Study of decagonal quasicrystalline phase formation in the AI-Ni-Fe alloy system

Abstract
Part of the Al[sbnd]Ni[sbnd]Fe alloy system, including the region of the decagonal phase, was studied by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, X-ray diffractometry and transmission electron microscopy. The decagonal phase is thermodynamically stable in a narrow compositional range around Al71Ni24Fe5. At a temperature of about 940[ddot]C it transforms to Al13(Fe, Ni)4, Al3(Ni, Fe)2 and the liquid phase, and between 800 and 850[ddot]C to Al13(Fe, Ni)4, Al3(Ni,Fe) and Al3(Ni, Fe)2. The phase exhibits X-ray and electron diffraction patterns similar to those of the Al-Cu-Co decagonal phase.