Synthesis and mechanical behavior of nanostructured materials via cryomilling

Cryomilling, the mechanical attrition of powders within a cryogenic medium, is a method of strengthening materials through grain size refinement and the dispersion of fine, nanometer-scale particles. The technique was developed as a means to decrease both the size of these particles and their spacing within a metallic matrix to increase threshold creep stress and intermediate temperature performance. More recent work has been concerned with increasing the strength of lightweight structural materials. In this overview paper, the available literature is reviewed that covers the microstructural evolution during cryomilling, consolidation and processing, the thermal stability of the microstructure, and mechanical properties of consolidated materials. The properties of cryomilled materials are compared to those results for powders and consolidated materials generated by mechanical alloying, milling at ambient temperatures and other means to produce fine grained materials.