The long-period stacking order (LPSO) structures and stacking faults (SFs) in rapidly solidified powder metallurgy (RS P/M) Mg97Zn1Y2 alloy were investigated by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) observations. The 18R-type LPSO structure with a stacking sequence of ACBCBCBACACACBABAB and a period of 4.86 nm was observed in the as-extruded RS P/M Mg97Zn1Y2 alloy. After annealing at 773 K for 5 hr, the 18R-type LPSO structure was transformed to the 14H-type LPSO structure with a stacking sequence of ABABABACBCBCBC and a period of 3.64 nm. The 24R-type LPSO structure containing 24 atomic layers of ABABABABCACACACABCBCBCBC with period of 6.18 nm coexists with the 14H-type LPSO structure in the same grains. The LPSO structures contain intrinsic Type II SFs such as BCB/CABA and ABA/CBCB stacking sequences of a closely packed plane.

Mg-Zn-RE alloys had a novel lond period stacking ordered (LPO) structure. Their rapidly solidified powder metallurgy (RS P/M) alloys exhibited a combination of high strength and god ductility (tensile yield strength above 550 MPa and elongation above 5%). The LPO Mg-Zn-RE RS P/M alloys had high elevated temperature strength (tensile yield strength above 380 MPa at 473 K) and exhibited a high-strain-rate superplasticity at higher temperatures. In Japan, a national project for developing high strength LPO Mg-Zn-RE RS P/M alloys has started at 2003 for 5 years, which is founded by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) of Japan. In the national project, project targets in materials performances have been achieved. The developed LPO Mg-Zn-RE RS P/M alloys exhibited higher tensile yield strength, fatigue strength and corrosion resistance than high strength aluminum alloys of extra-super-duralumin (7075-T6).

High heat-resistant Al-Fe-V-Si and Al-Fe-V-Si-X rapidly solidified powder metallurgy (RS P/M) alloys have been developed under well-controlled high purity argon gas atmosphere. The (at. %) RS P/M alloy exhibited high elevated-temperature strength exceeding 300 MPa and good ductility with elongation of 6 % at 573 K. Reduction of partical pressure in P/M processing atmosphere led to improvement in mechanical properties of the powder-consolidated alloys under elevated-temperature service conditions. Ti addition to the Al-Fe-V-Si conduced to enhancement of the strength at room temperature. The tensile yeild strength and ultimate strenght were 545 MPa and 722 MPa, respectively.

In this paper processing and mechanical properties of Al-20 wt％ Si alloy was studied. A bulk form of Al-20Si alloy was prepared by gas atomizing powders having the powder size of 106-145 and powder extrusion. The powder extrudate was subsequently equal channel angular pressed up to 8 passes in order to refine grain and Si particle. The microstructure of the gas atomized powders, powder extrudates and equal channel angular pressed samples were investigated using a scanning electron microscope and X-ray diffraction. The mechanical properties of the bulk sample were measured by compressive tests and a micro Victors hardness test. Equal channel angular pressing was found to be effective in matrix grain and Si particle refinement, which enhanced the strength and hardness of the Al-2OSi alloy without deteriorating ductility in the range of experimental strain of 30％.

Powder forging with a back pressure was investigated for production of automobile and compressor parts made of a rapidly solidified Al-Si alloy powder. Disk-shaped green compacts made of a rapidly solidified Al-Si alloy powder were hot forged, and hubs were formed by loading back pressure on their top. The influences of the back pressure and die temperatures on forgeabiliy and properties of parts made of a rapidly solidified Al-Si alloy powder were examined. This method was also applied to the production of a scroll part. The results of these studies are summarized as follows : 1. A back pressure on the hub top is very effective for consolidation and preventing crack formation in the hub. 2. When a back pressure tess than 98 MPa is applied, the forging pressure increases by the same amount of the applied back pressure. With more than 98 MPa, the forging pressure increases further due to an increased friction at the hub side. 3. Die temperatures higher than approximately 670k are needed in order to consolidate well the hub top without cracks.

Optical microstructures and mechanical properties of Na gas atomized Al-20Si-5Fe alloying powder and its hot extrudates were studied on 3 different types of powder size distribution. This powder showed the size distribution of 10~210㎛. Also the microstructures of α-Al, primary and eutectic Si and needle shaped intermetallic compounds were observed by optical microscope. These needle shaped intermetallic compounds were identified as δ-AI₄FeSi₂ by XRD and EDX analysis. The ultimate tensile strength(UTS) of these alloy extrudates was increased from 324 to 390 MPa with decreasing powder size range from 120~210㎛ to 10~64㎛. A value of Micro-vic-kers hardness was simillar to the result of UTS. These extrudates showed better wear resistance than those of Al-20Si-2X(X : Ni, Cr, Zr), although they are insensitive to the size distribution. These results indicate that the presentation of δ-AI₄FeSi₂ intermetallic compounds contributed to the wear resistance improvement.