The Al powder and Fe powder compacts with 5% Fe content was fabricated by cold compression method

and the influence of pressure on compact density was investigated. Al-5 Fe alloy was fabricated by solid phase sintering

and the trend of microstructure evolution and microhardness during sintering were investigated by SEM

EDS and micro-Vickers hardness testing. The results indicate that compact density is increased rapidly with the pressure

and slows down after 500 MPa. The compact is unsintered with absence of Al

3

Fe intermetallic compound when the temperature is held at 500 ℃ for 30 min. When the temperature is held for over 45 minutes

the powder compact is sintered

and a granular Al

3

Fe intermetallic compound with an average size of 10～15 μm is formed

where the microstructure is significantly refiner than that of as-cast one

yet with micropores in the matrix. The density and micro-Vickers hardness of the sintered alloy are increased with the sintering time

which reach 2.764 g/cm

3

and 38 HV

0.3

respectively

with sintered for 90 min. Re-pressing and re-sintering can further enhance the density of the sintered Al-5 Fe alloy to 2.80 g/cm

3

and the microhardness to 40 HV

0.3

both of which are lower than those of as-cast ones

which is attributed to re-pressing and re-sintering unable to eliminate micropores completely.