Characterization of Cu-Zn alloy nanocrystalline powders prepared by wire electrical explosion

Nanocrystalline powders of Cu-Zn alloy in size ranging from 10 to 140 nm wa s prepared from a-Cu-Zn alloy wire containing 39.8 at.% Zn by an electrical explosion method. The particles are identified from x-ray diffraction as a mixture of the alpha, beta, gamma, and epsilon phases of Cu-Zn alloy. Most of the particles are hexagonal in shape, with only a small part being sphe rical and cubic. The composition of Zn in the explosion products varied fro m 6.9 to 45.2 at.% in different particles as determined by energy dispersiv e x-ray spectrometer. A possible mechanism for the formation of the alloy n anocrystalline powders is proposed, in which a redistribution process occur red caused by strong collision and diffusion between the two kinds of atoms during the powder formation.