Synthesis and characterization of nanocristalline Fe-40 at.% Si alloy prepared by high energy ball milling

Abstract

Abstract Fe60Si40 (at.%) alloys were synthesised using a planetary ball mill. X-ray diffraction was used to identify and characterise various phases formed during the milling process. Mössbauer and electromagnetic methods were used to characterise the variations in structure and their influence on the local change of magnetic properties. The shape of hyperfine field distributions used to describe the Mössbauer spectra is discussed. It was found that after 4 h of milling, α-FeSi and Fe3Si starts to form. The coexistence of the α-FeSi phase and Fe3Si was found between 8 and 16 h. After 32 h of milling, the powder was completely transformed into the alloy phase (Fe3Si). The value of the mean particle size of our samples decreases with increasing milling time. It reaches the value of 0.42 μm after 56 h of milling. The crystallite size was reduced to 13 nm after milling. The coercitive field H C decreases with increased milling time.