Iron-containing alloys and associated systems and methods

Abstract

Iron-containing alloys, and associated systems and methods, are generally described. The iron-containing alloys are, according to certain embodiments, nanocrystalline. According to certain embodiments, the iron-containing alloys have high relative densities. The iron-containing alloys can be relatively stable, according to certain embodiments. Inventive methods for making iron-containing alloys are also described herein. The inventive methods for making iron-containing alloys can involve, according to certain embodiments, sintering nanocrystalline particulates comprising iron and at least one other element (e.g., at least one other metal or a metalloid) to form an iron-containing nanocrystalline alloy.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A nanocrystalline metal alloy, comprising:
 Fe; and   a second element;   wherein:
 Fe is the most abundant element by atomic percentage in the nanocrystalline metal alloy, and 
 the nanocrystalline metal alloy has a relative density of at least 80%. 
   
     
     
         2 . A nanocrystalline metal alloy, comprising:
 Fe; and   a second element;   wherein:
 the second element and Fe exhibit a miscibility gap, and 
 the nanocrystalline metal alloy has a relative density of at least 80%. 
   
     
     
         3 . A nanocrystalline metal alloy, comprising:
 Fe; and   a second element;   wherein:
 the second element has a melting point that is lower than the melting point of Fe, and 
 the nanocrystalline metal alloy has a relative density of at least 80%. 
   
     
     
         4 - 6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The metal alloy of  claim 1 , wherein the second element is a second metal. 
     
     
         8 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The metal alloy of  claim 1 , wherein the metal alloy is a sintered metal alloy. 
     
     
         11 . The metal alloy of  claim 1 , wherein the second element is selected from the group consisting of magnesium (Mg), boron (B), zirconium (Zr), gold (Au), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), vanadium (V), platinum (Pt), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), cobalt (Co), and tin (Sn). 
     
     
         12 . The metal alloy of  claim 1 , wherein the second element is magnesium (Mg). 
     
     
         13 . The metal alloy of  claim 1 , wherein the second element is present in the nanocrystalline metal alloy in an amount of less than 40 at % of the nanocrystalline metal alloy. 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . The metal alloy of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the total amount of magnesium (Mg), boron (B), zirconium (Zr), gold (Au), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), vanadium (V), platinum (Pt), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), cobalt (Co), and tin (Sn) present in the metal alloy is less than 40 at % of the metal alloy; and   at least 90 at % of the balance of the metal alloy is Fe.   
     
     
         16 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The metal alloy of  claim 1 , wherein the nanocrystalline metal alloy is a dual-phase metal alloy. 
     
     
         21 . The metal alloy of  claim 1 , wherein the nanocrystalline metal alloy further comprises a third element that is different from the second element. 
     
     
         22 . The metal alloy of  claim 21 , wherein the third element is a metal element. 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . The metal alloy of  claim 21 , wherein the third element is selected from the group consisting of boron (B), zirconium (Zr), gold (Au), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), vanadium (V), platinum (Pt), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), cobalt (Co), and tin (Sn). 
     
     
         25 . The metal alloy of  claim 21 , wherein the third element is selected from the group consisting of gold (Au) and chromium (Cr). 
     
     
         26 - 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . The metal alloy of  claim 1 , wherein the nanocrystalline metal alloy has an average grain size of less than 100 nm. 
     
     
         31 - 35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . The metal alloy of  claim 1 , wherein the nanocrystalline metal alloy has a relative density of at least 99%. 
     
     
         37 . The metal alloy of  claim 1 , wherein the nanocrystalline metal alloy is a bulk nanocrystalline metal alloy. 
     
     
         38 . The metal alloy of  claim 1 , wherein the nanocrystalline metal alloy is substantially stable at a temperature that is greater than or equal to 100° C. 
     
     
         39 - 43 . (canceled) 
     
     
         44 . The metal alloy of  claim 1 , wherein the metal alloy comprises the Fe, Mg, and Cr. 
     
     
         45 - 47 . (canceled) 
     
     
         48 . The metal alloy of  claim 1 , wherein the metal alloy comprises the Fe, Mg, and Au. 
     
     
         49 - 93 . (canceled)