Mg2Si INTERMETALLIC ALLOYS: PHASE GROWTH AND MICROSTRUCTURE

Abstract

The Mg₂Si intermetallic alloys have been prepared by using a powder metallurgy process. The milling treatment of silicon powder as a raw material to improve the formation of the Mg₂Si phase was investigated in this research. The un-milled and milled silicon powder was mixed with magnesium powder and milled for 2 hours. The milled powders were compacted in stainless steel tubes and sintered at 500 and 600°C for 6 hours. The phase formation and crystal structure were identified using the X-ray diffractometer (XRD), while the fracture surface was observed under the scanning electron microscope (SEM). The XRD results show that the Mg₂Si phase is the dominant phase, with the highest mass fraction of 86.31%. The lattice parameter calculated from the Mg₂Si cubic phase is 0.6355 nm. As a result, we might derive the conclusion that the Mg₂Si intermetallic alloys can be produced with atmospheric mechanical milling under air and powder sintering techniques in a tube.