Synthesis of the nanostructured Al59Cu25.5Fe12.5B3 quasicrystalline and crystalline phases by short-time milling: Microhardness, electrical resistivity, and solar cell absorptance study

ABSTRACT Quasicrystals have been comprehensively studied since their discovery in 1984 by Daniel Shechtman to dissolve their complex structures concerning their physical properties. The quasi-periodic well-ordered atomic structures made QCs as a novel type of solids differing from the crystalline or amorphous materials. The QC alloys have non-crystallographic rotational symmetries, such as five-fold, eight-fold, and even ten-fold rotational axes that are prohibited in ordinary periodic crystals. The QC alloys have been recently considered for several applications owing to a series of the unusual combination of exclusive physicomechanical properties for metallic-based alloys. Accordingly, the properties of these alloys can be pointed out to their high strength, elevated hardness, desirable corrosion and wear resistance, minute adhesion, low values of thermal and electrical conductivity, and superior optical properties. • This paper focuses on the synthesis, structural and microstructural evolutions, thermal stability, microhardness, and electrical and optical properties of the Al59Cu25.5Fe12.5B3 nanoquasicrystalline alloy for solar selective absorber usages. Accordingly, there are various advanced techniques for synthesizing the nanostructured quasicrystals, such as laser ablation, sol-gel, electros pining, mechanical alloying, and hydrothermal methods. • The structural and microstructural evolutions of the mechanically alloyed AlCuFeB powders were investigated by X-ray diffractometry and field-emission scanning electron microscopy. The thermal stability of the AlCuFeB powders was recorded by differential thermal analysis. • The nanostructured Al59Cu25.5Fe12.5B3 stable quasicrystalline phase was synthesized by short-time milling procedure in 1 h. It was found that the presence of the quasicrystalline phase in the AlCuFeB alloy prominently improves the microhardness, electrical resistivity, and sunlight absorptance.