Chemically disordered Ni3Al synthesized by high vacuum evaporation

Abstract

Films of chemically disordered fcc Ni3Al were synthesized by the vacuum evaporation of Ni3Al onto room temperature and liquid nitrogen temperature substrates. X-ray diffractometry and transmission electron microscopy showed the material to be single phase with an average grain size of about 4 nm. The formation of the equilibrium L12 ordered phase occurred simultaneously with grain growth at temperatures above 350°C. Differential scanning calorimetry provided ordering enthalpies of 7 kJ/mole and 9 kJ/mole for material evaporated onto room temperature and liquid nitrogen temperature substrates, respectively.