Effect of Aluminum on the Structure and Physical Properties of Fe-Cr-Al Alloys

The effect of thermodiffusion aluminizing of a ribbon made of a commercial Fe-Cr-Al alloy on its structure and physical properties has been studied. During aluminizing at 1000-1100 degrees C for 0.5-6 h, the aluminum content is shown to uniformly increase throughout the ribbon, which is accompanied by secondary recrystallization. An increase in the aluminum content results in atomic ordering in the bcc alloy lattice: at 8 wt % Al, DO 3 ordering takes place; at 14 wt % Al, B2 ordering occurs. The hardness, dislocation ensemble, electrical resistivity, magnetic properties, and the ductility of the alloy are found to be controlled by the aluminum content in the alloy. It is shown that the specific saturation magnetization can be used as a parameter for nondestructive control of the aluminum content after thermochemical treatment.