Crystallization Kinetics and Consolidation of Al82La10Fe4Ni4 Glassy Alloy Powder by Spark Plasma Sintering

Abstract

The mechanically alloyed Al82La10Ni4Fe4 glassy powder displays a two-step devitrification characterized by the precipitation of fcc-Al together with small amounts of the intermetallic Al11La3 phase in the first crystallization. The interface-controlled growth mechanism governed the first crystallization event. Calculations of the activation energy, using the methods of Kissinger, Ozawa, and Augis-Bennett gave values of 432.33, 443.2, and 437.76 kJ/mol, respectively. The calculated Avrami exponent (n) for the first crystallization peak was about 1.41, suggesting an almost zero nucleation rate. On the other hand, the value of n for the second peak related to the residual amorphous phase completely transformed into the intermetallic phase Al11La3 was about 3.61, characterizing diffusion controlled three-dimensional crystal growth with an increasing nucleation rate. Samples sintered at 573 K kept an amorphous structure and exhibited a high compressive strength of 650 MPa with a maximum elongation of 2.34% without any plastic deformation. The failure morphology of the sintered sample surface presented a transparticle fracture mechanism, indicating the efficiency of the sintering processing.

Keywords

• bulk amorphous alloys
• mechanical alloying
• spark plasma sintering
• crystallization kinetics
• Avrami exponent