Mechanical alloying of Ni3Al with molybdenum and arrangement of Mo atoms in sublattices of the intermetallic

Mechanochemical synthesis (MS) of Ni₇₀Al₂₅Mo₅ (composition 1) and Ni₇₅Al₂₀Mo₅ (composition 2) mixtures, in which 5 at % Mo substitutes for the equal amount of Ni or Al, leads to the formation of Ni-based nanocrystalline (coherent domains are ～7–12 nm in size) solid solutions; in this case, some amount of molybdenum remains free. A comparison of the lattice parameters of solid solutions, which were determined experimentally, with the magnitudes determined theoretically using Vegard law and Bozollo-Ferrante simulation, which takes into account volume modules of elasticity of elements, showed an increase in interactions between atoms composed the solid solution and the formation of regions characterized by short-range order. The heating of mechanically synthesized three-component Ni(Al, Mo) solid solutions to 720°C in a calorimeter chamber forms the ordered γ′ phase (L1₂) at T ～ 450°C. An analysis of the ratio of relative intensities of superlattice and fundamental reflections showed that, whatever the composition of initial mixture, Mo atoms always occupy positions in the Al sublattice. This arrangement of Mo atoms was confirmed by calculations of coefficients of concentrational variations of the lattice parameters. When molybdenum is added to Ni₃ Al, Mo atoms, rather than Ni atoms, complete the Al sublattice. In this case, vacancies compensate for the lack of atoms in the Ni sublattice.