Intermetallics Research in Australia

The past two decades have seen alloys based upon intermetallic phases evolve from the status of scientifically interesting materials with a range of attractive properties, combined with overriding disadvantages, to that of the next generation of advanced engineering alloys. This evolution, which has been achieved through a very significant research and development effort on a world wide front, has been driven mainly by aerospace requirements for engineering materials with increased performance at high temperatures. Researchers in Australia were involved in the early scientific studies of intermetallics but have entered the engineering intermetallic alloys field relatively late. This paper presents a review of the contributions made in both areas and includes: the development of ductile intermetallics based on the iron and titanium alurninides; deformation processes in these alloys; order and vacancy effects in the AB type alloys with the CsCl structure; and novel processing techniques for intermetallic phase production.