Fabrication of the supersaturated solid solution of carbon in copper by mechanical alloying

Mechanical alloying of powder mixtures of copper and graphite was performed in a high energy ball mill. The as-milled powder was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, respectively. These investigations indicated that high energy ball milling could largely extend the solid solubility of carbon in copper and the 4 wt.% C was dissolved in Cu. It was ascribed to the decrease of the grain size and the increase of the lattice strain. Nanostructures, amorphous carbon and lamellar graphite were observed in the as-milled powder after milling for 24 h.