Synthesis of the novel Zr3AlC2 MAX phase

Herein we report, for the first time, on the synthesis and structural characterization of the Zr-based MAX phase, Zr3AlC2, fabricated by reactive hot pressing of ZrH2, Al, and C powders. The crystal structure of Zr3AlC2 was determined by X-ray diffraction and high resolution transmission electron microscopy to be the hexagonal space group P63/mmc. The a and c lattice parameters are 3.33308(6) Å and 19.9507(3) Å, respectively. The samples include the secondary phases ZrC and Zr-Al intermetallics as confirmed by quantitative electron probe microanalysis. The Vickers hardness, using a force of 30 N, was measured to be 4.4 ± 0.4 GPa.