Advanced Materials Research Vol. 409

Abstract: Microstructure evolution in a P911 heat resistant steel was examined under conditions of aging and creep at a temperature of 600°C and an applied stress of 200 MPa. The tempered martensite lath structure (TMLS) evolved after heat treatment consisted of prior austenite grains (PAG), packets, blocks and laths. The mean transverse lath size and the interior dislocation density were about 345 nm and 3.5 × 10¹⁴ m^-2, respectively. Various second phase particles precipitated upon tempering. Fine MX carbonitrides were homogeneously distributed throughout the tempered martensite laths, while relatively coarse M₂₃C₆ carbide particles were located on high-and low-angle boundaries. Upon creep test, precipitation of Laves phases was found. The stability of TMLS during creep is discussed in detail.

Abstract: Ultrafine elongated grain (UFEG) structures with strong <110>// rolling direction (RD) fiber deformation texture were produced by warm caliber-rolling at 773 K, namely tempforming in the 1200 MPa-class medium-carbon low-alloy steel with phosphorous (P) contents of 0.001 and 0.053 mass%. Charpy impact tests were performed at temperature range of-196 to 150 °C on the UFEG structure. Regardless of P content, high upper shelf energy about 145 J and a very low ductile to brittle transition temperature (DBTT) of around-175 °C were obtained. P segregation embrittlement completely disappeared in the 0.053 %P steel and both steels showed ductile fracture on the planes normal to RD at temperature range of-150 to 150 °C. The main reason for the high upper shelf energy and very low DBTT in the 0.053 %P steel would be delamination fracture along RD when both 0.001 and 0.053 %P steels showed quite similar microstructures including texture. Since the occurrence of delamination requires relatively weak interfaces or planes, P segregated to the ferrite grain boundaries and interfaces of cementite particles-ferrite matrix and made them feasible paths for crack branching and consequently delamination occurred. We showed in this work the advantage of delamination (crack arrester-type) on the high absorbed energy obtained by 0.053 %P steel in comparison with 0.001 %P steel.

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: The morphology of deformation twinning, which influences a brittle fracture at low temperatures, was investigated in Fe-8mass%Al. Tensile tests were performed at 129K and room temperature. The specimen tested at room temperature showed yielding and kept deformed by usual slip while the specimen tested at 129K fractured in a brittle manner in an elastic regime with a number of straight markings due to deformation twinning. Detail analysis of those deformation twins suggests that the collision of deformation twinning is the initiation site of the brittle fracture.

Abstract: Concrete is the key material used in construction of various types, from flooring of a dwelling to multi-storied high rise structures, from pathways to an airport runways, from under ground tunnels and deep sea platforms to high-rise chimneys and towers. The greatest challenge in this millennium, especially in developing country like India, it needs to build concrete structures in quicker time, so as to meet high infrastructural demand. In order to achieve this, concrete construction practices will have to undergo a sea-change in the country. The study was focused on development of self-compacting concrete using high volume fly ash, admixed with quary dust and Silica fume. The objective of the study included evaluation of properties, viz. compressive strength, weight change observations in sulphate environment and resistance to chloride ion penetration. Several trial mixes were tested before optimizing the three Self-Compacting Concrete mixes based on binary and ternary blends. The strength variation of individual cubes in each of the mixes has been observed to be in the range of 28 to 46 MPa. Self-compacting concrete using high volume flyash, admixed with quary dust and Silica fume mixes have performed extremely well in aggressive chloride environments. Samples cured for 90 days and exposed to sulphate environment had reduced strengths compared to those cured in tap water, in all the blends. But the percentage reduction is lower in case of ternary blends as compared to control concrete. Keywords: Self-Compacting Concrete (SCC), Compressive Strength, High volume flyash, Quary dust, Silica fume, Supplementary Cementious Material (SCM).

Abstract: The FSW weld consists of three distinct microstructural zones. The microstructure inside each zone is directly impacted by the FSW process parameters. The aim of this article is to correlate microstructure, microhardness and corrosion sensitivity of a AA-2024-T3 FSW joint for one processing parameter set. A microstructural analysis has been conducted in each weld zone by the combination of TEM observations, chemical and DSC analysis. Moreover, a small electrochemical cell was used to estimate the corrosion sensitivity of the distinct zones by localized open circuit potential measurements all along the weld. Mechanical properties were evaluated using Vickers microhardness measurements. The results show a direct correlation between mechanical property evolution, local corrosion process involved and microstructure modification.

Abstract: As a solid-state welding technology, friction stir welding (FSW) can join dissimilar materials with good mechanical properties. In this paper, friction stir welding between 304L stainless steel and commercially pure copper plates with thicknesses of 3 mm was performed. A number of FSW experiments were carried out to obtain the optimum mechanical properties by adjusting the rotational speed to 1000 rpm and welding speed in the range of 14-112 mm/min and with an adjustable offset of the pin location with respect to the butt line. Microstructural analyses have been done to check the weld quality. Cross-sectioning of the welds for metallographic analysis in planes perpendicular to the welding direction and parallel to the weld crown was also performed. The mechanical properties of the welds were determined using a combination of conventional microhardness and tensile testing. From this investigation it is found that the offset of the pin is an essential factor in producing defect free welds in friction stir welding of copper and steel.

Abstract: Welding cheap and ductile 6xxx Al alloys with high strength 2xxx Al alloys is desirable for instance in specific aeronautical applications. These alloys present different rheological behaviors and melting temperatures which affect the ability to produce sound dissimilar friction stir welds. Dissimilar friction stir butt welds made of 2014-T6 and 6061-T6 Al alloys were performed with various welding parameters including shifts of the tool from the initial separation between the plates to be welded and placing one alloy either on the advancing, or on the retreating side of the weld. Temperature measurements during welding, mechanical characterization (transverse tensile tests and hardness profiles) and macrographic observations were performed. Macrographies on sections perpendicular to the welding direction reveal different metal flow patterns in the weld nugget. If the 2014 alloy is placed on the advancing side of the weld, an abrupt transition between the weld nugget and the 6061 alloy is observed on macrographs leading to premature fracture in tension. Dissimilar welds are cooler on the 6061 side of the weld, i.e. the weakest side of the weld, than the corresponding 6061 similar weld, limiting the growth of the hardening precipitates. This leads thus to higher strength of the dissimilar welds. Dissimilar welds with the weld center shifted towards the 2014 alloy present lower temperatures than unshifted welds on the 6061 side of the weld, also leading to higher strength.

Abstract: Transformation Induced Plasticity (TRIP) steels have not yet been successfully joined by any welding technique. It is desirable to search for a suitable welding technique that opens up for full usability of TRIP steels. In this study, the potential of joining TRIP steel with Friction Stir Spot Welding (FSSW) is investigated. The aim of the study is to investigate whether acceptable welds can be produced, and additionally, to obtain an understanding of the microstructural changes during welding. The microstructure was investigated with a combination of microscopical techniques with the aim of identifying the transformations occurring during welding. Reflected light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and electron backscatter diffraction were among the methods applied for detailed investigations. The microstructure adjacent to the welds can generally be subdivided in two thermo-mechanically affected zones (TMAZ), and two heat-affected zones (HAZ). The dual behavior of the microstructure in the zones is related to the two transition temperatures in steel: A₁ and A₃. In parts of the TMAZ the microstructure contains ultra fine-grained ferrite. This finding parallels the observation in thermo-mechanically processed steels, where severe deformation at elevated temperatures is used to produce ultra fine-grained microstructures. Several possible transformation mechanisms could in principle explain the development of ultra fine-grained ferrite, e.g. dynamic recrystallization, strain-induced ferrite transformation and dynamic recovery.

Abstract: Friction stir processing (FSP) is a method for controlling the microstructure that has been proposed by applying friction stir welding, FSW. In this study, microstructure and mechanical properties of a 7075 aluminum alloy subjected to multi-pass FSP, MP-FSP, are assessed to obtain fundamental knowledge for improving the plasticity of aluminum alloys. The MP-FSP has been applied to 7075 alloy plates with T6 and O tempers, and microstructural characterization has been made by means of optical and scanning electron microscopies together with EDX and EBSD analyses, while mechanical properties were measured by means of micro hardness and tensile tests at room and high temperatures. From microstructural observation, a new zone, PBZ, has been discovered between stir zones, SZs. The PBZ is composed of two types of (fine and coarse) grains, where the coarse grain contains many sub-grains. Hardness in PBZ is intermediate between that in BM and SZ both in T6 and O specimens; hardness generally decreases and increases in T6 and O specimens, respectively, by MP-FSP. In accord to the hardness change, strength at room temperature is decreased by MP-FSP in T6 specimen, and increased in O specimen. Elongation at 773K is increased both in T6 and O specimens because of superplastic deformation. However, local elongation is smaller in PBZ than in SZ, which can be attributed to the microstructural change by the deformation: grain shape remains equiaxed in SZ while it becomes elongated in the tensile direction in PBZ.