Optimization of mechanical alloying parameters in 12YWT ferritic steel nanocomposite

The effects of different mechanical alloying parameters on the microstructural characteristics and morphology of ODS-ferritic steel nanocomposite powders were investigated. The steady state between the welding and fracturing of the particles was obtained within about 30 h using 8 mm ball diameter and 420 rpm milling speed with the ball-to-powder weight ratio of 10:1. However, for perfect dissolution of the used alloying elements, the mechanical alloying process must be continued up to 80 h of milling. Evaluation of the microstructural characteristics calculated by X-ray diffraction profile analysis revealed that although the average crystallite size reduced more sharply at the initial milling stages under the above conditions, with further milling, it eventually reached nearly the same value in all specimens. The distribution changes of crystallite size also showed a similar behavior of crystallite size. Among the investigated mechanical alloying parameters, milling speed had a considerable effect on the dislocation density so that it was reduced by about one order of magnitude when the milling speed decreased from 420 to 300 rpm.