Study of the formation of Cu-24at.% Al by reactive milling

Abstract

In this work, powders of Cu and Al were milled with a proportion equal to 24 atomic % Al, using low and medium energy mills. The initial, intermediate and final stages of the resulting powder are analyzed using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and different transmission electron microscopy techniques. The structure and microstructure achieved in each step of the milling process are compared to the results of Cu-16at.%Al and Cu-30at.%Al obtained under the same conditions of reactive milling. At the final stage of milling, it was detected that the obtained intermetallic is not the equilibrium phase of the Cu-Al system.