Synthesis and characterization of Ball Milled Thallium Nanopowder by Hall-Williamson and X-ray diffraction method

Abstract

This research paper investigates the production of thallium (Tl) nanopowder using the ball milling (BM) technique. Pure Tl metal ingots were carefully filed to create a powder sample, which was subsequently subjected to ball milling for varying durations of 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 h. The aim of the study was to examine the influence of ball milling on the particle size (PS) and atomic disorder of the Tl nanopowder. The results revealed that longer ball milling times led to a significant reduction in particle size. The initial particle size of 198 nm for 0 h of ball milling decreased to 68 nm after 12 h of milling. This indicates that extended milling duration effectively reduced the size of Tl particles. Furthermore, the Debye-Waller factor (DWF), which characterizes atomic vibrations and disorder within the nanopowder, was investigated. The study found that as the ball milling time increased from 0 to 12 h, the DWF exhibited a corresponding increase from 1.80 to 1.90. This suggests that extended ball milling induced greater atomic disorder in the Tl nanopowder. The findings of this study contribute to a better understanding of the effects of ball milling on the properties of nanomaterials. The significant reduction in particle size and the increase in atomic disorder observed with longer milling durations have implications for various applications requiring fine-tuned particle characteristics and enhanced atomic-level behavior.