Abstract
Bulk nanostructured cobalt was processed using a bottom-up strategy. Nanostructured particle agglomerates of about 50 and 240 nm in diameter were synthesised using a polyol route and subsequently consolidated by Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS). The microstructure of the starting powders and of the processed bulk samples was studied and characterised by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The XRD patterns of the as-prepared powders showed predominantly a face centred cubic (fcc) crystalline phase, whereas both fcc and hexagonal close packed (hcp) phases were found within the consolidated samples. A sample with the highest relative mass density (94.5%) was obtained from the small powder particles. TEM observations revealed a lamellar substructure with a high density of nanotwins and stacking faults in every grain in the sample with the highest density. Brillouin light scattering (BLS) and quasistatic compression tests were used to investigate the mechanical properties of the consolidated samples. The two techniques yielded Young modulus values of 168 GPa and 130 GPa, respectively, in the sample with the highest density. This sample also exhibited a yield stress higher than 1 GPa after the compression test, which is mainly attributed to the lamellar-like structure occurring in almost every grain of the polycrystalline aggregate. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.