Key Engineering Materials Vol. 682

Abstract: The following paper presents results of the researches on the influence of Sr addition on microstructure and mechanical properties of EN AC-Al Si9Cu3(Fe) HPDC alloy. Two different elements were high pressure die cast for the research, one with Sr addition, second one without. Investigations involved light and scanning electron microscopy as well as hardness and tensile testing. EN AC-Al Si9Cu3(Fe) HPDC alloy microstructure is characterized by a fine dendrites of α-Al solid solution and AlSi binary eutectic mixture. What is more, many intermetallic phases are observed in the alloy. These are: α-Al₁₅(Fe,Mn,Cr)₃Si₂, β-A₅FeSi, A₂Cu, π-A₈Mg₃FeSi₆ and Q-A_l5Mg₈Cu₂Si₆. Sr modified alloy is characterized by a significant volume fraction of fine, fibrous AlSi-eutectic. The porosity in the modified alloy slightly decreased. Mechanical properties of the alloy increased after Sr modification.

Abstract: Two near β titanium alloys (Ti-3Al-8V-6Cr-4Mo-4Zr and Ti-10V-2Fe-3Al) were investigated in his research. Both materials contained disperse precipitations of α phase in β phase matrix. In the case of Ti-3Al-8V-6Cr-4Mo-4Zr alloy clear segregation of alloy constituents, resulting from casting process, were observed. This segregation caused different susceptibility to α phase precipitation in dendritic and interdendritic areas in the microstructure of the investigated alloy. The influence of the temperature, strain and processing time on α phase dissolution was determined. Gleeble compression tests were performed on both of the investigated alloys. The research showed different character of the influence of strain rate and processing time on the temperature of α phase dissolution for each alloy. The effect of heat treatment on α phase dissolution during ageing of the investigated alloys was also determined. The possibility of obtaining homogenous microstructure in these alloys by properly designed heat treatment was also discussed.

Abstract: Al-Si alloys are the most important group among aluminum casting alloys. They are widely used in automotive and aerospace industries. Chemical modification of the Al-Si alloys leads to formation of fine, fibrous Al-Si eutectic mixture ensuring high mechanical properties. The modification is however known to increase the alloy porosity, which may, in turn, result in decrease of its properties. The following paper presents results of the research on quantitative description of the Al-Si cast alloys porosity and influence of Na modification on the porosity of AlSi9Mg alloy. Porosity in the hypoeutectic Al-Si alloys occurs in four types: shrinkage cavities, shrinkage porosity, isolated gas pores and gas pores surrounded by shrinkage porosity. Na modification leads to increase of shrinkage pores volume fraction.

Abstract: The paper presents research on the effects of magnesium content on electrical and mechanical properties of materials after heat treatment of the casting of aluminum alloys: AlSi5Mg0.3, AlSi5Mg0.8 and AlSi5Mg1. The proposed heat treatment consisted of homogenisation at 535°C during period of the time 8 h, quenched to water and artificial aging at temperatures ranging from 120 to 240°C during period of the time to 24 h. Determination of strength properties were realized by Brinell hardness measurements. Electrical properties are in the form of electrical conductivity. The research program also included analysis of the microstructure of selected alloys.

Abstract: Endeavours were undertaken to assess metallographically AlMgSi alloys, (containing 0.58 wt% of Mg, and 0.58 wt% or 6.5 wt% of Si) in their primary states as well as after applying external loads in the Static Compression Test. During the first stage of the study the primary microstructures of the investigated samples were assessed. Samples originated from two technological processes: after strain hardening, in a form of rods (φ 9.5 mm and φ 4.0 mm) gravity casting, rolling, homogenisation and precipitation hardening; and after gravity casting in sand moulds of shaped plates 100 mm x 100 mm x 4 mm of a primary structure and after the precipitation hardening. During the second stage of investigations, microstructures of analysed samples (of various technological history) were compared - after applied external loads - in order to obtain information in what way such diversified primary structure and which of its stereological parameters (amount, shape, size and placement) are essential in initiation of microcracks under static loads.

Abstract: The paper discusses influence of main structural factors, as the type of crystal structure and net constant, on macroscopic features of self-diffusion and interdiffusion, in an attempt to provide a consistent description of diffusion that would involve all relevant physical effects, such as Kirkendall effect, dependence of diffusion on vacancy concentration, crystallography, and concentration of individual elements.Basing on the model structure, which is a Simple Regular net along with a corresponding Wigner-Seitz cell, the principal assumptions of the proposed model are presented as well as its implications, in order to determine general relations, which can further be used in numerical calculations involving diffusion streams. Subsequently, example calculations are performed for a simplified case of a two-dimensional Simple Regular net.The conclusions reached through this line of reasoning are then extrapolated to more complicated cases of diffusion – FCC, BCC, and HCP nets – which makes possible to relate particular material structures with diffusion rates. The connection of Wigner-Seitz cells with diffusion constitutes a good demonstration of dependence of the diffusion stream on the crystallographic orientation as well on the corresponding diffusion anisotropy for complex networks.

Abstract: This paper presents the effect of deformation on the change of microstructure of Cu-15Ni-8Sn and Cu-9Ni-6Sn alloy during heat treatment. The samples were homogenized, quenched, cold-rolled at different thickness reduction, and aged. The effects of deformation on microstructures were observed by optical microscope and SEM. The spinodal decomposition after homogenized solid solution, deformation and aging of these alloys was observed. The results have shown that during aging, from the rich-tin zones formed by spinodal decomposition, produced phase γ. The microstructure included of α +γ. The deformation accelerated the aging process and rapid increased the diameter of formed phase γ.

Abstract: Three prototype metallurgical rolls were produced on the basis of G200CrNiMo4-3-3 material. The method applied for the microstructure forming was different for each roll: the roll marked WOT – as cast state (without a modification and heat treatment); the metallurgical roll marked WMT – during its casting the FeCaSi deoxidizing was applied and then modification by a complex inoculant and argoning; the metallurgical roll marked WNT – subjected to a heat treatment (incomplete normalizing).The mentioned above differences in the technology of making rolls caused changes in their microstructure.The cementite eutectic and pearlitic matrix occurred in each roll. The main differences in the microstructure of cast steel rolls concerned a morphology of precipitates of hypereutectoid cementite. In the WOT roll cementite was mainly in the Widmannstӓtten system. Precipitates of hypereutectoid cementite in the WMT roll occurred along grain boundaries of primary austenite. A large fraction of spheroidal hypereutectoid cementite, precipitated in the whole volume of the primary austenite grain, appeared in the WNT roll. The microstructure influenced the rolls hardness and was equal 260 ÷ 350 HBW.Tribological investigations indicated decreasing the abrasive wear resistance with increasing the hypereutectoid cementite fraction within the primary austenite grains.

Abstract: The formability of magnesium alloys is the subject of efforts undertaken in many research centers due to their outstanding mechanical, plastic, and above all, physical properties. For this reason, magnesium alloys have become an important material which finds broad possibilities for application in many industries: automotive, electronics, aerospace and so on.The paper presents an analysis of changes in structure of AZ31 magnesium alloy wire cold-deformed in the drawing process using interoperate heat treatment. Microstructure observations of the wire by means of optical microscopy were performed in initial state, after each drawing process, and before and after heat treatment. The studies regarding the impact of selected variants of deformation on microstructure were also carried out at the scanning electron microscope (SEM).

Abstract: All over the world, intensive research is being conducted on the development of new conductive materials to be used in power engineering. The objective of this research is to increase electrical conductivity in wire and cable materials, and consequently, to increase line current-carrying capacities and reduce losses in electric energy transfer. Today, the expectations in the power engineering sector concentrates on conductive materials with electrical conductivity higher than conductivity of base materials, i.e. aluminum. The scientific discovery of the recent years, graphene, one of carbon allotropic variants with a very high electrical and thermal conductivity and mechanical strength, creates great possibilities to design and manufacture new materials, with super-standard functional properties. Graphene, can be a new kind of “alloy additive” to aluminum, which can significantly change their electric and another properties.This article focuses attention on the possibilities of graphene and aluminum synthesis. The researches was made over the different methods of producing these materials, in particular: chemical synthesis consisting in the combination of liquid metal with graphene into a form suitable for further processing in the processes of forming into wires. The article presents the results of mechanical properties and structural studies of aluminum-graphene composites.