Effect of compaction pressure on the microstructure of mechanically alloyed Ag37Cu63 alloy

A comparative study on mechanically alloyed Ag37Cu63 alloy was carried out using TEM, XRD, DSC and fractography. The amorphous phase and supersaturated solid solution with the initial composition in the 1 Gpa specimen transform into Cu-8at%Ag solid solution, Ag- and Cu-phases during annealing. Using a higher compaction pressure this transformation is accelerated. Since some of the mechanical alloying granules are composed from extremely small strongly deformed non-equilibrium grains with a very high defect density, their melting point is as low as 150 degC, making necessary a modified explanation of DSC profiles