In this work an attempt has been made to modify micro-sized fly ash into nano-structured fly ash using high-energy ball milling. The smooth, glassy, and inert surface of the fly ash can be altered to a rough and more reactive surface by this technique. Ball milling was carried out for a total duration of 30 h. A sample was removed after every 5 h of milling for characterization. The nano-structured fly ash was characterized for its crystallite size, lattice strain, and percentage crystallinity by X-ray diffraction. A steady decrease in crystallite size and increased lattice strain were observed with milling time; the crystallite size at 30 h milling time was found to be 23 nm, 21 nm, and 16 nm for quartz, mullite, and haematite, respectively. The percentage crystallinity was reduced from 63 to 38 per cent. The size, shape, and texture of the fresh and nano-structured fly ash were studied using scanning electron microscopy. The fresh fly ash particles were mostly spherical in shape. The particles milled for 30 h were irregular and their surface morphology was rough.
BhushanB., Handbook of nanotechnology, 2004 (Springer Verlag, New York, New York, USA).
2.
KohlarM.FritzscheW., Nanotechnology — An introduction to nanostructuring techniques, 2004 (Wiley—VCH, Weinheim, Germany).
3.
CaoG., Nanostructures and nanomaterials — Synthesis, properties and applications, 2004 (Imperial College Press, London).
4.
BaratonM. I., Synthesis, functionalization and surface treatment of nanoparticles, 2003 (American Scientific Publishers, Stevenson Ranch, California, USA).
5.
KochC. C., Nanostructured materials: Processing, properties and applications, 2006 (William Andrew Inc., New York, New York, USA).
6.
AkioK.AtsushiO.ToshiroK.HiroyukiK. T., J. Jpn. Inst. Light Met., 1999, 49, 149–154.
7.
MussertK. M.VellingaW. P.BakkerA.Van DrtZwaag S., A nano-indentation study on the mechanical behaviour of the matrix material in an AA 6061-Al2O3 MMC. J. Mater. Sci., 2002, 37, 789–794.
8.
ChenX. F.BaburaiE. G.FroesF. H.VasselA., Ti-6Al-4V/SiC composites by mechanical alloying and hot isostatic pressing. In the Proceedings of fifth International Conference on Advanced particulate materials & processes, West Palm Beach, Florida, USA, 7–9 April 1997, pp. 185–192.
9.
FilhoUtriga S. L.RodriguezR.EartmanJ. C.LaverniaE. J., Powder metallurgy-metal matrix composites-synthesis of diamond reinforced Al-Mg nano crystalline composite powder using ball milling. Mater Sci. Forum, 2003416-418, 213–218.
10.
GrozaJ. R., Sintering of nanocrystalline powders. Int. J. Powder Metall., 1999, 35, 59–66.
11.
Habibnejad-KorayemM.MahumudiR.PooleW. J., Enhanced properties of Mg-based composites reinforced with Al2O3 nano-particles. Mater. Sci. Engng A, 2009, 519, 198–203.
12.
MazaheryA.HabdizadehH.BaharvandiH. R., Development of high-performance A356/nano-Al2O3 composites. Mater. Sci. Engng A, 2009, 518, 61–64.
13.
YarAnsary A.MontazerianM.HabdizadehH.BaharvandiH. R., Microstructure and mechanical properties of aluminium alloy matrix composite reinforced with nano-particle MgO. J. Alloy. Comp., 2009, 484, 400–404.
14.
Habibnejad-KorayemM.MahumudiR.GhasemiH. M.PooleW. J., Tribological behavior of pure Mg and AZ31 magnesium alloy strengthened by Al2O3 nano particles. Wear, 2010, 268, 405–412.
15.
YangY.LanJ.LiX., Study on bulk aluminium matrix nanocomposite fabricated by ultrasonic dispersion on nano sized SiC particles in molten aluminium alloy. Mater. Sci. Engng A, 2004, 380, 378–383.
16.
LanJ.YangY.LiX., Microstructure and microhardness of SiC nanoparticle reinforced magnesium composites fabricated by ultrasonic method. Mater. Sci. Engng A, 2004, 386, 284–290.
17.
KumarP. R. S.KumaranS.RaoSrinivasa T.PrasadSiva K., Microstructure and mechanical properties of fly ash particle reinforced AA6061 composites produced by press and extrusion. Trans. Indian Inst. Met., 2009, 62, 559–566.
18.
SudarshanSurappaM. K., Synthesis of fly ash particle reinforced A356 Al composites and their characterization. Mater. Sci. Engng A, 2008, 480, 117–124.
19.
RamachandraM.RadhakrishnaK., Effect of reinforcement of fly ash on sliding wear, slurry erosive wear and corrosive behaviour of aluminium matrix composite. Wear, 2007, 262, 1450–1462.
DaoudA.El-KhairAbou M. T.ShenoudaA. Y.MohammedE.RohatgiP. K., Microstructure, tensile properties and electrochemical behaviour of Pb alloy—45 vol% fly ash microballoon composites. Mater. Sci. Engng A, 2009, 526, 225–234.
22.
UjuW. A.OguochaI. N. A., Thermal cycling behaviour of stir cast Al—Mg alloy reinforced with fly ash. Mater. Sci. Engng A, 2009, 526, 100–105.
23.
KumarV.ZachariaAbraham K.SharmaP., Fly Ash Utilization: Indian Scenario & Case Studies, available from http://www.tifac.org.in/news/flyindia.htm (access date 15 April 2007).
24.
MatsunagaT.KimJ. K.HardcastleS.RohatgiP. K., Crystallinity and selected properties of fly ash particles. Mater. Sci. Engng A, 2002, 325, 333–343.
25.
YangQ.ZhaoL.XiaoH.ZhaoN., Analysis of intrinsic stress in diamond films by X-ray diffraction. Adv. X Ray Anal., 2000, 43, 151–156.
26.
WilliamsonG. K.HallW. H., X-ray line broadening from filed aluminum and wolfram. Acta Metall., 1953, 1, 22–31.
CullityB. D.StockS. R., Elements of X-ray diffraction, edition 3, 2001 (Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, USA).
29.
BajoSanchez F.CumreraF. L., The use of the pseudo-Voigt function in the variance method of X-ray line broadening analysis. J. Appl. Crystallogr., 1997, 30, 427–430.
30.
PolizziS.FagherazziG.BenedettiA.BattagliarinM.AsanoT., Crystallinity of polymers by X-ray diffraction: A new fitting approach, Eur. Polym. J., 1991, 27, 85–87.
31.
DasguptaP., On use of pseudo-Voigt profiles in diffraction line broadening analysis. Fizika A, 2000, 9, 61–66.
32.
BhowmickA. K.KonarJ.KoleS.NarayananS., Surface properties of EPDM, silicone rubber, and their blend during aging. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 1995, 57, 631.
