Phase Composition of Sintered AlCrFeNi

Abstract

The AlCrFeNi alloys has successfully synthesized with the composition of Al, Cr, Fe, and Ni at 25 atomic percent. The synthesis of this material is to obtain an alloy intended as nuclear fuel cladding for a research reactor with high uranium density. The AlCrFeNi alloys made from pressed powder then sintered at temperatures of 800, 900, and 1000 °C with a dwelling time for one hour. Sintering process was conducted in inert atmosphere. The obtained alloys were analyzed using the X-ray diffraction (XRD) for phase analysis and the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) for morphological observation and elemental analysis. From the diffraction pattern, the three alloys synthesized had the dominant B2 phase. Alloys sintered at 800 °C and 900 °C show the FCC phase linear in composition value with the sintering temperature. From the diffraction pattern, a theoretical density value is also obtained. The results indicate that the alloy with the only B2 phase has the lowest density of 5.932 g/cm3. From the SEM micrographs, it can be seen that the morphology of the alloys have relatively large cracks. The elemental analysis results to confirm the alloy's phase composition obtained a ratio of Al and Ni, which only allows the B2+FCC phases to form.