High-energy Ball Milling Research Articles

Synthesis of Mo-Cu nanocomposite powder by hydrogen reduction of copper nitrate coated MoO3 powder mixture

The fabrication of Mo-based nanocomposite powder with homogeneous dispersion of Cu was investigated. The fine MoO3 powders were prepared by high energy ball milling, and Cu particles on the ball-milled powder surfaces were formed by calcination of a precursor solution copper nitrate. In the powder mixture calcined at 300 °C, MoO3 and CuO appeared in the form of aggregates with fine particles. Microstructural analysis showed that the oxide powders were changed to Mo-Cu nanocomposite powders with an average particle size of about 150 nm and had microstructural homogeneity by hydrogen reduction at 800 °C for 1 h. These results are help to optimize the synthesis process of homogeneous Mo-Co nanocomposite powders.

Effect of milling time on structural and electrical properties of thermomechanically synthesized of Ba0.1 (Bi0.45Na0.45)TiO3 nanoceramics for ferroelectric random-access memory device

Lead-free Ba0.1(Bi0.45Na0.45)TiO3 (BBNTO) nanoceramics were synthesized using high-energy ball milling, followed by a solid-state reaction method. XRD analysis of the microstructure indicated the formation of tetragonal symmetry. The crystallite size of the nanoceramic powder decreased from ∼ 28 nm to 10 nm after milling for 0, 30, 60, and 90 hours. The dielectric properties of the nanoceramics showed significant improvement, with a diffuse phase transition occurring around 80 °C). The dielectric constant increased with temperature across various frequencies, reached a maximum value at approximately at temperature ∼ 380 °C. At lower temperatures and higher frequencies, the relative permittivity and tangent loss depend on the crystallite size and milling duration. Impedance spectroscopy data analysis revealed size-dependent impedance characteristics and dielectric relaxation. The ac conductivity plot adhered to the Arrhenius relation, and the calculated activation energy confirmed the negative temperature coefficient of resistance (NTCR) behavior. P-E loops confirmed ferroelectric properties, indicating potential for use in future ferroelectric-based storage devices.

Enhancing photovoltaic performance through high-energy ball milling of Nb-doped TiO2 nanoparticles

Enhancing photovoltaic performance through high-energy ball milling of Nb-doped TiO2 nanoparticles

Structure and mechanical properties of consolidated billets from recycled chip wastes of cast metal matrix composites of the Al-Si-SiC system

This study examines the structure and mechanical properties of billets produced via hot pressing from ball-milled chips of Al-Si-SiC metal matrix composites. The chips, derived from cast composites, were subjected to high-energy ball milling to obtain powder, which was then consolidated by hot pressing at 450 °C. The findings reveal that machining reduces the average size of SiC particles from 41.9 to 12.9 µm, and ball milling further reduces it to 5.9 µm. Powder-pressed billets exhibited a more homogeneous SiC distribution and showed ∼1.9 times higher hardness than the cast material, while chip-pressed billets showed only a ∼13 % increase. Compression tests indicated the highest yield strength of 333 ± 7 MPa in powder-pressed samples, compared to 225 ± 6 MPa in the cast state and 143 ± 26 MPa in chip-pressed samples. However, powder-pressed samples had lower ductility (∼3 %) than cast and chip-pressed samples. The influence of hot pressing temperature (350–500 °C) on the structure and mechanical properties was also explored, showing that higher temperatures improve silicon distribution but slightly reduce hardness and yield strength. Recycled composite materials from chip waste are promising for producing consolidated billets, especially for small-sized components in machinery and instrument engineering.

Interface-driven microwave absorption enhancement in Mn-optimized Co2FeAl1-xMnx Heusler alloys

To address the urgent need for efficient and stable electromagnetic wave absorbing materials for electromagnetic interference (EMI) protection, we synthesized Co2FeAl1−xMnx Heusler soft magnetic alloys using a high-energy planetary ball milling method. We comprehensively analyzed their structural characteristics, surface morphology, magnetic properties, and electromagnetic parameters to explore their potential in electromagnetic wave absorption. The results show that incorporating manganese (Mn) significantly changes the alloys' crystal structure, surface morphology, and magnetic properties, greatly enhancing their wave absorption performance. The Mn doping specifically alters the surface morphology, which plays a crucial role in influencing the wave absorption characteristics of the Heusler alloys. When the Mn content increased to 25 %, the sample exhibits superior wave absorption, achieving the maximum reflection loss of −44.83 dB at 13.68 GHz with a thickness of 1.5 mm and an effective absorption bandwidth of 5.52 GHz. With a significant increase in the aspect ratio and noticeable changes in surface morphology, the sample with 75 % Mn content shows exceptional performance with an effective absorption bandwidth of 5.68 GHz, representing the highest effective absorption bandwidth in single-phase Heusler alloys. The Mn doping strategy effectively improves the material's impedance matching by adjusting its permittivity and permeability, facilitating multiple polarization relaxation mechanisms and significantly enhancing the alloys' electromagnetic wave absorption efficiency. Our study provides detailed experimental data for optimizing the electromagnetic wave absorption characteristics of Heusler alloys, verifies their practical application potential, and paves the way for developing new high-performance electromagnetic wave absorbing materials.

Enhancing Long Stability of Solid-State Batteries Through High-Energy Ball Milling-Induced Decomposition of Sulfide-Based Electrolyte to Sulfur.

Metal sulfides are increasingly favored as cathode materials in all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) due to their high energy density, stability, affordability, and conductivity. Metal sulfides often exhibit capacities exceeding their theoretical limits, a phenomenon that remains not fully understood. In this study, it reveals that this phenomenon is primarily due to the sulfur decomposition from sulfide-based electrolyte. By employing the high-energy ball milling (HEBM) technique, the deposition of sulfide-based electrolyte onto sulfur is intentionally promoted, resulting in higher charge capacities compared to the discharge capacities and surpass theoretical limits of metal sulfides. Using chromium sulfide (Cr2S3) as the active material, the sulfur decomposed from sulfide-based electrolyte transforms into lithium sulfide (Li2S) after discharge, resulting in an increased capacity by ≈439.6 mAhg-1 and improved cycling stability. Consequently, it demonstrates a specific capacity surpassing 1200 mAh g-1 with a capacity retention of over 80% after 650 cycles, maintaining cycling stability for more than 1900 cycles and achieving a Coulombic efficiency exceeding 99.9%. This versatile HEBM approach enables the fabrication of ASSBs utilizing various transition metal sulfides, such as molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), niobium disulfide (NbS2), and iron disulfide (FeS2), all exhibiting over theoretical limited capacities and prolonged cycling capabilities.

Innovation in sustainable composite research: Investigating graphene-reinforced MMCs for liquid hydrogen storage tanks in aerospace and space exploration

The demand for lightweight materials in space exploration applications has seen a significant rise. This study presents a novel approach by integrating graphene with Aluminium alloy (AA) 2900 powder, synthesized through High energy ball milling technique. The resulting powder was used to reinforce Aluminium alloy 2195, creating metal matrix composites (MMCs) via squeeze casting. The findings demonstrate that incorporating 0.5 wt % 2D graphene nanoplatelets (2D-Grnp) in AA 2195 achieved density match, enabling homogeneous dispersion, addressing composite casting challenges. Consequently, the AA 2900 alloy embedded with 2D-Grnp facilitated the homogeneous dispersion of reinforcements during the squeeze casting process, yielding MMCs Ideal for potential use in lightweight liquid hydrogen fuel tank structures for launch vehicles. Following T8 heat treatment, the final casted composite plate exhibited significant enhancements in ultimate tensile strength, with a 4.5% increase over monolithic Al 2195-T8, exhibiting nominal reduction in elongation behavior and higher hardness. Additionally, scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM, TEM), Small Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS) and Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) revealed the squeeze casting technique's effectiveness by exhibiting enhanced bonding among homogeneously reinforced 2D-Grnp, T1/θ’ precipitates, and AA 2195.

Effect of SiC doping on microwave absorbing properties of ball-milled carbonyl iron/MoS2 composites

Using MoS2 to prepare novel composite absorbing coatings is an effective strategy to enhance electromagnetic wave absorption. In order to explore the preparation process of large-scale preparation of MoS2 composite absorbing materials, a Fe/MoS2/SiC laminated composite absorbing material was prepared by high-energy ball milling method to realize the absorption of electromagnetic waves. By adjusting the proportion of SiC, SiC, MoS2 and Fe were ball-milled at room temperature for 20 h, and the dielectric properties were improved to achieve good absorbing effect. The microstructure and properties of the materials were measured by XRD, SEM, Raman, XPS, HRTEM, VSM and VNA. The results show that the doping of appropriate amount of SiC reduces the interplanar spacing of MoS2 and increases the edge points, which increases the conductivity of MoS2. MoS2 reduces the number of layers and increases its size and area, which improves the dielectric properties of Fe/MoS2 and optimizes the electromagnetic parameters of the composites. When the ratio (mole) of SiC, Fe and MoS2 is 3:6:2, the best electromagnetic wave absorption effect is obtained, the lowest electromagnetic wave reflection loss is −72.98 dB, and the best bandwidth is 3.04 GHz when the matching thickness is 6.53 mm.

Effects of heteroatom-doped hierarchical porous carbon on hydrogen storage properties of MgH2

In this paper, the nitrogen doped (N-HPC), nitrogen and phosphorus co-doped hierarchical porous carbon (NP-HPC) are prepared by cross-linking phytic acid and poly pyrrole/aniline precursor, respectively. They are mixed with MgH2 by high-energy ball milling, and then their effects and mechanisms on the hydrogen absorption and desorption properties of MgH2 are investigated. Meanwhile, the hydrogen storage properties of MgH2 added with graphite (G) are also compared. The results show that the additions of NP-HPC, N-HPC, and G all exhibit the catalytic effect on the hydrogen absorption and desorption of MgH2. As for the hydrogen desorption, the catalytic effect is enhanced in the order of N-HPC, G and NP-HPC. Compared with pure MgH2, the hydrogen desorption temperature is reduced by 65.3 °C, 79.6 °C and 91.1 °C, respectively. Among them, the MgH2 + NP-HPC system can release 5.17 wt% hydrogen at 300 °C within 30 min. First-principles calculations reveal that the P-doped and vacancy-containing carbon materials significantly reduce the H2 recombination barrier from the surface of MgH2 and distort the atomic structure of near-surface layer of MgH2, which in turn weakens the Mg-H bond strength. This may be the intrinsic reason for the excellent catalytic effect of NP-HPC and vacancy-containing G on the hydrogen desorption performance of MgH2.

Investigating on the Tribological Behavior of Binderless WC Matrix Composite

The purpose of this study was to investigate the dry friction and wear behavior of WC-4.3wt.%MgO-2wt.%ZrO2 (WM2Z) composite. WM2Z composite prepared by high-energy ball milling and spark plasma sintering (SPS) technology exhibited excellent comprehensive mechanical properties and dense microstructure. Dry friction test results indicated that the increase of sliding speed will lead to the decrease of friction coefficient, while at the same sliding speed, the extension of sliding time has no significant effect on the friction coefficient. The wear volume increased proportionally with the sliding time, while the wear rate stabilized after reaching a certain duration. The wear mechanism was mainly slight abrasive wear. Additionally, some oxidation occurred on both the WM2Z composite and the Si3N4 ball during friction, forming an oxide film that contributed to the reduction of the friction coefficient. The novelty of this study lies in the first systematic investigation of the effects of sliding speed and time on the wear performance of WM2Z composite, and the revelation that in high-speed sliding environments, even with shorter sliding times, the material experiences faster wear. This discovery emphasizes the important role of sliding speed in the wear process and provides new insights into understanding the wear mechanism of materials in practical applications. This study not only enriches the friction and wear theory of binderless WC matrix composites, but also provides important experimental data and theoretical support for the design and application of related materials, laying a solid foundation for wear resistance optimization and industrial applications.

Dual-functions of the carbon-confined oxygen on the capacitance and cycle stability enhancements of Zn-ion capacitors

Zinc-ion capacitors (ZICs) are promising energy storage devices due to their balance between the energy and power densities inherited from Zn-ion batteries and supercapacitors, respectively. However, the low specific capacitance of carbon cathode materials and the dendrite growth on Zn anode have set fatal drawbacks to their energy density and cycle stability. Herein, we demonstrate that, in 1 M Zn(CF3SO3)2/DMF (N, N-dimethylformamide) electrolyte, confining oxygen in carbon cathode materials via high-energy ball milling can synergistically introduce additional pseudocapacitance on the cathode side while suppressing the dendrite growth on Zn anode side, which jointly lead to high energy density (94 Wh kg−1 at 448 W kg−1) and long cycle stability of ZICs. The hydroxyl group in carbon cathode can be transformed to C—O—Zn together with the release of protons during the initial discharge, which in turn stimulates the defluorination of CF3SO3− anions and formation of ZnF2 on both cathode and anode. The ZnF2 formed on the surface of the Zn anode suppresses the dendrite growth by regulating the Zn2+ deposition/stripping in a reticular structure, resulting in the excellent cycle stability. This work provides a facile strategy to rationally design and construct high energy and stable ZICs through engineering the oxygen-bearing functional groups in carbon cathode materials.

Spark plasma sintering of Ti2AlC/TiC MAX-phase based composite ceramic materials and study of their electrochemical characteristics

A novel method for obtaining the MAX phase Ti2AlC from TiC, Al4C3, and Ti precursors has been demonstrated, involving activation of the mixture in a high-energy ball mill (HEBM) followed by Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS). The phase composition, mechanical characteristics, surface microstructure, and electrochemical behavior in neutral media (0.1 M Na2SO4) of heterogeneous composite ceramic materials TiC/Ti2AlC were studied as a function of sintering temperature (1200–1400 °C). SPS at 1200 °C yields materials with a relative density of 94.42 % and Ti2AlC mass content up to 57 %. These composite materials exhibit capacitive behavior according to cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) data, with a capacitance of 73 mF/g, suggesting their potential application as lead-free ceramic capacitors. Further increase in sintering temperature (1300–1400 °C) leads to increased electrical resistance and enhanced sample homogeneity.

Achieving high energy storage density and charge-discharge performance via high-energy ball milling combined with two-step sintering

In this study, the microstructure, ferroelectricity, energy storage density, and charge-discharge characteristics of 0.95(K0.5Na0.5)NbO3-0.05Ba(Zn1/3Nb2/3) (0.95KNN-0.05BZN) ceramic, fabricated by combining two-step sintering with high-energy ball milling, were investigated. The two-step sintering technique enabled a wide sintering temperature range of 1020–1120 °C for the ceramic. Accordingly, under optimal sintering conditions, the ceramic exhibited high relative density (98.1 %) and nanoscale grain size (<90 nm). The samples also displayed excellent pulse power performance at room temperature with a high recoverable energy storage density (Wrec) of 3.1 J/cm3, along with the following charge-discharge parameters: current density (CD), power density (PD), and discharge time (t0.9) reached 1821.7 cm−3, 227.7 MW/cm3, and 36.8 ns, respectively. The ceramic also obtained robust frequency stability (10–1000 Hz), good temperature stability (30–130 °C), and outstanding fatigue resistance (105 cycles), indicating its potential application in improved pulse capacitor materials.

The effect of sintering temperature on the microstructure and properties of 15wt.%Nd2Fe14Bp/2024Al composite

In this study, the 15wt.%Nd2Fe14Bp/2024Al composite was innovatively prepared using high-energy ball milling, cold isostatic pressing, and microwave sintering. The effect of sintering temperature on the microstructure, mechanical properties and magnetic performance were systematically studied. The results indicate that the microstructure of the prepared composite mainly consists of 2024Al matrix and Nd2Fe14B phase. When the sintering temperature is 490 °C, the microstructure of the composite is optimal, at which point the hardness, yield strength, and compressive strength reach their maximum values and the magnetic performance parameters also reach their optimal values.

Evidence of multiferroic behavior in sintered BaTiO3 obtained from high-energy ball-milled powders

Multiferroic BaTiO3 exhibiting ferroelectric and ferromagnetic behavior was synthesized via the high-energy ball milling of pure BaTiO3 (BTO) powders for durations ranging from 15 to 60 min, followed by pressing and sintering at 1200 °C X-ray diffraction patterns of all synthesized samples predominantly revealed a BTO phase with a tetragonal structure and a secondary Ba12Fe28Ti15O84 (BFTO) phase. The BFTO phase was formed after milling for more than 30 min because of chemical interactions between the BTO powder and milling media. Vibrating sample magnetometry confirmed the ferromagnetic nature of the sintered pellets. The specific magnetization increased with increasing milling duration, reaching a maximum value of 1.15 emu/g after 60 min of milling. This increase can be attributed to the distortion of the crystal structure and presence of a secondary phase, as confirmed by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Additionally, electrical characterization revealed the dielectric nature of the materials, with relative permittivity ranging from 500 to 1800, maximum spontaneous polarization from 9.77 to 11.31 μC/cm2, coercive field from 3.86 to 11.12 kV/cm, and AC conductivity from 1 × 10−6 to 1 × 10−3 S/cm. The method described in this study is a simple and cost-effective approach to produce multiferroic materials with ferroelectric and relaxor ferroelectric behavior at room temperature, broadening their potential for technological applications.

Bi-functional hydrogen tungsten bronze/carbon composite catalysts towards biomass conversion and solar water purification

We presented a novel bi-functional catalyst composed of HxWO3 and carbon composites, which exhibits excellent catalytic activity in biomass conversion and has the ability to effectively purify water via a wide range of wavelengths in the light spectrum. The HxWO3/carbon composites were effectively produced from commercially available monoclinic tungsten trioxide (WO3) and polypropylene (PP) powders to a single-step mechanochemical reaction employing high-energy ball milling. We systemically investigated how different synthesis parameters, such as rotation speed, processing duration, and ball diameter, affect the mechanochemically-induced phase transformation to either tetragonal or cubic HxWO3 during planetary ball milling. The crystal phase of HxWO3 was controllable by altering the total impact energy in the ball milling. In addition, real-time monitoring of the pressure increment inside the pot and evaluation of the evolved gas revealed the degassing behavior through the oxidative degradation of PP assisted by WO3. The CV and Rietveld analysis proved that HxWO3 exhibited significant enhancement by two orders of magnitude in the rate of H+ diffusion compared to monoclinic WO3. This enhancement would be attributed to the expansion of a mechanically-formed tunnel along the a-axis, which facilitates the migration of H+ ions. The HxWO3/carbon composites performed approximately 12-fold higher efficiency in generating soluble solids (glucose and furfural derivatives) compared to untreated WO3 through the catalytic hydrolysis of cellulose, owing to the enhanced Brønsted acidity. Moreover, the composite particles showed broad light absorption in the UV–Vis–NIR range and demonstrated a considerable enhancement of over three orders of magnitude in the photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange pollutants when exposed to NIR and visible light.

Study on microstructure and properties evolution of duplex stainless steel powders by high-energy ball milling

Powder metallurgy duplex stainless steels have garnered significant attention due to its exceptional mechanical properties. The preparation of raw material powders plays a crucial role in the sintering process of duplex stainless steels. The effects of high-energy ball milling on microstructure and properties of duplex stainless steel powders have been studied. Results show that the particles size are effectively reduced by increasing the rotation speed. After milling at 800 r/min for 15 h, the particles size of duplex stainless steel were reduced from 86.17 μm to 69.46 μm and the α and γ phases were uniformly distributed. Additionally, the microstructure of sintered duplex stainless steel milled at 800 r/min is refined and the microhardness is increased from 267 HV0.3 to 313 HV0.3, with improvement of 17.23%, which is attributed to the grain refinement through high-energy ball milling.

Enhanced random vector functional link based on artificial protozoa optimizer to predict wear characteristics of Cu-ZrO2 nanocomposites

Owing to the absence of scientific methods for predicting nanocomposites' wear rates, a freshly updated machine learning method that uses an Artificial Protozoa Optimizer (APO) to forecast the tribological performance of Cu-ZrO2 nanocomposites was proposed. The updated model was used to predict the coefficients of friction and wear rates of Cu-ZrO2 nanocomposites produced in this work. Copper-zirconia nanocomposite powders were fabricated utilizing the ball milling process, varying in milling time and ZrO2 weight percentage. The effect of reinforcement percentage and milling time on the morphology and microstructure of the copper composite powders was characterized. The study concentrated on the effects of high-energy ball milling on the morphology, microstructure, and microhardness of the resulting composites. After cold compaction at 700 MPa of pressure, the resultant powders were sintered for 2 h at 950 °C in a hydrogen atmosphere. Based on the results, a 20-h milling time is the best option for creating a Cu-ZrO2 nanocomposite with evenly distributed reinforcement. The microhardness and wear rate of the Cu-15%ZrO2 nanocomposites are improved by 66.2 %, and 81.1 %, respectively, when compared to pure copper. The crystallite size decreases significantly with the addition of ZrO2, reaching 32.5 and 11.1 nm for samples containing 5 and 15 % weight percent ZrO2. That is why there is a rise in wear and mechanical properties. For Cu-ZrO2 nanocomposites with reinforcement content up to 15 %, the model constructed using the APO method demonstrated excellent forecasting of the wear rate and coefficient of friction.

Preparation and Characterization of Black Phosphene/Titanium Dioxide Composite Nanomaterials by Liquid-Stripping and Solution Mixing Method

In this study, black phosphorus (BP) was prepared via the high-energy ball milling method, and two-dimensional (2D) BP was further fabricated using the liquid-phase stripping approach. Nano TiO2 was synthesized via the sol-gel method, and it was combined with black phosphene through N, N-dimethylformamide (DMF) medium by a straightforward solution mixing process to produce BP/ TiO2 composite photocatalyst. Subsequently, spectrophotometric analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) were conducted. The band gap of BP was calculated using the Tauc plot method. The results revealed that the values are 1.06 eV and 1.23 eV, corresponding to the band gap emissions of four-and three-layer BP band gap emission, indicating the successful preparation of few layers of black phosphorus. The HRTEM analysis demonstrated that the BP/ TiO2 composite photocatalyst formed a relatively stable crystalline state.

A novel coarse-grained modeling and simulation for microstructure and shear evolution of induced dipole dominant electrorheological fluid

Induced dipole dominant electrorheological fluid (ID-ERF) is a new type of ERF. After high energy ball milling (HEBM) process, dielectric particles produce a large number of oxygen vacancies, and the dipoles formed by the polarization of these oxygen vacancies provide excellent ER properties. ID-ERF has the advantages of high shear stress, low current density, long service life, anti-sedimentation, simple preparation method, etc. It should be a new generation of ERF material suitable for practical application. In this work, facing at the shortcomings of traditional particle MD simulation of ERF system, a coarse-grained molecular dynamics (CGMD) model is constructed. The evolution of ID-ERF is simulated under the conditions of no electric field and 5 kV/mm electric field. Proves that there is an adsorption layer of carrier liquid on the surface of ER particles, and shows BCT lattice arrangement under electric field. The sinusoidal shear strain is applied to the model, and calculate the variation of strain amplitude, loss factor, storage modulus and loss modulus. In addition, we prepared ID-ERF and tested its performance to compare with the simulation results.