Fabrication and microstructure of nanostructured Mg-3Ni-2MnO2 by ball milling in hydrogen atmosphere

Nanostructured Mg-3Ni-2MnO2 was synthesized by ball milling elemental powders of Mg, Ni and MnO2 in hydrogen atmosphere. The microstructures of the powder prepared at different milling time were analyzed by X-ray diffractometry(XRD), scanning electron microscopy(SEM) and high resolution electron microscopy(HREM). The milling time is the most key parameter impacting on the grain size and the microstructure of material. With prolonging the milling time, particle size becomes smaller and smaller. But after the ball milling time reaches about 20 h, reduction of grain size becomes slowly. When the milling time is more than 50 h, nanocrystalline fully forms. When the milling time is more than 80 h, there are more amorphous phases in materials. The average particle diameter of material is about 1 μm and the grain size is 10–30 nm.