Annealing effect on the microstructure and microforging of Fe-based stearic nanoflakes

The microstructural development of Fe-based stearic powders during ball milling and heat treatment was studied in terms of microforging of submicron thick nanoflakes. The crystallite size of the powders was continuously decreased to 55 nm during 60 min ball milling. Dislocation density and microstrain were increased rapidly during plastic deformation. The increasing rate became gradual during fracturing and agglomeration due to the dynamic recovery. The nanoflakes microstructurally recovered from annealing could be microforged further, resulting in a significant enhancement of the conversion rate of the spherical powders into the thin nanoflakes without agglomeration.