Advanced Materials Research Vols. 89-91

Abstract: Evolution of surface morphology in Ni(γ)/Ni3Al(γ´) two-phase foil of binary Ni-18 at.%Al was examined during the electrochemically selective etching in the electrolyte of distilled water including 1 wt.% (NH4)2SO4 and 1 wt.% citric acid. In the early stage (0.5 h), only the γ matrix was etched and the outmost γ´ particles were protected by a preexisting surface product. As the γ matrix was etched more, the side surfaces of the outmost γ´ particles and the γ´ particles that were located inside were exposed in the electrolyte. They were dissolved, and had a high density of fine dimples. However, the dissolution rate of the γ´ particles was slower than that of the γ matrix and thus the selective etching was retained in this stage. Finally, at 5h, more γ´ particles were exposed and the flat and smooth surfaces of the outmost γ´ particles were completely eliminated by the dissolution on the side surfaces. From these observations plus the saturation of the current density observed in the electrochemical test, we concluded that the change in the surface morphology was finished at this stage. Thus, the surface became more rough and irregular, which resulted from the original two-phase microstructure and the fine dimple structure by transpassivation.

Abstract: Calciothermic reduction-diffusion (CRD) method was employed to prepare the Sm2Fe17 powder. By using CRD method, single-phase Sm2Fe17 powders were successfully made and no α-Fe phase detected. And Subsequent suitable nitrogenation treatment after CRD process enabled us to obtain Sm2Fe17Nx magnetic powders. However, the magnetic performance of the powders was below expectation due to their large particle size. Further study on effective milling process is needed.

Abstract: SrO-containing calcium phosphate invert glasses, (60-x)CaO∙xSrO∙30P2O5∙7Na2O∙3TiO2 (mol%, x = 0 ~ 60), which are expected to inhibit bone resorption by osteoclast and enhance bone formation, were prepared and estimated in their ion release behavior in Tris buffer solution. The glasses gradually released ions and the dissolved amounts of ions were the smallest when the glass contained 20 mol% of SrO. Laser Raman spectra showed that the peaks of phosphate groups and TiOy polyhedral groups red-shifted with increasing the SrO content in the glasses. The red-shift is suggested to be due to decrease in bonding strength between cations and phosphate groups or TiOy polyhedral groups in the glasses. In the case of the glasses containing SrO over 20 mol%, no Raman peaks of TiOy polyhedral shifted. TiOy (y = 4 or 6) polyhedral in the glasses can coordinate with cation up to 18 mol% since they contain 3 mol% of TiO2. Sr2+ ions are supposed to preferentially coordinate with TiOy polyhedral, the formation of this structure would induce the decrease in the ion amounts released from the glasses containing 0 ~ 20 mol% of SrO.

Abstract: The high mechanical properties in 7xxx aluminum alloy are obtained by controlling the precipitation hardening microstructure. In this work, the relationship between the microstructures and mechanical properties of 7A04 (Al-Zn-Mg-Cu) aluminum alloy during isothermal aging at 140 oC after different quenching rates has been studied in order to find its useful hardening conditions. The as-extruded samples were solution heat treated at 480 oC and cooled in air, 70 oC water, 40 oC water and 0 oC ice water. Tensile test were performed and the ultimate tensile strength and percentage of elongation were obtained. The difference in the amount of precipitates is known by DSC and the morphology of the precipitates is characterized by TEM. The results indicate that the artificial age hardening response is strongly dependent on the quenching rate. Lower quenching rate results in lower tensile strength but higher percentage of elongation in the peak age condition, and this corresponds to the difference in the size and number density of the precipitates. It is concluded that the highest ultimate tensile strength is obtained in the fastest quenching rate in 0 oC ice water (up to 870Ks-1) while stable and high percentage of elongation is achieved in the intermediate quenching rate (about 226 Ks-1).

Abstract: The strain paths followed by metals during sheet forming can be quite complex, especially when successive forming steps are involved. The work hardening of metals associated with these strain paths differs from that caused only by monotonic straining, such as simple tension or compression. It is important to have an adequate description of the work hardening of the material under processing, especially when numerical simulations of the forming are used. The experimental evaluation of the effect of strain path changes on the material work hardening is usually performed through tensile testing following the strain path changes. This technique, however, demands complex machining operations of the formed sheets and the imposed strain is severely limited by impending necking. The present paper utilizes simple shear as a tool for the determination of the work hardening of CuZn34 brass sheets following various strain path changes associated with combinations of different modes of deformation such as rolling, tension, cyclic and forward shears. The results indicate that the cyclic shearing delays the occurrence of plastic instabilities for brass previously tensioned, occurring the opposite for final monotonic shearing. These phenomena were correlated with the probable microstructural evolution of the CuZn34 brass.

Abstract: The orientation relationships that apply to the fcc (γ) – bcc (α) phase transformation in high-performance hot-rolled TRIP-aided steels were characterised by EBSD techniques. A statistical treatment of the experimental data allows the mean orientation relationship to be determined. This mean orientation relationship was compared to the models commonly proposed in the literature and confronted qualitatively to the predictions of the phenomenological theory of martensite crystallography (PTMC). The variant selection phenomenon was also characterized quantitatively at the level of individual austenite grains. The reconstruction of the EBSD maps evidences that bainite grows by packets in which the bainite laths share a common {111}γ plane in the austenite. This growth mechanism is not influenced by the prior hot deformation of the austenite. The hot deformation has a critical influence on the number of packets that forms. The analysis of the crystallographic features of the bainite packets reveals that all possible variants are formed in a packet, though in different proportions.

Abstract: Crack-healing effectiveness of nano-Ni+SiC co-dispersed Al2O3 hybrid materials by heat treatment was studied as well as oxidation behavior. The starting powder mixture was prepared by drying slurry consisting of distilled water, Al2O3, SiC powder and nickel nitrate. After reduction, the powder mixture was densified by pulsed electric current sintering. Cracks were introduced by a Vickers indenter. Specimens were exposed into air at temperature ranging from 1000 and 1300°C for 1 and 48 h. Thickness of oxidized zone in SiC+nano-Ni/Al2O3 thinner than nano-Ni/Al2O3. Cracks of SiC+nano-Ni/Al2O3 disappeared completely, for example, by oxidation at 1200°C for 6 h, as same as nano-Ni/Al2O3. Bending strength of crack-disappeared SiC+nano-Ni/Al2O3 showed 519 MPa and was comparable with that of as-sintered one. SiC+nano-Ni/Al2O3 pocesses crack-healing effectiveness with improved high-temperature oxidation resistance.

Abstract: Employing NH3/H2 gas mixtures, Fe-4.65at% Al alloy specimens were nitrided to assess how the presence of Al, originally dissolved in the ferrite matrix, influences the development of γ-Fe4N1-x phase in the surface adjacent region. The nitrided specimens were characterized by light microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Electron Backscatter Diffraction and Electron Probe Micro Analysis. Surprisingly, formation of ε-Fe2N1-x was observed, although, for the applied nitriding parameters (nitriding potential and temperature), only the formation of γ-Fe4N1-x would be expected in case of nitriding pure ferrite. An unusual plate-type morphology of γ-Fe4N1-x was observed, contrasting with the usual continuous layer-type growth observed upon nitriding iron, Fe-Cr and Fe-V alloys. These unexpected phenomena may be explained as consequences of the need to realize a very high nitrogen supersaturation in the ferrite matrix in order to initiate the precipitation of AlN.

Abstract: Microstructural changes occurring in biomedical Co-Cr-Mo alloys with three carbon levels due to solution treatment and aging were investigated. Ingots of Co-Cr-Mo alloys with three different carbon levels were prepared by vacuum furnace melting; their chemical composition was Co-28Cr-6Mo-xC (x = 0.12, 0.25 and 0.35 mass%). Precipitates were electrolytically extracted from as-cast and heat-treated alloys. An M23C6 type carbide and a phase were detected as precipitates in as-cast Co-28Cr-6Mo-0.12C alloy, and an M23C6 type carbide and an  phase (M6C-M12C type carbide) were detected in as-cast Co-28Cr-6Mo-0.25C and Co-28Cr-6Mo-0.35C alloys. Only the M23C6 type carbide was detected during solution treatment. Complete precipitate dissolution occurred in all the three alloys after solution treatment. The holding time required for complete precipitate dissolution increased with increasing carbon content and decreasing solution treatment temperature. Complete precipitate dissolution occurred in the Co-Cr-Mo-C alloys solution treated at 1523 K for 43.2 ks; they were then subjected to aging from 873 to 1473 K for a heating time up to 44.1 ks after complete precipitate dissolution in solution treatment at 1523 K for 43.2 ks. The M23C6 type carbide with a grain size of 0.1–3 m was observed after aging. A time-temperature-precipitation diagram of the M23C6 type carbide formed in the Co-28Cr-6Mo-0.25C alloy was plotted.

Abstract: In this study, the authors made an experiment to observe the residual stress state in the surface of the engineered parts (for example, shot-peened steel) by X-ray stress measurement. An evaluation method was proposed for the stress gradient from the information on the X-ray Debye ring obtained with an area detector. The method utilized the fact that the X-ray penetration depth is a function of the central angle of the Debye ring α. It varies due to a section of Debye ring. It also depends on the incidence angle of X-rays and the wavelength used. Mean stress over the whole penetration depths of X-rays, which is defined as the Laplace stress, was measured by the cosα method[1, 2] by using this characteristic, and the real space stress[3-5] gradient was evaluated.