Abstract
In the present research work, [82Cu4Si14Zn]100-x – x wt% B4C (x = 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12) nanocomposite powders had synthesized by mechanical alloying (MA). The MA process had carried out in a single vial high-energy planetary ball mill with the ball-to-powder ratio of 10:1 for 20 h. The results had revealed that the addition of B4C nano-ceramic particles had contributed more reduction on Cu-Zn-Si matrix powder particle size, changes in shapes, and structural refinement. The synthesized nanocomposite powders had characterized by advanced microscopes. The calculated average nanocomposite powder particle size was 13 ± 1.2 µm, 9 ± 0.8 µm, 5 ± 0.65 µm, 3 ± 0.4 µm, and 1 ± 0.25 µm for 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 wt% B4C reinforced nanocomposite powders respectively. Further, an average nanocrystallite size of 84 nm had obtained for [CuSi4Zn14]-0% B4C sample whereas 13 nm had achieved for [CuSi4Zn14]-12% B4C sample. This had attributed by variation in repeated cold welding, severe plastic deformation, and fragmentation of mechanical collisions with the function of boron carbide (B4C) nano-ceramic particles in Cu-Zn-Si matrix. In addition, the laser powder particle size (diameter, μm) and its distribution at D100, D10, D5, D1, D0.1, and D0.01 with the function of the percentage of B4C ceramic particles had also studied and investigated.