Title: Structural study of the mechanically alloyed Fe-P

Authors: Wassila Tebib, Safia Alleg, Rachid Bensalem, Jean-Marc Greneche

Addresses: Laboratoire de Magnetisme et de Spectroscopie des Solides (LM2S), Departement de Physique, BP 12, 23000 Annaba, Algerie. ' Laboratoire de Magnetisme et de Spectroscopie des Solides (LM2S), Departement de Physique, BP 12, 23000 Annaba, Algerie. ' Laboratoire de Magnetisme et de Spectroscopie des Solides (LM2S), Departement de Physique, BP 12, 23000 Annaba, Algerie. ' Laboratoire de Physique de L'Etat Condense, UMR CNRS 6087 Institut de Recherche en Ingenierie Moleculaire et Materiaux Fonctionnels IRIM2F, FR CNRS 2575, Universite du Maine, 72085 Le Mans Cedex 9, France

Abstract: Elemental Fe and red phosphorus powders with a composition close to Fe-xP (x = 10, 15 and 20 wt. %) were mechanically alloyed in a planetary ball mill under an argon atmosphere. Structural changes were studied by X-ray diffraction. The complete dissolution of the elemental powders is achieved within 3 h of milling. Detailed analysis of the X-ray diffraction patterns reveal the formation of a Fe(P) solid solution with two structures (α-Fe1 and α-Fe2) having different lattice parameters, crystallite size and microstrains in addition to FeP, Fe₂P and Fe₃P phosphides. The structural parameters and phase percentages are P content dependent.

Keywords: iron; phosphorus; alloys; nanomaterials; mechanical alloying; XRD; Rietveld method; phosphides; microstructure; nanotechnology.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNP.2010.035879

International Journal of Nanoparticles, 2010 Vol.3 No.3, pp.237 - 245

Received: 18 Mar 2010
Accepted: 25 Mar 2010
Published online: 07 Oct 2010 *

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