Mechanism of Achieving Nanocrystalline AIRu By Ball Milling

Abstract

ABSTRACTWe investigated through X- ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy the crystal refinement of the intermetallic compound AIRu by high- energy ball milling. The deformation process causes a decrease of crystal size to 5–7 rum and an increase of atomic level strain. This deformation is localized in shear bands with a thickness of 0.5 to 1 micron. Within these bands the crystal lattice breaks into small grains with a typical size of 8–14 rum. Further deformation leads to a final nanocrystalline structure with randomly oriented crystallite grains separated by high- angle grain boundaries.