Rapid and low-temperature synthesis of MoAlB MAB phase by using stress-induced Al-particles

Currently, MoAlB particles are produced at 1000°C and higher temperatures. In this manuscript, we report the rapid synthesis of MoAlB by altering the stress of Al particles to affect Al reactivity. The Al particles were purposefully stress-altered to reduce their threshold for reaction. The stress-altering process consisted of annealing followed by quenching of the aluminum powder. The combined process caused a reaction at a lower temperature between Mo, B, and Al to form MoAlB. The stress-altering of Al particles (i.e., Al [TT-treated]) was effective in producing >95 wt.% MoAlB after reaction at only 700°C for 10 min, a significant reduction in temperature. Based on these results, we can further project that this process can be used for manufacturing Al-based compositions at significantly lower temperatures.