Intermetallic Phase Formation at Fe-Al Film Interfaces

Authors: GÜVENÇ TEMİZEL, MACİT ÖZENBAŞ

Abstract: An Fe-Al thin film system was studied for the purpose of examining the formation and development of intermetallic phases, which were formed at the aluminum (Al) film-steel substrate interfaces. Al films having different initial thicknesses in the range of 2\mu-14\mu m were deposited by physical vapor deposition and were then annealed at different temperatures (range: 300-650 °C) and for different time intervals (10 min-8 h). In order to explain the formation mechanisms of the intermetallics at the mentioned Al-Fe film interfaces, X-ray diffractograms (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) studies were used. The results showed that the intermetallic phases FeAl_2 and Fe_2Al_5 were the most dominant phases that could be observed, and that they were formed sequentially, in contrast to intermetallics, which formed synchronously in bulk materials.

Keywords: Intermetallics, Fe-Al system, Thin films, Interfaces

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