Microstructural, Magnetic, and Thermodynamic Properties of Nanocrystalline Alfenitizn High Entropy Alloy

In this study, the AlFeNiTiZn high entropy alloy was successfully produced in powder form by the mechanical alloying process. Characterization of the ball-milled product by X-ray diffractometry (XRD), scanning electron microscopy along with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques showed that the two-phase solid solution FCC + BCC alloy was formed after 120 h of milling as anticipated by thermodynamic calculations. Kinetic calculations showed that first the BCC phase and then the FCC phase begin to form after about 12 h and 22 h of mechanical alloying. The fabrication of the alloy in bulk metallic form was subsequently carried out by sintering process. After 120 h of mechanical alloying, the powders were cold pressed and sintered in a tube furnace with a controlled atmosphere at 600 °C. Same FCC+BCC phases were detected after sintering. Also, Gahnite (ZnAl 2 O 4 ) spinel material was found in minor amounts within the microstructure of the sintered sample. DSC analysis showed that crystallization occurred at 150 and 311 °C. Magnetic properties measured by vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) showed that both as-milled and as-sintered alloys have semi-hard magnetic properties with 37.42 and 25.43 emu/g saturation magnetization, respectively