Intermetallic Effects on the Ductility of Sintered Aluminium

Mechanically alloyed aluminium powder was prepared by attrition-milling for 10 hours in the presence of a wax. Milled powders were annealed in vacuum at different temperatures (500, 575, 600, 625 and 650°C). Compacts were consolidated starting from unannealed and from 600°Cannealed powders. Studies by SEM microfractography and quantitative metallography, to investigate the influence of Fe-Al intermetallics on compacts fracture, have been carried out. It is concluded that fracture takes place at regions where the area occupied by the intermetallics is high and intermetallics particles are big. Intermetallic particle size can be controlled by an appropriated heat treatment.