Amorphous and crystalline phases in rapidly solidified Al–Ta and Al–Ta–V alloys

Al–Ta and Al–Ta–V alloys with composition corresponding to complex crystalline phases have been prepared by rapid solidification in order to examine the ability of these systems to form quasiperiodic or amorphous phases. According to transmission electron microscopy investigation, the rapidly solidified alloys show crystalline phases together with an amorphous phase having a high Ta content. TEM observations carried out on ground samples indicate that the crystalline phases transform into a nanocrystalline structure under mechanical grinding.