Mechanically driven nanocrystallization of amorphous Fe73.5Cu1Nb3Si13.5B9 alloy induced by high-energy ball milling

The mechanically driven nanocrystallization of amorphous Finemet alloy caused by high-energy ball milling was investigated by XRD, DSC and TEM techniques. A structural relaxation occurred in the amorphous Finemet alloy after milling for 0.5-2 h. Further milling for more than 3.5 h, uniformly and randomly distributed nanocrystalline α-Fe with grain size from ∝2 nm to ∝5 nm formed. The kinetics of the mechanical nanocrystallization of amorphous Finemet alloy was described by JMA model with the Avrami exponent n=1.55, which indicates a zero-nucleation rate and grain growth in all shapes from very small dimensions. In addition, the mechanical crystallization of amorphous Finemet alloys is mainly due to the severe deformation and local temperature rise during ball milling. (copyright 2005 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)