CHEMICAL SYNTHESIS OF NANOCRYSTALLINE TITANIUM AND NICKEL ALUMINIDES FROM THE METAL CHLORIDES AND LITHIUM ALUMINUM-HYDRIDE

Aluminide intermetallics are potentially useful structural materials-p rovided their brittleness can be reduced. One possible method is the r efinement of grain size to the nanometer level. Measurements of the me chanical properties are required in order to confirm this. The prepara tion described here is a general solution-based strategy for the chemi cal synthesis of nanocrystalline aluminide intermetallics. The results of sample characterization are presented and a two-step formation of the aluminide phase proposed.