Formation of supersaturated single-phase bcc solid solutions in Fe-Zn binary system by mechanical alloying

Mechanical alloying (MA) was used in the investigation of the Fe-Zn binary system, which, in the equilibrium state, exhibits, negligible mutual solid solubility at room temperature. The formation of single-phase bee solid sol utions with a nanometer-scaled microstructure was achieved by MA in Fe100-x Znx (x less than or equal to 65) powder mixtures. The nearest neighbor dist ances of these Fe-Zn solid solutions obey the linear relationship given by the Vegard's law for ideal solutions, suggesting that the solid solutions f ormed by MA are homogeneous. The average lattice volume expansion also line arly increases to about 13.4 % at 65% Zn. At elevated temperatures the nano structured solid solutions undergo phase transformations yielding intermeta llic compound. The mechanisms for the phase formation in the Fe-Zn system a re discussed.