Stabilisation of Fe based nano-structures developed
through mechanical milling

Abstract

Synthesis of Fe based nanostructures developed by high energy ball milling has been
carried out in the present study. Mixtures of Iron and Yttrium in the desired quantities were
ball milled in stainless steel grinding media to prepare the required nanostructures. The
powdered mixtures of 3 different compositions obtained were then pelletized in a pellet
pressure machine. All the alloys were annealed at different temperatures up to 1200ºC under
high purity argon atmosphere. XRD analysis and micro hardness measurement were carried
out for all the specimens to analyze their stability after annealing and to investigate the grain
size stabilization cased by adding minute amounts of Yttrium. Lattice strain and crystallite
size values calculated by using Scherer formula were analysed. Stable crystallite size (less
than 100 nm) and constant micro hardness of the annealed samples can dictate its usefulness
for high strength and other functional applications.