Fabrication of aluminum based photoluminescence materials by mechanical alloying and spark plasma sintering and its properties

Air-atomised pure aluminum powder together with photoluminescence powder (LG) was mechanically alloyed (MAed) using a vibrational ball mill, and the MAed composite powders were consolidated into bulk materials by spark plasma sintering (SPS) in order to fabricate the aluminum based composite materials exhibiting photoluminescence properties. Changes in hardness, particle sizes, constituent phases, luminance and microstructures of both the MAed powders and SPS materials were examined by microhardness measurements, scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, luminance meter, and optical microscopy, respectively. The Vickers microhardness of the MAed powders increased by both an increase in MA time and the amount of LG powder addition. The mean particle size of the MAed powders for 60 min was smaller compared to that for 5 min. The Vickers hardness of the bulk SPS materials increased by both an increase in sintering temperatures and the amount of LG powder addition. No solid-state reactions could be detected in the bulk SPS materials during MA and SPS process. Bulk SPS materials showed luminance in a darkroom after they were irradiated by black light. Aluminum based composite materials exhibiting photoluminescence properties were successfully fabricated by a combination of MA and SPS process. © 2012 The Japan Institute of Light Metals.