%0 journal article %@ 0022-2461 %A Stan-Glowinska, K., Rogal, L., Goral, A., Wierzbicka-Miernik, A., Wojewoda-Budka, J., Schell, N., Litynska-Dobrzynska, L. %D 2017 %J Journal of Materials Science %N 13 %P 7794-7807 %R doi:10.1007/s10853-017-1011-z %T Formation of a quasicrystalline phase in Al–Mn base alloys cast at intermediate cooling rates %U https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-017-1011-z 13 %X Al-rich 94Al–6Mn and 94Al–4Mn–2Fe alloys were suction-cast to evaluate the feasibility of obtaining bulk quasicrystal-strengthened Al-alloys at intermediate cooling rates alloyed with non-toxic, easily accessible and affordable additions. The influence of different cooling rates on the potential formation of a quasicrystalline phase was examined by means of scanning and transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry. Increased cooling rates in the thinnest castings entailed a change in sample phase composition. The highest cooling rates turned out to be insufficient to form an icosahedral quasicrystalline phase (I-phase) in the binary alloy. Instead, an orthorhombic approximant phase occurred (L-phase). The addition of Fe to the 94Al–6Mn binary alloy enhanced the formation of a quasicrystalline phase. At intermediate cooling rates of 102–103 K/s, various metastable phases were formed, including decagonal and icosahedral quasicrystals and their approximants. Rods (1 mm in diameter) composed of I-phase particles embedded in Al matrix exhibited a hardness of 1.5 GPa, much higher than the 1.1 GPa of 94Al–6Mn.