Characteristics of a Fe-Co Alloy-Dispersed Al2O3 Nanocomposite Powder Synthesized by a Solution Chemistry Route
Doh Hyung Riu , Young Keun Jeong , Myung Jin Suk , Sung Tag Oh
Abstract
An optimum route to synthesize a Fe-Co alloy-dispersed Al2O3 nanocomposite powders and their magnetic properties were investigated. Nanocomposite powders of Al2O3 and Fe-Co alloys were prepared by the solution chemistry method using Al2O3 and metal nitrates powders. Al2O3/Fe-Co alloy powders were sythesized by calcination at 350℃ and hydrogen reduction at 700℃ of Al2O3, Fe- and Ni-nitrate powders. Microstructural analysis for the nanocomposite powders synthesized by ball milling and a hydrogen reduction process showed that the Fe-Co alloy particles with an average size of 20 nm were well distributed on the surface of the Al2O3 powders. The ferromagnetism of the nano-sized Fe-Co alloy contributed to the magnetic properties of the nanocomposite powders. The increase in coercive force was explained as being due to nano-sized particles of the Fe-Co alloy.
Key Words
nanostructured materials, powder processing, microstructure, X-ray diffraction, magnetic properties