Preparation and characterization of Al- 4.5 Mg alloy by mechanical alloying

An aluminium alloy composition corresponding to Al-4.5Mg-0.5Mn was prepared by powder metallurgy route and mechanical alloying. The powder mixture was subjected to high energy ball milling at constant milling speed and constant ball to powder ratio of 20:1, but varying milling time for 5-20 hours. Effect of milling time on particle size, morphology, lattice parameter, and crystallite size and lattice strain were studied by using scanning electron microscope and X-Ray diffraction patterns. It was found that magnesium completely dissolved in aluminium matrix after 20 hour milling and the crystallite size reduced to 16.8 nm.

Keywords:

Mechanical Alloying , Al-Mg alloy , milling time , crystallite size