Comparative analysis of the kinetics of dissolution of oxides Y2O3 and Fe2O3 in the iron matrix upon mechanical alloying

The kinetics of low-temperature dissolution of oxides Y2O3 and Fe2O3 in an iron matrix during mechanical alloying has been studied using electron microscopy. It has been shown that the dissolution rate upon deformation of primary coarse oxides Fe2O3 in α iron (and, hence, saturation of the α matrix with oxygen) during treatment in a ball mill for up to 10 h is several times higher than the dissolution rate of Y2O3 oxides. The high-temperature (1100°C) annealing of a mechanoalloyed mixture of Fe + 1.5% Y + 1.35% Fe2O3 leads to the precipitation of 60% (of the total number of particles) secondary oxides 2–5 nm in size and only of 5–7% secondary nanooxides in a mechanoalloyed mixture of Fe + 2% Y2O3.