• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.328-336
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• 1998

In metal-carbon system with no mutual solubility between matrix and alloying elements as solid or liquid phases, Cu-C-X nanocomposite metal powders were prepared by high energy ball milling for solid-lubricating bronze bearings. Elemental powder mixtures of Cu-lOwt.%C- 5wt. %Fe and Cu- lOwt. %C- 5wt. %Al were mechanically alloyed with an attritor in an argon atmosphere, and then microstructural evolution of the Cu-C-X nanocomposite metal powders was examined. It has been found that after 10 hours of MA, the approximately 10$\mu\textrm{m}$ sized Cu-C- X nanocomposite metal powders can be produced in both compositions. Morphological characteristics and microstructural evolution of the Cu-C-X powders have shown a similar MA procedure compared to those of metal-metal system. As a result of X - ray diffraction analysis, diffraction peaks of Cu and C were broaden and peak intensities were decreased as a function of MA time. Especially, the gradual disappearance of C peaks in the X- ray spectra is proved to be due to the lower atomic scattering factor of C. The calculated Cu crystallite sizes in Cu- C- X nanocomposite metal powders by Williamson- Hall equation were about lOnm size, on the other hand, the observed ones by TEM were in the range of 10 to 30nm.