Atomic disorder and amorphization of B2-structure CoZr by ball milling

Abstract

For a considerable number of intermetallic compounds it has been found that ball milling introduces atomic (chemical) disorder. Disorder due to milling was demonstrated by x-ray diffraction in AlRu, crystallizing in the B2 structure (ordered b.c.c.) by a decrease of the intensity of superlattice reflections relative to fundamental reflections. The same technique was used to investigate disordering by milling in Ni{sub 3}Al, crystallizing in the L1{sub 2} structure (ordered f.c.c.). In both cases the disorder is anti-site disorder of both components, i.e. both atomic species substitute on the wrong sublattices. Besides x-ray diffraction measurements of magnetic properties turned out to be useful in monitoring structural changes due to milling. The change in the superconducting transition temperature, measured by magnetic a.c. susceptibility, was used to demonstrate atomic disordering by milling in Nb{sub 3}Sn and Nb{sub 3}Au. The type of disorder turned out to be anti-site disorder. Such a type of disorder occurs in the same materials also at high temperatures or after irradiation by neutrons. The disordering was accompanied by an increase of the lattice parameter. An increase in high-field magnetization accompanied by a decrease of the lattice parameter during milling was found in B2 CoGa and B2 CoAl. In principlemore » in the completely ordered state both compounds are non-magnetic, because the CO atoms are shielded from one another by Ga and Al atoms, respectively. However, when a Co atom is transferred to the wrong sublattice, it is surrounded by Co atoms as nearest neighbors and bears a magnetic moment. This explains the strong increase of the magnetization due to milling.« less