Papers by Author: Ryoichi Monzen

Abstract: Polycrystalline Al-1wt%Mg-0.27wt%Sc alloys bearing Al₃Sc particles with different average sizes of 4 and 11nm in diameter have been cyclically deformed at 423K under various constant stress amplitudes, and the relationship between fatigue characteristics and microstructure of the alloy has been investigated. The specimen bearing 11 nm particles exhibited a cyclic hardening to saturation, while in specimens with the small particles a cyclic softening was observed after initial hardening. In the specimen with large particles, dislocations were uniformly distributed under all applied stress amplitudes, whereas the specimens bearing small particles, in which cyclic softening occurred exhibited clearly developed slip bands. The cyclic softening for the latter specimen was explained by particle shearing within the strongly strained slip bands. The width of precipitate free zones (PFZs) has been found to be one of the factors affecting the fatigue life of the specimens at 423K. The two-step aging decreases the width of PFZs, resulting in increase in the fatigue life.

Abstract: The precipitation process in an aged Cu-1.9wt%Ni-0.3wt%Be alloy has been examined by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The precipitation sequence found is: Guinier- Preston (G.P.) zones → γ'' → γ' → stable γ. The disk-shaped G.P. zones and the disk-shaped γ'', γ' and γ precipitated phases are composed of monolayers of Be atoms on {100}_α of the Cu matrix and alternative Be and Ni matrix layers parallel to {100}_α. The γ'' phases consisting of two to eight Be-layers has a body-centered tetragonal (bct) lattice with a=b=0.24 nm and c=0.28 nm. The γ' or γ phase is bct with a=b=0.24 nm and c=0.26 nm or a=b=0.26 nm and c=0.27 nm. The γ'', γ' or γ phase aligns with the matrix according to the Bain orientation relationship. The growth kinetics of disk-shaped γ precipitates on aging at 500°C has been also investigated. The {001}_α habit planes of the γ precipitates migrate by a ledge mechanism. The average thickness of the γ disks increases with aging time t as t^1/2. An analysis of experimental data using a kinetic model yields the diffusivity of solute in the Cu matrix, which is in agreement with the reported diffusivity of Ni in Cu.

Abstract: Low-cycle fatigue behavior of a wrought Al-0.8wt%Mg-0.7wt%Si alloy with and without 0.27wt%Sc has been investigated at room temperature under constant plastic-strain amplitudes. After peak-aging treatments, both the alloys had fine lath-shaped β' precipitates. In the Sc-containing alloy, spherical Al3Sc precipitates of about 11 nm in diameter were co-existed. The alloy with Sc exhibited cyclic hardening to saturation, while the alloy without Sc showed clear cyclic softening after initial hardening. Transmission electron microscopy observation revealed that slip band structures were developed in the Sc-free alloy. Within the slip bands, shearing of the β' precipitates by moving dislocations was often observed. The cyclic softening in the alloy without Sc can then be explained by a loss of precipitation strengthening effect through the precipitation destruction within strongly-strained slip bands. In the Sc-bearing alloy, owing to the existence of non-shearable Al3Sc precipitates, dislocations were uniformly distributed, resulting in the absence of the cyclic softening.

Abstract: The influence of an external stress on the nucleation and growth of disk-shaped G.P. zones has been investigated for a Cu-1.2wt%Be-0.1wt%Co alloy aged at 220 °C. A compressive stress applied in the [001] direction during aging preferentially accelerates the nucleation and growth of the G.P. zones perpendicular to the [001] axis, whereas a tensile stress does not significantly affect those of G.P. zones. The promotion of the nucleation and growth of the G.P. zones perpendicular to the compressive-stress axis can be well understood through the interaction energy between the applied stress and the misfit strains of G.P. zones. The critical diameter of the disk-shaped G.P. zone nucleus was estimated as about 1.3 nm from evaluation of the interaction energy.

Abstract: As an important industrial problem, the rolling contact fatigue damage is accumulated in rails during the repeated passage of trains over the rails, and rail failures may occur from the cracks grown in the rails. In order to prevent such rail failures, the estimation of the behavior of internal rail cracks is required based on the exact engineering analysis model as well as conducting rail test to search rail defects. The purposes of this paper are to apply the neutron stress measurement to rails, and to obtain residual stress state in the rails for the above purpose. The rail samples used were those that have been used in service line in Japan for about six years (222 million gross tons). The neutron measurement was conducted using the Residual Stress Analyzer (RESA) of the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA). The present measurement of stresses in rails by the neutron diffraction method was the first attempt in Japan.

Abstract: The effects of P and Cr addition and two-step aging on the microstructure and mechanical properties of a Cu-4wt%Ni-0.95wt%Si alloy have been examined. The addition of 0.02wt%P improves both strength and elongation because it suppresses discontinuous precipitation reaction. The Cr addition to the Cu-Ni-Si-P alloy decreases greatly the grain size, resulting in an increase in elongation. Two-step aging, pre-aging at 300 or 350oC and subsequent second-step aging at 450oC, causes an increase in strength without reducing elongation. The increase in strength is attributable to the decrease in inter-precipitate spacing by the two-step aging. The two-step aged Cu-4wt%Ni- 0.95wt%Si-0.02wt%P-0.02wt%Cr alloy attains a tensile strength of 830MPa, an elongation of 13% and an electrical conductivity of 35%IACS.

Abstract: The precipitation processes from G.P. zones to γ’ in a Cu−0.9wt%Be alloy single crystal containing only the G.P. zones parallel to the matrix (001)α plane are investigated by high-resolution electron microscopy. The precipitate phases follow a G.P. zone → γ” → γI + γ’ sequence. The G.P. zone to γI phase transformation occurs successively via γ” during aging, while the γ’ phase heterogeneously precipitates on the γI phase. From length-change measurements during aging, the misfit strains of γ’ precipitates in directions perpendicular and parallel to [001]α are estimated as ε11 =ε22 = −0.03 and ε33 = −0.09, respectively. The observation that the estimated absolute value of ε33 is much smaller than that of ε33 = −0.25 calculated using lattice parameters of the γ’ phase and Cu matrix is understood in terms of the relaxation of ε33 by interfacial misfit dislocations.