Materials Science Forum Vol. 941

Abstract: The hot cracking (solidification cracking) susceptibility in the weld metals of duplex stainless steels were quantitatively evaluated by Transverse-Varestraint test with gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) and laser beam welding (LBW). Three kinds of duplex stainless steels (lean, standard and super duplex stainless steels) were used for evaluation. The solidification brittle temperature ranges (BTR) of duplex stainless steels were 58K, 60K and 76K for standard, lean and super duplex stainless steels, respectively, and were comparable to those of austenitic stainless steels with FA solidification mode. The BTRs in LBW were 10-15K lower than those in GTAW for any steels. In order to clarify the governing factors of solidification cracking in duplex stainless steels, the solidification segregation behaviours of alloying and impurity elements were numerically analysed during GTAW and LBW. Although the harmful elements to solidification cracking such as P, S and C were segregated in the residual liquid phase in any joints, the solidification segregation of P, S and C in LBW was inhibited compared with GTAW due to the rapid cooling rate in LBW. It followed that the decreased solidification cracking susceptibility of duplex stainless steels in LBW would be mainly attributed to the suppression of solidification segregation of P, S and C.

Abstract: In addition to precipitation strengthening effect as Cu precipitates in steel, Cu-containing steel is generally believed to have ability to resist corrosion. However, there are some issues, e.g. strengthening mechanism and appropriate copper content, remaining to be clarified. In this presentation, an offshore platform steel Fe-0.08C-1Mn-2.5Ni was used as experimental materials and the emphasis was put on the comparative study of Cu-addition in terms of microstructural evolution and mechanical properties by using microstructural characterization and mechanical properties measurement. The continuous cooling transformation behavior of the two Cu-containing steels with varying contents was first compared. The Cu-containing precipitates were then determined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in the hot rolled steel plate after quenching and tempering. Finally, the effect of Cu-addition on precipitation strengthening and low temperature toughness was discussed considering the interaction of Cu precipitates with dislocation and martensite microstructure.

Abstract: Alumina-forming austenitic (AFA) heat-resistance steels firstly developed by Yamamoto et al. at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have been reported as a new promising class of steels with potential for use in high temperature applications in recent years. The creep resistance of AFA steels is improved mainly by precipitation strengthening. Besides modifying the typical existing precipitates, i.e. MC and M₂₃C₆ type carbides, B2-NiAl and Fe₂Nb-type Laves phase, introduction of coherent L1₂-ordered precipitate is highly desired. L1₂-ordered phase gamma prime (γ’) is the most important precipitate for high-temperature strengthening in Ni-based superalloys. In the present work, we demonstrate that addition of 2.8 wt. % Cu to an AFA steel promotes the formation of an L1₂-ordered phase with the dominating elements Ni, Cu and Al. TEM characterization after slow rate tensile tests indicated there were the different precipitation behaviours at 700°C and 750°C. It was revealed that the occurrence of L1₂-ordered Ni-Cu-Al phase depends on temperature and Ni content. This opens up new opportunities to promote the formation of L1₂-ordered phase in Fe-based austenitic heat-resistance steels and benefit high-temperature mechanical properties.

Abstract: Water atomized and gas atomized 17-4 PH stainless steel powder were used as feedstock in selective laser melting process. Gas atomized powder revealed single martensitic phase after printing and heat treatment. As-printed water atomized powder contained dual martensitic and austenitic phase. The H900 heat treatment cycle was not effective in enhancing mechanical properties of the water atomized powder after laser melting. However, after solutionizing at 1315 oC and aging at 482oC fully martensitic structure was observed with yield strength of 1000 MPa and ultimate tensile strength of 1261 MPa which are comparable to those of gas atomized, 1254 MPa and 1300 MPa, respectively. Improved mechanical properties in water atomized powder was found to be related to presence of finer martensite. Our results imply that water atomized powder is a promising cheaper feedstock alternative to gas atomized powder.

Abstract: Advanced high strength steels (AHSS), with yield strengths over 300 MPa and tensile strengths exceeding 600 MPa, are becoming more noticeable in vehicle manufacturing. A novel processing route of a TRIP-assisted steel was developed. Characterization and modelling techniques were used to establish correlations between processing, microstructure and mechanical properties. Quenching and partitioning (Q&P) and a novel process of hot straining (HS) and Q&P (HSQ&P) treatments have been applied to a TRIP-assisted steel in a Gleeble ®3S50 thermo-mechanical simulator. The heat treatments involved intercritical annealing at 800 oC and a two-step Q&P heat treatment with a partitioning time of 100 s at 400 oC. The effects of high-temperature isothermal deformation on the carbon enrichment of austenite, carbide formation and the strain-induced transformation to ferrite (SIT) mechanism were investigated. Carbon partitioning from supersaturated martensite into austenite and carbide precipitation were confirmed by means of atom probe tomography (APT). Austenite carbon enrichment was clearly observed in all specimens, and in the HSQ&P samples it was slightly greater than in Q&P, suggesting an additional carbon partitioning to austenite from ferrite formed by the SIT phenomenon. By APT, the carbon accumulation at austenite/martensite interface was clearly observed. The newly developed combined process is promising as the transformation induced plasticity can contribute to the formability and energy absorption, contributing to fill the gap of the third generation of high-strength steels.

Abstract: EUROFER 97 is considered as standard steel for the nuclear applications in the case of high radiation density for first wall of a fast breeder reactors. Based on such consideration the microstructural behaviour of EUROFER 97 after thermo-mechanical processing is fundamental, since such materials properties are interesting also for innovative solar plants. In this paper the effect of thermo-mechanical behavior on the mechanical properties of EUROFER 97 has been analyzed by hot rolling followed by heat treatment on laboratory scale.A strong effect of reheating conditions before rolling on the material strength, due to an increase of hardenability following the austenite grain growth is found. A limited effect of the hot reduction and of the following tempering behavior is found in the considered deformation-range investigated. A loss of impact toughness is detected together with the hardness improvement.Mechanical properties are depending on the tempering temperature and an improvement of tensile yield stress (YS) and ultimate stress (UTS) was determined in tensile test carried on at T=550°C and T=650°C, e.g.: YS increase from about 400 MPa for standard EUROFER 97 [1] to about 550 MPa in samples treated by a tempering temperature of 720°C instead of the standard 760°C for EUROFER 97. Same trend has been found for UTS results.

Abstract: When austenite is deformed within the austenite phase field, it partially transforms dynamically into ferrite. Here, plate rolling simulations were carried out on an X70 steel using rough rolling passes of 0.4 strain each. The influence of the number of roughing passes on the grain size and volume fraction of induced ferrite was determined. Up to three roughing passes applied at 1100 °C followed by 5 finishing passes at 900 °C were employed. The sample microstructures were analysed by means of metallographic techniques. Both the critical strain to the onset of dynamic transformation as well as the grain size decreased with pass number during the roughing simulations. For the finishing passes, the mean flow stresses (MFS`s) applicable to each schedule decreased when a higher number of roughing passes was applied. The volume fraction of dynamically formed ferrite retained after simulated rolling increased with the roughing pass number. This is ascribed to the increased amount of ferrite retransformed into austenite and the finer grain sizes produced during roughing. The forward transformation is considered to occur displacively while the retransformation into austenite during holding takes place by a diffusional mechanism. This indicates that both dynamic transformation (DT) and dynamic recrystallization were taking place during straining.

Abstract: The impact properties of TC10 treated with different solid solution temperature were tested. The microstructure change and fracture morphology were observed. The effect of solution temperature on the impact properties of TC10 titanium alloy was studied. The results show that with the increase of solution temperature, the primary alpha phase decreases, when the temperature reached 950 degrees, all of the primary alpha phase changed into the beta phase. From the fracture appearance, the specimen changes from ductile fracture to brittle fracture, impact properties change with the temperature increased first and then decreased, appeared in the middle of a stable maximum value.

Abstract: The present study is focused on analysing the change of colours of anodized titanium and effects of applied electrolytic voltages on chromatics. The titanium specimens were anodized in 20 g/L citric acid and 20 g/L baking soda electrolyte by use of different voltages. The colours of anodized titanium were measured with a spectrophotometer and then evaluated in the CIELAB colour space. It is found that different volt produces different colours. Anodizing in the range of 15 V to 150 V produces respectively a wide spectrum of colour ranging from brown to fuchsia. It can be concluded that the colours of the anodized titanium are dependent upon the applied voltages.

Abstract: To reduce fuel consumption and the resulting environment-damaging, climate-changing, costly, human death-causing emissions, lightweight aluminum alloys have been increasingly used in the transportation industry due to their low density, high specific strength, superior ductility, machinability, recyclability, and environmental friendliness. The structural applications of such aluminum alloys in the automotive industry unavoidably entail welding and joining process. While it is challenging to weld aluminum sheets via the conventional resistance spot welding developed mainly for joining steel sheets, an emerging solid-state joining technology known as ultrasonic spot welding (USW) is promising for joining aluminum alloys. This study was aimed to examine the feasibility of welding a 6022 Al alloy similarly (AA6022-to-AA6022) and dissimilarly (AA6022-to-ZEK100) in relation to welding energy. It was observed that there was a significant change in the interface grain size in the similar welding, exhibiting a characteristic fine-grained “necklace”-like structure along the welding line, while an intermetallic diffusion layer was present in the dissimilar welding of aluminum-to-magnesium alloys, and its thickness increased as the welding energy increased. The tensile lap shear strength first increased, reached its peak value at a certain energy, and then decreased with increasing welding energy. The strength of the dissimilar welded joints was about 55% of that of the similar welded joints. Three different modes of interfacial failure, nugget pull-out, and transverse through-thickness (TTT) crack growth were observed in the similar welded joints, while only interfacial failure was present in the dissimilar welded joints.