Colour Metallography of Cast Iron

This book consists of five sections:Chapter 1 Introduction,Chapter 2 Grey Iron,Chapter 3 Ductile Iron,Chapter 4 Vermicular Cast Iron,and Chapter 5 White Cast Iron. CHINA FOUNDRY publishs this book in several parts serially,starting from the first issue of 2009.

Metallography of an Underground Oil Pipeline

The purpose of this article is to show a metallographic analysis of an underground pipeline taken out of operation upon failure. The pipeline had an 8.89 cm (3.5”) diameter and a 7 mm thickness. The study was based on a 45 cm long pipe sample, visibly and entirely corroded, with a fish-mouth crack along its length. The work contributes to finding new ways to prevent structural failure, which has high-impact consequences from the point of view of production, damage to property, pollution, and risks to human live. Through this analysis the knowledge on behavior of failures in terrestrial ducts has been extended. Development of the research included metallographic, chemical, and mechanical tests on the sample in order to know the composition of the material, its strength and its physical conditions upon taking it out of operation. After the analysis of the laboratory tests, the physical and chemical features were compared to existing national and international regulations, which allowed a specific characterization of the conditions of the sample. In accordance with the regulations, the grade of the pipe was between ×65 and ×70. Tensile testing was carried out to obtain mechanical properties in order to corroborate the grade of pipeline steel and complement the metallographic analysis.

Identification of Phases in Aluminide Coatings by Means of Interference Layer Metallography

Interference layer metallography was used to identify the phases present in the aluminide coating on superalloy IN738LC. They are: two intermetallic aluminides NiAl and Ni_3Al, y-solid solution and a Cr-rich solid solution, two sulphides M_(23)C_6 and MC, and two sulphides (Al,Cr)_3S_4 and (Cr,Ti)_3S_4. ZnS and ZnSe are proposed to be vapor deposited onto the surface of the specimen to get good colour contrast and good light-dark contrast. The refractive index and absorption coefficient of all these phases have been detemined.

Metallurgical Microstructure Complexity in the Electron Beam Welding (EBW) Joint of Ti6246

Electron Beam Welding (EBW) is employed to both melt and unite materials, influencing their thermal history and subsequently determining the microstructure and properties of the welded joint. Welding Titanium alloys involves undergoing local melting and rapid solidification, subjecting the material to thermal stresses induced by a thermal expansion coefficient of 9.5 × 10 m/m°C. This process, reaching range temperatures from the full melting alloy to room temperature, results in phase formation dictated by the thermodynamic preferences of the alloyed elements, posing a significant challenge. Recent efforts in simulation and calculations have been undertaken elsewhere to address this challenge. This study focuses on a joint of two plates with differing cross-sectional areas, influencing heat transfer during welding. This report presents a case study focusing on the metallurgical changes observed in the microstructure within the welded zone, emphasizing alterations in the cooling rate of the welded joint. The investigation utilizes optical metallography, Vickers’s Hardness testing, and SEM (scanning electron microscopy) to comprehensively characterize the observed changes in addition to heat transfer simulation of the welded zone.

Corrosion of New Zirconium Claddings in 500 ℃/10.3 MPa Steam: Effects of Alloying and Metallography

With the aim of improving corrosion resistance of rod cladding for in-service and accident conditions,six new zirconium alloys(named N1-N6)have been designed.The contents of Sn and Nb were optimized for better behavior at high-temperature pressurized water,and Fe,Cr,V,Cu or Mo elements were added to the alloys to adjust the corrosion behavioi\The current work focused on the rapid corrosion behavior in 500℃/10.3 MPa steam for up to 1960 h,aiming to test the corrosion resistance at high temperature.The structure of matrix and properties of second-phase particles(SPPs)were characterized to find the main differences among these alloys.All the six alloys exhibited better corrosion resistance than N36,and NI was shown to have the best performance.A careful analysis of the corrosion kinetics curves revealed that Cr was beneficial for severe condition.Elements Fe,Cr,V,Cu or Mo aggregated into SPPs with diiferent concentrations and structures.This was demonstrated to be the main reason for different corrosion resistance.Due to good processing control,all alloys had a uniform structure and a uniform distribution of SPPs.As for N4,N6 and N36,the existing of large-size SPPs(450 nm)might be a contributing factor of the relatively poor corrosion resistance.

Analysis of Metallographic Characteristics of Aluminum Alloy for Turbocharged Impellers

In this paper, the composition, two-dimensional and three-dimensional microstructure of heat-resistant wrought aluminum alloy with strong oxidation resistance, heat resistance and easy processing are analyzed by using direct reading spectrometer, metallographic microscope and scanning electron microscope. The main alloy elements of heat-resistant forging aluminum alloy include Cu, Mg, Si, Ni and Fe. The α solid solution of each element in aluminum consists of S phase (Al2CuMg), Mg2Si phase, bright gray Al2CuNi phase and dark brown Al9FeNi phase. The distribution of each phase in the aluminum alloy is determined by the three-dimensional energy spectrum analysis of the microstructure, and the distribution of each phase in the crystal position is analyzed. The mechanism of heat resistance, easy processing type and wear resistance is obtained, which provides the theoretical basis for the development and use of heat-resistant forged aluminum alloy.

Research on Producing Al-Pb Alloy Plate by Liquid Dynamic Compacting

Possibility of making Al-Pb alloy plate with Pb dispersed uniformly by LDC (Liquid Dynamic Compact) technology has been studied in the present paper. The relationship among the distance between nozzle and cooled base plate and the atomization pressure as well as the density of the Al-Pb alloy slab is measured. The relative density of the LDC Al-Pb alloy slab can reach 90% under condition of the present experiment. Microstructure of the slab consist of equal axial grains with 15 approximately 25 μm in diameter and Pb dispersed uniformly in them. After cold or hot rolling of the slab with reduction of 50 approximately 60%, the microstructure can be densified. The rolled Al-Pb alloy plate can be compacted together with pure Al plate very well.

Crystallite Orientation Analysis for a Multidirectionally Cold Rolled α-Ti Alloy (TA7) Thin Sheet

A microcomputer software determining the crystallite orientation distribution functions (ODFs) and inverse pole figures of hexagonal materials with or without orthorhombic physical symmetry has been worked out the first time. The texture measurements and the ODF calculations were performed for a multidirectionally cold rolled α-Ti alloy (TA7) sheet by the application of this software. It is shown that the rolling planes of most grains in the sheet tend to be parallel to (0001) with a deviation to the extent of 40° and is shown a predominance of the orientation zone containing (1016), while the rolling directions are, as a whole, uniformly distributed along all the directions over the rolling planes. Of all the texture components, (2¯117) [01¯10] is slightly stronger than the other.

Effects of intermediate Ni layer on mechanical properties of Al–Cu layered composites fabricated through cold roll bonding

Layered composites have attracted considerable interest in the recent literature on metal composites. Their mechanical properties depend on the quality of the bonding provided by the intermediate layers. In this study, we analyzed the mechanical properties and bond strengths provided by the nickel layer with respect to its thickness and nature(either powder or coating). The results suggest that bond strength decreases with an increase in the content of nickel powder. At 0.3 vol% of nickel coating, we found the nature of nickel to be less efficient in terms of bond strength. A different picture arose when the content of nickel was increased and the bond strength increased in nickel coated samples. In addition, the results demonstrate that mechanical properties such as bend strength are strongly dependent on bond strength.

Metallographic structure,mechanical properties,and process parameter optimization of 5A06 joints formed by ultrasonic-assisted refill friction stir spot welding

Novel hybrid refill friction stir spot welding （RFSSW） assisted with ultrasonic oscillation was introduced to 5A06 aluminum alloy joints. The metallographic structure and mechanical properties of 5A06 aluminum alloy RFSSW joints formed without ultrasonic assistance and with lateral and longitudinal ultrasonic assistance were compared, and the ultrasonic-assisted RFSSW process parameters were opti- mized. The results show that compared with lateral ultrasonic oscillation, longitudinal ultrasonic oscillation strengthens the horizontal bond- ing ligament in the joint and has a stronger effect on the joint＇s shear strength. By contrast, lateral ultrasonic oscillation strengthens the ver- tical bonding ligament and is more effective in increasing the joint＇s tensile strength. The maximum shear strength of ultrasonic-assisted RFSSW 5A06 aluminum alloy joints is as high as 8761 N, and the maximum tensile strength is 3679 N when the joints are formed at a tool rotating speed of 2000 r/rain, a welding time of 3.5 s, a penetration depth of 0.2 mm, and an axial pressure of 11 kN.

SIMULATION OF THE TWIN ROLL STAINLESS STRIP CASTING PROCESS

The position of the solidification completed temperature of twin roll stainless strip casting process is very important to the quality of the casting strip. In order to control this position, the solidification completed temperature should be known at first. The present paper first simulated dendritic microsegregation under conditions of twin roll stainless strip casting, and got the relationship between the temperature and the solid fraction of the mush zone. The temperatures such as ZDT (equal to the solidification completed temperature) and LIT (liquid impenetrable temperature), et al., also can be found from this relationship. Then by using the turbulent model, the flow and thermal fields of the pool of the twin roll stainless strip casting and the speed and temperature fields of different casting speeds were given and also explained. The simulation results are coincident with the experimental results. Combined with the results of these simulations, the appropriated casting speed was found.

Effects of Ga,Al,Ag,and Ce multi-additions on the wetting characteristics of Sn-9Zn lead-free solder

An orthogonal method was used to evaluate the effects of Ga, Al, Ag, and Ce multi-additions on the wetting characteristics of Sn-9Zn lead-free solders by wetting balance method. The results show that the optimal loading of Ga, Al, Ag, and Ce was 0.2 wt.%, 0.002 wt.%, 0.25 wt.%, and 0.15 wt.%, respectively. Intermetallic compounds （IMCs） formed at the interface between Sn-9Zn-0.2Ga-0.002Al-0.25Ag- 0.15Ce solder and Cu substrate were investigated by scanning electron microscope （SEM） and energy dispersive spectroscopy （EDS） analysis. The SEM images illustrate that the IMCs can be divided into two portions from the substrate side to the solder side： a planar CusZns layer and an additional continuous scallop-like AgZn3 layer. The EDS analysis also shows that Ga segregates in the solder abutting upon the interface. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy （XPS） and Auger electron spectroscopy （AES） of the surface components of Sn-9Zn-0.2Ga-0.002Al- 0.25Ag-0.15Ce solder indicate that Al aggregates at the surface in the form of Al203 protective fdm, which prevents the further oxidation of the solder surface. On the other hand, Ce aggregates at the subsurface, which may reduce the surface tension of the solder and improve the wettability in consequence.

Metallographic sample prepared by ion beam etching

Ion beam etching technique was used to reveal the metallograhpic microstructure and interface morphology of electroplating chromium coating, in particular, whose substrate surface layer was treated in advance by laser quenching. Chemical etchings were also conducted for comparison. The reveal microstructures were observed and analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. The results show that ion beam etching can reveal well the whole microstructures of composite coating-substrate materials.

Microstructure and phase forming process of Al-3Ti-0.2C-1RE grain refiner

An Al-3Ti-0.2C-1RE grain refiner was prepared by in-situ reaction method.The microstructure was investigated by optical microscopy(OM),scanning electron microscopy(SEM) equipped with energy-dispersive spectrometry(EDS) and X-ray diffraction(XRD).The results show that the Al-3Ti-0.2C-1RE grain refiner is composed of α-Al,TiAl3,TiC and Ti2 Al20 Ce phases.Compared with Al-3Ti-0.2C refiner,the morphology of TiAl3 phase is changed and Ti2 Al20 Ce phases form with the addition of RE.Accordingly,the refining performance is improved.The phase forming process of the refiner is as follows: Blocky Ti2 Al20 Ce and fine blocky TiAl3 form in the melt at the initial stage of reaction,then the fine blocky TiAl3 gradually disappears,and the blocky Ti2 Al20 Ce grows bigger with the increase of holding time.The predominant mechanism to synthesize TiC particles is the reaction between high concentration of solute Ti atoms and graphite particles.

Quantitative inspection on graphite length of grey iron

Graphite length is an important item in metallographic inspection of grey iron. Computer aided quantitative metallography is developed rapidly and has become a major analytical tool nowadays. Based-moment threshold selection was adopted to binarize the metallographic image in this study. A new approach has been developed to measure the length of the graphite in cast iron with high precision. The results are in good agreement with China National Metallographic Inspection Standard Charts for Grey Iron （GB7216-87） and ASTM （A247-67）. An objective and precise measurement of graphite length in grey iron is critical for developing models correlating microstructure and properties of cast iron.

Influence of Reinforcement Type on Microstructure, Hardness, and Tensile Properties of an Aluminum Alloy Metal Matrix Composite

This paper presents the results of the comparative study of as cast microstructures and mechanical properties viz yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, elastic modulus, percentage elongation, hardness, percentage porosity and fracture characteristic of 5 wt% SiC and Al2O3 particulate reinforced Al-4% Cu-2.5% Mg matrix composites. These composite materials were prepared through stir casting process. Quantitative metallographic techniques were utilized to determine the average grain size of particles. The microstructures and tensile fracture characteristic of the representative samples of the composites were examined using optical microscope (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. The experimental results demonstrate a fairly uniform distribution of 50.8 μm Al2O3 and 49.2 μm SiC spherical particles with some clustering in few areas. At the interfaces of Al2O3 and the matrix, MgO and MgAl2O4 were observed. Similarly, Al4C3 was formed at the interfaces between SiC and the matrix. The mechanical property test results revealed that, for the same weight percentage of reinforcement, Al-4% Cu-2.5% Mg/5 wt% SiC composite exhibit a 15.8%, 16.4%, 4.97% and 10.8% higher yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, elastic modulus, and hardness, respectively. On the other hand, even if some porosity was observed in the Al2O3 reinforced composite, the percentage elongation (ductility) was 31% higher than that of SiC rein-forced composite. The tensile specimen of SiC reinforced composite failed in a brittle fashion without neck formation, whereas the Al2O3 reinforced composite failed in a ductile fashion with noticeable neck formation.

New approach for assessing the weldability of precipitation-strengthened nickel-base superalloys

A new procedure was proposed for evaluating the weldability of nickel-base superalloys. The theory is on the basis of two microstructural patterns. In pattern I, the weld microstructure exhibits severe alloying segregation, many low-melting eutectic structures, and low weldability. The weld requires a weaker etchant and a shorter time for etching. In pattern Ⅱ, the weld microstructure displays less alloying segregation, low quantity of eutectic structures, and high weldability. The weld needs a stronger etchant and a longer time for etching. Five superalloys containing different amounts of Nb and Ti were designed to verify the patterns. After welding operations, the welds were etched by four etchants with different corrosivities. The weldability was determined by TG-DSC measurements. The metallography and weldability results confirmed the theoretic patterns. Finally, the etchant corrosivity and etching time were proposed as new criteria to evaluate the weldability of nickel-base superalloys.

Metallographic etching and microstructure characterization of NiCrMoV rotor steels for nuclear power

The grain size of prior austenite has a distinct influence on the microstructure and final mechanical properties of steels. Thus, it is significant to clearly reveal the grain boundaries and therefore to precisely characterize the grain size of prior austenite. For NiCrMoV rotor steels quenched and tempered at high temperature, it is really difficult to display the grain boundaries of prior austenite clearly, which limits a further study on the correlation between the properties and the corresponding microstructure. In this paper, an effective etchant was put forward and further optimized. Experimental results indicated that this agent was effective to show the details of grain boundaries, which help analyze fatigue crack details along the propagation path. The optimized corrosion agent is successful to observe the microstructure characteristics and expected to help analyze the effect of microstructure for a further study on the mechanical properties of NiCrMoV rotor steels used in the field of nuclear power.

Characterisation of a Mechanically Alloyed Oxide Dispersion Strengthened Niekel－base Superalloy

The microstructure and reerystallisation behaviour of a mechanically alloyed oxide dispersion strength-ened Ni-base superalloy MA758 (Ni30%Cr-0.3 %Al-0.5%Ti-0.6%Y_2O_3(wt%)) have been investigated by us-ing a combination of analytical techniques including optical metallography. transmission electron microscopyand differential scanning calorimetry. It has been found that the as-extruded bar has a primary recrystallisedstructure, with a grain mean linear intercept of 0.40 μm. Reerystaliisation into a coarse, columnar grain struc-ture takes place at temperature well over 1200℃ . very close to the melting start point of the alloy. The storedenergy responsible for recrystallisation is 0.31 J /g The room temperature Vickers hardness of the alloy dropsfrom 405 for the as-extruded structure to 215 after reerystallisation.

Fracture Mechanics on Aluminum Specimens

ASTM standards for A413 aluminum alloy specimen assays were used based on standard E399-05, with a minimum requirement of three specimens. Linear elastic fracture mechanic testing was carried out in plane strain conditions and fracture toughness of the tested aluminum, critical stress intensity factor was determined. Four specimens with the selected geometry were made, since in the pre-cracking process a non-acceptable propagation of crack may be present, i.e., the crack does not propagate in a parabolic manner. In like manner, the Type SE (B) specimen, that is, a beam subject to bending under a monotonic load, was used. Stress efforts were induced in the experiment, the load mode for such experiments is mode I, determining a temporary value of the KQ apparent stress intensity factor. When such value complies with the validity criteria of E-399 Standard, it becomes the stress intensity factor KIC of material.