Interfaces of bismuth with Al-Cu-Fe icosahedral quasicrystal

In a transmission electron microscopy study, it is shown that bismuth makes a better lattice match with an icosahedral quasilattice than with a crystalline lattice. A common orientation relationship is [0001]2f (two-fold axis), [image omitted]5f (five-fold plane), in which a match of prominent planes and axes occurs. The match in the reciprocal-space and lattice images indicate epitaxy at the interfaces. In a variant of this orientation relationship, [0001]2f, [image omitted]5f, where [image omitted] and five-fold are the closest-packed planes in bismuth and the icosahedral phase, respectively.