Mean crystallite size, size distribution and root mean square residual microstrain measurement from X-ray line broadening of milled ZnSe nano-powders

One of the simplest available ways of producing nano-structured materials (i.e., nano-powders) is the milling (grinding) technique. However, producing nano-powders with a crystallite size down to 10 nanometers is a very daunting task. In this application-oriented study, we have investigated the structural changes of commercially available ZnSe powders induced by the milling process. Those changes were revealed by the wide angle X-ray diffraction technique using the X-ray line broadening (´direct´, Stokes Fourier method, Hall-Williamson and Warren-Averbach method). We found that the initial powder had a crystallite size D/spl sim/90 nm (Scherrer equation) and a micro-strain /spl epsiv/=/spl Delta/d/d/spl sim/10/sup -5/. After 40 hours of grinding the ZnSe powder had a crystallite size D of 12-14 nm and /spl epsiv//spl sim/3.9 10/sup -3/.