Mechanical Alloying of Fe-Cu Alloys from As-Received and Premilled Elemental Powder Mixtures

Abstract

We have investigated the effect of premilling elemental powders of Fe and Cu on the mixture mechanism of a Fe50Cu50 alloy. The alloying process was compared and studied using electron probe microanalysis, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and Mossbauer spectroscopy. In both processing routes (with and without premilling), a broad distribution of different local environments of the iron atoms was observed in the Mossbauer spectra of the fcc-FeCu phase. Mossbauer spectra show further that a fcc non magnetic Fe-rich phase is formed transiently besides the bcc-Fe phase. The reactions are slowed down when premilled powders are used as starting powders but similar fcc solid solutions are formed after 16 h and 32h in our milling conditions when as-received and premilled powders are used respectively as starting powders.