High-temperature surface oxidation of the decagonal AlCoNi quasicrystal

The interaction of oxygen with the 10-fold-symmetry surface of the decagonal Al_72.9Co_16.7Ni_10.4 quasicrystal at high temperatures was investigated by low-energy-electron diffraction and Auger electron spectroscopy. The results are consistent with a well-ordered aluminum-oxide layer possessing a hexagonal antiphase domain structure with a limited lateral size of about 35 Å. We claim that the separation distances of the domain boundaries, separating domains of equal orientation, are primarily a consequence of the preferential cluster nucleation on decagonal Al-Co-Ni. The domains are azimuthally oriented along one direction of the two sets of five twofold-symmetry axes lying on the decagonal surface in accordance with the local symmetry of the quasicrystal surface, while the size of the domains can be explained in terms of self-size-selecting arguments.     

Epitactic growth of a decagonal phase in an Al–Ni–Co alloy film deposited on a (0001) sapphire substrate

Thin films of Al–Ni–Co alloy with an average thickness of 15?nm were produced by means of conventional vacuum deposition technique on (0001) sapphire substrates heated at various test temperatures. The microstructures and textures of the films obtained were thoroughly investigated by atomic force microscopy, X-ray diffraction and transmission electron diffraction and imaging techniques. The diffraction measurements have evidenced that the vacuum deposition of Al₇₂Ni₁₅Co₁₃ alloy on the substrates heated above 400°C allows a homogeneous poly-quasicrystalline film, consisting of the Ni-rich basic decagonal phase to grow. It has been further indicated by in-plane XRD analysis that the film deposited at 550°C contains a considerable amount of the decagonal grains epitaxially grown on the sapphire substrate. Possible epitaxial relations occurring between the deposit and the substrate will be detailed on the basis of results obtained from electron diffraction measurements.     

Decagonal quasicrystals

Following the discovery of two dimensional quasicrystals in rapidly solidified Al-Mn alloys by us and L. Bendersky in 1985, a number of fascinating studies has been conducted to unravel the atomic configuration of quasicrystals with decagonal symmetry. A comprehensive mapping of the reciprocal space of decagonal quasicrystals is now available. The interpretation of the diffraction patterns brings out the comparative advantages of various indexing schemes. In addition, the nature of the variable periodicity can be addressed as a form of polytypism. The relation between decagonal quasicrystals and their crystalline homologues will be explored with emphasis on Al₆₀Mn₁₁Ni₄ and ‘Al₃Mn’. It will also be shown that decagonal quasicrystals are closely related to icosahedral quasicrystals, icosahedral twins and vacancy ordered phases.     

Phase transformations and structural characteristics of AL–Cu–Co(–Si) decagonal phase

The phase transformations and structural characteristics of the Al-Cu-Co-Si alloy have been studied by neutron diffraction and high-resolution electron microscopy. The Al₆₅Cu_17.5Co_17.5 decagonal phase is stable in the temperature range between 973 K and 1350 K. At the low-temperature end, it relaxes to a microcrystalline approximant structure. At the high-temperature end, it melts directly into liquid. Two distinct orthorhombic phases are identified in the Al₆₃Cu_17.5Co_17.5Si₂ microcrystalline structure. They are composed of several structure units that can also construct the Penrose tiling. Because of lack of units, a single orthorhombic phase cannot undergo the transformation towards the high-temperature decagonal phase. An analysis of the orientation relationships between the CsCl and orthorhombic phases leads to the definition of Penrose tiling-like subnetworks inside the orthorhombic unit cells so that these orthorhombic phases can be regarded as the periodic patchworks of quasiperiodic subnetworks.     

High-temperature superelasticity in CoNiGa,CoNiAl, NiFeGa,and TiNi monocrystals

The influence of the crystal orientation on the thermoelastic martensitic transformations developing under load was investigated for Co₄₉Ni₂₁Ga₃₀, Co₄₀Ni₃₃Al₂₇, Co₃₅Ni₃₅Al₃₀, Ni₅₄Fe₁₉Ga₂₇, and Ti_49.4Ni_50.6 (аt. %) monocrystals. It has been shown that the superelastic temperature range depends on the crystal orientation and reaches a maximum for [001]-oriented crystals. In monophase crystals of Co₄₉Ni₂₁Ga₃₀, Co₄₀Ni₃₃Al₂₇, Co₃₅Ni₃₅Al₃₀, and Ni₅₄Fe₁₉Ga₂₇ (at. %), segregation of dispersion particles takes place at test temperatures T > 623 K. A criterion for high-temperature superelasticity has been proposed which implies the attainment of high strength of the high-temperature phase due to a proper choice of the crystal orientation, deviation from stoichiometry, and segregation of dispersion particles. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 10. pp. 19–37. October, 2008.     

Low-energy lattice excitations in the decagonal Al-Ni-Fe and icosahedral Al-Cu-Fe quasicrystals and the (Al,Si)-Cu-Fe cubic phase

The specific heat of decagonal Al_71.3Ni_24.0Fe_4.7 and icosahedral Al₆₂Cu_25.5Fe_12.5 quasicrystals and the Al_55.0Si_7.0Cu_25.5Fe_12.5 cubic phase approximating the structure of the icosahedral alloy has been studied in the temperature range 4.2–40.0 K. All the three compounds exhibit low coefficients of the electronic heat capacity and pronounced deviations of the low-temperature lattice heat capacity from a cubic temperature law in the range 5–10 K. The results obtained by the thermodynamic method and inelastic neutron scattering have been compared and analyzed. It has been established that, at energies ɛ < 14 meV, the spectral density of thermal vibrations in the icosahedral quasicrystal is substantially higher than those in the cubic approximant and in decagonal quasicrystal.     

Aging of supersaturated Al-Cu-Co decagonal phase

Aging of the supersaturated Al₆₈Cu₁₁Co₂₁ decagonal phase was studied by transmission and scanning electron microscopy. Changes in the twofold [12100] electron diffraction patterns are reported. The decagonal phase aged at 700–800°C exhibited a reduction of the intensities of the quasiperiodic odd-n reflections and the appearance of extra-reflections along quasiperiodic directions.     

Atomic dynamics of a <Emphasis Type="Italic">d</Emphasis>-AlNiFe decagonal quasicrystal

The atomic dynamics of an Al_71.3Ni₂₄Fe_4.7 decagonal quasicrystal has been investigated using the isotopic contrast method for inelastic neutron scattering. The partial vibrational spectra of the Ni, Fe, and Al atoms and the spectrum of the thermal vibrations of the alloy have been reconstructed directly from the experimental data without any model assumptions. The cutoff energies and the positions of the main features of the spectra have been determined. It has been revealed that the average binding energy of the nickel atoms in the quasicrystal under investigation is lower than that of the iron atoms and the vibrational spectrum of the aluminum atoms is noticeably harder than the spectrum of the pure metal. The results obtained for the d-AlNiFe decagonal quasicrystal have been compared with the previously published data for an i-AlCuFe icosahedral quasicrystal.     

Kondo effect due to substitutional atoms in NiAl

The electrical resistivity and the magnetization have been measured in the CsCl-type compounds, Ni_xAl_1?x, (Ni_0.75Co_0.25)_0.52Al_0.48 and Ni_0.90Fe_0.10)_0.52Al_0.48. A Kondo effect is observed due to substitutional Co and Fe atoms.     

Antiferromagnetic resonance and high magnetic field properties of NaNiO2

Magnetisation measurements up to 23 T and submillimeter wave ESR in the frequency region 48-380 GHz have been performed on NaNiO₂ powders at low temperature. Also typical spectra above the Néel temperature are shown. At 4 K the magnetisation shows a spin-flop transition at 1.8 T and saturation at 10 T. /Ni confirms the low spin state of the Ni³⁺ ions. The susceptibility exhibits a maximum at K with and K. NaNiO₂ is an A-type antiferromagnet: we derive K and K for the interactions between Ni ions within and between adjacent layers, respectively. The AFMR spectra yield an energy gap of 52.5 GHz, in agreement with the spin-flop value derived from the magnetisation. The anisotropy of the g factor observed at 100 K with can be attributed to the Jahn-Teller effect for Ni³⁺ ions in the low spin state, which stabilises the occupation. We finally comment on the isomorphic controversial Li_1-xNi_1+xO₂ compound. Received 9 March 2000 and Received in final form 13 July 2000.     

Plastic deformation of decagonal Al73Ni10Co17 single quasicrystals

Uniaxial compression tests were performed on decagonal Al₇₃Ni₁₀Co₁₇ single quasicrystals at a constant strain rate of 10^?5?s^?1 in the temperature range between 800 and 890°C. The compression axis was chosen in three different orientations: parallel to, inclined by 45° to and perpendicular to the tenfold symmetry axis. During the deformation experiments stress relaxation tests and temperature changes were carried out to determine the strain-rate and temperature sensitivities of the flow stress. Highly anisotropic plastic behaviour is observed in both the flow stress and its strain and temperature dependences. Additionally, repeated stress relaxations were performed during the deformations, giving evidence that only minor microstructural changes take place during the relaxation tests.     

高压截获十次准晶相关晶体相和纳米级超微粒

 对Al₇₀Co₁₅Ni₁₀Tb₅合金进行了静高压（7.0 GPa）熔态（1 700 ℃）淬火（冷却速率10²⁰ C/s）处理，首次观察到一个新十次准晶相关晶体相。该相属底心正交晶体，晶胞参数为a=2.28 nm、b＝1.60 nm、c＝5.46 nm。通过高分辨像分析，给出了它的二维点阵模型。同时在样品中发现了尺寸均匀的纳米级非晶超微粒形成，超微粒为球形，直径30~40 nm。     

Intermediate stages of a transformation between a quasicrystal and an approximant including nanodomain structures in the Al-Ni-Co system

Transition states between decagonal quasicrystal and periodic approximants are studied in the Al-Ni-Co system at a measured composition of Al_71.3Ni_11.3Co _17.4 by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction. The nanodomain structures appearing after annealing at 1270 K show periodic fluctuations coherently embedded in domains with the coarse order of a one-dimensional quasicrystal. Further annealing at lower temperatures changes the features of nanodomain structures and results in an increase in more periodic structures. These can be strongly disordered and full of defects but tiling analysis and electron diffraction patterns show that they correspond to locked phason strain values of two closely related periodic approximants. We conclude that the periodic approximants do not result from a continuous increase in phason strain but from the growth of seeds with a locked phason strain.     

Structures and stability of Al<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Bold">7</Emphasis></Subscript>C and Al<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Bold">7</Emphasis></Subscript>N clusters

We report results of the atomic and electronic structures of Al₇C cluster using ab initio molecular dynamics with ultrasoft pseudopotentials and generalized gradient approximation. The lowest energy structure is found to be the one in which carbon atom occupies an interstitial position in Al₇ cluster. The electronic structure shows that the recent observation [Chem. Phys. Lett. 316, 31 (2000)] of magic behavior of Al₇C^- cluster is due to a large highest occupied and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (HOMO-LUMO) gap which makes Al₇C^- chemically inert. These results have further led us to the finding of a new neutral magic cluster Al₇N which has the same number of valence electrons as in Al₇C^- and a large HOMO-LUMO gap of 1.99 eV. Further, calculations have been carried out on (Al₇N)₂ to study interaction between magic clusters. Received 28 July 2001     

Al70Co15Tb5Ni10合金中准晶相关相的高压研究

 使用静高压熔态淬火方法，在Al₇₀Co₁₅Tb₅Ni₁₀合金中截获到迄今为止晶胞参数最大的两个十次准晶的Penrose-Tiling相关相。其晶胞参数分别为：简单正交晶体a=6.11 nm，b=0.4 nm，c=8.4 nm；底心正交晶体a=6.11 nm，b=0.4 nm，c=8.4 nm。其晶体结构和晶胞参数与目前理论上的预言基本吻合。     

Magnetism in FeAl,CoAl, CoGa and NiAl

Isothermal magnetization vs field data from 1.6 to 300°K for Ni_0.48Al_0.52, Ni_0.50Al_0.50, Co_0.48Al_0.52 and Co_0.50Al_0.50 can be described in terms of contributions from magnetic clusters, from “antistructure” transition metal atoms on Al sites, and from a field- and temperature-independent susceptibility. The moment of antistructure Ni is 0.3μ_B in both nickel alloys. In both cobalt aluminides as well as in Co_0.47Ga_0.53, the antistructure Co moment is 1μ_B. The moment of antistructure Fe in Fe_0.49Al_0.51 is 2.2μ_B.     

Effect of Gd and Fe doping on magnetic properties of Al87Y5Ni8 amorphous alloy

In this paper we present and discuss magnetic properties of the Al₈₇Y₅Ni₈, Al₈₇Y₄Gd₁Ni₈, Al₈₇Gd₅Ni₈, Al₈₇Y₄Gd₁Ni₄Fe₄ and Al₈₇Gd₅Ni₄Fe₄ amorphous alloys. The examinations have been concentrated on a possible magnetic ordering at low temperatures and its modification by amorphous surroundings as well as different magnetic moment of alloying additions. It was shown that magnetic properties of the Al₈₇Y₅Ni₈ amorphous base alloy correspond to a superparamagnetic body with Ni magnetic clusters. Magnetic moment of Ni atom in amorphous aluminum matrix is found to be 0.3 μ_B that corresponds to less than 50 Ni atoms per one cluster. Gd doping of the base alloy leads to a decrease of the resultant magnetic moment of Ni clusters that can be explained by some antiferromagnetic coupling Ni-Gd and Ni-Ni within magnetic clusters.     

Phase transitions in Co nanoclusters grown by pulsed laser deposition

The crystalline structure of Co clusters embedded in an amorphous Al₂O₃ matrix was studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron diffraction (TED). In the first stage of the growth a metastable structure (body-centred-cubic) is observed. A face-centred-cubic phase (fcc) is found when the size of the clusters increases ( diameter > 4 nm). The hexagonal-close-packed phase arises in the fcc phase by a succession of stacking faults at the largest sizes. The mechanisms of phase transformation have been determined by using high resolution electron microscopy (HREM). The chemical nature of the clusters, in particular the existence of Co-O bonds, was investigated by using electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). Received 03 July 2000 and Received in final form 22 December 2000     

Role of buried ultra thin interlayer silicide on the growth of Ni film on Si(100) substrate

The presence of a buried, ultra-thin amorphous interlayer in the interface of room temperature deposited Ni film with a crystalline Si(100) substrate has been observed using cross sectional transmission electron microscopy (XTEM). The electron density of the interlayer silicide is found to be 2.02 e/?³ by specular X-ray reflectivity (XRR) measurements. X-ray diffraction (XRD) is used to investigate the growth of deposited Ni film on the buried ultra-thin silicide layer. The Ni film is found to be highly textured in an Ni(111) plane. The enthalpy of formation of the Ni/Si system is calculated using Miedema’s model to explain the role of amorphous interlayer silicide on the growth of textured Ni film. The local temperature of the interlayer silicide is calculated using enthalpy of formation and the average heat capacity of Ni and Si. The local temperature is around 1042 K if the interlayer compound is Ni₃Si and the local temperature is 1389 K if the interlayer compound is Ni₂Si. The surface mobility of the further deposited Ni atoms is enhanced due to the local temperature rise of the amorphous interlayer and produced highly textured Ni film. Received: 2 March 2000 / Accepted: 28 March 2000 / Published online: 11 May 2000     

Developing aluminum-based bulk metallic glasses

This paper details a systematic investigation of the formation of Al-based bulk metallic glasses, expanding on an earlier brief report [Scripta Mater. 61 (2009) p.423]. We discuss an approach for designing and predicting the best glass-forming composition in the Al–TM–RE systems, based on the atomic cluster packing model for the internal structure of the glass. The effects of additional elements in quaternary and quinary systems on the glass-forming ability and thermal stability of the glasses are also discussed. Three new compositions, Al₈₆Ni₆Y_4.5Co₂La_1.5, Al₈₆Ni₇Y₅Co₁La₁ and Al₈₆Ni₇Y_4.5Co₁La_1.5, are capable of forming fully glassy rods of 1 mm in diameter; their glass transition and other thermal properties are systematically characterized.