Composite material based on a quasi-crystal of the al-cu-fe system and method of its production

Abstract

Material and power techniques for producing solid three-dimensional materials. In one aspect, a composite material is based on a quasicrystal powder of an Al—Cu—Fe system with a nickel binder, the composite material containing a reinforcing nickel lattice. In a second aspect, the composite material is obtained by applying a nickel coating to quasicrystal powder particles of an Al—Cu—Fe system. The quasicrystal powder can be treated in plasma to form a thin (10-20 nm) nickel coating on the surface of the powder particles. The treated powder, which is a dispersed composite material, can then be pressed at room temperature under quasi-hydrostatic conditions at a pressure of more than 1.5 GPa. In some aspects, the improved characteristics of the three-dimensional materials include providing three-dimensional fully dense composite quasicrystal materials with improved mechanical properties, a decreased coefficient of friction and increased resistance to mechanical wear, and creating additional possibilities for new technological applications.

1 . Composite material based on quasi-crystalline powder of the Al—Cu—Fe system with a nickel binder, characterized in that it contains a reinforcing nickel lattice. 
     
     
         2 . Method of preparing the composite material according to  claim 1 , comprising the steps of applying a nickel coating on particles of a powder of the quasi-crystal Al—Cu—Fe system, pressing the powder with a nickel coating at a pressure greater than 1.5 GPa and annealing of the pressed powder at a pressure below 100 MPa under a reducing or inert atmosphere or under vacuum at a temperature not higher than 850K. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , characterized in that the pressing of the powder is carried out at a pressure higher than 8 GPa. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 2 , characterized in that the pressing of the powder is carried out at a pressure of less than 9 GPa. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 2 , characterized in that prior to pressing, the powder of the quasi-crystal with a nickel coating is annealed in a reducing atmosphere at a temperature of less than 770K. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 2 , characterized in that prior to pressing at high pressure, the powder of quasi-crystal with nickel coating is compacted under a pressure of not more than 0.7 GPa.