Papers by Author: Jian Xin Zhang

Abstract: The tensile and low cycle fatigue tests were carried out on alumina short fibers reinforced Al-Si piston alloy composites (Al-Si MMCs). Three Al-Si MMCs reinforced with 10, 17 and 25 vol.% of alumina short fibers were prepared to investigate the effects of volume fraction on tensile and low cycle fatigue properties at room temperature (RT) and 350°C. The results showed that the tensile strength decreased with the increasing of volume fraction of fibers at RT and was slight different at 350°C. Among the three MMCs, the 17%-MMCs showed highest stress level under the low cycle fatigue tests. The fatigue cracks were usually initiated from the clustered and large size fibers near the surface of specimen, propagated along the fiber/matrix interface at RT and grew rapidly by means of broken the fibers at 350°C.

Abstract: This paper focuses on a typical automotive piston material to characterize its fractographic appearance after low cyclic fatigue test. The fatigue fracture of this heavily alloyed Al-Si alloy takes place in a brittle manner. The crack nucleated from a large intermetallic colony close to the specimen surface. When the crack encountered the intermetallics, it might progress along the interface among the intermetallics or the interface between the intermetallics and the eutectic. The debonded Al-Si eutectic region and intermetallics provided a weak material path for the crack propagation. A fatigue fracture mechanism in the heavily alloyed Al-Si alloy is elucidated.

Abstract: A first principles calculation method was used to investigate the site preference of Ruthenium (Ru) at the γ/γ′ interface in Ni-based single-crystal superalloys. The calculation results show that the addition of Ru can decrease the total energy and the binding energy of γ/γ′ interface, which may result in an improved microstructure stability of Ni-based single-crystal superalloys. Moreover, by calculation, it is also found that Ru can stabilize both γ and γ′ phases and have a preference for Ni site at the coherent γ/γ′ interface. When Ru substitutes the central Ni at the γ/γ′ interface, a reverse partitioning of W, Re and Cr occurs; while the partitioning behavior of Mo is not affected. The influence of Ru on the partitioning behavior of W, Re and Cr in γ′-Ni3Al was studied by Dmol3 calculation as well. The calculation results show that W, Re and Cr have a preference for Ni site in γ′- Ni3Al with Ru alloying. When Ru substitutes the central Ni atom, the site preference of W, Re and Cr varies accordingly. Furthermore, electronic structure analysis of γ/γ′ interface and γ′-Ni3Al in terms of Mulliken population and partial density of states (PDOS) was performed to understand the alloying mechanism of Ru in Ni-based single-crystal superalloys. The results show that the strengthening effect of Ru alloying is mainly due to the reduction in binding energy of Ru as well as a p-orbital hybridization between Ru and the host atoms.

Abstract: The addition of refractory elements is effective in improving the comprehensive performance of Ni-based superalloys, and meanwhile, the precipitation trend of TCP phases increases with the elements content due to the segregation of refractory elements during high temperature service. The precipitation of TCP phases obviously decreased the creep properties and creep rupture life of superalloys. The toughness and plastic of superalloys also dramatically deteriorated. The addition of Ruthenium (Ru) is shown to suppress the formation of TCP phases in Ni-based superalloys, resulting in much improved the creep resistance and the microstructural stability. The studies on TCP phases in Ni-based superalloys including crystallography and precipitation of TCP phases and the effect of alloy composition on TCP phases are reviewed.

Abstract: Addition of Ru in Ni-base single crystal superalloys had been used to improve the elevated temperature strength and other multiple properties. Significant decreases in stacking fault energy of the γ phase and the volume fraction of γ′ phase are observed with the addition of Ru. As well as serving as an effective solid-solution strengthening element in high refractory content Ni-base single crystal superalloys, Ru additions are able to effectively strengthen both the γ and γ′ phases and suppress the formation of TCP phases. Due to the changes in the partitioning behavior of elements and the slight decrease in the supersaturation of refractory elements in γ phase associated with Ru additions, high temperature creep resistance and the microstructural stability of the alloy are improved remarkable. The influence of Ru on the microstructure of Ni-base single crystal superalloys is reviewed.

Abstract: Dislocation configurations in two single-crystal superalloys during high-temperature low-stress creep (1100°C, 137 MP) were illustrated schematically with the use of transmission electron microscope (TEM). For an alloy with a small lattice misfit, the dislocations move in the combination of climbing and gliding processes. In the primary stage, the dislocations first move by slip in the g-matrix channels. When they reach the g¢ cuboids, they move by climb along the g¢ cuboid surfaces. In the secondary creep stage, dislocation reorientation in the (001) interfacial planes happens slowly, deviating from the deposition orientation of <110> to the misfit orientation of <100>. For an alloy with a large lattice misfit, the dislocations are able to move smoothly by cross slip in the horizontal g channels. The dislocation reorientation from the deposition orientation of <110> to the misfit orientation of <100> in the (001) interfacial planes can be completed in the primary creep stage.