Enhanced microhardness of mechanically activated carbon–quasicrystal composite

In this work, Al65Cu20Fe15 icosahedral quasicrystal and mechanically activated carbon (graphite) composite have been investigated. The low intensity milling (100 rpm) of quasicrystalline phase with mechanically activated carbon (MAC) showed to conserve the quasicrystalline (QC) phase as well as the small amount of nano crystalline B2 phase. Mechanical behavior of the sintered samples (200 °C) showed an increase in the hardness of the composite materials up to 5 at.% of MAC. The hardness value is nearly 0.37 times higher than that for stable Al–Cu–Fe quasicrystal. The high hardness value may be attributed to the microstructural variation resulting due to 5 at.% MAC addition. This work has demonstrated the possibility of producing MAC–QC composite materials with acceptable and reliable properties.

► Synthesis of quasicrystal (QC) and mechanically activated carbon (MAC) composite.
► We examine changes in the micro-hardness of the composite materials in 5 at.% of MAC.
► This work has demonstrated the possibility of producing MAC–QC composite materials.