Solid-state reaction between crystalline nickel and amorphous Fe78Si12B10 powders during mechanical milling

Abstract

The solid-state reaction between crystalline nickel and pulverized melt-spun amorphous Fe78Si12B10 powders during mechanical milling has been investigated. For the powder mixtures with low nickel content (≤ 30 at%), the reaction results in the production of a new amorphous phase. For the powder mixture with a high nickel content (up to 50 at%), crystalline γ (Fe, Ni) and new amorphous phases are obtained. During the milling process, nickel atoms can dissolve in the amorphous matrix by diffusion due to severe deformation. The existence of “free volume” in the melt-spun amorphous phase may favour the diffusion of nickel atoms. At the same time, the elemental atoms (such as iron) in the amorphous phase may also dissolve into the nickel matrix. The amorphization between the amorphous and crystalline phases is attributed to the asymmetry of interdiffusion of the atoms in different matrices.