Nickel aluminide (Ni3Al) fabricated by reactive infiltration

Nickel aluminide Ni₃Al in the single phase form, with grain size 10 m, porosity 5%, tensile strength 425 MPa, modulus 92 GPa and ductility 9.5% at room temperature, was fabricated by reactive infiltration at 800 °C of liquid aluminium into a porous preform containing 78 vol % nickel and made by sintering 3–7 m size nickel particles. Without sintering, the preform contained 58 vol % nickel and reactive infiltration resulted in an aluminium-matrix NiAl₃ particle ( 50 m size) composite and extensive growth of Ni-Al needles from the preform to the excess liquid aluminium around the preform.