Solid state reactions between Pd and Si induced by high energy ball milling

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Abstract
Solid state reactions induced by high energy ball milling between Pd and Si have been studied. X-ray diffractometry and differential scanning calorimetry have been used to characterize the resulting phases. During milling, Pd and Si react by diffusion to form different phases depending on the Si content in the starting mixture. With a low Si content of 19 at. %, an amorphous phase forms of the same composition. On continued milling, this amorphous phase partially crystallizes into Pd9Si2 and Pd2Si compounds. With the Si content equal to or higher than 33 at. %, no amorphous phases were observed. Instead, the Pd2Si phase is produced. For powder composition corresponding to the stoichiometric compound Pd2Si (33 at. % Si), the Pd2Si forms and remains stable during further milling. With Si content equal to or higher than 50 at. %, the initially produced Pd2Si is destabilized by a reaction with the remaining Si to form PdSi, which is a metastable phase at the temperature of ball milling. It is very unlikely that an amorphous phase of a composition equal to or higher than 33 at. % Si could be produced by ball milling in the Pd-Si system. This is because the Pd2Si phase forms very easily through the reaction between Pd and Si, and this reaction competes effectively with glass formation.