Journal of Advanced Materials in Engineering (Esteghlal)

In the present study, FeAl/Al₂O₃ nanocomposite coating was produced on the carbon steel plate using mechanical alloying (MA) technique via a mechanochemical reaction. Stoichiometric ratios of Fe, Al and Fe₂O₃ as well as a substrate were mixed and milled up to 22h in a vibrating high energy mill with a 4 mm ball. Samples prepared after 18h of MA were subjected to annealing at 773 K for 1-3 h. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and microhardness measurements were carried out to study mechanochemical reaction and coating formation characterization. The results showed that mechanochemical reactions were started after 10h of MA, which finally caused the slight formation of FeAl/Al₂O₃ nanocomposite. Increasing the milling time to 18 hours led to the continuous increase of the coating thickness up to 80 μm, while the coating layer fractured and began to peel by further milling. The microhardness of the coating after 18h milling was 1050 vickers. Annealing of the 18h milled powders at 773K for 3h led to the complete formation and synthesis of the FeAl/Al₂O₃ nanocomposite. The results showed that the annealing treatment had considerable effects on the hardness increase up to 1200 vickers as well as adhesion strength of the composite coating.