Influence of mechanical alloying parameters on phase formation in Al-Cu-Fe powder

Abstract

In the present study the effect of mechanical alloying parameters on phase formation in Al 62 Cu 25.5 Fe 12.5 (at.%) alloy was investigated. Mixtures of Al, Cu and Fe powder with different particles size were ball milled in Fritsch 5 Pulverisette planetary mill using tungsten carbide vials and balls. The milling was performed with the rotation speed 250 and 300 rpm up to 40 h. Stearic acid or hexane were used as process control agent (PCA). The microstructure of the powders prepared with different milling parameters was investigated using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. It was found that increase of the rotation speed as well as decrease of particle size of initial Al powder particles accelerates the formation of homogeneous microstructure of the powder. The mixture of icosahedral quasicrystal and β-Al(Cu, Fe) cubic phase has been obtained for the powders milled at 300 rpm up to 20 h. Prolonged milling time results in transformation to single ordered β phase.