Mechanochemical synthesis and characterization of FeNi-Al2O3 nanocomposites

Abstract

In this Study, FeNi-Al2O3 nanocomposites with three different compositions were<br><br>successfully synthesized through mechanical alloying of Fe2O3, Ni and Al powders mixture.<br><br>Characterization of the products was accomplished by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy<br><br>dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The effect of various parameters<br><br>such as chemical composition of starting materials, milling time and annealing on the phase<br><br>evolution, morphology and microhardness of samples was investigated. It was found that FeNi matrix<br><br>nanocomposites reinforced with 10, 15 and 30wt.% of Al2O3 were fabricated in 300, 240 and 180<br><br>min of milling, respectively. The crystallite size of the intermetallic FeNi phase and particle size of<br><br>Al2O3 in the 720 min milled FeNi-30wt.%Al2O3 nanocomposite sample were calculated 28nm and<br><br>5.15 μm, respectively. Microhardness results also showed the same sample had the maximum<br><br>hardness value of 790 HV.