Mechanically induced phase transformation and magnetic properties of nanocrystalline Fe-50%Al alloy

Magnetic changes induced by ball milling in Fe-50%Al alloy have been investigated using vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The mechanical alloying (MA) process induces a progressive dissolution of Al into Fe, resulted in the formation of an extended nanostructured Fe(Al) solid solution only after 5 hr of milling. The magnetic measurements show continuous decrease in saturation magnetization and increase in coercivity, retentivity and squareness ratio with increase in milling time. The systematic variation of the magnetic properties has been correlated with the evolution of microstructure, reduction in grain size and enhanced inter-granular exchange coupling.