Abstract
The nanocrystalline NiCu(Fe2B)P alloy was prepared by mechanically alloying of the elemental powders in a high-energy ball mill under argon atmosphere. The transformations occurring in the material during milling were studied by X-ray diffraction. Microstructure parameters, such as crystallite size, microstrains, stacking faults probability, and dislocations density were determined from the Rietveld refinement of the X-ray diffraction patterns. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was employed to examine the morphology of the samples as a function of milling times. On further milling (40 h), a nanocrystalline matrix, where nanocrystalline Fcc-Ni(Cu, Fe, P), Fe2B and Bcc-Fe(B) phases were embedded, was obtained. The phase transformations are related to the increase of dislocation and accumulation of stacking faults. The nanostructure formation caused by mechanical alloying are commonly attributed to the generation and movement of dislocations.