Influence of Al content on the microstructure and mechanical property of the (Zr2Cu)100 − xAlx alloys

The microstructures of (Zr2Cu)100 − xAlx (x = 0, 5, 10 and 15) alloys prepared by copper mold casting reveal the existence of a metastable martensite phase in these alloys. In the Al-containing alloys, the martensitic transformation occurs in ZrCu grains, and the basic martensite phase transformation changes to the superstructure martensite phase transformation with addition of Al from 10 to 15 at.%. The distortions with different values induced by solid solution atoms result in the different shuffling in martensite phase, changing the symmetry to P21/m or Cm. The size factor of solid solution atom and solid solubility are important features to affect the martensitic transformation. The microstructures are the crucial factors in determining the mechanical property.