Published online by Cambridge University Press: 26 February 2011
The yield strengths (σy) of FeA1 and NiAl of various aluminum concentrations were measured as a function of grain size, d, and the results fitted to σy =σo+ kd−1/2. It was found that for NiAl the lattice resistance (σo) and Hall-Petch slope (k) have minima at the stoichiometric composition and increase with decreasing aluminum concentration, whereas for FeAl these parameters have maxima at the stoichiometric composition and decrease off this composition. In tension tests, iron-rich FeAl was shown to be ductile whereas the stoichiometric alloy is brittle. In contrast, stoichiometric NiAl shows ductility but off-stoichiometric compositions are brittle. The fracture modes of the FeAl and NiAl are predominantly intergranular at the stoichiometric compositions and become increasingly transgranular with decreasing aluminum concentration.