Devitrification of glassy Al85Ni10La5 powder by thermal treatment and ball-milling

Structural stability of glassy Al85Ni10La5 as-atomized powder was investigated after ball-milling using differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffractometry, and transmission electron microscopy. Fcc-Al nanocrystals were found after ball-milling. The crystallization behavior upon thermal treatment depends on the deformation level. This is ascribed to a shift in the composition of the residual amorphous phase towards higher contents of Ni and La during ball-milling.

Research highlights▶ We investigate the structural stability of glassy Al85Ni10La5 as-atomized powder after ball-milling using differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffractometry, and transmission electron microscopy. ▶ Fcc-Al nanocrystals form under ball-milling, while the glass transition temperature gradually vanishes and the activation energy for crystallization decreases. ▶ The crystallization behaviour upon thermal treatment depends on the deformation level.