Effect of initial composition on phase selection in Ni–Si powder blends processed by mechanical alloying

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe effect of initial powder blend composition on the synthesis and formation mechanism of nickel silicide phases was investigated by mechanical alloying in Ni-60 and Ni-66.7 at.% Si powder blends. It was noted that the equilibrium NiSi phase started to form in the early stages of milling and that the amount of the NiSi phase in the milled powder increased with increasing milling time. Even though, under equilibrium conditions, a mixture of both the NiSi and NiSi2 phases was expected to be present in the Ni-60 at.% Si composition and the stoichiometric NiSi2 phase in the Ni-66.7 at.% Si composition, the NiSi phase was present in both the compositions investigated. However, while only the NiSi phase was present homogeneously in the Ni-60 at.% Si powder blend, both the NiSi phase and a very small amount of unreacted Si were present in the powder blend of Ni-66.7 at.% Si composition. This unexpected phase constitution in the milled powders was attributed to a partial loss of Si during mechanical alloying of the powder blends, confirmed by energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer analyses, and explained on a thermodynamic basis.