Nanomechanical properties of mechanically alloyed and spark plasma sintered W-nanoparticulate dispersed Cu-Nb alloys

Present study concerns strengthening of nanocrystalline Cu-Nb (1.0 at.%) matrix through addition of W using ball milling at cryogenic temperature. Nb and W has low equilibrium solid solubility in Cu, hence powder blend was subjected to non-equilibrium alloying. The studies shows that 1 at.% Nb could be dissolved into the Cu solid solution, after mechanical alloying for eight hours of cryo-milling. However, W did not form a solid solution even after eight hours of mechanical alloying. The stabilization of the metastable grains by segregation of large size solute atoms along grain boundaries, was attributed to Orowan strengthening of alloys.