Characteristics of Fe-Cr-Al alloy nanopowders prepared by electrical wire explosion process under liquid media

Abstract

Fe-Cr-Al alloy nanopowders were successfully prepared by electrical wire explosion method in ethyl alcohol media. The formation of FeCr-Al alloy nanopowder was monitored by X-ray diffraction. The alloy powders have spherical shape and nanometer size. The alloy powders prepared by the electrical wire explosion method have main crystal structures of bcc Fe-Cr alloy. The geometric mean diameter and geometric standard deviation of an alloy powder formed from a wire with diameter of 0.1 mm were 10.2 nm and 1.62, respectively. However, the geometric mean diameter and geometric standard deviation of an alloy powder formed from a wire with diameter of 0.2 mm were 15.4 nm and 1.66, respectively. These values indicate that the particle size of the alloy powders prepared by the EWE method was increased with wire diameter. Fe, Cr, and Al components are uniformly dispersed inside the powder. © 2011 The Japan Institute of Metals.