Materials Science Forum Vol. 879

Abstract: A three dimensional grain mapping technique for polycrystalline materials, called X-ray diffraction contrast tomography (DCT), was developed at SPring-8, which is the brightest synchrotron radiation facility in Japan. The developed technique was applied to a commercially pure iron and austenitic stainless steel. The shape and location of grains could be determined by DCT using the apparatus in a beam line of SPring-8. To evaluate the dislocation structure in fatigue, the total misorientation of individual grains was measured by DCT. The average value of the total misorientation over one sample was increased with the number of cycles. In a grain, the change of the total misorientation was largest for primary slip plane. For austenitic stainless steel (fcc), the change of the total misorientation in fatigue was larger for planes with larger Schmid factor, while it was not depended on the Schmid factor for commercially pure iron (bcc). This different behavior must come from planer slip in fcc structure and wavy slip in bcc structure.

Abstract: We proposed a new biomaterial composed of solid and powder cubic compartments to exhibit isotropic or bone-mimic one-dimensional anisotropic mechanical properties. The raw material used was gas-atomized Ti-6Al-4V ELI powder comprising spherical particles with a diameter of approximately 80 μm. Cube-shaped products composed of 27 (3 × 3 × 3) unit cubic compartments occupied by solid or powder part were designed using three-dimensional CAD. The products were fabricated by electron beam melting (EBM) (Arcam AB, Sweden) according to the specifications shown in a CAD drawing. The residual unmelted powder in the products does not need to be removed to make the products more mechanically integrated. Moreover, the layout of the powder and solid compartments in the products were arranged to achieve isotropy resembling a face-centered cubic atomic arrangement or a long-bone-mimic mechanical anisotropy with square prismatic columns. The products demonstrate isotropic or anisotropic Young’s modulus, yield stress, and toughness, all of which can be changed by CAD design and EBM. In conclusion, novel powder/solid materials comprising solid cubic parts and functionalized powder particles between them were successfully developed, which could be useful in biomedical and industrial applications.

Abstract: (α + γ) two phase stainless steel (Fe-21%Cr-4.8%Ni-1.5%Mo) powder was processed by high pressure torsion (HPT) and consolidation at room temperature. The received powder had fully α single phase due to the rapid cooling during gas atomizing process. Specimens after HPT process were heat treated at 1173K for 3.6ks. It was revealed that the decomposition of α phase to γ took place during the heat treatment. Detailed microstructure observation showed that an equiaxed (α + γ) micro-duplex structure was developed and its average grain size was approximately 3.2 micrometers. The same heat treatment given to the material without HPT resulted in a coarse two phase microstructure.Therefore, it is considered that an ultra fine grained microstructure was caused by increasing of nucleation sites for γ phase due to severe plastic deformation (SPD) of HPT process. Electron backscatter diffraction patterns (EBSD) analysis indicated that α phase has a {110}/ND strong texture, that is, the α phase seems to have single orientated coarse grain structure. The γ precipitates indicated a {111}/ND strong texture, and the crystallographic orientation relationship of Kurdjumov-Sachs was observed.

Abstract: This work deals with the effect of volume percentage of nanoreinforcement to fabricate nanosurface composite by Friction Stir Processing (FSP) and also studied the role of tool rotational speed and traverse speed to get the defect free condition to fabricate successful surface composite. The material flow pattern, dispersion of the reinforcement particles in the stir zone was examined. From the phase/volume fraction analysis, it was observed that the nanoAl₂O₃ particles were well dispersed in the stir zone. The results indicate that the better microstructural, mechanical properties were obtained at 1150rpm /15mm/min condition. A significant improvement in microhardness was exhibited by surface nanocomposite as compared to the as - received aluminum.

Abstract: The effect of heat treatment on tensile properties, especially pseudoelastic behaviour of hot-rolled Ti-25Nb-3Zr-3Mo-2Sn (wt.%) alloy has been studied. The as-rolled alloy shows high strength due to the presence of nanoscale ω and α precipitates, but it suffers from limited ductility. The conventional solution plus ageing treatment improves the ductility, but it has an adverse effect on the psudoelastic properties. By applying flash treatment (500 °C for 2 min), the alloy is found to have not only balanced strength and ductility, but also improved psudoelastic properties, such as higher recovery strain and lower elastic modulus. The microstructural changes associated with the flash treatment are revealed.

Abstract: The austenitization and inter-critical annealing of X4CrNiMo16-5-1 (1.4418) supermartensitic stainless steel were investigated in-situ with synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD), dilatometry and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) under isochronal heating conditions. Austenitization occurred in two stages: the austenitization started at approx. 600 °C, decelerated at approx. 700 °C at 60 to 75 v.% of transformed austenite, and first resumed after heating for approx. 100 °C. This plateau in the transformation curve was more dominant for faster heating rates. Inter-critical annealing at 675 and 700 °C revealed, that austenite can to a certain extent be stabilized to room-temperature. There was good agreement for the transformation curves yielded by dilatometry and XRD. Some deviation occurred due to the different applied heating principles, different temperature monitoring and the impact of surface martensite formation on the XRD measurement. The applicable temperature range for DSC as well as the close proximity of the A_c1- and the Curie-temperature limited the usage of the technique in the present case.

Abstract: Protective coatings able to provide improved tribological behavior and corrosion resistance are demanded in many industrial applications. Although hard chrome is a very effective solution and is widely used, environmental issues related to hexavalent chromium push to develop alternative treatments. Within the framework of the HardAlt European Project, electrodeposited composite coatings have been developed and main results of this investigation are reported in this work. Boron carbide micro-particles were dispersed in a Ni-P matrix under different operating conditions, in order to produce coatings with different composition and particle content. Structural and morphological characterization was performed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Mechanical properties were evaluated by micro-indentation and the tribological performance was assessed by block-on-ring tests. Electrochemical experiments were carried out to examine the corrosion behavior of the composite coatings. Interesting results were obtained for composite coatings as regards hardness values, tribological behavior and corrosion resistance, even though some improvements can be realized. However, the results presented in this work show that composite coatings may represent a promising alternative to hard chrome for selected applications and also suggestions for further investigation are gained.

Abstract: In Bi_1-xSm_xFeO₃ (BSFO) having the multiferroic BiFeO₃ as an end material, when the Sm content increases from x = 0, it has been reported that the ferroelectric-R3c state is changed into the paraelectric-Pnma state around x = 0.14. The R3c/Pnma state boundary around x = 0.14 can be regarded as a temperature-independent morphotropic-phase boundary (MPB). The notable feature in BSFO is that, in addition to these two states, the antiferroelectric PbZrO₃-type state was also found in the vicinity of the MPB. Although the PbZrO₃-type state appears as a modulated structure, its detailed features have not been understood yet. We have thus examined the crystallographic features of prepared BSFO samples around x = 0.14, mainly by transmission electron microscopy. The PbZrO₃-type state was confirmed to be present in samples with x = 0.15 on the basis of x-ray powder diffraction profiles measured from prepared samples at 300 K. On the other hand, the observation made by transmission electron microscopy indicated that the state for x = 0.15 is characterized by a coexistence state consisting of the ferroelectric-R3c and antiferroelectric PbZrO₃-type states. In particular, the crystal structure of the PbZrO₃-type state could be identified as a modulated structure with two transverse modulation waves, whose wave vectors are given by q₁ = [1/2 0 0]_o and q₂ = [0 1/2 0]_o in the orthorhombic-Pnma notation. In addition, eigenvectors of these two transverse waves were also determined to be parallel to the same [001]_o direction.

Abstract: Spin polarized density functional theory calculations have been performed to characterize the structure of water molecules on iron surface under applied charges. It is found that water molecules of the contact layer take H-down configuration under the negative charge, on the other hand, under the positive charge, they adsorbed on a top site of iron atom, as the applied charge increases, the dissociation of water molecules proceed. In addition, we found that the energy shift of the Fermi level varies linearly in the range from-e to +e, while beyond this range it tends to saturate.

Abstract: Healing of rat tibia after intramedullary implantation of MgO was analysed by Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy (ESEM) and Energy-Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The results indicated the formation of hydroxyl-apatite (HA) in the entire intramedullary space after 1 week of healing. Then, corroded Mg, MgO and MgCO₃ were incubated with DMEM in vitro for 24 h and the surface of the material was analysed by EDX and Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass (ToF-SIMS). The chemical analysis of the Mg corrosion products indicate that HA is formed at the material surface and that MgCO₃ was an efficient catalyzer of HA formation