Ball milling synthesis and effects of infrared heat treating on the nanocrystalline Ti/Zr/Cu/Ni system

A Ti/Zr based solid solution with a nominal wt. % composition of 37.5Ti-37.5Zr-15Cu-10Ni (eutectic) has been successfully synthesized by mechanical alloying using a high-energy planetary ball mill and it was performed at 250 rpm and different milling periods of 5, 10, and 15 h. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the powder experienced severe deformation from the milling process. The powder was heat treated using an indigenous infrared tube furnace at a heating rate of 200 degrees C/min. X-ray diffraction results showed the presence of several nanocrystalline intermetallic compounds after infrared heat treating at 750 degrees C for 15 min in an argon atmo-sphere. The feature of infrared radiation ensured that the nanocrystalline size of the produced powder remained almost intact during the milling process. The crystal size, lattice parameter, and lattice strain at the optimal milling period (10 h) were determined to be 13 nm, 2.7 angstrom, and 0.4 %, respectively.

Automated summary

A Ti/Zr based solid solution with a composition of 37.5Ti-37.5Zr-15Cu-10Ni (eutectic) was successfully synthesized by mechanical alloying. The powder experienced severe deformation during the milling process, but the infrared heat treatment ensured the preservation of the nanocrystalline size. The optimal milling period was determined to be 10 hours, resulting in a crystal size of 13 nm, lattice parameter of 2.7 angstrom, and lattice strain of 0.4%.