High-energy ball milling of Cu-5mass%C powders

Cu-5mass%C composite powders were prepared by high-energy ball milling. Their microstructures and effects of ball milling time on their microstructure were investigated. The result shows that distortion of lattice, grain refinement and broadened diffraction peak of Cu were seen after high-energy ball milling. Within the initial 2 hours of ball milling, grain of Cu in Cu-5mass%C composite powders was refined suddenly, then slowly. Grain size of Cu was about 20nm by ball milling for 5h. Diffraction peak of graphite disappeared after 2-hour-milling. High-energy ball milling extended solid solubility of C in Cu. Microstrain of Cu in Cu-5mass%C composite powders didn't increase with milling time. After ball milling for 3h, microstrain reached the maximum value. Over 15h-ball milling hardly affected microstrain of Cu in Cu-5mass%C composite powders.