Effect of sintering temperature on phase evolution of Al86Ni6Y4.5Co2La1.5 bulk amorphous composites synthesized via mechanical alloying and spark plasma sintering

Al86Ni6Y4.5Co2La1.5 amorphous powders were synthesized by mechanical alloying for 200 h. Subsequent consolidation was performed via spark plasma sintering in the temperature range of 250 °C to 500 °C at the pressure of 500 MPa. The role of viscous flow on densification was investigated by studying the viscosity change of the amorphous phase at different consolidation temperatures. The decrease in viscosity at higher sintering temperatures resulted in better particle bonding and densification of consolidated samples. The formation of only FCC Al was observed in the consolidated samples at sintering temperatures ≤ 300 °C and the intermetallic phases formed at temperatures ≥ 400 °C. The mechanical properties of the bulk samples were measured by Vickers microhardness and nanoindentation tests. The testing results showed that the average values of microhardness, nanohardness and elastic modulus of the sample consolidated at 500 °C were 3.06 ± 0.14 GPa, 4.85 ± 1.14 GPa and 89.53 ± 9.25 GPa, respectively. The increase in hardness and elastic modulus of the higher temperature consolidated samples is attributed to the improvement in particle bonding, densification and distribution of various hard intermetallic phases in the amorphous matrix. [Display omitted] •Al86Ni6Y4.5Co2La1.5 amorphous powders were synthesized via mechanical alloying.•The amorphous powders were consolidated by spark plasma sintering.•Viscosity of the powders was estimated at different sintering temperatures.•Densification of sintered samples improved at higher sintering temperatures.•Better hardness and modulus were achieved for higher temperature sintered samples.