Influence of milling atmosphere on the high-energy ball-milling process of producing particle-reinforced aluminum matrix composites

Abstract

High-energy ball milling (HEM) with subsequent consolidation is a suitable method to create particle-reinforced aluminum materials. In addition to other parameters, the used PCA (process control agent) as well as the atmosphere significantly influence the milling procedure. The present article deals with the influence of different milling atmospheres (air, argon, nitrogen) on the high-energy ball-milling process when milling an Al alloy with SiC particles. The investigations show that the reaction of the ground material with air, when rinsed with air, changes the milling behavior of the aluminum powder significantly. Unlike with inert atmospheres, the use of a process control agent (PCA) is therefore no longer necessary.