Vacancy-like defects associated with icosahedral phase in Mg-Y-Nd-Zr alloys modified by the addition of Zn
2012
Abstract
Positron lifetime spectroscopy combined with other techniques was employed for the structural characterization of Mg-Y-Nd-Zr (WE43) alloy modified by the addition of Zn. A quasicrystalline icosahedral phase was formed in the alloy, thereby strengthening it.
Vacancy-like defects characterized by a positron lifetime of similar to 300 ps were also found, although such defects are not present in WE43 alloy without Zn. This testifies that vacancy-like defects are associated with the quasicrystalline phase.