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.