Abstract
The powder which has a FeSi2 stoichiometric composition was obtained by a water-atomization. A phase change of the powder by annealing was characterized by XRD. The atomized powder has a fine microstructure composed with (α-Fe2Si5+ε-FeSi) phases. The phase of the atomized powder changed to β-FeSi2 phase by annealing in the temperature range from 870K to 1000K for the short time. The change to β-FeSi2 phase can be realized by only heating without holding at temperatures above 1000K. It means that the atomizing process has the same effect on shortening the annealing time to obtain β-FeSi2 phase as a mechanical alloying process. It would be expected that the thermoelectric compact with β-FeSi2 phase could be obtained by only sintering the atomized powder at a temperature lower than peritectoid point.
