TIME AND COMPOSITION DEPENDENCE OF MECHANICAL ALLOYING OF FE1-XSNX

Mixtures of powders of iron and tin with nominal compositions Fe1-xSnx (x=0.15, 0.20, 0.25, and 0.30) have been mechanically alloyed under a rgon atmosphere using a horizontal oscillatory ball mill for different times. It was observed that the time evolution of the system occurs i n two main steps. In the first one FeSn2 forms until all tin is exhaus ted. In the second one FeSn2 decomposes and tin diffuses massively int o iron to produce a composition modulated bce solid solution. For x>0. 20, besides the bce phase, the stationary state contains a tin-based s olid solution.