This work studies the structural evolution of Cu-xCr (x = 3, 5 and 8 wt.%) alloys processed by mechanical alloying using X-ray diffraction profiles, scanning microscopy and microhardness analysis. X-ray diffraction analysis using the modified Williamson-Hall and Warren-Averbach methods were used to determine structural properties, such as crystallite size, stacking fault probability and energy, dislocation density, lattice parameters and crystallite size distribution of metallic powder as a function of Cr amount and milling time. Lattice defects increase the Gibbs free energy and the Gibbs free energy curves shift upward, therefore the solubility limit change. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.