Magnetic properties and structural investigation of nanostructured Fe60Al35Zn5 alloy synthesized by mechanical alloying for potential applications in magnetic sensors and solar energy devices
Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics, cilt.37, sa.26, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 37 Sayı: 26
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1007/s10854-026-18446-8
- Dergi Adı: Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Aerospace Database, Applied Science & Technology Source, Chemical Abstracts Core, Compendex, INSPEC, MEDLINE, Engineering Source (EBSCO), Materials Science & Engineering Collection (ProQuest), Technology Collection (ProQuest)
- Yıldız Teknik Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
This study investigates the effect of grinding time on the phase evolution, microstructure, and magnetic properties of a nanostructured Fe60Al35Zn5 (wt%) alloy synthesized via mechanical alloying. The use of high-energy ball grinding, with grinding durations ranging from 0 to 36 h, was employed for synthesis. Results from X-ray diffraction analysis, conducted via the MAUD program utilizing the Rietveld method, revealed the formation of the Fe (Al, Zn) solid solution phase after 12 h of grinding. This phase was characterized by an increase in lattice parameter to approximately 0.287 nm after 36 h of grinding. Additionally, there was a notable reduction in particle size to around 16.09 nm, accompanied by microdeformations reaching approximately 1.12%. The morphological changes of powder particles during grinding were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Initially, there existed particles of diverse sizes and shapes, suggesting simultaneous fragmentation and agglomeration mechanisms during the grinding process. With the increase in grinding time, there is an indication of a more consistent distribution of particle shape, suggesting a change in the mechanisms of particle transformation. The uniformity in particle shapes observed after 36 h signifies a balance between the fracture and welding processes. At this stage, particles may start to exhibit a consistent average size or shape, indicating a stabilization of their morphology. Elemental maps of Fe, Al, and Zn obtained via energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) experiments validated the X-ray diffraction (XRD) results, corroborating the alloy formation process. The magnetic properties were investigated using a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), enabling evaluation of key parameters such as saturation magnetization, coercivity, and remanence as a function of grinding time. The observed magnetic behavior is strongly correlated with microstructural evolution, highlighting the potential of the Fe60Al35Zn5 nanostructured alloy for advanced magnetic applications such as sensing and energy-harvesting systems.