Papers by Author: Minoru Umemoto

Abstract: Among the various severe plastic deformation (SPD) processes, high pressure torsion (HPT) has several unique characteristics. These are applicability of very large strain and deformation under high pressure. Due to these abilities of HPT, several unique phenomena have been observed. In the present paper, three topics were reviewed; 1) work-softening in pure Cu, 2) high pressure phase formation in pure Ti and 3) synthesis of Cu-NbC composite. Work softening in pure Cu was observed when low strain rate and high pressure were applied. In Ti high pressure ω phase is obtained after unloading only when the deformation at high pressure was applied. The volume fraction of ω phase increased with the increase in the amount of strain. In pure Fe, high pressure ε phase was not retained at ambient pressure. The bulk Cu-NbC composite was synthesized starting from elemental powders. This demonstrates that HPT is an efficient tool for mechanical alloying and cold consolidation.

Abstract: SUS 304 austenitic stainless steel was subjected to severe plastic deformation (SPD) by the method of high pressure torsion (HPT). From a fully austenitic matrix (γ), HPT resulted in phase transformation to give a two phase structure of austenite (γ) and martensite (α') by the transformation γα'. The phase transformation was accompanied by an increase in hardness (Hv) from 1.6 GPa in the as annealed form to 5.4 GPa in the deformed state. Subsequent annealing in temperature range 250oC to 450oC resulted in an increase in both α' volume fraction and hardness (6.4 GPa). Annealing at 600oC resulted in a decrease in α' volume fraction hardness.

Abstract: The tensile property and hydrogen embrittlement (HE) behavior in the submicrocrystalline ultra-low carbon steel produced by HPT straining were investigated. Elongated grains with 300 nm thickness and 600 nm length with high dislocation density were formed by the HPT straining at a rotation-speed of 0.2 rpm under a compression pressure of 5 GPa. The engineering tensile strength of the HPT processed ultra-low carbon steel for > 5 turns was 1.9 GPa, which is similar to the value of maraging high-alloy steels. The elongation increased with strain (at 5 to 10 turns), is caused by the reduction of the stress concentration due to the existence of continuously recrystallized grains. HE occurred in the HPT processed specimen for 5 turns with high tensile strength of 1.9 GPa under hydrogen atmosphere. However, its HE was suppressed via recovery process by annealing at low temperature while maintaining the high strength.

Abstract: In the present work, effects of loading scheme and strain reversal on structure evolution are studied by using high pressure torsion (HPT) and twist extrusion (TE) techniques. High purity aluminum (99.99%) was processed at room temperature up to a total average equivalent strain of ~4.8 by TE and HPT with two deformation modes: monotonic and reversal deformation with a step of 12˚ rotation. It was revealed that microstructural change with straining observed in pure Al was a common consequence of the SPD processing and was not affected significantly by the loading scheme. At the same time, it was found that strain reversal retarded grain refinement in comparison with monotonic deformation.

Abstract: The microstructure and the mechanical properties of pure Fe after HPT-straining at a rotation-speed of 0.2 rpm under a compression pressure of 5 GPa were investigated. The elongated grains with 300 nm thick and 600 nm long were observed at r = 1.5 mm away from the disk center regions after HPT-straining for 5 turns ( εeq = 45). The obtained Vickers microhardness in the submicrocrystalline Fe after 5 turns was around Hv 3.6 GPa. The engineering tensile strength and total elongation of the HPT-processed Fe for 10 turns were 1.9 GPa and 30 %. These facts suggest that HPT-straining leads to significant refinement of microstructure and increase in strength with good ductility.

Abstract: Two unique characteristics of HPT as a SPD process, namely deformation with strain gradient and deformation under high pressure, were investigated. The effect of strain gradient was examined using low carbon steel. HPTed samples showed hardening at the center of the specimen where shear strain is principally zero and saturation hardness was higher than those without strain gradient such as ECAP or ARB. HPT experiments using specimen with different radial strain gradient in one sample also showed strain gradient hardening. The effect of high pressure during HPT was examined using pure Ti which transformed from α phase to ω phase when HPTed at high pressure. The volume fraction of ω phase increases with strain and with decreasing oxygen content. The ω phase is metastable at ambient conditions and it transforms back to α phase during heating.

Abstract: All the SPD techniques introduce reversal straining principally, but effects of the reversal deformation on structure evolution were not studied directly yet. In the present work, an attempt was made to manage structure in pure (99.99%) Al by strain reversal through high pressure torsion (HPT). Total accumulated deformation up to equivalent strain ~8 was used. General trend of the grain refinement is similar for both deformation modes; and it is typical with all other SPD processed FCC metals. At the same time, the difference in microstructure evolution at the vicinity of the specimen axis and with increasing distance in the radial direction introduces microstructural heterogeneities which are specific features of the reversal straining. In the monotonic deformation process the A ({111}<011>) fiber is gradually substituted by the C component ({ 0 0 1}< 1 1 0>) with increasing strain before it is found to weaken. In the reverse straining process the A fiber is found to dominate the deformation texture in the low strain region. In the reverse straining process at high strain level, a {001}<100> component appear.

Abstract: SUS 304 austenitic stainless steel was processed by HPT at room temperature with different rotation speed. It was found that the microstructure evolution and composed phases along the progress of HPT were sensitive to the strain rate (rotation speed). During deforming with the low strain rate, the deformation-induced dynamic phase transformation (DPT) from austenite (γ) to martensite (α’) occurred and the microstructure is characterized by elongated submicron α’ grains after 10 revolutions. While the euqiaxed nanocrystalline α’ grains were produced after HPT at the continuously alternative low and high strain rate. XRD analyses showed that multiple DPT of γ→α’→γ→α’ took place during HPT at the continuously alternative low and high rotation speed. Based on the experimental results, it was proposed that the euqiaxed ultrafine grained structure were produced by multiple DPT under the high strain and strain gradient.

Abstract: Effect of isothermal aging on martensitic transformation temperatures, mechanical properties and microstructure was investigated for a Ni-rich Ti-Zr-Ni shape memory alloy at temperatures ranging from 673 K to 773 K. The aging behaviour was two stage process: the first stage associated with an increase in the Vickers hardness and a decrease in martensitic transformation temperatures and the second stage with a decrease in the hardness and increase in the transformation temperatures. Second stage was also characterized by the appearance of nano-scale precipitates, which has never been reported.

Abstract: Effect of chemical composition was investigated on martensitic transformation temperatures, Curie temperature, magnetization and microstructures for Ni-(Mn, Fe, Co)-Ga and Cu-Mn-Ga systems. In the Ni-(Mn, Fe, Co)-Ga alloys, which is a modification of Ni-Mn-Ga systems, the Af and TC over 400 K were achieved. Cu-Mn-Ga alloy exhibited shape memory effect at temperatures above 373 K and had TC over 400 K. Furthermore, Cu-Mn-Ga exhibits good ductility even in polycrystalline condition unlike the case of Ni-Mn-Ga. Effect of addition of the fourth element to improve the magnetic property is under investigation.