Mechanical properties of FeAl

Abstract

The B2 compound FeAl has attracted considerable attention in the past 20 years as a candidate material for structural applications both in hostile environments and at intermediate temperatures. However, until lately, the mechanical behaviour of FeAl was not well understood because the effects of both vacancy retention following elevated temperature heat treatments and environmental embrittlement were not taken into account. More recently, testing performed under conditions where these effects are controlled has taken place, allowing a more complete understanding of the compound's mechanical properties. The aim of the present paper is to provide an overview of the mechanical behaviour of FeAl, with particular emphasis on recent studies, together with, where appropriate, reinterpretation of older data, in light of our present understanding.