Microstructure evolution in nanocrystalline Cu-Nb alloy during mechanical alloying

The microstructural evolution of nanocrystalline Cu-10%Nb(mass fraction) alloy during mechanical alloying(MA) was investigated by using X-ray diffraction,optical microscopy(OM),scanning electron microscopy(SEM) and transmission electron microscopy(TEM) observation. Upon milling of Cu-Nb powders with coarse grains,the grain size is found to decrease gradually with lengthening milling time,and reach the minimum value(about 9 nm) after 100 h milling. The microstrain and the microhardness of the powders increase during the grain refinement. And Cu lattice parameter increases steadily over 100 h milling. The mechanisms of solid solution extension during milling were discussed. The results show that up to 10%Nb can be brought into solid solution by MA. The extension of solid solution is found to relate closely with the formation of nanocrystalline.