Disordering of B2 intermetallics by ball milling, with particular attention to FeAl

Our understanding of the disordering, partial or complete, of B2 intermetallics during intense milling is reviewed choosing the FeAl intermetallic as an example, and making especial effort to interpret the changes occurring in terms of the deformation mechanisms during milling and the crystalline and structural changes produced. The ease of disordering can be correlated with the relative energies of possible point defects produced during milling, or by the corresponding types of dislocations. Attempts at modelling structural changes produced by intense deformation appear in good agreement with detailed structural analyses. Many aspects of the processes occurring are still poorly understood, however, and there remains scope for further investigation.