Refinement mechanism of fe powder during ball milling assisted by dielectric barrier discharge

Abstract

AbstractNano-Fe powders could be prepared only after 10hours of ball milling assisted by dielectric barrier discharge (DBD), whose particle mean size was about 100nm. The synergetic refinement mechanism of DBD on ball milling had been investigated by examining the morphology of Fe powder using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscope. It was shown through SEM that Fe particles displayed an extraordinary plasticity in the early assisted milling stages under the action of DBD, and the plastic deformation of Fe particles was more severe than that in normal milling. Large quantity of Fe particles about 50nm were observed by TEM which were generated during ball milling owing to the hot explosion effect caused by DBD electron bombardment. It was indicated that the refinement of Fe powder in DBD assisted ball milling could be promoted by the synergy effect of superplasticity, hot explosion and huge pulsating stress which were caused by the high-energy electron bombardment