Effect of milling parameters on brass- alumina nanocomposites prepared by high energy ball milling

Cu-Zn nanocomposite is known to have good corrosion resistance, low cost manufacturing, good machinability, low melting point and ideal for a wide range of applications. However, Cu-Zn composite was known to have low strength and tend to corrode in the presence of water. One of the methods to overcome these problems is by adding a suitable reinforcement that can give the desired properties for the brass composite. Cu-Zn can be reinforced with alumina (Al2O3) to form a metal matrix composites (MMCs). The effects of different milling parameters were observed on the milled powder particles. The structural changes will be determined using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) while the composite morphology will be observed using Optical Microscope (OM). Increasing milling time will also increase the crystallite size and decreased the lattice strain, while different ball size use during milling affects the size of composite powders formed.