Papers by Keyword: Electric Current Pulse

Abstract: Most of the studies on phase transformation in metallic materials have focused on transformations during cooling processes due to the easiness of the conservation of the product phase. However, for phase transformation happening during heating processes, the experimental investigations have been indirect if the product high temperature phase could not be preserved to the convenient observation temperature, for example the room temperature. The high density Electric Current Pulse (ECP) treatment allows the phase transformation during heating process and the preservation of the high temperature phase to the room temperature, offering possibilities for direct experimental examinations. Thus, in the present work, a cold-rolled Cu–40%Zn alloy was ECP treated and the microstructure of the product phase and the transformation orientation relationship were investigated. Results show that during the ECP treatment, the high temperature beta phase with BCC structure formed in the parent alpha phase with FCC structure. Especially, two kinds of orientation relationships could be detected between the parent alpha phase and the product beta precipitates. The one is the Kurdjumov-Sachs orientation relationship (K-S OR), and the other is the Nishiyama-Wasserman (N-W). In addition, the amount of beta precipitates obeying the K-S OR is more than that of precipitates obeying the N-W OR. The results of this work provide new fundamental information on phase transformation of metallic materials.

Abstract: The influence of the eutectoid structure of hypoeutectic Fe-C alloys by applying electric current pulse (ECP) is carried out. The experiment results show that ECP treatment can produce Joule heating. Joule heating increases the diffusion capability of atoms and the driving force of austenite growth, which promotes austenite crystal growth and accelerate cementite dissolution. In view of the influence of the electron-wind-force made by ECP, it can increase the quantity of moving dislocation. The dislocation pile-up which made by the dislocation motion lead to cementite dissolution. Cementite dissolution can lead to concentration fluctuation in Austenite. ECP can also make the phase transformation barrier and the phase transition drive force of graphite formation decrease. As the result, these phenomena can make cryogenic ledeburite become less and graphite increase. Furthermore, it can also increase the nucleation rate and growth rate of ferrite, which can make the relative amount of ferrite increase and the relative amount of pearlite decrease. Based on our experiments, the effect becomes more obvious with the pulse width increase.

Abstract: β' phase precipitation in a cold rolled Cu-Zn alloy under high density electric current pulses was studied in the present work. The results showed that the precipitation of β' phase was controlled by the angle between the current direction and rolling direction. When the angle was 45º, the application of electric current could refine α phase without β' phase precipitation, while at 0º or 90º, β' phase precipitated from α phase boundaries and distributed along the rolled direction. It was proposed that the precipitation of β' phase during the application of high density electric current was determined by the electron wind force and anisotropic electrical resistivity of the grain boundaries.

Abstract: The evolution of the recrystallization texture under high current density electric current pulses (ECP) was investigated in a cold-rolled Fe-3%Si steel sheet. Results showed that the preferred nucleation always occurred in the direction parallel to the current direction at the primary stage of recrytallization. With the increment of the current density, the effect of current direction on texture and microstructural evolution was decreased. Due to the different texture component along the layer depth under different current densities, it was also found that the recrystallization nucleation was much easier to occur from the top surface.

Abstract: The microstructure evolution of magnesium alloy AZ91D solidified with different electric current pulses and cooling rates was investigated and a new method, Low-voltage Electric Current Pulses (LVECP), to produce semi-slurry magnesium alloy was developed in this paper. The experimental results showed that the electric current pulses during solidification changed morphology of dendrites and the equiaxed, non-dendritic grains formed. The size of the primary a-Mg particles in semi-solid AZ91D alloy and the sphericity of the particles decreased with increase of discharging the voltage and treating time of LVECP. The increase of the cooling rate during the solidification of AZ91D alloy with LVECP promoted the formation of finer a-Mg particles, but the value of the sphericity of the particles rised. The formation of equiaxed, nondendritic structure by LVECP might be attributed to the electric current pulses increase the nucleation rate, restrained growth of the dendrites, and made dendrite arms remelted during the solidification of AZ91D alloy.