Synthesis of nanocrystalline Fe13at.%B7at.%Si by mechanical alloying

• Published in: Materials science & engineering. A, Structural materials : properties, microstructure and processing Structural materials : properties, microstructure and processing, 1995-12, Vol.204 (1), p.217-221
• Main Authors: Perez, Robert J., Huang, Benlih, Crawford, Paula J., Sharif, Adel A., Lavernia, Enrique J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Exact sciences and technology; Mechanical alloying; Metal powders; Metals. Metallurgy; Milling; Powder metallurgy. Composite materials; Production techniques; Synthesis
• ISSN: 0921-5093; 1873-4936
• DOI: 10.1016/0921-5093(95)09964-6

The synthesis of nanocrystalline Fe-13at.%B-7at.%Si using mechanical alloying of elemental powders in a SPEX mill was investigated. Precise lattice parameter measurements provide insight into the dissolution of Si and B in the nanocrystalline Fe lattice. These data indicate that the complete dissolution of Si in the crystalline Fe matrix required 128 h milling. Only 35% of the total B content was estimated to be in solution after 128 h. Debris from vial and ball wear after this extended milling, however, is found to represent over 35 wt.% of the final composition, and to produce an increase in lattice parameter of approximately 3.7 × 10 −7 nm per hour of milling. In addition, the present results indicate that the disappearance of Si peaks in the X-ray diffraction spectra may be related more directly to the low atomic scattering factor of Si than to its dissolution in Fe.