Effect of milling energy on mechanical activation of (Mo + Si₃N₄) powders during the synthesis of Si₃N₄-MoSi₂ in situ composites

Abstract

Attempts have been made to study the effect of milling energy and type of grinding media on the mechanical activation during the production of MoSi₂ from a reaction between Mo and Si₃N₄. Powder mixtures of Mo and Si₃N₄ in the molar ratios of 1:1, 1:2 and 1:3 were ball milled using WC, steel, and ZrO₂ grinding media for mechanical activation. In order to evaluate the results obtained after high-energy ball milling and pyrolysis of these milled powder mixture, milling parameters have been converted to two energy parameters, namely, impact energy of the ball and total energy of milling. The optimum impact energy of ball required for mechanical activation of Mo + xSi₃N₄ (x = 3, 2, 1) powder mixtures by WC grinding media was found to be in the range of 0.145-0.173 J, which leads to a reduction of pyrolysis temperature by 100-200 °C. Samples milled with higher impact energy than the optimum range led to formation of undesirable phases, which dilutes the effect of mechanical activation. Samples milled with both steel and ZrO₂ grinding media having lower impact energies than the optimum show the presence of enormous contamination during milling and phases like ZrSi₂, Fe₃Si and Fe₅Si₃ were observed after pyrolysis without any significant reduction in pyrolysis temperature required for MoSi₂ synthesis.