Synthesis and thermal stability of nano-RuAl by mechanical alloying

Single phase RuAl has been synthesized by mechanical alloying (MA). The structural evolution during MA and thermal stability of as-milled powders at elevated temperatures have been analyzed by XRD, thermal analysis and isothermal annealing. The results indicate that there are two stages of reaction between Ru and Al in MA before single phase RuAl is obtained, and that the as-milled RuAl undergoes reordering, strain relaxation and grain growth at high temperatures. All structural evolutions show signs of stagnation upon high temperature annealing. The isothermal grain growth kinetics has been analyzed by considering the influence of impurities.