Synthesis and Effect of Lattice Strain on the Debye-Waller Factors of Zinc Nanoparticles

Zn nanopowder was prepared by high-energy ball milling has been investigated. Zn powders were ball milled in an argon inert atmosphere. The milled powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy measurements. Lattice strains in Zn powders produced by milling have been analyzed by X-ray powder diffraction. The lattice strain () and Debye-Waller factor (B) are determined from the half-widths and integrated intensities of the Bragg reflections. Debye-Waller factor is found to increase with the lattice strain. From the correlation between the strain and effective Debye-Waller factors have been estimated for Zn. The variation of energy of vacancy formation as a function of lattice strain has been studied.