Milling maps and amorphization during mechanical alloying

The effect of various milling parameters such as, milling intensity, ball:powder weight ratio and number of balls on the glass forming ability of an elemental blend of composition Ti50Ni50 has been studied by mechanical alloying. In order to understand the results, all the milling parameters have been converted into two energy parameters, namely, impact energy of the ball and the total energy of milling. In a milling map of these two parameters, the conditions for amorphous phase formation have been isolated. A similar exercise has been carried out for Ti50Cu50 as a function of milling time at two milling intensities. The results indicate that a minimum impact energy of the ball and a minimum total energy are essential for amorphization by mechanical alloying.