Effect of alloying on electronic structure, strength and ductility characteristics of nickel aluminide

The possibility of production of alloyed NiAl intermetallic compound having satisfactory processing ductility at room temperature has been investigated. The samples were made by extrusion of sintered powder blanks. The effect of Fe, Cr, Co, Mo, B and La doping on mechanical properties of nickel aluminide was investigated. Alloying has a beneficial effect on decrease of the ductile–brittle transition temperature and micro-mechanism of fracture. The doping of nickel aluminide by Fe (2 at.%), Mo (2 at.%) and Co(2 at.%) was studied by valence band XPS and plasmon losses electron spectroscopy. The shift of the Fermi level (EF) and variation of density of conduction electrons −neff were found in doped NiAl. The results show good correlation between EFneff and micro-hardness of alloyed NiAl intermetallic.