Investigation of oxidation process of mechanically activated ultrafine iron powders

The oxidation of mechanically activated ultrafine iron powders was studied using X- ray powder diffraction and thermogravimetric analyzes. The powders with average particles size of 100 nm were made by the electric explosion of wire, and were subjected to mechanical activation in planetary ball mill for 15 and 40 minutes. It was shown that a certain amount of FeO phase is formed during mechanical activation of ultrafine iron powders. According to thermogravimetric analysis, the oxidation process of non-milled ultrafine iron powders is a complex process and occurs in three stages. The preliminary mechanical activation of powders considerably changes the nature of the iron powders oxidation, leads to increasing in the temperature of oxidation onset and shifts the reaction to higher temperatures. For the milled powders, the oxidation is more simple process and occurs in a single step.