Mechanically stimulated reactions in metal–oxide (carbide) systems

The processes of mechanochemical reduction of oxides of iron, nickel, and copper with aluminum with a stoichio metric ratio of components and in mixtures with a two-, three-, and four-fold excess of the aluminum content over the stoichiometric, as well as in the presence of an excess of oxide-forming metal and solid solutions of aluminum in iron and copper, were studied by the Mössbauer and IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, including the use of synchrotron radiation, and electron microscopy. The conditions for formation of metals modified with aluminum oxide (iron, nickel, copper) and their monoaluminides are determined. High aluminum content aluminides are formed at a three-fold excess of aluminum, and at a four-fold excess, a mechanochemical reduction of oxides does not occur. The preferred method for modifying metals with alumina is the mechanochemical reduction of oxides with a solid solution of aluminum in the oxideforming metal. Mechanochemical interaction in the high-energy Hf–C system in the presence of 20, 30, and 50 wt. % copper leads to the formation of hafnium carbide; and with an increase in the copper content, the crystallite size decreases.