The Effect of Milling Speed on Particle Size and Morphology of Cu25W Composite Powder

In this study, the effect of milling speed on particle size and morphology of Cu25W composite powder produced by high-energy ball milling was investigated. For this aim, commercial elemental copper and tungsten powders were milled in a planetary-type ball mill for different milling durations. Ball-to-powder weight ratio was selected as 10:1. Three different milling speeds, namely 200, 300, and 400 rpm were used throughout the tests. In order to avoid agglomeration and to decrease the tendency of cold welding among powder particles, stearic acid in amount of 2 wt.% was used as a process control agent. The morphological and microstructural evolution of the milled powders was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy. In addition, the variation of particle size and powder morphology as a function of milling duration was determined. As a result of this effort, the milling duration was found to have strong effect on the structural evolution of the powder, and the optimum particle size as a function of milling speed was determined.