Fe3Al based alloys fabricated by spark plasma sintering from mechanically activated powders

Fabrication technology and mechanical properties of the Fe3Al based alloys which were produced by spark plasma sintering (SPS) from mechanically alloying powders were studied. The mechanically alloying (MA) powders were processed by the high-energy ball milling, The powders consolidation step is a rapidly sintering process, which can control the grain size and uniformity of microstructures. The siritering process was performed for 5min at 1100 degrees C under a pressure of 50MPa. The Phase characteristics by X-ray diffraction presented the Fe reacts with Al completely during the processing time. The mechanical properties were tested by the microhardness and three-point bending at the room temperature in the air, the mechanical properties are better (e.g. bending strength of 1074MPa) than the ordinary Fe3Al casting.