Microstructural evolution in amorphous Al-based alloys

The Al90Fe5Ce5 and Al83Zn10Ce7 alloys were analysed with the aim of studying the microstructural evolution under various processing conditions. In addition to the icosahedral phase surrounded by the Al phase, the fine scale distribution of the metastable Al6Fe phase produces on annealing the amorphous Al90Fe5Ce5 alloy. In Al83Zn10Ce7 alloy, the stable intermetallic compound Al2ZnCe2 forms as the primary phase during solidification. The precipitation nanocrystals of Al were accompanied with the intermetallic compound Al2ZnCe2. For the amorphous Al-based alloys, the high glass formation appears to be controlled largely by the suppression of growth of nuclei formed during rapid melt quenching. The competitive nucleation and growth limitation of the various phases are attributed to the complex microstructures characteristic of the Al-based alloys.