EFFECT OF COMPOSITION AND MILLING TIME ON THE SYNTHESIS OF NANOSTRUCTURED Ni-Cu ALLOYS BY MECHANICAL ALLOYING METHOD

Ni and cu elemental powder mixtures containing 25, 50, and 75% at cu were subjected to mechanical alloying in a planetary ball mill under various milling times. structural evolution was analyzed by means of x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. experimental results indicated that nanostructured solid solution alloy powders having homogeneous distribution of ni and cu were formed by milling-induced interdiffusion of the elements. average crystallite size of the as-milled powders was decreased with increasing ni content and milling duration, and found to be in the order of 15-40 nm after 30 h of milling for all powder compositions. moreover, lattice parameter and lattice strain of solid solutions were increased with the time of ma, which was more intense for nickel-rich alloys.