Experimental analysis and phase formation during mechanical alloying of Ti-Fe-Si-based eutectic systems using two different grinding media

Abstract

This work focused on a comparative study of experimental observation of phase evolution during mechanical alloying (MA) of Ti-Fe-Si eutectic powder compositions (Fe42Ti14.5Si43.5 (E1), Fe25Ti7Si68 (E2), Fe58Ti8.5Si33.5 (E3) and Fe29Ti66Si5 (E4)) using hardened steel and tungsten carbide (WC) grinding media. The Ti-Fe-Si-based system is cheaper and the amorphous alloy of this system could be a potential candidate for bioimplant materials. XRD analysis revealed the evolution of various intermetallic phases during milling depending on the powder composition and the type of grinding media. Formation of a partial amorphous phase was observed in E2 and E4 powders after 60 h of MA using hardened steel grinding media. However, with prolonged MA up to 100 h different complex intermetallic phases appeared under the effect of various contaminations coming from the grinding media. When WC grinding media was used for E1 and E4 powder compositions, the wear of the grinding media increased due to the strong affinity of Ti with C, leading to a chemical reaction and formation of TiC and thus higher level of contaminations got incorporated with the powder materials to form TiC along with other intermetallic phases and there was no trace of amorphous phase formation. © 2024 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.