Structural and Mechanical Properties of Nanocrystalline Fe60Al30Cu10 (at.%) Powders Prepared by Mechanical Alloying

In the present study, the nanostructured Fe(Al,Cu) solid solution was synthesized by mechanical alloying (MA) process of the elemental powders. The powder mixtures were milled in a planetary ball mill for various periods of time, up to 50 h. The structural and mechanical properties of the samples were studied by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX) and Vickers microhardness test. Results indicated that after 10 h of milling, all Al and Cu atoms were dissolved into the Fe lattice to form bcc-Fe(Al,Cu) solid solution. The particle morphology of the alloys was followed the cold welding, fracturing and steady state stages during milling times. Both particle size and crystallite size were reduced to ~500 nm and ~6 nm, respectively after 50 h of milling. However, the microhardness values increased with the increasing milling time.