Abstract
Nb-5mass%Al, Nb-8mass%Al(Nb 3 Al), Nb-10mass%Al and Nb-46mass%Al(NbAI 3 ) were synthesized by mechanical alloying (MA) of Nb powder and Al powder using a vibrational ball milling in 35kPa argon gas atmosphere for 720ksec. Though the MA powders were agglomerated, they were solid solutions of Nb and Al in this experimental condition.
Nb-46mass%AI sample, which was prepared by mixing of mechanical alloyed Nb-10mass%Al powder and Al powder, was sintered at 1173K after pressing. The sintered sample was made up of NbAI 3 phase only. As the temperature of reaction between MA powder and Al is higher than the melting point of Al, the synthesis of NbAl 3 from Nb-Al alloy and molten Al by heat treatment can be accomplished by this process.
