Discovery of core-shell quasicrystalline particles

Submicron-sized quasicrystalline particles were obtained in an Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy produced by traditional melting. These particles consist of an Al-Fe-Ni core and a Mg-Cu-Zn shell and were found to be stable and embedded randomly in the Al matrix. The diffraction patterns of these core-shell particles reveal a decagonal core and an icosahedral shell with, respectively, ten- and five-fold axes aligned. High resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy of the Mg-Cu-Zn shell confirms the five-fold symmetry atomic arrangement and the icosahedral structure. It can therefore be concluded that Fe and Ni impurities play an important role in mediating the formation of such an unusual ternary core-shell quasicrystalline particle. These findings provide some novel insights in the formation of quasicrystals in traditional industrial Al alloys.

Automated summary

Submicron-sized quasicrystalline particles were achieved in an Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy produced using traditional melting. These particles consist of an Al-Fe-Ni core and a Mg-Cu-Zn shell, randomly embedded in the Al matrix. The diffraction patterns reveal a decagonal core and an icosahedral shell with five-fold symmetry. The presence of Fe and Ni impurities is found to be crucial in the formation of this unusual ternary core-shell quasicrystalline particle, providing novel insights into the formation of quasicrystals in traditional industrial Al alloys.