In-situ synthesis and characterization of nano-structured NiAl-Al2O3 composite during high energy ball milling

In this work, synthesis of NiAl–Al2O3 nanocomposite powders via the mechanosynthesis route and by using Ni, NiO and Al is investigated. Ignition of the reaction inside the ball-mill vial happens after 110 min; NiO is totally finished and NiAl and Al2O3 as product phases are formed. After 10 h of ball milling, raw materials are totally used in the reaction and only product phases exist in the vial. By continuing the ball milling process to 60 h, better mixing of the synthesized phases and decrement in their crystallite sizes plus particle size are observed. Crystallite sizes of the product phases are in the nanometer range in all ball milling times. Crystallite sizes of NiAl and Al2O3 after 10 h are around 11 nm and 19 nm respectively, and these are reduced to around 8 nm for both phases after 60 h of ball milling. [Display omitted] •Nanocrystalline composite of NiAl-Al2O3 was formed by reactive milling.•Ignition of the reaction during ball milling was investigated.•Effect of mechanical milling on phase formation was investigated.•Uniform Al2O3 distribution in NiAl and crystallite refinement occurred by milling prolongation.