The process of mechanical alloying involves the production of a composite powder particles by:
# Using a high energy mill to favor plastic deformation required for cold welding and reduce the process times
# Using a mixture of elemental and master alloy powders (the latter to reduce the activity of the element, since it is known that the activity in an alloy or a compound could be orders of magnitude less than in a pure metal)
# Eliminating the use of surface-active agents which would produce fine pyrophoric powder as well as contaminate the powder
# Relying on a constant interplay between welding and fracturing to yield a powder with a refined internal structure, typical of very fine powders normally produced, but having an overall particle size which was relatively coarse, and therefore stable.