Effect of Process Conditions on the Structure and Properties of the Hot-Forged Fe3Al Intermetallic Alloy

Two kinds of powder mixtures are used for producing Fe3Al intermetallic alloys. The mixtures are prepared by mixing elemental powders in a drum mixer or grinding in a planetary mill. Compacted and sintered from this mixtures, the billets are subjected to the hot forging and annealing at 1100 and 1300A degrees C. The effect of process conditions on the structure and properties of the materials produced is investigated. It is established that, after hot forging, the strength and fracture toughness of the intermetallic alloy produced from a ground charge are higher than those of the intermetallic alloy produced from non-ground charge. The annealing of the samples at 1100A degrees C causes the decrease in the strength and fracture toughness of both alloys, while increasing the annealing temperature to 1300A degrees C leads to some increase in these characteristics. The hardness of the intermetallic alloy prepared from non-ground powders is higher in comparison with that prepared from pre-ground charge and the annealing and its temperature increase lead to a noticeable decrease in the material hardness.