Structural and Mössbauer studies on mechanical milled SmCo5/α-Fe nanocomposite magnetic powders

The SmCo5/α-Fe nanocomposite powders were prepared by high energy ball milling and the inter-diffusion reaction between the SmCo5 and α-Fe magnetic phases were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) and 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy. While structural and magnetic measurements could reveal only the presence of SmCo5 and α-Fe phases, Mössbauer studies could clearly specify the extent of alloying between Fe and Co atoms in terms of evolution of α-Fe(Co) phase as a function of milling time. It has been found that the fractional volume of α-Fe(Co) solid solution tends to increase at the expense of the initial α-Fe phase upon progressive milling.