Effect of boron carbide nano particles in CuSi4Zn14 silicone bronze nanocomposites on matrix powder surface morphology and structural evolution via mechanical alloying

In the present research work, [82Cu4Si14Zn](100-x) - x wt% B4C (x = 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12) nanocomposite powders had synthesized by mechanical alloying (MA). The MA process had carried out in a single vial high-energy planetary ball mill with the ball-to-powder ratio of 10:1 for 20 h. The results had revealed that the addition of B4C nano-ceramic particles had contributed more reduction on Cu-Zn-Si matrix powder particle size, changes in shapes, and structural refinement. The synthesized nanocomposite powders had characterized by advanced microscopes. The calculated average nanocomposite powder particle size was 13 +/- 1.2 mu m, 9 +/- 0.8 mu m, 5 +/- 0.65 mu m, 3 +/- 0.4 mu m, and 1 +/- 0.25 mu m for 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 wt% B4C reinforced nanocomposite powders respectively. Further, an average nanocrystallite size of 84 nm had obtained for [CuSi4Zn14]-0% B4C sample whereas 13 nm had achieved for [CuSi4Zn14]-12% B4C sample. This had attributed by variation in repeated cold welding, severe plastic deformation, and fragmentation of mechanical collisions with the function of boron carbide (B4C) nano-ceramic particles in Cu-Zn-Si matrix. In addition, the laser powder particle size (diameter, pm) and its distribution at D-100, D-10, D-5, D-1, D-0.1, and D-0.01 with the function of the percentage of B4C ceramic particles had also studied and investigated.