Mechanosynthesis of Cu-Fe3C Nanocomposites Using Liquid Hydrocarbon

Features of the formation of macro and microstructural state and the phase composition of Cu-30 vol. % Fe3C nanocomposites obtained by mechanical alloying of copper and iron powders in the liquid source of carbon (xylene) followed by thermal treatment were studied by means of X-ray phase analysis, Mossbauer spectroscopy, scanning electron and optical microscopy, measurement of dynamic magnetic susceptibility. It was demonstrated that iron carbides are not formed during alloying; however, for the alloys obtained by grinding for 96 h, annealing at a temperature above 500 degrees C leads to the formation of cementite with the volume fraction of about 30 %. The grain size of the copper matrix of this composite is 10 nm, while after annealing at 800 degrees C it is 30 nm.