Ag₃₀Dy₇₀ alloy was mechanically alloyed from pure crystalline Ag and Dy powders by high energy ball milling (Fritsch "Pulverisette 7") with the speed settings 7 or 3 in an argon atmosphere. The alloying process was investigated by X-ray diffraction, optical microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry.
In the first milling stages, the Ag and Dy powders have a well-aligned layered microstructure. This microstructure is typical for mechanical alloyed specimens during the early stages of milling and gets finer with increasing milling time. At this stage intermetallic compound AgDy has obtained. After 200 h of milling, the X-ray diffraction peaks of AgDy and Dy powders have hardly changed in intensity and the broad peak characteristic of an amorphous Ag₃₀Dy₇₀ powder was not produced by mechanical alloying from crystalline elemental powders.