Papers by Author: Keitaro Horikawa

Abstract: We have developed a new testing device which is capable of detecting hydrogen gas release during slow strain rate tensile testing (SSRT) under ordinary pressure. The device is composed of an SSRT machine equipped with a closed chamber with an inspection window that is connected to gas chromatography with a semiconductor hydrogen sensor. Local strain distribution in the specimen during the SSRT is monitored dynamically with a digital image correlation (DIC) method. Hydrogen was pre-charged to aluminum alloys by means of friction in water process. Using the device, it was shown that hydrogen was released particularly in the stage of plastic deformation and fracture. In addition, the hydrogen gas release at the moment of fracture was clearly increased when the alloys were hydrogen-charged and tested at a slow strain rate. When we calculated hydrogen gas release from the fracture surface in Al-Zn-Mg base alloys tested at 3.3×10^-6 s^-1, the hydrogen amount was estimated to be 6.24×10^-10 mol /mm² in a hydrogen-uncharged alloy, and 1.30×10^-9 mol / mm² in a hydrogen-charged alloy.

Abstract: The hydrogen embrittlement of SK85 high-strength steel sheets was evaluated using a three-point bending test. The effect of electroplating the metal with zinc-based coatings on hydrogen embrittlement was examined by baking treatment of differently electroplated steel specimens. After electroplating, all the specimens underwent hydrogen embrittlement, promoted by hydrogen incorporation into the metal frame, owing to the reduction of hydrogen ions during electroplating. The hydrogen embrittlement of both zinc-and zinc-SiO₂-electroplated SK85 steel continued after baking for 24 hours at 473 K, but that of zinc-nickel-and zinc-nickel-SiO₂-electroplated SK85 steel ceased. Furthermore, TDA revealed that the trapped hydrogen could be released from steel at approximately 473 K. However, after baking, hydrogen embrittlement did not completely disappear, and we suggest that the formation of hydrogen vacancy clusters also accounts for this fracture phenomenon. The hydrogen incorporated into steel during electroplating led to the formation of hydrogen vacancy clusters, which allowed the formation of embrittlement. However, zinc and zinc-SiO₂ films were not permeable enough to release these voids; while the peculiar zinc–nickel and zinc-nickel-SiO₂ film structure enabled the hydrogen vacancy clusters to diffuse from the substrate.

Abstract: In this study, the effect of the surface structure and hydrogen on the fatigue strength of electroless Ni-P plated Al-2%Cu alloy was investigated. As the results, the following points were clarified. Large precipitates were recognized near the specimen surface of the furnace-cooled Al-Cu alloy, but these were not recognized in the aged Al-Cu alloy. Fatigue strength of the Al-Cu alloy specimen subjected to Ni-P plating after a furnace cooling treatment was overall reduced rather than one of the non-processed specimens. Fatigue strength of the Al-Cu alloy specimen subjected to Ni-P plating after the aging treatment showed a clear increase in comparison to one of non-processed materials. In the Al-2%Cu alloy specimens subjected to Ni-P plating after the furnace cooling treatment or aging treatment, a clear hydrogen desorption was recognized. On the other hand, there was only hydrogen desorption from a few of the non-processed specimens. It is considered that the poor fatigue strength of the plating materials is mainly due to the interaction between the surface precipitates and hydrogen gas.

Abstract: In order to clarify the relationship between the mechanical properties of synthetic quartz and the electromagnetic phenomena during its fracture, a series of uniaxial compression tests were carried out at quasi-static and dynamic rates. Not only the stress-strain curves but also the output of ferrite-core antenna located close to the specimens were measured in a shield box made of permalloy plates. Since the synthetic quartz has three characteristic axes, i.e. optical axis, electric axis and machine axis, the effect of loading direction on the mechanical properties and electromagnetic phenomena of quarts was also examined. The dynamic compressive strength was greater than those in static tests and there is strain-rate dependence in their strength of synthetic quartz. It was also found that there are not any remarkable differences due to the loading direction with respect to the intensity of electromagnetic waves measured in the dynamic compression tests, i.e. the electromagnetic phenomenon does not depend on the loading direction.

Abstract: Hexagonal diamond is considered to be a metastable high-pressure phase of carbon. In previous ab-initio studies, elastic constants of hexagonal diamond were suggested to be higher than those of cubic diamond, which is the stiffest known material. However, the elastic constants of hexagonal diamond have not been investigated experimentally because the size of hexagonal diamond single crystal ever synthesized is not more than 0.5 μm. In this study, we synthesized hexagonal diamond with the size of more than 50 μm in order to measure the elastic constants accurately. Kish graphite powder was used as a starting material and a green compact of kish graphite and copper powder was fabricated as a target. The target was placed into a container made of stainless steel and shock-compressed by a copper projectile accelerated using a single stage powder gun with the velocity of approximately 800 m/s. The estimated shock pressure and temperature were 22 GPa and 1200 °C, respectively. After the shock compression, copper component of the target was dissolved in nitric acid for 24 hours and only carbon component was recovered. A clear (100) peak of hexagonal diamond was observed by a XRD result of the recovered carbon. No peak of cubic diamond was observed. Opaque particles including hexagonal diamond with the size of approximately 100 μm were separated from the graphite and SiO₂ contaminations using heavy-liquid separation method with sodium polytungstate aqueous solution.

Abstract: Dynamic elastic Finite Element Method (FEM) and Discrete element method (DEM) simulations are carried out to investigate dynamic penetration of a projectile into a target of granular medium. It was found that the highly densified region of granular medium was generated just ahead of the projectile and began to propagate spherically with much higher velocity than that of projectile which leaves relatively rarefied medium region. This propagation phenomenon was probably the result of a collision and momentum transfer between particles in target granular medium. The propagation velocity of the densified region decreased during penetration as depending not only on the packing ratio of target medium but also on the projectile velocity. The resistance force of projectile was also investigated in the case of penetration of projectiles with various body lengths. The resistance force increased rapidly and reached to the peak. The peak value was expressed in terms of momentum change of target particles. The resistance force decreased periodically after the peak value. The period clearly depended on the length of projectile. It is obvious that this was caused by the stress wave reverberations in the projectiles with various body lengths.

Abstract: In order to clarify the effect of strain rate and test temperature on the compressive strength and energy absorption of polyimide foam, a series of compression tests for the polyimide foam with two different densities were carried out. By using three testing devices, i.e. universal testing machine, dropping weight machine and sprit Hopkinson pressure bar apparatus, we performed a series of compression tests at various strain rates (10^-3~10³ s^-1) and at several test temperatures in the range of room temperature to 280 ̊C. At over 100 s-1, the remarkable increase of flow stress was observed. The negative temperature dependence of strength was also observed.

Abstract: The effect of pre-fatigue deformation in a humid environment on the impact tensile properties of 7075 aluminum alloys was investigated. An impact tensile test of the pre-fatigue deformed specimens was performed by means of the Split Hopkinson pressure bar method. Within the author’s set of experiments, the flow stress was unaffected by the pre-fatigue deformation. On the other hand, it was shown that the ductility of the pre-fatigue specimen was slightly lower than that of the non-fatigue specimen in the impact test. Additionally, the pre-fatigue specimen in a high-humidity environment had a lower ductility than in a low-humidity environment. It is thought that the decrease in ductility occurred due to changes in the microstructure, such as dislocations caused by the presence of hydrogen in the specimen due to pre-fatigue deformation in a high-humidity environment.

Abstract: Effects of high-speed deformation on age hardening and microstructural evolution behavior of 6061 aluminum alloys were studied. By affecting the high-speed impact compression (about 5 GPa) to the 6061 aluminum alloy plate in the state of quenching after the solution heat treatment, the maximum hardness became twice as high as the original hardness. Even after the impact compression, age-hardening was clearly identified both at 175 °C and 100 °C. TEM observation revealed that point defect clusters were distributed densely inside grains after the impact compression, possibly due to the effect of high-speed deformation. The point defect clusters observed were assumed to be stacking fault tetrahedra on the basis of high resolution TEM analysis. The point defect clusters and precipitates were both visible even after the peak-aged condition at 175 °C. The 6061 aluminum alloy specimen after the solution heat treatment, followed by the impact compression (8.0 GPa) and the peak-aged condition showed the highest hardness value (154 Hv) among the testing conditions selected in the present study.

Abstract: The tensile properties of the quasi-static and the impact tests for 7075 aluminum alloys subjected to pre-fatigue deformation in a humid environment were investigated. An impact tensile test of the pre-fatigue deformed specimens was performed by means of the Split Hopkinson pressure bar method. Within the authors set of experiments, the flow stress in both the quasi-static and the impact tests was unaffected by the pre-fatigue deformation. On the other hand, it was shown that the ductility of the pre-fatigue specimen was slightly lower than that of the non-fatigue specimen. Additionally, the pre-fatigue specimen in a high-humidity environment had a lower ductility than in a low-humidity environment. The ductility of the quasi-static test was decreased as compared with the impact test. It is thought that the ductility loss occurred due to changes in the microstructure, such as dislocations caused by the presence of hydrogen in the specimen due to pre-fatigue deformation in a high-humidity environment.