A novel way of amorphous phase formation during mechanical alloying of copper and cadmium powders

• Published in: Metallurgical and materials transactions. A, Physical metallurgy and materials science Physical metallurgy and materials science, 1998-09, Vol.29 (9), p.2425-2432
• Main Authors: ZHANG, D. L, MASSALSKI, T. B
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Ball milling; Cadmium; Copper; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Free energy; Materials science; Materials synthesis; materials processing; Mechanical alloying; Metals. Metallurgy; Physics; Powder processing: powder metallurgy, compaction, sintering, mechanical alloying, and granulation
• ISSN: 1073-5623; 1543-1940
• DOI: 10.1007/s11661-998-0118-x

Phase formation during high-energy ball milling of copper and cadmium powders has been investigated. Both X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) have been used to characterize the resulting phases. An amorphous phase forms during milling in the copper-cadmium system by a reaction between the equilibrium δ phase and one of the constituent metals (copper). However, the amorphous phase cannot be produced by a direct reaction between the copper and cadmium powders, nor by milling of a powder consisting of only the δ phase. It appears most likely that the contribution from the generated copper/δ interfaces, and the accompanying increase in the total free energy, provide the additional driving force for the amorphous phase formation in this system.