Ball milling induced crystallization of amorphous Fe90Zr10

The structural evolution of an amorphous Fe90Zr10 alloy under high-energy mechanical deformations was investigated by means of X-ray diffraction, Moessbauer spectroscopy and magnetic measurements. Ball milling of melt-spun Fe90Zr10 ribbons in a planetary ball mill (AGO-2) induces their crystallization into supersaturated α-Fe(Zr) grains. The crystallization degree of the amorphous phase increases with increasing milling time, with a fully crystalline state being obtained after 30 min at a milling speed of 1000 rpm. The Zr content of the Fe grains reaches a maximum of about 3 at.% after milling for 30 min. Moessbauer spectra and saturation magnetization measurements suggest that the remaining Zr atoms are most likely segregated at the grain boundaries. Analyses of samples milled at different speeds reveal that the crystallization seems to be a deformation-induced process rather than a thermally induced one.