Tensile behavior of Fe-40Al alloys with B and Zr additions

Both Fe-40Al and Fe-40Al-0.1Zr with and without B were produced by the hot extrusion of powdered metal. Tensile properties were determined from room temperature to 1100 K in air. All of the materials possessed some ductility at room temperature, and addition of B caused an increase in ductility and a change in fracture mode from intergranular to transgranular cleavage. At high temperatures, failure was caused primarily by the formation of grain boundary cavities in all of the alloys. The effect of Zr addition was unclear because of the complexity of the various microstructures. Comparison of air and vacuum testing at high temperatures revealed that an apparent oxidation assisted mechanism reduced high temperature ductility in these alloys, especially at 900 K.