Phase Transformation and Magnetic Property of Ni-Mn-Ga Powders Prepared by Dry Ball Milling

This study investigated the phase transformations and magnetic properties of Ni-Mn-Ga alloy powders prepared by dry ball milling in argon atmosphere. The Fe and Cr elements were found to be introduced in the alloy after ball milling, which should result from the severe collision and friction among the particles, balls, and vial. The x-ray diffraction result indicated that the Fe and Cr elements should have alloyed with the Ni-Mn-Ga matrix. The martensitic transformation temperature and Curie temperature of the 800 °C annealed powders decreased by ~33 °C and increased by ~28 °C, respectively, as compared to that of the bulk alloy. The comprehensive effect of the changing of valence electron concentration of the alloy due to the introduction of Fe and Cr and the grain refinement of the alloy caused by ball milling should be responsible for the reduction of martensitic transformation temperature. The saturation magnetization of the 800 °C annealed powders became larger (~5 emu/g) than that of the bulk alloy. The enhancement of magnetic properties, such as the increase of Curie temperature and enhancement of saturation magnetization of the annealed Ni-Mn-Ga powders, should be attributed to the increase of magnetic exchange caused by introduction of Fe in the alloy. The contaminations of Fe and Cr elements emerging from the dry ball milling process changed the phase transformation and magnetic properties of the Ni-Mn-Ga alloy. Therefore, the dry ball milling process is difficult to control the contamination from the milling medium and not suitable to prepare Ni-Mn-Ga powders. On the contrary, the wet ball milling method under liquid medium should be a better method to prevent the contamination and fabricate pure Ni-Mn-Ga ferromagnetic shape memory alloy powders.