Grain-size stabilization in nanocrystalline FeZr alloys

Nanocrystalline Fe–Zr alloys with a nominal grain size of 10 nm were synthesized by mechanical alloying. The grain size in pure Fe was >200 nm after annealing for 1 h at T/TM = 0.5. Additions of 1 at.% Zr stabilized the grain size at 50 nm up to T/TM = 0.92. Particle pinning, solute drag and reduction in grain-boundary energy have been proposed as stabilization mechanisms. The stabilization in Fe–Zr alloys is attributed to a reduction in grain-boundary energy due to Zr segregation.