Materials Science Forum Vol. 941

Abstract: The microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of a copper alloy subjected to deformation at temperatures of 20 °C and 400 °C to total strains from 1 to 4 were examined. The formation of planar low-angle boundaries with moderate misorientations occurs within initial grains at relatively small strains regardless of deformation temperature. Upon further processing the misorientations of these boundaries progressively increase and the new ultrafine grains develop. Continuous dynamic recrystallization takes place during deformation at ambient and elevated temperatures. The kinetics of dynamic recrystallization is discussed in terms of a modified Johnson-Mehl-Avrami-Kolmogorov relationship. The large plastic straining results in significant strengthening, the ultimate tensile strength increases from 190 MPa in the initial state to 440 MPa and to 400 MPa after total strain of 4 at 20 °C and 400 °C, respectively. A modified Hall-Petch relationship is applied to evaluate the contribution of grain refinement and dislocation density to the overall strengthening.

Abstract: Wire-based laser metal deposition enables to manufacture large-scale components with deposition rates significant higher compared to powder-based laser additive manufacturing techniques, which are currently working with deposition rates of only a few hundred gram per hour. However, the wire-based approach requires a significant amount of laser power in the range of several kilowatts instead of only a few hundred watts for powder-based processes. This excessive heat input during laser metal deposition can lead to process instabilities such as a non-uniform material deposition and to a limited processability, respectively. Although, numerous possibilities to monitor temperature evolution during processing exist, there is still a lack of knowledge regarding the relationship between temperature and geometric shape of the deposited structure. Due to changing cooling conditions with increasing distance to the substrate material, producing a wall-like structure results in varying heights of the individual tracks. This presents challenges for the deposition of high wall-like structures and limits the use of constant process parameters. In the present study, the temperature evolution during laser metal deposition of AA5087 using constant process parameters is investigated and a scheme for process parameter adaptions in order to reduce residual stress induced componential distortions is suggested.

Abstract: Creep tests were carried out on one kind of near alpha titanium alloy named after Ti-600 alloy at the temperature of 650°C, and with the stresses of 150MPa, 200MPa, 250 MPa, 300 MPa and 350 MPa, respectively. The alloy ingot was conventionally forged and rolled to diameter 18mm bars. The creep samples were cut from the rolling bars and were solutioned at 1020°C for 1 h, air cooling, then aged at 650°C for 8 h, air cooling (STA). Steady state creep rate and the stress exponent n at different stresses were calculated for the alloy. Threshold stress σ₀ was introduced to get the true stress exponent p. Creep deformation mechanism was also investigated. The results indicated that the steady state creep rate will increase with the rise of stress, and the creep time will also be shortened at the same time. At 650°C, the threshold stress is 83.8MPa. The value of n and p is 7.7 and 3.3 respectively for the alloy crept at lower stress region (150-200MPa); and which is 2.1 and 4.7 respectively for the alloy crept at relatively higher stress region (200-350MPa). Constitutive equations of steady state creep rate were also established for the alloy crept at 650°C. The creep deformation for the alloy is controlled by dislocation slipping at lower stress region, and which is mainly controlled by dislocation climbing and subordinately controlled by dislocation slipping at higher stress region.

Abstract: Up to now, only a limited amount of metallic materials is investigated for laser additive manufacturing (LAM). However, the demand to widen the application possibilities by enlarging the range of materials for LAM is growing fast. By now, titanium and aluminium alloys are in the focus of research. In contrast, magnesium alloys are rarely used in the field of additive manufacturing, although they possess a low density in combination with a high specific strength. Currently, magnesium structures are mainly produced by casting but during the last years, the use of wrought alloys also increased. A reason for the rare use of magnesium alloys for LAM technologies might be the high flammability of magnesium powders. This difficulty can be avoided by using magnesium wire for laser metal deposition (LMD). In the present study, the microstructural characteristics of a LMD processed AZ31 magnesium alloy are investigated. For this purpose, optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used. With the help of EDX and EBSD analysis, a change of the chemical composition and micro texture with structure height was identified. The relationship of microstructure and local mechanical properties was investigated with the help of Vickers micro hardness testing. Based on the obtained results it can be concluded that the microstructural characteristics of laser additive manufactured magnesium alloys differ from those of titanium and aluminium alloys. Thus, a wider application spectrum of LMD and magnesium alloys can be opened up.

Abstract: The nucleation and growth of oxides formed on Fe-Mn (1 wt.%) binary alloy during annealing were investigated. The recrystallized samples were heated to 800°C and kept at this temperature for 60 s in N₂ / H₂ (5 vol.%) with a dew point of-40°C. The heating process was also interrupted at different temperatures, namely 650, 700, 750 and 800°C. The annealed samples were then observed by scanning electron microscopy. Image analysis was performed to obtain the surface density and size of the oxides. The influence of the ferrite grain orientation on the oxides’ nucleation and growth was studied by Electron Back Scattered Diffraction. The annealed Fe-Mn surfaces were covered by oxide crystals whose shape, surface density and size strongly depended on the underlying ferrite grain orientation. The oxides’ nucleation occurred first on Fe {110} grain, their surface density was the largest on Fe {100}, and their size was the largest on Fe {110}.

Abstract: The effects of extrusion temperature and heat treatment on the microstructure and mechanical properties of beta-CEZ titanium alloy tube blank were studied with an emphasis on the relationship between the heat processing technique and microscopic structure. The results show that the extruded tube blank of beta-CEZ titanium alloy at alpha-beta phase has better tensile strength and plasticity match, and the ductility of the alpha-beta phase extrusion is obviously better than that of the single beta-phase extrusion, especially the reduction of area. When the extruded tube is heat treated at 830°C and 860°C solid solution, with the increase of aging temperature, the strength of tube decreases and the plasticity increases. When the aging temperature is up to 600°C, the reduction of area of the tube increases obviously. When the extruding tube is aged at 550°C and 600°C, the strength of the tube increases and the plasticity decreases with the increase of the solid solution temperature. The titanium alloy of beta-CEZ is extruded below the phase transition point after low temperature solid solution and high temperature aging treatment, which can achieve good microstructure and performance matching. The tensile strength is greater than 1250MPa, the elongation is more than 15%, and the reduction of area is more than 40%. The microstructure was a fine and uniform equiaxed structure.

Abstract: High-strength wrought magnesium alloys are one of the sought-after materials in the automotive sector owing to the demands for weight reduction in the automobiles due to fuel economy and CO₂ emission. However, because of low room temperature strength and formability of Mg alloys, only a few applications in wrought form have been explored with these materials. In the present investigation, a high strength, good ductility and low cost wrought magnesium alloy with Mg-Sn-Zn composition have been developed and subjected to conventional wrought processing. Hot rolling was carried out at 350°C without homogenization and after homogenization at 300°C and 330°C. The phase stability, microstructure and texture of the alloy has been investigated for as-cast, homogenized and hot rolled conditions. The compositional and microstructural characterization was carried out by Electron Probe Micro-analysis (EPMA) and optical microscopy respectively. Texture evolution was investigated by X-ray diffraction method. A strong (0002) basal texture develops after hot rolling without homogenization. The (0002) basal texture has been weekend by splitting of poles and double peak distribution when hot rolling was carried out after homogenization.

Abstract: Thermal analysis is widely used as a prediction tool for the quality of Al alloys before casting. In the present work, the effects of different grain refiners on the characteristic temperatures and on the grain size of α-Al phase were studied by thermal analysis and metallographic investigations. The response of an AlSiMg alloy towards grain refiners, added in form of rods and tabs, was investigated. In foundry practice, the fading phenomenon of grain refiners is well-known but not completely understood. For these reasons, the fading effect of each refiner at 60 minutes and 120 minutes holding times was also studied. Cooling curves and their derivatives were obtained during solidification of the alloys in a metallic crucible. Experimental data indicated the increase of the temperature associated with the nucleation of α-Al dendrites for the grain-refined alloys in comparison to the untreated ones. Simultaneously, a decrease in primary Al growth temperature, that led to the disappearance of the minimum temperature, were observed. Microstructural features revealed that an increase of 6 ÷ 7 °C of the nucleation temperature, compared to the not refined alloy, corresponds to a significant decrease in average grain size.

Abstract: The phase transformations of the directionally solidified (DS) and powder metallurgy (PM) Ni-base superalloys were investigated by JMatPro, synchrotron XRD (SXRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The minor phases, such as MC, eutectic γ′ and Ni₅Hf, and γ matrix with secondary γ′ existed in as-cast microstructure of DS DZ22. However, only γ matrix was found in PM625 alloy powders. The phase change in both heating (melting) and cooling (solidification) process was investigated by DSC on DZ22 test bar and PM625 alloy powders respectively. The DSC experiment with different heating/cooling rates (5-40°C/min) was performed on DS superalloy DZ22. The results indicated that the heating/cooling rate had obvious effect on the DSC results of the phase transformation temperatures of liquidus, MC carbides, solidus, eutectic (γ+γ′) and secondary γ′. The heating and cooling DSC curves shifted to high and low temperature direction respectively, accompanied by the heating/cooling rate increased. However, the average values of specific peaks of heating and cooling curves are relatively consistent which is close to the equilibrium phase change temperatures of the alloy and makes the results comparable. Besides the average value method, the liquidus temperature of the alloy (0°C/min) can also be obtained by method of linear-fit/extrapolating from 5-40°C/min heating/cooling rates or inflection point deviate from the baseline of DSC cooling curves which could minimize the heating/cooling rate effects. The DSC experiment was carried out on PM625 superalloy powders with different particle size range (0-355μm), the results indicated that the particle size had minor effect on liquidus and solidus temperatures of DSC heating curves, the differences were less than 2°C. The change in phase transformation temperatures under different heating/cooling rate should be considered for selecting the process parameter (heat treatment, HIP or casting) for manufacturing Ni-base superalloy components.

Abstract: A textured Mg-Al-Zn alloy rolled plate was solution treated and aged at 320 oC for 2 h and 116 h, respectively. Afterwards, the three conditions were compressed at room temperature along the transverse direction to activate {110} twinning. Ageing treatments were observed to strengthen the alloy in relation to the solution-treated condition. This has been mainly attributed to the restricted lateral growth of twins in the presence of particles and thus to the additional stress required for twin growth. Accordingly, a slightly reduced twin volume fraction, but an increased number of smaller twins was observed after compression in the aged samples.