A Study of the Effects of Mechanical Alloying NiAl

Nickel aluminides are of interest in applications that involve high thermal stresses at elevated temperatures due to attributes such as their high melting temperatures and high thermal conductivities. This study investigates the effects of mechanically alloying nickel aluminide with minor amounts of metal constituents on the thermal lattice expansion and the average lattice parameter. The mechanical alloying is completed in a high-energy ball mill by adding minor amounts (0 – 2%) of metals including cerium, tungsten, dysprosium, and manganese. X-ray diffraction is used to characterize and quantify the expansion that takes place within the material’s microstructure before and after it is alloyed.