Abstract
Nanostructure Al-based binary alloys with additions of Fe have been prepared by electron-beam evaporation. The composition dependence of microstructures and mechanical properties has been studied. The deposits up to an Fe content of 4 at% consist of a supersaturated solid solution of Al. At higher Fe contents, the deposits consist of an amorphous and crystalline phase with a grain size below 40 nm. At the content range in which the supersaturated solid solution formed, as the content increased, the crystalline size became finer. The Vickers hardness increases with increasing the content of Fe and reaches values of 200 Hv and 600 Hv for contents of 1 at% and 15 at%, respectively. The tensile strength of the deposit exhibited a high strength of 1000 MPa at the Fe content of 2.5 at% with grain size 40 nm. The strength and hardness followed the Hall-Petch relation up to the grain size of 40 nm.
