Characterization of a commercially produced Al-Cu-Fe-Cr quasicrystalline coating

A commercially produced Al-Cu-Fe-Cr thermal spray cookware coating was char acterized. Gas-atomized powders with a nominal composition of Al71Cu10Fe8.5 Cr10.5 were apparently used to form the coatings. The coating is very unifo rm and contains a quasicrystalline icosahedral phase along with a second ph ase that is either a quasicrystalline decagonal phase or its nearly identic al crystalline approximant. The phases show evidence of structural imperfec tion and appear to be in a highly transitional state, which is likely cause d by the rapid cooling during thermal spraying. A large fraction of unmelte d particles and microcracks were observed throughout the coating. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.