Quenched-in vacancies in B2-structured intermetallic compound FeAl

The concentrations of quenched-in vacancies retained in B2 intermetallic compound Fe_1-cAl_c were obtained as functions of composition (0.39 < c < 0.51) and quenching temperature (773–1273 K) from lattice constant and density measurements. Obtained vacancy concentration indicates rather gradual increase with composition in lower Al content region, while it increased rapidly as the composition approaches to stoichiometric composition. Further, the data for slow-cooled (1 K min⁻¹) samples showed that retained vacancy concentration is higher than that for samples annealed at and quenched from 773 K. Observed lattice constant for each composition decreases linearly with vacancy concentration, which is interpreted in terms of atomic size effect. From changes in vacancy concentration with quenching temperature, apparent vacancy formation energies were estimated. The relation between vacancy concentration and microhardness was also examined. Present results of dependency of lattice constant on heat treatment condition confirm the hardening effect due to retained vacancy. Further, the proposed linear relation of hardness to the square root of vacancy concentration is supported by the present study.