Mechanical alloying of Fe100−x−yNbxBy (x = 5, 10; y = 10, 15): From pure powder mixture to amorphous phase

The mechanical alloying process of Fe75Nb10B15 and Fe85Nb5B10 systems has been studied from an initial mixture of elemental powders. The amorphization process is monitored by X-ray diffraction and Mössbauer spectrometry. An amorphous phase is formed after 400 h milling only for Fe75Nb10B15 alloy, whereas a bcc supersatured solid solution is the final product after milling Fe85Nb5B10 alloy. For both cases, a dispersion of ∼10% in the Fe content of the powder particles persists after 400 h milling. Powder particle size, Cr content and lattice parameter of bcc phase are larger for the alloy with the highest Nb content.