Formation of Magnesium Silicide by Mechanical Alloying

Elemental Mg and Si powders were mechanically alloyed in a planetary ball mill. The formation of magnesium silicide as well as the formation of magnesium oxide and hydride in the milled powders was studied in detail by X-ray diffraction and scanning differential calorimetry. It was found that direct formation of the magnesium silicide, Mg₂Si, occurred after 10 hours of milling and the content of Mg₂Si increased with increasing the milling duration. The activation energy for the formation of Mg₂Si was calculated by the Kissinger approach to be 215 kJ/mol. Besides oxidizing and hydrizing of Mg by decomposed organic additives during mechanical alloying, an increased contamination of powders from steel and alumina milling tools with increasing milling duration was detected. A short milling duration followed by a thermal treatment was thus suggested to synthesize magnesium silicide.