Structure and stability of quasicrystalline aluminium transition-metal alloys

Quasicrystalline Al₈₆V₁₄, Al₈₆Co₁₄ and Al₈₆Ni₁₄ have been prepared by rapid quenching from the melt at a rate of approximately 2*10⁶K s^-1. X-ray diffraction patterns of these alloys show a small quantity of FCC aluminium and a quasicrystalline phase of the form reported recently for Al₈₆Cr₁₄, Al₈₆Mn₁₄ and Al₈₆Fe₁₄. The spacing of the lattice planes of the quasicrystalline phase decreases linearly with increasing number of 3d electrons on the transition-metal component. The crystallisation temperature of this metastable state is found to follow this same trend.