Recently, high-entropy carbides have attracted considerable attention owing to their excellent physical and chemical properties such as high hardness, fracture toughness, and conductivity. However, as an emerging class of novel materials, the synthesis methods, performance, and applications of high-entropy carbides have ample scope for further development. In this study, equiatomic (Hf-Ti-Ta-Zr-Nb)C high-entropy carbide powders have been prepared by an ultrahigh- energy ball-milling (UHEBM) process with different milling times (1, 5, 15, 30, and 60 min). Further, their refinement behavior and high-entropy synthesis potential have been investigated. With an increase in the milling time, the particle size rapidly reduces (under sub-micrometer size) and homogeneous mixing of the prepared powder is observed. The distortions in the crystal lattice, which occur as a result of the refinement process and the multicomponent effect, are found to improve the sintering, thereby notably enhancing the formation of a single-phase solid solution (high-entropy). Herein, we present a procedure for the bulk synthesis of highly pure, dense, and uniform FCC single-phase (Fm3m crystal structure) (Hf-Ti-Ta-Zr-Nb)C high-entropy carbide using a milling time of 60 min and a sintering temperature of 1,600oC.

In this research, magnesium powder was prepared by gas atomizing. Refinement behaviors of magnesium powder produced under different conditions were investigated using a mechanical milling (attrition milling) process. Analyses were performed to assess the characterization and comparison of milled powder with different steel ball sizes and milling times. The powders were analyzed by field emission scanning electron microscope, apparent density and powder fluidity. The particle morphology of the Mg powders changed from spherical particles of feed metals to irregular oval particles, then plate type particles, with an increasing milling time. Because of the HCP structure, deformation occurs due to the existence of the easily breakable C-axis perpendicular to the base, which results in producing plate-type powders. An increase in ball size and the impact energy of the magnesium powder maximizes the effect of refinement. Furthermore, it is possible to improve the apparent density and fluidity according to the smoothness of the surface of the initial powder.

In this research, the refinement behavior of the coarse magnesium powders fabricated by gas atomization was investigated as a function of milling time using a short duration high-energy ball milling equipment, which produces fine powders by means of an ultra high-energy within a short duration. The microstructure, hardness, and formability of the powders were investigated as a function of milling time using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Vickers micro-hardness tester and magnetic pulsed compaction. The particle morphology of Mg powders changed from spherical particles of feed metals to irregular oval particles, then platetype particles, with increasing milling time. Due to having HCP structure, deformation occurs due to the existence of the easily breakable C-axis perpendicular to the base, resulting in producing plate-type powders. With increasing milling time, the particle size increased until 5 minutes, then decreased gradually reaching a uniform size of about 50 micrometer after 20 minutes. The relative density of the initial power was 98% before milling, and mechanically milled powder was 92~94% with increase milling time (1~5 min) then it increased to 99% after milling for 20 minutes because of the change in particle shapes.

이성분 희토류 원소로 치환된 4종류의 합성불화인회석(synthetic fluorapatite) (Ap49: La+Gd, Ap50:Ce+Dy, Ap51: Pr+Er, Ap54: Eu+Lu; Ca10-x-2y Nay REEx+y(P1-x //Six 4)6 F2, x=0.13~0.12, y=0.26~0.42)을 대상으로 X-선 회절분석을 통해 얻어진 자료를 이용하여 리트벨트 구조분석을 실시하고 치환된 희토류원소의 거동을 단결정법으로 구해진 결과와 비교.분석하였다. 리트벨트 구조분석결과 합성불화인회석은 공간군 P63/m, 단위포는 평균하여 a=9.3906(1) a, c=6.8924(1) a, V=527.36 a3의 값을 갖는다. 구조의 정밀도를 나타내는 R 지수를 보면 RB / 값은 17.29~18.80이고 S(GofF)값은 1.44~1.68로 계산되었다. 불화인회석은 9개의 산소를 배위하는 Ca1자리와 6개의 산소와 하나의 불소가 배위하는 Ca2자리가 있으며 Ca1-O의 평균거리는 2.563 a이고 Ca2-O의 평균거리는 2.460 a으로 Ca1자리가 Ca2자리보다 다소 크다. 구조자리 치환식에서는 Ca2+ / 자리를 치환하는 REE3+ 로 인하여 전하균형을 맞춰주기 위해서 인과규소가 함께 참여하였다. (REE3+Si 4+ 2Ca2+ : Ca1) 계산된 희토류원소의 자리점유율(REE-Ca2/REE-Cal)은 원자번호가 증가함에 따라 일정하게 감소하는 경향을 보여주며 이는 희토류원소의 거동이 LREE는 크기가 상대적으로 작은 Ca2 자리에 우선 치환되고 HREE는 크기가 큰 Ca1자리에 우선 치환되는 경향을 지시한다.