Mechanochemical synthesis of intermetallic compounds

The current state of studies in the mechanochemical synthesis in binary met allic systems is considered. It is shown that this method is suitable for t he synthesis of intermetallic compounds and solid solutions in the concentr ation boundaries of the equilibrium state diagrams of many binary systems. It is shown that the mechanochemical approach is most promising for the pre paration of intermetallic compounds with systems with great differences bet ween the melting points and the densities of the initial compounds, phases with a nanometer grain size and metastable phases. The main factors influen cing the concentration boundaries of the existence of non-equilibrium solid solutions prepared by the mechanochemical method. It is demonstrated using numerous examples that the formation of solid solutions can be represented by several stages. At the first stage, nano-sized layered composite struct ures are formed with simultaneous dispersion of the initial components (the formation of a great contact area); the second stage is the synthesis of i ntermetallic compounds in nano-sized layered composites; at the third stage , the intermetallic compounds are disserved in the metal solvent to give a solid solution.