Thermal evolution of ball milled nanocrystalline iron

Mechanical spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction measurements were employed to investigate the thermally induced structural evolution of nanocrystalline iron, prepared by,mechanical attrition through different ball milling equipment in different structural states. The evolution of the elastic modulus, grain size and microstrain as a function of temperature and after selected isothermal treatments indicates that the rearrangement of structural configuration at the interfaces may stabilise the nanostructure against grain growth. (C) 1999 Acta Metallurgica Inc.