Al-Ce-Cu (Aluminium - Cerium - Copper)

Abstract

was the first to examine the phase relations in the Al-rich corner employing X-ray, metallographic and chemical analysis and micro-hardness measurements on a total of 130 alloys. Ce-rich specimens were prepared from 99.9 mass% pure Al, 98.6% pure Ce and 99.89% pure Cu by melting the constituents; Ce-poor specimens were prepared from a "hardener" alloy in Al 2 O 3 -crucibles under carnallite. All the alloys were annealed in vacuum at 500 and 400 2°C for 120 or 240 h, respectively and were finally quenched in toluene. Lattice parameters were measured with a claimed precision of 0.01 pm on polished sample surfaces in a back-reflection camera at 400 and 500°C for three series of alloys with constant amounts of 1 mass% Ce, 5 mass% Ce and 5 mass% Cu, respectively. The plots of the unit cell dimensions versus concentration were used to establish the extension limits and vertices of the two-and three-phase equilibria of the (Al) solid solution. A series of successive crystallographic investigations [