Papers by Keyword: Variant Selection

Abstract: Quantitative prediction of transformation textures in steel becomes possible if a variant selection rule is taken into account, in which ferrite nucleating on austenite grain boundaries prefers to have orientation relationship with two neighboring austenite grains at the same time. The mathematical model of the variant selection rule is described and some examples of simulation in transformation textures in hot-rolled steel sheets are presented using the textures of retrained austenite and the misorientation distribution function method. An excellent agreement is attained between the predicted and experimental ferrite textures.

Abstract: Orientation-controlled copper bicrystals containing symmetrical 70o [0 0 1] tilt boundaries were deformed in tension at 923 K and at three initial strain rates from 4.2 x 10-5s-1 to 4.2 x 10-3s-1. The load was applied parallel to the grain boundary so as to eliminate grain boundary sliding. The nucleation of dynamic recrystallization (DRX) was investigated using optical microscopy and orientation imaging microscopy methods. After grain-boundary migration (GBM) and bulging, nuclei appeared behind the most deeply bulged grain boundary regions. The critical strain for nucleation was less than one-half of the peak strain and largely independent of the strain rate. At a fixed strain, nucleation is more frequent and the grain size finer as the strain rate is increased. All the nuclei were twin-related (Σ3) to the matrices. Furthermore, most of the twinning plane traces were parallel to the inactive slip traces of the bicrystals. This indicates that twin variant selection is essentially unaffected by dislocation motion. The observed mechanism of nucleation of DRX is discussed in relation to the occurrence of GBM and twinning.

Abstract: Orientations of both the α and γ phases in a multi-phase commercial steel were measured by means of electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) techniques. Using the average orientation of each austenite grain as the reference frame, the orientation relationships between the two lattices were compared with the common orientation relationships (i.e. the Kurdjumov-Sachs and Nishiyama-Wassermann) in Rodrigues-Frank space. The occurrence of variant selection in individual austenite grains was examined using a recent dislocation-based model. This model considers the role of the slip systems that were active during prior deformation, as well as those of in-plane reactions, cross-slip and the partial dislocations that are linked to specific variants. It also unites the competing K-S and N-W relationships through the dissociation of perfect dislocations. Reasonably good agreement was observed between the predictions and the observations. Possible explanations for some of the discrepancies are also presented.

Abstract: Phase separation of γ (A1) supersaturated solid solution into A1, γ’ (L12) and γ” (D022) phases was investigated in two Ni-rich Ni-V-Si ternary alloys by means of transmission electron microscopy. When the alloys are annealed at 1073K, two different sequences of the phase separation are observed, depending on the chemical composition of the alloy: In Ni-17.0at%V-6.9at%Si alloy (A) at the D022 corner of three-phase field, first many D022 particles precipitate aligning along the <110> direction of the matrix and the so-called chessboard pattern is observed, followed by the formation of L12 phase at the interface between D022 and A1 phases. In Ni-12.1at%V-11.3at%Si alloy (B) at the L12 corner of the Gibbs triangle, cuboidal L12 particles precipitate arranging along the <100> direction, and then D022 phase is formed. As the phase separation proceeds, a selective growth/formation of the third phase (L12 in the alloy A, D022 in the alloy B) occurs: In the alloy A, L12 phase grows into D022 particle inside along the diagonal direction of D022 cube which is parallel to the a-axis of D022 tetragonal phase. In the alloy B, D022 forms on the {100} cube face of cuboidal L12 particle, arranging the c-axis of D022 perpendicular to the {100} cube face of L12 phase. As a result of such a selective growth/formation, the first phase D022/L12 is split off into two particles, which results in the formation of laminated structure consisting of D022 and L12 phases. The selective growth/formation is considered to occur so as to maintain the less elastic strain state.

Abstract: The crystallographic relationship between the g and a phases in samples of the Gibeon meteorite and a TRIP steel was investigated by means of EBSD techniques. The orientations of the two phases were measured and are represented in pole figures. The results are compared to predictions made on the basis of the Bain, Kurdjumov-Sachs (K-S), Nishiyama-Wassermann (NW), Greninger-Troiano (G-T) and Pitsch orientation relationships. The local misorientation between individual fcc and bcc crystals along their common interface was measured to demonstrate the way in which the exact orientation relationship varies along the boundary. The local orientations within lamellae and laths of kamacite and bainite are compared to that in recrystallised ferrite polygons. The occurrence of variant selection during the transformation of deformed austenite is analyzed using a recent dislocation-based model.

Abstract: The mechanisms by which textures can be inherited in transformed phases are discussed in the light of different transformation mechanisms. Possible origins of variant selection in the different cases are reviewed and classified. Evidence is presented for a hitherto unsuspected source of variant selection that arises from the stresses which are generated during transformation due to the presence of micro-segregation. Some model predictions show the potential effect of this phenomenon on textures in bainite or martensite.

Abstract: One very often observes that the texture inheritance in BCC to HCP phase transformation shows variant selections, even though no external stress field is applied. These variant selections are related to the metallurgical state, the microstructure and the texture of the parent phase. From our own investigations, we came to the conclusion that the variant selections we observed in some phase transformations of various materials were influenced at different degrees by the elastic behaviour of the parent phase. Considering the transformation strain of each variant and the elastic anisotropy of the parent, we have build variant selection models based on energy minimum of elastic strain and assuming different types of interactions. The simulation results of texture transformation of a zircalloy sample show that the elastic characteristics of the parent phases are key parameters involved in the variant selection.

Abstract: The influence of Mn on the surface texture formation through a®g®a transformation was investigated. After the a®g®a transformation, a weak texture was formed at the surface of ultra low carbon cold-rolled sheet steel without Mn. In contrast, a sharp <100>//ND cube texture was observed in Mn alloyed ultra low carbon steel. In order to interpret the effect of Mn two alternative mechanisms were considered : (i) one assumption attributes the occurrence of the specific surface texture to the effect of outer-surface energy (ii) and according to an alternative hypothesis the release of elastic work parallel to ND in the surface area is responsible for the observed <100>//ND surface texture.

Abstract: The transformation texture associated with martensite formation in the titanium alloy Ti- 6Al-4V has been investigated. Samples were heated into the fully b phase and quenched to form a microstructure of very fine a' martensite with no evidence of diffusional transformation at the prior b grain boundaries. EBSD texture measurements on the martensite showed that within each prior b grain, although typically all 12 variants of a’ were formed, the fractions of variants was far from uniform. The a’ texture was markedly different from values calculated using equal variant probability, also indicating that significant variant selection was occurring during martensitic transformation. This effect was modelled on the basis of elastic interaction between martensite events.