Mechanically activated synthesis of nanocrystalline ternary carbide Fe3Mo3C

In this investigation, Fe₃Mo₃C ternary carbide was synthesized from the elemental powders of 3Mo/3Fe/C by mechanical milling and subsequent heat treatment. Structural and morphological evolutions of powders were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results showed that no phase transformation occurs during milling. A nanostructure Mo (Fe) solid solution obtained after 30 h of milling. With increasing milling time to 70 h no change takes place except grain size reduction to 9 nm and strain enhancement to 0.86%. Milled powders have spheroid shape and very narrow size distribution about 2 μm at the end of milling. Fe₃Mo₃C was synthesized during annealing of 70 h milled sample at 700 °C. Undesired phases of MoOC and Fe₂C form at 1100 °C. No transformation takes place during annealing of 10 h milled sample at 700 °C. Mean grain size and strain get to 69 nm and 0.23% respectively with annealing of 70 h milled sample at 1100 °C.