Papers by Author: N.R. Tao

Abstract: Based on strain-induced grain refinement, a novel surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT) technique has been developed to synthesize a nanostructured surface layer on metallic materials in order to upgrade their overall properties and performance without changing their chemical compositions. In recent several years, the microstructures and properties of surface layer were systematically investigated in various SMAT metals and alloys, including b.c.c., f.c.c. and h.c.p. crystal structures. Different grain refinement approaches and nanocrystalline formation mechanisms were identified in these deformed materials, involving dislocation activities, mechanical twinning and interaction of dislocations with mechanical twins. The properties of the surface layer were measured by means of hardness, tensile, fatigue and wear tests. The enhanced properties of the surface layer are mainly attributed to the strain-induced grain refinement. In this work, we reviewed the microstructures and properties of surface layer in the SMAT materials.

Abstract: A nanostructured surface layer on a pure iron sample was prepared by surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT). The thermal stability of SMAT sample was investigated at different temperatures with or without a high magnetic field (H =12T). It was found that a high magnetically annealing enhanced grain growth at the early stage of annealing, and produced a uniform nanocrystalline grain structure. After homogeneous grains developed, further grain growth became restrained.

Abstract: By means of surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT), nanostructured (NS) surface layers were fabricated on a pure iron plate and a low carbon steel plate. Cr diffusion behaviors in the NS Fe phase and the SMAT low carbon steel were investigated. Experimental results showed the activation energy of Cr diffusion in the NS Fe is comparable to that of the GB diffusion, but the pre-exponential factor is much higher. A much thicker Cr-diffusion surface layer was obtained in the SMAT low carbon steel plate than in the coarse-grained one after the same chromizing treatment. The much enhanced diffusivities of Cr in the SMAT samples can be attributed to numerous GBs and triple junctions with a high excess stored energy in the NS surface layer.

Abstract: The nanocrystalline (nc) formation was studied in cobalt (a mixture of ε (hexagonal close packed) and γ (face-centered cubic) phases) subjected to surface mechanical attrition treatment. Electron microscopy revealed the operation of { 10 10 }〈 1120 〉 prismatic and {0001}〈 1120 〉 basal slip in the ε phase, leading to the successive subdivision of grains to nanoscale. In particular, the dislocation splitting into the stacking faults was observed to occur in ultrafine and nc grains. By contrast, the planar dislocation arrays, twins and martensites were evidenced in the γ phase. The strain-induced γ→ε martensitic transformation was found to progress continuously in ultrafine and nc grains as the strain increased. The nc formation in the γ phase was interpreted in terms of the martensitic transformation and twinning.