Preparation of Binary and Ternary Laves and µ-Phases in the Ta–Fe(–Al) System for Property Analysis at the Microscale

Abstract

Topologically close-packed (TCP) intermetallic phases are attractive candidates for adapting the property profile of both structural and functional materials, but their mechanical behavior, in particular below their brittle-to-ductile transition, is generally still poorly understood. The systematic analysis of the underlying deformation mechanisms requires the fabrication of homogeneous samples with sufficiently high purity and large enough grain size. Here, we describe identified pathways on the example of Laves and µ-phases from the binary Ta–Fe and ternary Ta–Fe–Al systems with regard to input materials, liquid metallurgy synthesis, heat treatment, and metallographic preparation methods. Preparation routes for structural analysis by electron backscatter diffraction and mechanical analysis by nanomechanical testing, as well as the transferability of our approach to other alloy systems containing TCP phases, are outlined and discussed.