Magnetic Properties and Microstructure of an Isothermal Annealed and Mechanically Milled Nanocrystalline Ag–Mn Alloy

Abstract

The alloy 50Ag–50Mn (wt.%) was prepared using ball milling. After 50 h of milling, the samples were isothermally annealed for 1 h at a time at three different temperatures ranging from 350[Formula: see text]C to 550[Formula: see text]C. By analyzing the X-ray diffraction data, Rietveld refinement structure analysis was used to measure the lattice strain and crystallite size. The introduction of lattice strain and the decrease in crystallite size as a function of milling time may both contribute to the increase in coercivity. The analysis of superconducting quantum interference devices demonstrates the soft ferromagnetic behavior of as-milled and annealed Ag–Mn alloy. After being annealed at 350[Formula: see text]C for 1 h, the 50Ag–50Mn alloy’s maximum coercivity was discovered to be 253 Oe.