THERMAL-BEHAVIOR OF AMORPHOUS CUXZR1-X POWDERS SYNTHESIZED BY MECHANICAL ALLOYING

Pure metal powders of copper and zirconium mixed in various atomic ratios were mechanically alloyed by laboratory ball milling in an inert atmosphere. The progress of the amorphization reaction by mechanical alloying was monitored by means of X-ray diffraction. The samples exhibited similar reaction rates, namely a second-order reaction. The thermal behaviour of the amorphous CuxZr1-x powders synthesized by mechanical alloying has been studied by differential thermal analysis (DTA), X-ray diffraction and the measurement of electrical resistance. The resistivity behaviour was correlated with the thermal behaviour of DTA. It was found by means of X-ray diffraction that the thermal behaviour was related to the crystallization of the amorphous sample.