Mechanochemical Formation of Solid Solution of Aluminum in Copper

X-ray diffraction analysis is used to study the mechanochemical formation of a solid solution in the Cu–10 wt % Al system. The formation of the solid solution is shown to occur via the formation of the CuAl2 and Cu9Al4 intermetallic compounds, which, in the course of mechanical activation, react with residual copper to form the Cu(Al), solid solution of aluminum in copper. Under the conditions of mechanical activation in a high-energy planetary ball mill, the two-phase product of the mechanochemical synthesis, namely, 90 wt % Cu(Al) + 10 wt % Cu9Al4 forms is formed. It is shown that the maximum reached Al concentration in the solid solution is 7.4 wt %. The microstresses of the solid solution are ~1%; the crystallite size reaches 35–40 nm.