Influence of chemical leaching on Al-Cu-Co decagonal quasicrystals

In the present investigation, the chemical leaching of the poly-grain Al65Cu15Co20 and Al65Cu20Co15 decagonal quasicrystalline alloys have been studied. The polished surfaces of as-cast Al65Cu15Co20 and Al65Cu20Co15 alloys have been leached by 10 mol/litre (mol/L) concentrated NaOH alkaline solutions. The X-ray diffraction, Scanning electron microscopy and Transmission electron microscopy techniques have been used for the structural and microstructural characterization of the samples and the chemical composition were characterized using Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Chemical leaching exclusively removes the Al from the surfaces of the Al65Cu15Co20 and Al65Cu20Co15 decagonal quasicrystalline alloys, consequentially the formation of porous structure containing nano size particles of Cu, Co and Co3O4 have been observed on the leached surface. The leached surface of Al65Cu15Co20was more porous compared to Al65Cu20Co15 alloy, however the size of the precipitated nano-particles i.e. Cu, Co and Co3O4 were smaller in the case of Al65Cu20Co15 alloy. The elemental mapping through energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy suggests that the distribution of Cu and Co were formed on the leached surface, however in some regions the oxygen was also detected.