A series of Nb-Al-V alloys containing 20–40 at. % V and 10–25 at. % Al have been investigated. The phase distributions in the alloys indicate that Al promotes the formation of the A15 phase whilst V stabilises a B2 phase. Room temperature compression testing revealed that the B2 is inherently ductile such that for the alloys with less than 40% by volume of the A15 phase, strains of over 50% were obtained easily. The 2% offset yield stresses of these alloys did not vary significantly with composition, being 1.2±0.1GPa in each case. TEM studies were used to show that the deformation in the B2 phase occurs predominantly by the glide of screw-type super-partial dislocations with b=l/2<111> on {110} and {112}. In some alloys this dislocation activity was preceded by the formation of pseudo-twins, via a martensitic shear transformation.

Intermetallic compounds with the AB2 stoichiometry can exist with the C14, C15 or C36 structures, otherwise called Laves phases. In the past, single-phase Laves compounds, particularly Mg-containing binary compounds, have been examined to obtain an understanding of the dislocation structures as well as their mobility; alternately, effort has also been expended in examining the polytypic transformations that occur in such Laves phases. More recently however, Laves phases and polyphase alloys containing the Laves phase have been examined with the intent of developing structural alloys for elevated temperature applications. Specifically, alloys based on the Cr-Group IV(Ti, Zr, Hf) and Group V (Nb, Ta) elements as well as the ternary V-Hf-Nb system have been the focus of several investigations. Physical and mechanical properties have been measured, and microstructure has been characterized as a function of heat treatment. Deformation modes have been re-examined in detail. New ideas based on synchroshear have been put forth to explain the polytypic transformations that occur in these systems, and have been extended to also explain twinning and slip. Earlier observations are first summarized and then these recent advances are reviewed and the potential for these materials is assessed.

The elastic properties, phase stability, and alloying behavior of NbCr2 and HfV2 C15 Laves phases have been investigated with a combined experimental and theoretical approach. Experimental results indicate that HfV2 has anomalous elastic properties as well as a structural instability, but NbCr2 does not. In addition, ternary phase fields of NbCr2 with V and HfV2 with Nb were examined experimentally, and they have substantially different alloying behavior. In order to understand these experimental phenomena, the total energy and electronic structure of C15 NbCr2 and HfV2 were calculated using the linear muffin-tin orbital method with the atomic sphere approximation. Calculation results suggest that the phase instability of HfV2 is induced by phonon softening, and the anomalous elastic properties of HfV2 appear to be attributed to a doubly degenerate electronic energy level with a linear dispersion relation very close to the Fermi level. Finally, density of states plots indicate that for HfV2, some bonding d-states are unoccupied while for NbCr2, all bonding and some anti-bonding d-states are occupied. The bonding difference may be responsible for the alloying behavior in the two Laves phase alloys. As a result, alloy design schemes are suggested for enhanced deformability in Laves phases.

Systematic studies of alloys based on TiCr2 have been performed in order to improve the toughness of Laves phase intermetallics. The extent to which alloy compositions and annealing treatments influence the toughness was quantified by Vickers indentation. The single-phase Laves behavior was first established by studying stoichiometric and nonstoichiometric TiCr2. Next, alloying effects were investigated with ternary Laves phases based on TiCr2. Different microstructures of two-phase alloys consisting of (Ti,Cr)-bcc+TiCr2 were also examined. Various toughening theories based on vacancies, site-substitutions, crystal structure (C14, C36, or C15) stabilization, and the presence of a second phase were evaluated. The most effective factors improving the toughness of TiCr2 were determined, and toughening mechanisms are suggested.

Ir- and Rh-base refractory superalloys with an fee and Lb two phase structure similar to Ni-base superalloys, yet with considerably higher melting temperatures have been proposed. Fee and Ll2 two phases were observed in these alloys by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray powder diffractometry. The compression tests of these alloys showed that the strengths of several alloys were about 200 MPa at 1800 °C and these alloys have potential to become ultra-high temperature materials for use in power engineering field.

Constant-velocity and constant-load compression tests have been conducted to examine the mechanical behavior of polycrystalline IrAl and Ir1-xNixAl at ambient and elevated temperatures. Although IrAl exhibits brittle fracture before or immediately after yielding below 1073K, steady-state deformation takes place at temperatures higher than 1273K. Ductility of Ir1-xNixAl is improved with increasing x. On the contrary, strength decreases with increasing x. IrAl exhibits the 0.2% flow stress of 1200MPa at 1073K and 350MPa at 1473K, about an order of magnitude higher than NiAl. Secondary creep of IrAl and Ir0.2Ni0.8Al(i.e., modified NiAl) exhibits class II and class I behavior respectively. Creep strength of binary IrAl and modified NiAl with Ir is about a magnitude of 4 higher than that of single-phase and multi-phase NiAl at a given applied stress.

This paper examines microstructure-property relationships in high-temperature directionally solidified (DS) in-situ composites based on Nb silicides, such as Nb3Si and Nb5Si3. These in-situ composites are based on the Nb3Si-Nb binary eutectic, and are alloyed with Ti. They were prepared using cold crucible Czochralski crystal growth. Ternary Nb-Ti-Si alloys with Ti concentrations from 9 to 45%, and Si concentrations from 10 to 25%, were directionally solidified to generate aligned two- and three-phase composites containing a Nb solid solution with Nb3Si and Nb5Si3 silicides. Fracture toughness values generally greater than 10 MPa√m were measured in these composites. For a given Si concentration, the fracture toughness of the Ti-containing composites was increased ∼ 6 MPa√m over that of the binary alloy composites. The effects of Si concentration, and a range of Nb:Ti ratios, on microstructure, phase equilibria, and fracture toughness were examined.

Two molybdenum-modified chromium suicide base intermetallics have been prepared by powder metallurgy and investigated with respect to the hardness, flexural strength and fracture toughness at different temperatures. As toughening phase, tungsten, Pt-6%Rh and Saphikon fibres were tried to improve the toughness of these two intermetallics. The tungsten fibers generated microcracks in the base material due to the large mismatch in the coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE) between the fiber and the intermetallic. The Pt-6%Rh and Saphikon fibers did not exhibit such cracking.

An improvement in the fracture toughness was observed especially at elevated temperatures. The Saphikon fibers did not show interfacial reaction. Some limited diffusion of silicon was detected in the Pt-6%Rh phase after 1400°C treatment.

Reactive infiltration processing was investigated in the NiAl system using nickel-powder and nickel-wire preforms. Inhomogeneous microstructures were often obtained with powder preforms which had high surface-to-volume ratio, low permeability and irregular infiltration paths. Homogenous NiAl could be obtained with nickel-wire preforms which had lower surface-to-volume ratio, higher permeability and regular infiltration paths. NiAl composites reinforced with short molybdenum fibers and long tungsten and sapphire fibers were also fabricated by reactive infiltration.

Low ductility of the reinforcing bcc metal phase at room temperature and weak interfaces can limit the intrinsic toughness and ductility of NiAl-bcc metal eutectic composites. The potential of rhenium (Re) addition, which is known to solid solution soften and lower the ductile-to-brittle transition temperature of various bcc metals, to enhance the ductility and toughness of a directionally solidified NiAl-9 at.% Mo eutectic alloy was investigated. Re partitioned to the bcc metal phase and formed a substitutional solid solution. The interface morphology was changed from a faceted to a non-faceted one. Re alloying caused softening of the Mo fibers, and as a result NiAl-Mo(Re) alloys were softer in compression and flexure and had ∼20% higher fracture toughness values as compared to the transverse orientation toughness of NiAl-9Mo alloy. The toughness of the NiAl-Mo(Re) alloys was lower man the longitudinal orientation toughness of the NiAl-9Mo alloy due to the poor alignment of the Mo(Re) phase with the growth direction. The toughening mechanisms have been evaluated and schemes for processing NiAl-Mo(Re) alloys for higher toughness in the longitudinal orientation are suggested. The role of the residual interstitial impurities and partitioning of Ni and Al to Mo fibers on the mechanical properties are highlighted.

FeAl and Ni3Al matrix composites containing various fine particles were fabricated successfully by reactive hot-pressing. The strength and the fracture toughness of these composites at ambient temperatures were evaluated. The addition of β-SiC particles was effective for strengthening of the Fe-40at%Al matrix, however, an extreme decrease of fracture toughness occurred due to the suppression of stress relaxation effect by plastic deformation at a crack tip. The fracture toughness of the reactively hot pressed Fe-40at%Al and its composites was also affected by the environmental embrittlement effect. TiB2 and ZrB2 particles in the Fe-40at%Al matrix composites were clarified to play a role in the reduction of the environmental effect. For the Ni-25at%Al matrix, higher flexural strength was achieved by the addition of TiB2, TiC and TiN particles. TiB2 particles reacted with the matrix during hot-pressing. The Ni-25at%Al/TiB2 composite had a fracture strength of 1.5 GPa in spite of large grain size of the matrix. TiC and TiN were the best choices as effective reinforcing matrials for the Ni3Al matrix among the chemical compatible ones.

A reactive powder-processing technique involving controlled exothermic solid-state reactions between Al and oxides has been used to produce nearly fully dense composites with interpenetrating networks of aluminides and Al2O3. The process consists of the in situ formation of aluminides and Al2O3 from compacts of intensively milled oxide-Al powder mixtures followed by pressureless sintering. The reactions take place usually at temperatures below the melting point of Al. At temperatures >1000°C, the reaction products start to sinter yielding microstructures with very fine and uniform phase distribution. The present paper discuses processing parameters such as attrition milling, heating cycle and atmosphere controlling microstructural development and mechanical properties of Al2O3 composites containing Fe, Nb and Zr aluminides.

The microstructure of an oxide dispersion strengthened FeAl (Zr,B) alloy, manufactured by mechanical alloying then extrusion, has been examined by HREM. Y2O3 is dispersed throughout the FeAl matrix as particles, ranging in size from 5nm upwards, which are effective in pinning the bulk dislocations. Although in the main the observed oxide particles are irregular in morphology, a significant minority of particles exhibit faceted surfaces. In particular, the facets of the Y2O3 particles are observed to coincide with {100}B2, {110}B2 and {112}B2 planes of the surrounding bulk FeAl matrix. In addition, HREM imaging reveals uncoupled 1/2<111>FeAl superpartial dislocations lying a few nanometres from some of the FeAl - Y2O3 interfaces.