Microstructure and microhardness of the Al-10Mg alloy processed by the mechanical alloying technique

Abstract

In this work, the Al-10Mg nanostructured alloy was synthesized by high-energy mechanical milling. Subsequently, the powders consolidated under a uniaxial pressing in the air. The as milled powders were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). SEM and XRD also characterized the sintered samples. Vickers microhardness of sintered Al-10Mg alloy was measured. SEM, XRD, and TEM characterizations show that the Al-10Mg alloy was synthesized after 10 h milling. The X-ray powder analysis of the structural parameters showed the increment with the time of the lattice parameter, strain as well as the solubility of Mg in Al. Besides, XRD and TEM studies showed that the crystallite size was reaching an average value of 19 nm after 10 h milling. XRD patterns of the all sintered specimens show the formation of the MgAl2O4 spinel phase. After powders compaction, the specimen sintered at 420ºC for 2 h shows microhardness of 125 HV.

Keywords

• al-10mg alloy
• high-energy mechanical milling
• structural characterization
• consolidation
• microhardness