Fully dense Al–Pb nanocomposite bulk samples consolidated from mechanically milled powders

Abstract

Powders with a nanostructured mixture of pure Al and Pb phase were produced by mechanical milling of elemental blends of Al and Pb with a composition of Al90Pb10 (wt. %). Under a pressure of 1.5 GPa at 280 °C, the as-milled powders were successfully consolidated into bulk, full-density samples (>99.5% theoretical density) while the average grain sizes of Al and Pb in the compacted samples remain unchanged with respect to those in the as-milled powders. The achievement of the full density without grain coarsening in the consolidation process could be reasonably attributed to melting of the nanometer-sized Pb particles of which the melting point is considerably depressed.