The microstructure of mechanically alloyed nanocrystalline aluminium-magnesium

The effect of the nominal Mg content and the milling time on the microstructure of mechanically alloyed Al(Mg) solid solutions is studied. The crystallite size distribution and the dislocation structure are determined by X-ray diffraction peak profile analysis. Magnesium gradually goes into solid solution during ball milling and after 3 h almost all of the Mg atoms are soluted into the Al matrix. With increasing milling time the Mg content in solid solution, the dislocation density as well as the hardness are increasing, whereas the crystallite size is decreasing. A similar tendency of these parameters is observed at a particular duration of ball milling with increasing of the nominal Mg content. At the same time for a long milling period the dislocation density slightly decreases together with a slight reduction of the hardness.