PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF CENTRIFUGALLY ATOMIZED AL-CR-FE ALLOY POWDERS .1.

Powders of Al-3 at% Cr-xFe (x = 0, 1 or 3 at%) alloys were produced by centrifugal atomization. The as-atomized microstructure was investiga ted by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Two different ty pes of microstructure were mainly observed: a cellular structure and a coarser one composed of a uniform distribution of crystalline and/or quasicrystalline phases. The transition from crystalline to quasicryst alline precipitation occurs at x similar to 1%. Since the phase stabil ity is maintained up to 350 degrees C for a period of six hours exposu re, this temperature was chosen for further powder degassing and conso lidation.