Papers by Keyword: Grain Boundary

Abstract: The oxygen permeability of polycrystalline α-alumina wafers, which served as model alumina scales formed on heat-resistant alloys, was evaluated at a temperature of 1873 K. Mass transfer along grain boundaries (GBs) in an alumina wafer exposed to a large oxygen potential gradient (dμ_O), where both oxygen and aluminum mutually diffuse along GBs, was analyzed using ¹⁸O₂ and SIMS. ¹⁸O was concentrated at GB ridges on the high oxygen partial pressure (P_O2(hi)) surface and along the GBs near the P_O2(hi) surface. ¹⁸O adsorbed on the surface diffused almost immediately to surface GBs, resulting in the formation of new alumina by reaction with aluminum diffusing outward along the GBs. Oxygen GB diffusion coefficients in the vicinity of the P_O2(hi) surface were determined from the ¹⁸O depth profile along each GB for the ¹⁸O map of the cross section of the exposed alumina wafer. The oxygen GB diffusion coefficients were comparable to the values calculated from the oxygen permeability constants assuming an electronic conductivity and were obviously lower than those of oxygen GB self-diffusion without an oxygen potential gradient.

Abstract: During large strain deformation of polycrystals, grain or interphase boundaries are driven by the material flow, which is a convection movement. By contrast, upon static recrystallization or grain growth, their motion takes place with respect to matter, which is referred to as grain boundary or interphase migration. During hot working, where dynamic phase transformations commonly occur, convection and migration operate simultaneously. According to local geometrical (e.g., prescribed velocity field, grain boundary curvature) and physical (e.g., grain boundary mobility, dislocation densities) conditions, they can reinforce or oppose each other, but generally combine in more complex ways. The aim of this work is to analyze such effects on the basis of simple analytical approaches. The results suggest that second phase particles or grains dynamically generated (i.e., during straining) exhibit approximately equiaxed shapes.

Abstract: Sound velocities were measured in relaxor single-crystal plates, included in piezoelectric transducers for medical uses, using an ultrasonic precision thickness gauge with high-frequency pulse generation. The velocities were compared with the ones of piezoelectric ceramics in order to clarify characteristics of the single crystals. Estimating the difference in the sound velocities and elastic constants in the single crystals and ceramics, it was possible to evaluate effects of domain and grain boundaries on elastic constants. Existence of domain boundaries in single crystal affected the decrease in Young’s modulus, rigidity, Poisson’s ratio and bulk modulus. While existence of grain boundaries affected the decrease in Young’s modulus and rigidity, Poisson’s ratio and bulk modulus increased. It was thought these phinomina come from domain alignment by DC poling, and both the boundaries act as to absorb mechanical stress by defects due to the boundaries. In addition, the origin of piezoelectricity in single crystals is caused by low bulk modulus and Poisson’s ratio, and high Young’s modulus and rigidity in comparison with ceramics. On the contrary, the origin of piezoelectricity in ceramics is caused by high Poisson’s ratio by high bulk modulus, and furthermore, low Young’s modulus and rigidity due to domain alignment.

Abstract: Molecular dynamics simulations were performed to analyze the curvature-driven shrinkage of individual cylindrical grains with geometrically different boundaries in Al. Grains with <100> tilt and mixed tilt-twist boundaries with the misorientations 5.5°, 16.3°, and 22.6° were simulated. The results revealed that the shrinking grains with tilt boundaries concurrently rotate increasing the misorientation angles, whereas grains with the mixed boundaries did not rotate during their shrinkage. Apparently, the grain boundary geometry/structure has a crucial impact on the observed rotational behavior of the computed grains. The grains with tilt boundaries rotate due to the lack of effectively operating mechanisms for annihilation of edge dislocations, which compose such boundaries. In contrast, for the mixed boundaries composed of edge-screw dislocations the sufficiently fast operating mechanisms of dislocation elimination are available, which facilitates grain shrinkage without rotation.

Abstract: Aluminium is a light-weight material and possesses high corrosion resistance, so that it is widely used in manufacturing industries. The Al-Zn series have the highest strength compared to other aluminium alloys. To further increase the strength of Al-Zn alloys, Mg and Cu are added and age hardening treatment is applied. This research studied the precipitation process in Al-9Zn-4Mg (wt. %) alloys with Cu content of 0, 1, 3 and 5 wt.%. The alloys were produced through investment casting taking the shape of turbine impeller. The samples were solution treated at 460 °C for 2 hours and then aged at 130 °C. The characterization included hardness testing to observe response of age hardening, microstructural observation and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) testing. Microstructural observation was conducted by optical microscope and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) which was combined with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS). The results showed that addition of Cu initially decreased the hardness during early ageing (2 hours) due to segregation of Cu-V complexes toward the grain boundaries which then decreased the hardness and enlarged the grain boundary phases. However, the peak hardness of the alloys was not affected by the increase in Cu content. due to high concentration of Zn and Mg. Exothermic reactions of formation of GP zones, η", η' and η (MgZn₂) were found during precipitation process while endothermic reaction were observed due to dissolution of the phases. Presence of MgZn₂ and Al₇Cu₂Fe second phases were observed in grain boundaries.

Abstract: The formation conditions of strained (non-equilibrium) triple junctions of grain boundaries were studied by the method of molecular dynamics. It is shown that strained triple junctions, containing excess free volume, mainly forms during crystallization process in the result of "locking" of the liquid phase density at a meeting of the three crystallization fronts and, as a consequence, of the concentration of excess free volume in the triple junction after solidification.

Abstract: The interaction of atom-atom collisions cascades with Ni-Al interphase boundary was studied by the method of molecular dynamics. It was shown that the interphase boundary partially absorbs the cascade energy. The degree of energy absorption of the cascade by the interphase boundary increases with the growth of the structural imperfection of the boundary and density of the misfit dislocations, and also with increase of distance between the boundary and the place of the cascade initiation.

Abstract: Superplasticity in fine-grained oxide ceramics has been generally elucidated on the basis of their experimental strain rate-flow stress relationship and phenomenological analysis of cavity nucleation and growth. It has been widely accepted that the high temperature superplastic flow and failure in ceramics is significantly influenced by the atomic structure and chemistry of grain boundaries. Such phenomenon cannot be explained based on the classical phenomenological analysis. Our research group has therefore proposed to establish a new research field, grain boundary plasticity, to describe the superplastic deformation related to the grain boundary atomic structure. This paper aims to point out the importance of the atomistic analysis of grain boundary to develop new superplastic ceramics.

Abstract: This study investigated strain-rate sensitivity (SRS) in an as-extruded AZ31 magnesium (Mg) alloy with grain size of about 10 mm. Although the alloy shows negligible SRS at strain rates of >10^-5 s^-1 at room temperature, the exponent increased by one order from 0.008 to 0.06 with decrease of the strain rate down to 10^-8 s^-1. The activation volume (V) was evaluated as approximately 100b³ at high strain rates and as about 15b³ at low strain rates (where b is the Burgers vector). In addition, deformation twin was observed only at high strain rates. Because the twin nucleates at the grain boundary, stress concentration is necessary to be accommodated by dislocation absorption into the grain boundary at low strain rates. Extrinsic grain boundary dislocations move and engender grain boundary sliding (GBS) with low thermal assistance. Therefore, GBS enhances and engenders SRS in AZ31 Mg alloy at room temperature.

Abstract: The changes of microstructure in pure-Sn after deformation were investigated by electron microscopy. Two types of specimens were prepared: Sample-1; pure-Sn/Fe-42Ni, Sample-2; single crystalline pure-Sn. The growth of curling whiskers on Sample-1 was observed in-situ in a scanning electron microscope (SEM). A thin foil specimen of the curling whisker was made with a focused ion beam (FIB) mill. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) analysis confirmed that the curling whisker was of a single crystal regardless of its external shape. New models for growth process of a bent single-crystalline whisker were proposed. The models are composed of epitaxial growth and recrystallization. Electron back scatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis was performed for Sample-2. The results of EBSD strongly suggested that recrystallization proceeds even at room temperature. These experimental results are very important to understand the behavior of dynamical deformation and recrystallization of Sn metal, and useful in consideration the mitigation of whiskers.