Abstract
The process of diffusion at the atomic level plays an important role in the formation of new phases. Iron-based Fe9Cu2Zn alloy was investigated by high-energy ball milling of elemental α-Fe powders and Cu7Zn2 brass alloy. The evolutions of structural, microstructural and mechanical properties of the obtained powders were studied by means of X-ray diffraction analysis using the parametric Rietveld refinement method which leads to higher precision of refined parameters. The solid state reaction pathways, occurring after 1 h of milling of (70 wt% α-Fe + 30 wt% Cu7Zn2) powder mixture, take place via demixing of metastable cubic complex γ-Cu5Zn8 in addition to cfc α-Cu7Zn2 and α-Cu25Zn8 phases and subsequently leading to the formation of new stable nanometric phases, namely cubic complex Γ-Fe4Zn9 and trigonal α-Cu3Zn with a stable grain size and good mechanical properties.
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•New manufacturing pathway of Fe9Cu2Zn trimetal alloy.•Development of solid state reactions in the powder mixture subjected to high energy mechanical alloying.•Demixing of metastable cubic complex γ-Cu5Zn8 in addition to cfc α-Cu7Zn2 and α-Cu25Zn8 phases.•Formation of new stable nanometric phases, namely cubic complex Γ-Fe4Zn9 and trigonal α-Cu3Zn.•Stable grain size and good mechanical properties.