Potential and marketed applications of quasicrystalline alloys at room temperature or above

Abstract

The discovery of quasicrystals by Shechtman et al. in 1982–84 has revolutionised our understanding of crystals and order in solids. Shechtman was awarded a Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2011 to recognize the importance of this breakthrough. Soon after the initial publication, a patent was filed by the author to secure the potential application of these new materials to the fabrication of low-stick surfaces adapted to the industrial production of cooking utensils. Quite a few more patents followed, covering several areas of technological relevance such as low friction, thermal insulation, solar light absorption, etc. The first application failed, although it reached market. Few others never developed to this stage, but also a (very) small number can now be considered as commercially successful. This is especially the case of polymers reinforced with a quasicrystal powder that are especially adapted to additive manufacturing or 3D printing. Also very advanced is the use of a blend of quasicrystalline and complex intermetallic powders to mark and authenticate an object in a way that cannot be counterfeit. The present article reviews the state of the art and outlines the physics behind few technological breakthroughs that are based on quasicrystalline alloys in the areas of mechanical engineering and solid–solid or solid–liquid adhesion. For the sake of brevity, applications in the areas of catalysis, solar and thermo-electric devices are only shortly evoked. Graphical abstract

Alloy Quasicrystals: Perspectives and Some Open Questions at Forty Years

“…Despite their enhanced performance, QCs and ACs have not so far reached an outstanding level of performance that would justify their replacing conventional catalysts that are in use in chemistry plants. The same holds true for precipitation-hardened alloys, with the major exception of maraging steels [73]. It seems still too early to know if the discovery of long-range ferromagnetism in AuGaDy QCs will lead to magnets with very low coercitivity, as can be expected from the very high symmetry of the lattice.…”

Alloy Quasicrystals: Perspectives and Some Open Questions at Forty Years

“…Despite their enhanced performance, QCs and ACs did not reach so far an outstanding level of performance that would justify their substitution to conventional catalysts that are in use in chemistry plants. The same holds true for precipitation-hardened alloys, with the major exception of maraging steels [60]. It seems still too early to know if the discovery of long range ferromagnetism in AuGaDy QCs will lead to magnets with very low coercitivity as can be expected from the very high symmetry of the lattice.…”

Effect of Al-Cu-Fe Quasicrystal Particles on the Reinforcement of a Polymer–Matrix Composite: From Surface to Mechanical Properties

“…Since commercial QC powders contain different phases and there is no corresponding crystallographic database of quasicrystalline phases, as a reference specimen, we employed an already well-studied QC sample. This high-purity reference sample, with a nominal composition of Al 59 Cu 25 Fe 13 B 3 (at.%) and a known PXRD, purchased from the Saint Gobain Company, Courbevoie, France (labelled from here as reference sample), was sintered from gas atomised powder in a flow of argon using a uniaxial sintering furnace operated at 930 • C and a pressure of 100 MPa [9]. This sample contained a majority of the Al 62 Cu 25 Fe 13 icosahedral quasicrystal phase (i-phase), with no apparent grain texturing and the average grain size of the matrix QC phase being 20-70 micrometres.…”

“…A comparison of the hardness of pure aluminium, which typically ranges from 25 to 45 HV, and the friction coefficient of aluminium alloys of about 0.37 reveals a superior performance of the QC alloy [3][4][5]. QCs already found their way into various technological applications in the form of coatings and thin films [6][7][8] or as reinforcement particles in metal matrices [9]. Quasicrystals used as reinforcement precipitates in maraging steel are used for razor blades, surgical tools or dental wires [9].…”

“…QCs already found their way into various technological applications in the form of coatings and thin films [6][7][8] or as reinforcement particles in metal matrices [9]. Quasicrystals used as reinforcement precipitates in maraging steel are used for razor blades, surgical tools or dental wires [9]. A close collaboration between Philips and Sandvik led to the development of a unique, QC-based, stainless-steel shaving blade marketed by Sandvik Steel in Sweden as the Sandvik Nanoflex™ [10].…”