Internal friction in advanced Fe–Al intermetallics

We have measured the internal friction and the dynamic modulus of an Fe–38 at.% Al alloy using a forced torsion pendulum working between 10−3 and 10 Hz. The measurements have been carried out as a function of temperature (from room temperature to 1200 K) and as a function of frequency. Two peaks have been observed in the internal friction spectra, at about 780 and 1100 K, which are largely superposed in the intermediate temperature range. Both peaks and the corresponding modulus defect shift in temperature with the oscillation frequency, and can be attributed to relaxation mechanisms. Previous results in the literature seem to indicate that the low temperature peak is the Zener relaxation of Al atoms. The activation energy of the high-temperature peak, referred to as P1 peak because it has not been studied previously, has been determined to be Hact = 2.87 eV, from the results of measurements at different temperatures and frequencies. We discuss the possible mechanisms, which could be responsible of this P1 peak, and suggest that it could be attributed to the intrinsic movements of 〈1 0 0〉 perfect dislocations over the Peierls barrier by kink pair formation in the B2 ordered FeAl.