Papers by Author: Susumu Ikeno

Abstract: 7000 System Al has been known as one of the aluminum alloys with the good age hardening ability and the high strength among commercial aluminum alloys. [1]In this study, hardness measurement, tensile test, SEM observation and TEM observation have been performed in order to understand the effect of Zn/Mg ratio on age hardening behaviour in Al-Zn-Mg alloys . It can be seen from hardness measurement that the alloy containing higher Zn and Mg contents became hard. Tensile test was performed for the samples of peak aged condition. It can been seen that the alloy containing higher Zn and Mg increases the tensile strength of the alloy though decrease of the elongation were observed a typical intergranular fracture. TEM observation was performed for peak aged samples. The size of precipitates became finer and the number density increased with increasing Zn and Mg contents.

Abstract: Both rapid and stable semi-solid slurry preparation of hypereutectic Al-14.8%Si-4.5%Cu-1.1%Mg alloy (in mass%) with fine solid granules as well as finely dispersed primary silicon particles was tried using a simple method newly developed, where the low-superheat melt passes through a gap between a rotating regular octagonal rotor and a circumscribed chill block. By examining effects of melt temperature running out from tundish, gap distance and rotational speed of rotor on solidification structure of the semi-solid slurry manufactured, the optimum making condition of the targeted semi-solid slurry was found out. Mean sizes of solid granules and primary silicon particles within the slurry, which had been made quickly with the good reproducibility, were 45μm and 20μm, respectively. Subsequently the obtained semi-solid slurries were rheocast into a cylindrical shape cavity by the use of a high pressure casting machine. It has been shown that the rheocast samples have peak hardness value between the gravity casting and the hot-extrusion, but a good age-hardenability somewhat higher than that of gravity casting.

Abstract: It has been known that Cu- or Ag-addition Al-1.0mass%Mg₂Si (balanced) alloys shows higher hardness and elongation than Cu-free or Ag-free balance alloy. In this study, the alloys with Cu or Ag addition and the alloys with Si / Mg in excess have been investigated by hardness and tensile tests and HRTEM observation. Cu addition is effective for higher hardness, and Ag-addition is useful for improvement of elongation for peak-aged samples. Precipitates in peak aged these alloys have been confirmed by HRTEM. Cu-addition alloy almost includes Q’-phase, and Ag-addition alloy includes b’-phase. The precipitation sequence of Ag- or Cu addition Al-Mg-Si alloy was investigated using HRTEM, SAED, and EDS. The precipitates obtained in the two alloys were classified into several kinds by HRTEM images and SAED patterns. The relative frequencies of precipitates were also investigated and compared with that in the alloy.

Abstract: CrAlN/BN nanocomposite coatings were deposited on mirror-polished silicon wafer and high-speed steel (HSS) substrates using reactive cosputtering, i.e., pulsed dc and rf sputtering of CrAl and h-BN targets, respectively. Further, the oxidation resistance of the obtained coatings was investigated. The CrAlN/BN coating exhibited superior oxidation resistance properties when compared with those of the CrAlN coatings; after annealing the sample at 800 °C in air for 1 h, the plastic hardness value of the CrAlN coatings decreased to 50% of the as-deposited hardness value; in contrast, the CrAlN/BN coatings exhibited self-hardening phenomena from 700 to 800 °C in the range of 5 to 30%. In particular, the CrAlN/18 vol% BN coatings showed an increase of approximately 30% in hardness values, and a maximum hardness value of approximately 50 GPa was reached after annealing the sample at 800 °C in air. The plastic hardness value hardly changed when the sample was annealed up to 800 ^°C in nitrogen and argon; this result was contrary to the result obtained for the sample that was annealed in air. The radiofrequency glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy (rf-GD-OES) analysis of the CrAlN/18 vol% BN coating annealed in air revealed that the coating has an oxide layer deposited on the surface to a depth of ~200 nm. Conventional transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations of the same coating indicate that the columnar structure was disrupted by a thin layer (30–40 nm) of the coating annealed in air. The indentation hardness value of the annealed coating was measured using Ar ion sputtering before and after etching of the annealed surface. Subsequently, when the oxide layer was etched to a depth of 200 nm from the surface, the hardness value decreased from approximately 48 GPa to 43 GPa; this result was similar to the results obtained for the as-deposited coating.

Abstract: High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) observation was performed to clarify the early stage of precipitation in Mg-Gd (-Zr) alloy and Mg-Y(-Zr) alloy aged at 423 K. At the early stage of agigng at 423 K, the intensity of the diffuse spots become higher at the 1/2 distance of 1100 or 2110 corresponding to magnesium matrix spots with aging time. Contrasts of mono layers on {100}_Mg planes, and the feature of D0₁₉ type structure, precipitates with five layers corresponding the feature of (020)_b' plane and b' phase co-existed and b' phase formed predominantly in the peak aged Mg-Gd (-Zr) alloy at 423 K, wheres in the peak aged Mg-Y(-Zr) alloy at 423 K, monolayer and precursor of precipitates with five layers corresponding the feature of (020)_b' plane formed predominantly.

Abstract: It is well-known that age hardening occurs in Mg-Al system alloys, when the alloy containing aluminum exceeds 6mass%. This precipitation reaction depends on aluminum content and aging temperature. The aging behavior in AZ91 magnesium alloy was investigated and it is the subject of this paper. However, for the Mg-Al system alloys, the influence of aluminum content on aging hardening characteristics has not been researched in detail so far. In this study, continuous and discontinuous precipitations during aging in Mg-Al system alloys cast into sand and iron molds were investigated by means of hardness measurement and microstructure observation with optical microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Variation of hardness with aging was found to be caused mainly by the discontinuous precipitation along the grain boundaries from the composite rule in hardness. In iron mold castings, It was found that the variation of hardness with aging was found to be caused mainly by the continuous precipitation inside the crystal grain.

Abstract: Semi-solid slurry of phosphor bronze with fine solid granules for rheocasting was tried to make by passing the low-superheat melt through an opening between a rotating regular octagonal rotor and a circumscribed chill block. The effect of rotational speed on the structure of a solidified small ingot was mainly investigated. The ingot structures were changed from the dendrite of rotor-free condition to the rosette at the rotational speed of 50rpm, and the granular with a mean size of about 50μm at higher than150rpm. The slurries made at 150rpm were rheocast to a cylindrical shape cavity within a die kept at different temperatures from 573 to 1173K by the use of a high pressure casting machine. Microstructures of rheocast cylindrical shape products were granular at the die temperatures lower than 773K and changed to grained one as like recrystallized at higher than 973K. Together with the microstructure change, poor tensile ductility less than 3% at the lowest die temperature was improved up to about 60% at 973K.

Abstract: Magnesium alloys have received considerable attention because of their lightweight and recyclability. AM-series and AZ-series Mg-Al alloys have been used for industrial products widely, particularly for AM-series alloys because of better toughness and impact absorption properties than AZ-series alloys. The Mg₁₇Al₁₂ intermetallic compound is the only precipitate formed during ageing after the solution heart treatment. Discontinuous precipitates exist in grain boundary randomly, and continuous precipitates exist in the matrix. However, there is few report about the orientation relationship between the discontinuous precipitates and the matrix. The purpose of this study is to investigate the orientation relationship between the discontinuous precipitates and the matrix of AM-series magnesium alloys. Hardness measurement, SEM observation, the electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) techniques were preformed in order to understand the relationship between the discontinuous precipitate and crystallographic orientation of grains in AM-series magnesium alloy. TEM samples with discontinuous precipitates were prepared using the focused ion beam (FIB). And TEM observation was performed to investigate the discontinuous precipitates and crystallographic orientation in the matrix.

Abstract: Magnesium alloys containing aluminum have been used for industrial materials due to their lightweight and recyclability. And the Mg-Al based alloys are usually used for the industrial production. The Mg₁₇Al₁₂ phase is reported as the precipitate formed in the Mg-Al alloys during aging after the solution heat treatment, which is the discontinuous precipitate in the grain boundary and continuous precipitate in the matrix. The Mg-Al alloys are divided into AZ-series alloys with the addition of Zn, and AM-series alloys with the addition of Mn, respectively. AM-series and AZ-series Mg-Al alloys have been used for industrial products widely, particularly for AM-series alloys because of better toughness and impact absorption properties than AZ-series alloys. However, there is few report about the effect of Al and Mn contents on age-hardening behavior and microstructure of AM-series alloys. The propose of this study is to investigate the difference of the age-hardening behavior and microstructures of AM-series alloys using hardness test and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observation.

Abstract: Our recent studies showed that continuous and cellular precipitates are covered with the whole of crystal grain in age hardable AM60 magnesium alloy cast into permanent molds, which have the average grain size of 75-85μm. Also, continuous precipitation is generated nearby grain boundary in the same alloys cast into sand molds, which have the average grain size of 138-147μm. It’s thought that permanent mold castings have the age hardening behavior of intragranular precipitation participation type that is influenced by continuous precipitates. It’s also thought that sand mold castings have the age hardening behavior of grain boundary participation type that is influenced by cellular precipitates. In this study, AM60 magnesium alloy with larger grain size was used to detect the grain size dependence of microstructure and aging behavior. In the microstructure of as-cast condition, the larger the grain size, it was shown that the none-equilibrium crystallized β phase with eutectic reaction during the solidification between liquidus and solidus temperatures becomes large-size. In the age hardening curves, the peak hardness values become higher with decreasing of grain size.