Properties of metallic cements formed upon the interaction of mechanochemically synthesized copper alloys with liquid gallium and its eutectics: Interaction of Cu/Bi composites with liquid gallium

Atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used to study the structure of metallic cements that are formed upon the interaction of Cu/Bi mechanocomposites with liquid gallium at room temperature. It has been established that the intermetallic compound CuGa 2 , which is the basic component of this metallic cement, is formed as tetragonal crystals 1–4 μm in size with a characteristic layeredspiral growth. The second phase—bismuth—is adsorbed at the growth steps in the form of disperse formations 70–250 nm in size; local bismuth accumulations of micron size are also observed. It is shown that in the metallic cement that is formed at room temperature regions of incompletely reacted Cu/Bi composite are retained.