Materials Science Forum Vols. 790-791

Abstract: Inoculation of casting used to improve the microstructure and the properties of the component. Depending upon the area of application, gray cast iron has different microstructure and mechanical properties. The type and amount of the inoculation result in shape and orientation differences of the flake graphite. The Linear Variable Differential Transformer (LVDT) shows a variation in displacements change during the solidification. Temperature measurement used to analyze cooling curves and microstructural analysis of sample to examine the physical differences. Thermal analysis compared with the experimental results and microstructural study for describing the variation in area fraction and shape of graphite. The experimental result indicates contraction in austenite formation region, and expansion in eutectic formation region. The effect of the inoculant and the superheat temperature shows a variation in degree of expansion/contraction and cooling rates of the experiments. The comparisons between the experimental and the theoretical results have been done. Combining the theoretical and experimental results, it resembles a difference in eutectic formation region, and it needs carful investigation in future works.

Abstract: The presented work is aimed at determining thermal diffusivity, thermal conductivity and heat capacity coefficients of silica quartz bentonite foundry sand. The values of the above thermo-physical properties were determined for temperature range of about 30 - 450 °C using the Casting measuring method [1-. The results obtained during the examinations presented in the paper can be useful when formulating boundary conditions in numerical models of heat and mass transfer in the system: casting mould ambient. The Casting method allows preserving real conditions during the experiment, i.e. contact of the mass with liquid metal and solidifying casting, and the obtained results are in a good agreement with the mean values available in literature. From the obtained results it follows that examinations should be also focused on thermo-physical properties vs. mass density dependency.

Abstract: Graphite growth morphology was studied by using InLense detector on FEG-SEM after performing ion etching on the samples. Star like and circumferential growth mechanism of graphite was observed in the graphite nodules. Pure ternary alloy of hypo eutectic and hyper eutectic composition was treated with pure Mg, Ca and Sr, to study the effect of O and S concentration in the melt, on the transition of graphite morphology from nodular to vermicular/compacted and flake graphite. The change in the melt composition between the austenite dendrites due to micro-segregation of S, O and inoculants and their possible effects on the transition of graphite morphologies as well as the nucleation of new oxides/sulfides particles is discussed with the help of thermodynamics.

Abstract: In this work we show the effect of various concentrations of strontium and antimony on the level of modification in the Al-Si alloy. The scale of the modification rate was determined in two ways: thermal analysis was performed and the images of the samples. The eutectic temperature registered during the analysis were compared to the eutectic temperature of the unmodified alloy and on the basis of them was determined which samples are registered as modified, which are not. On the basis of the results of the cooling curves the partially modified category was introduced, if the ΔT value is less than 9°C and more than 7.5°C. The samples made of the alloys were examined with a computer image analysis and the samples were grouped on the basis of the size of the eutectic silicon phases. The aim of our research work was the examination of cross-effects of strontium and antimony.

Abstract: The Cu-Zr-Ag system is characterized by a miscibility gap. The liquid separates into Ag-rich and Cu-Zr rich liquids. Yttrium was added to the Cu-Zr-Ag and Cu-Zr-Ag-Al systems and its influence on liquid immiscibility was studied. This alloying element has been chosen to check the effect of the heat of mixing between silver and the given element. In the case of Ag-Y system it is highly negative (-29 kJ/mol). The liquid becomes immiscible in the Cu-Zr-Ag-Y system. To the effect of Y addition the quaternary liquid decomposed into Ag-Y rich and Cu-Zr rich liquids. The Y addition increased the field of miscibility gap. An amorphous/crystalline composite with 6 mm thickness has been successfully produced by liquid-liquid separation based on preliminary calculation of its composition. The matrix was Cu₃₈Zr₄₈Al₆Ag₈ and the crystalline phases were Ag-Y rich separate spherical droplets.

Abstract: Austenitic stainless steels with their very good corrosion resistance are used in industrial applications nuclear and petrochemical industries, pulp and paper chemical, food and chemical processing, biomedical industries and others. But poor tribological and mechanical properties of austenitic stainless steels limit their applications in engineering fields. AISI 316L steel was subjected to transient treatment using high intensity pulsed plasma beams HIPPB. The plasma pulses contained both ions/atoms of electrodes material: Ce, La or (Ce+La) and those of working gas. The pulse energy densities (3.0 J/cm²) were sufficient to melt the near surface layer of steel and introduce REE to the melted material. Heating and cooling processes were of non-equilibrium type.

Abstract: Dendrite growth velocity V as a function of undercooling on the Al-rich side of the Al-Ni system has recently been measured by electromagnetic levitation. The results have shown an anomalous behaviour, which so far cannot be theoretically described. The present work uses two simplified qualitative models of sharp interface theory, one of them treating the forming AlNi (B2) phase as a solid-solution, one treating it as an intermetallic phase, to investigate the influence of the phase diagram on the growth velocities. The results imply that the concentration dependent growth behaviour is a superposition of at least two effects: 1) A strong decrease of the total growth velocitiy level for increasing Al concentrations. 2) An increase of growth velocities with increase of Al concentration at medium and low undercoolings. The present work is able to explain the first effect, namely the concentration dependent reduction of velocities. Results are compared to experimental data. In both models the properties of the phase diagram lead to an increase of the constitutional undercooling ΔT_c when the Al content increases. This reduces the fraction left for kinetic undercooling ΔT_k, which is responsible for interface migration and which determines the growth velocity. Neither of the models can reproduce the second effect.

Abstract: Ti₆₀(Ni_xCu_40-x)₄₀ x = 5 - 40 at% ternary alloys were prepared by arc-melting followed by a centrifugal casting into a wedge-shaped copper mould in order to examine glass forming of these compositions. Microstructure of the master alloys and wedge-shaped samples were studied. Among the master alloys, which solidified under non-equilibrium conditions, the sample with 15 at% Ni content displayed clear eutectic structure and its wedge-shaped sample had the finest structure but still crystalline. Microstructure of the other compositions was far from amorphous state.

Abstract: The present work is aimed at understanding the microstructure evolution in a series of Ti₆₀Fe_40-xCo_x (x= 0, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24) alloys. The ternary alloys are synthesized by arc melting cum suction casting technique under high purity argon atmosphere to obtain alloy cylinders having 3 mm diameter and aspect ratio of 17:1. Detailed X-ray diffractometry and electron microscopic studies are carried out to identify the phases in the investigated alloys. It has been found that the alloys consist of fine scale eutectic matrix between bcc (b-Ti)_ss and Ti(Fe,Co) phases along with the dendritic phase of Ti(Fe,Co), whereas the dendritic phase of Ti₂(Fe,Co) has also been observed for x = 16 and 20. It is also found that ternary Ti₆₀Fe₂₀Co₂₀ alloy shows good combination of compressive strength (~2507 MPa) and plasticity (~16.3 %) among the investigated alloys.

Abstract: The present investigation reports mechanical properties of novel multicomponent Ti_xCu_yFe₂₀Co₂₀Ni₂₀ high entropy alloys (HEAs) with different alloy chemistry (x/y = 1/3, 3/7, 3/5, 9/11, 1, 11/9 and 3/2). The alloy cylinders were prepared by vacuum arc melting-cum-suction casting route. The detailed electron microscopic observations reveal the presence of three different solid solution phases; FCC (a₁) phase, FCC (a₂) phase and BCC (b) phase for all the investigated alloys, whereas ultrafine eutectic between FCC (a₁) phase, and Ti₂ (Co, Ni) - type Laves phase has been observed for the HEAs with x/y = 9/11, 1, 11/9 and 3/2. Room temperature compression test of the suction cast cylinders with aspect ratio of 2/1 has been conducted to obtain mechanical properties of the HEAs. The optimum combination of strength (~ 1.88 GPa) and plasticity (~ 21 %) is obtained for x/y = 9/11; indicating simultaneous improvement of strength as well as plasticity of the novel HEAs. Fractographic analysis of the fractured surfaces reveals mixed mode of fracture for x/y = 1/3, 3/7 and 3/5, ductile mode for x/y = 9/11 and 1, whereas brittle mode of fracture for x/y = 11/9 and 3/2.