃Si alloys by consolidation of mechanically alloyed powders

The aim of this study was to produce bulk nanocrystalline Al/Al₁₂(Fe,V)₃Si alloys by mechanical alloying (MA) and subsequent hot pressing (HP) of elemental powders. A nanostructured Al-based solid solution was formed by MA of elemental powders for 60 h. After HP of the as-milled powders at 550°C for 20 min, the Al₁₂(Fe,V)₃Si phase was precipitated in a nanocrystalline Al matrix. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of the bulk samples represented a homogeneous and uniform microstructure that was superior to those previously obtained by rapid solidification-powder metallurgy (RS-PM). Nanostructured Al-8.5Fe-1.3V-1.7Si and Al-11.6Fe-1.3V-2.3Si alloys exhibited high HV hardness values of ∼205 and ∼254, respectively, which are significantly higher than those reported for the RS-PM counterparts.