The compositional range of amorphous phase formation and thermal stability of Al_90-xFe₅Ni₅Ce_x

The effects of Ce-substitution for Al in the Al90-xFe5Ni5Cex(x = 0, 2, 5, 7, 8, 9, and 10) system on the mechanical alloying process were investigated. The structural evolution in these powders was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, differential thermal analysis and X-ray diffraction techniques. The compositional range of amorphous forming was obtained and it extended from 5 to 9 at.% Ce. With increasing Ce content, the crystallization temperature of amorphous alloys increases. The crystallization temperature versus concentration of Ce was reproduced well by applying an extension of a relationship between the crystallization temperature and the vacancy formation energy of constituents with smaller atomic radius. The crystallization product phases were analyzed by XRD after annealing the milled powders at temperature over the crystallization temperature.