Preparation and characterization of nanocrystalline powders of Cu–Zn alloy by wire electrical explosion method

Nanocrystalline particles of Cu–Zn alloy in the size range from 10 to 140 nm with a mean particle size of 85 nm have been prepared from α-Cu–Zn alloy wire containing 39.8 at.% Zn by a wire electrical explosion method by adopting appropriate process parameters. The particles are identified as a mixture of α, β, γ, and ε phases of Cu–Zn alloy from X-ray powder diffraction (XRD). Most of the powders are hexagonal in shape, with only a small part being spherical and cubic. The particle size of the product obeys the log-normal distribution law, which indicates that the formation of particles with different sizes corresponds with probability dynamics. A possible mechanism for the formation of the alloy nanoparticles is proposed.