Superplasticity of a multiphase refractory Mo–Si–B alloy

Mo–Si–B alloys consisting of a Mo solid solution and the intermetallic phases Mo3Si and Mo5SiB2 were synthesized by mechanical alloying followed by sintering and hot isostatic pressing to yield an ultra-fine (triplex) microstructure with all three phases being in the sub-micron range. At temperatures as low as 1300 °C the material exhibits superplasticity, with tensile strain to failures of 200–400% at strain rates as high as 10−3 s−1.