Abstract
The present study demonstrates the evolution of eutectic microstructure in arc-melted (Zr(0.76)Fe(0.24))(100-x)Nb(x) (0 ≤ x ≤ 10 atom %) composites containing α-Zr//FeZr₂ nano-lamellae phases along with pro-eutectic Zr-rich intermetallic phase. The effects of Nb addition on the microstructural evolution and mechanical properties under compression, bulk hardness, elastic modulus, and indentation fracture toughness (IFT) were investigated. The Zr-Fe-(Nb) eutectic composites (ECs) exhibited excellent fracture strength up to ~1800 MPa. Microstructural characterization revealed that the addition of Nb promotes the formation of intermetallic Zr(54)Fe(37)Nb₉. The IFT (K(IC)) increases from 3.0 ± 0.5 MPa√m (x = 0) to 4.7 ± 1.0 MPa√m (x = 2) at 49 N, which even further increases from 5.1 ± 0.5 MPa√m (x = 0) and up to 5.9 ± 1.0 MPa√m (x = 2) at higher loads. The results suggest that mutual interaction between nano-lamellar α-Zr//FeZr₂ phases is responsible for enhanced fracture resistance and high fracture strength.