New Icosahedral Al₆₀Mg₃₈X₂ and Al₅₀Mg₄₈X₂ Alloys Prepared by Rapid Solidification

Abstract

New icosahedral alloys have been found to be formed from Al–Mg base alloys of Al₆₀Mg₃₈X₂ and Al₅₀Mg₄₈X₂ by rapid solidification. The X elements leading to the icosahedral phase are limited to the VIIIB and IB elements of Ni, Pd, Pt, Cu, Ag and Au. The addition of a small amount of the X elements is essential to form the icosahedral phase. The lattice parameters of the icosahedral alloys change with the Goldschmidt radii of the X elements and hence the dissolution of the X elements seems to play an important role in the construction of the icosahedral structure.