Influence of Long Milling Time on the Electrical Resistivity of Nanocrystalline Ni₂MnSn Heusler Alloy Obtained by Mechanosynthesis

A Ni₂MnSn Heusler alloy was obtained as a single B₂ phase after 12 h of mechanical milling. The influence of prolonged milling on the phase stability was analysed for milling times up to 50 h, related to mean crystallite size, lattice strain, and electrical resistivity. The nature of the powders in the milled range was found to be nanocrystalline, with a mean crystallite size of about 33 ± 2 nm. An evaluation of the internal stresses induced by milling was performed, a linear behaviour was found, and a coefficient of the internal stress increase with milling time was proposed. Particle size distributions of milled samples were analysed, and the morphology of the powders was visualised by scanning electron microscopy. The elemental distribution of milled samples was quantified by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Electrical resistivity measurements were performed on compacted samples, and their behaviour with milling time was analysed.