AlSi₅Cu₂/SiC nanocrystalline composite powder was successfully obtained by mechanical alloying of AlSi₅Cu₂ chips with reinforcement of 0, 10, 15, 20 wt. % of silicon carbide. X-ray powder diffraction was used to characterize obtained material. Detailed analyses using transmission and scanning electron microscopy have been conducted in order to collaborate the grain size measurement determined from the XRD analyses. Powders produced in a planetary ball mill with milling time: 1, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 40 hours, have shown shape and size evaluation during mechanical alloying process. It can be seen tendency to decrease the size of the grain as the milling time is increased. It is also noted that the grains of composites (AlSi₅Cu₂/SiC) are smaller than samples prepares without SiC addition. 40 hours of milling lead to formed very small grains of Al phase (20 nm in average) in composite powder.

Materials were obtained from commercial zirconium powders. 1 mass%, 2.5 mass% and 16 mass% of niobium powders were used as the reinforcing phase. The SPS method and the extrusion method classified as the SPD method were used. Relative density materials of up to 98% were obtained. The microstructure of the sintered Zr-xNb materials differs from that of the extruded materials. Due to the flammability of zirconium powders, no mechanical alloying was used; only mixing of zirconium and niobium powders in water and isopropyl alcohol. Niobium was grouped in clusters with an average niobium particle size of about 10 μm up to 20 μm. According to the Zr-Nb phase equilibrium system, the stable phase at RT was the hexagonal α-phase. The tests were carried out for materials without the additional annealing process. The effect of niobium as a β-Zr phase stabilizer is confirmed by XRD. Materials differed in their phase composition, and for both methods the β-Zr phase was present in obtained materials. A very favorable effect of niobium on the increase in corrosion resistance was observed, compared to the material obtained from the powder without the addition of niobium.