An investigation of the microstructure and mechanical behavior of novel nanocrystalline Al–Fe–V–Si–Mm alloy ribbons

New Al-based nanocrystalline alloys containing dispersive nanoscale particles were prepared by adding appropriate amounts of Mm (misch metal) to Al–Fe–V–Si alloy. The microstructure, phase transformations and mechanical properties were studied in detail. It was found that with increasing Mm content the size of α-Al grains and particles decreased and α-Al13(Fe,V)3Si particles existing in Al–Fe–V–Si alloys were replaced by metastable Al8Fe4Mm or quasicrystalline Al20Fe5Mm phase. It was found that the transformation of Al8Fe4Mm to α-Al13(Fe,V)3Si phase is controlled by volume diffusion near 673 K. In addition, the materials exhibit 1.5–2.5 times higher tensile and fatigue fracture strengths in the nanocrystalline alloys than in Al–Fe–V–Si microcrystalline alloy as well as better thermal stability.