Multiphase materials based on the Fe73.9Si15.5Cu1Nb3B6.6 alloy obtained by dry and wet high-energy ball milling processes

• Published in: Journal of alloys and compounds Vol. 864; p. 158136
• Main Authors: López-Sánchez, Jesús, Navarro, Elena, Rodríguez-Granado, Freddy, Serrano, Aída, Marín, Pilar
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier B.V 25.05.2021; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Alloys; Amorphous materials; Ball milling; Fe-based alloys; Ferromagnetic materials; Functional materials; High-energy milling; Iron silicide; Magnetic alloys; Magnetic properties; Multiphase; Multiphase materials; Nanocrystals; Particle size; Virulence; Wet milling; α-Fe3Si and β-FeSi2 phases; High-energy milling; Amorphous materials; Fe-based alloys; α-Fe3Si and β-FeSi2 phases; Wet milling; Multiphase materials
• ISSN: 0925-8388; 1873-4669
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2020.158136

Novel hybrid materials based on the soft nanocrystalline Fe73.9Si15.5Cu1Nb3B6.6 alloy are designed in this work with the purpose of reducing its particle size and developing different compositional, structural, and magnetic properties depending on the high-energy ball milling time and route employed. Innovative processes combining mixer, vibratory and planetary motions at the same time are carried out under a dry and a wet route, obtaining reduced sub-micron particle size distributions after 2 h of milling. The established approach takes advantage of the nature of amorphous materials to promote the formation of different hybrid compounds and it is supported by the high virulence of the milling process performed at 2000 rpm. On the one hand, the results obtained by the dry route show a structural and magnetic evolution dominated by the presence of ferromagnetic α-Fe3Si nanocrystals. On the other hand, the wet approach that is supported by glycerol evidences the destruction of the α-Fe3Si with the milling time in favor of the non-magnetic β-FeSi2 phase, obtaining a new functionality for the Fe73.9Si15.5Cu1Nb3B6.6 alloy. Their properties as soft magnetic alloys are evaluated and compared depending on the followed route, opening up a new physicochemical method in the development of multiphase compounds with potential applications. With this work, a controlled formation of different hybrid compounds is achieved, revealing an effective mechanism to introduce functional materials with different properties embedded in an amorphous ferromagnetic matrix. [Display omitted] •Novel hybrid materials based on the soft Fe73.9Si15.5Cu1Nb3B6.6 alloy are designed by high-energy milling performed at 2000 rpm.•The formation of β-FeSi2 and α-Fe3Si is observed depending on the dry and wet milling routes.•Glycerol acts as a redistributing agent of the alloy elements, promoting the β-FeSi2 formation under milling conditions.•An effective mechanism to introduce functional materials embedded in an amorphous ferromagnetic matrix is demonstrated.•A novel functionality is provided by the presence of β-FeSi2 with important magnetic properties.