NANOCRYSTALLINE TITANIUM ALUMINIDE

TiAl has potential of being a strong, fight-weight structural material . Nanocrystalline TiAl samples were synthesized by sputtering, particl e condensation in inert gas and high-pressure compaction of the powder . Structure and chemical composition of individual grains were investi gated by X-ray diffraction, conventional transmission electron microsc opy, high resolution electron microscopy and micro-chemical analysis. The grains ranged from 3 to 35 nm in diameter, with most of them measu ring less than 10 nm. No ordered intermetallic phase was found. The ma jority of the grains consisted of disordered hexagonal phase with a co mposition close to Ti-55 at.% Al.