Achieving further refinement of grain structure and improvement of mechanical properties in Al-12Si-4Cu-2Ni-1Mg alloy by Al-Ti-C-B master alloy addition and deep cryogenic treatment

Near-eutectic Al-Si alloys are widely used in automotive manufacturing due to their superior wear resistance and high temperature performance.Because of high Si content,the grain refinement of near-eutectic Al-Si alloy has been a problem for many years.In this study,the effect of deep cryogenic treatment(DCT)on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Al-12Si-4Cu-2Ni-Mg alloy with addition of Al-Ti-C-B master alloy was fully investigated.Results show that the average grain size of the alloy is greatly reduced from 0.92 mm to 0.50 mm,and the eutectic Si and Al7Cu4Ni precipitates are spheroidized and refined in Al-12Si-4Cu-2Ni-Mg after DCT for 24 h and aging treatment.Thereby these changes of microstructures result in a significant increment of about 22.5%in elongation and a slight enhancement of about 6.8%in tensile strength.Moreover,the refinement of microstructure also significantly improves the fatigue life of the alloy.

Mechanical properties and flow stress constitutive relationship of Ti–6Al–4V alloy with equiaxed microstructure at cryogenic temperatures

This paper investigates the uniaxial tensile mechanical properties and flow behavior of Ti-6Al-4V alloys with equiaxed microstructure at cryogenic temperatures ranging from 77 K to298 K and strain rates from 10^(-4)/s to 10^(-2)/s.Scanning electron microscopy is utilized to analyze the fracture morphology,aiming to reveal the fracture behavior at various temperatures.The applicability of the Zener-Hollomon parameter and the Johnson-Cook model in describing the flow stress of Ti-6Al-4V at cryogenic temperatures is analyzed.Moreover,a constitutive relationship modeling method based on the variational recurrent networks is proposed.Mechanical test results show a significant increase in the strength of equiaxed Ti-6Al-4V alloy under cryogenic conditions while the plastic deformation process is shortened.However,the fracture analysis indicates that even at 77 K,the fracture process is still dominated by ductile fracture,and brittle fracture does not occur within the range of 77 K to 298 K.The fitting results validate the performance of the Zener-Hollomon parameter and the Johnson-Cook model in describing the deformation flow stress of Ti-6Al-4V alloy at cryogenic temperatures.The results also indicate that the proposed constitutive relationship modeling method based on the variational recurrent network performs better,making it a potential method for widespread applications.

Single-fundamental-mode cryogenic(3.6 K)850-nm oxideconfined VCSEL

Cryogenic oxide-confined vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser(VCSEL)has promising application in cryogenic optical interconnect for cryogenic computing.In this paper,we demonstrate a cryogenic 850-nm oxide-confined VCSEL at around 4 K.The cryogenic VCSEL with an optical oxide aperture of 6.5μm in diameter can operate in single fundamental mode with a side-mode suppression-ratio of 36 dB at 3.6 K,and the fiber-coupled output power reaches 1 mW at 5 mA.The small signal modulation measurements at 298 and 292 K show the fabricated VCSEL has the potential to achieve a high modulation bandwidth at cryogenic temperature.

Thermally-induced cracking behaviors of coal reservoirs subjected to cryogenic liquid nitrogen shock

The benefits of using cryogenic liquid nitrogen shock to enhance coal permeability have been confirmed from experimental perspectives.In this paper,we develop a fully coupled thermo-elastic model in combination with the strain-based isotropic damage theory to uncover the cooling-dominated cracking behaviors through three typical cases,i.e.coal reservoirs containing a wellbore,a primary fracture,and a natural fracture network,respectively.The progressive cracking processes,from thermal fracture initiation,propagation or cessation,deflection,bifurcation to multi-fracture interactions,can be well captured by the numerical model.It is observed that two hierarchical levels of thermal fractures are formed,in which the number of shorter thermal fractures consistently exceeds that of the longer ones.The effects of coal properties related to thermal stress levels and thermal diffusivity on the fracture morphology are quantified by the fracture fractal dimension and the statistical fracture number.The induced fracture morphology is most sensitive to changes in the elastic modulus and thermal expansion coefficient,both of which dominate the complexity of the fracture networks.Coal reservoir candidates with preferred thermal-mechanical properties are also recommended for improving the stimulation effect.Further findings are that there exists a critical injection temperature and a critical in-situ stress difference,above which no thermal fractures would be formed.Preexisting natural fractures with higher density and preferred orientations are also essential for the formation of complex fracture networks.The obtained results can provide some theoretical support for cryogenic fracturing design in coal reservoirs.

Room and cryogenic deformation behavior of AZ61 and AZ61-xCaO(x=0.5,1 wt.%)alloy

This study investigates the influence of CaO(0.5,1(wt.%))alloying on the microstructural evolution,texture development and deformation behavior of AZ61 magnesium alloy.The uniaxial tension tests at room(RT)and cryogenic(CT,-150℃)temperature were performed to investigate the twinability and dislocation behavior and its consequent effect on flow stress,ductility and strain hardening rate.The results showed that the AZ61-1CaO exhibited superior strength/ductility synergy at RT with a yield strength(YS)of 223 MPa and a ductility of 23% as compared to AZ61(178 MPa,18.5%)and AZ61-0.5CaO(198 MPa,21%).Similar trend was witnessed for all the samples during CT deformation,where increase in the YS and decrease in ductility were observed.The Mtex tools based in-grain misorientation axis(IGMA)analysis of RT deformed samples revealed the higher activities of prismatic slip in AZ61-CaO,which led to superior ductility.Moreover,subsequent EBSD analysis of CT deformed samples showed the increased fraction of fine{10-12}tension twins and nucleation of multiple{10-12}twin variants caused by higher local stress concentration at the grain boundaries,which imposed the strengthening by twin-twin interaction.Lastly,the detailed investigations on strengthening contributors showed that the dislocation strengthening has the highest contribution towards strength in all samples.

Cryogenic and conventional milling of AZ91 magnesium alloy

Use of magnesium is the need of the hour due to its low density as well as its high strength-to-weight and stiffness-to-weight ratio etc.This study focuses on the effectiveness of liquid nitrogen(LN_(2))assisted cryogenic machining on the surface integrity(SI)characteristics of AZ91 magnesium alloy.Face milling using uncoated carbide inserts have been performed under liquid nitrogen(LN_(2))assisted cryogenic condition and compared with conventional(dry)milling.Experiments are performed using machining parameters in terms of cutting speeds of 325,475,625 m/min,feed rates of 0.05,0.1,0.15 mm/teeth and depth of cuts of 0.5,1,1.5 mm respectively.Most significant surface integrity characteristics such as surface roughness,microhardness,microstructure,and residual stresses have been investigated.Behaviour of SI characteristics with respect to milling parameters have been identified using statistical technique such as ANOVA and signal-to-noise(S/N)ratio plots.Additionally,the multi criteria decision making(MCDM)techniques such as additive ratio assessment method(ARAS)and complex proportional assessment(COPRAS)have been utilized to identify the optimal conditions for milling AZ91 magnesium alloy under both dry and cryogenic conditions.Use of LN_(2)during machining,resulted in reduction in machining temperature by upto 29%with a temperature drop from 251.2℃under dry condition to 178.5℃in cryogenic condition.Results showed the advantage of performing cryogenic milling in improving the surface integrity to a significant extent.Cryogenic machining considerably minimized the roughness by upto 28%and maximised the microhardness by upto 23%,when compared to dry machining.Cutting speed has caused significant impact on surface roughness(95.33%-dry,92.92%-cryogenic)and surface microhardness(80.33%-dry,82.15%-cryogenic).Due to the reduction in machining temperature,cryogenic condition resulted in compressive residual stresses(maximumσ║=-113 MPa)on the alloy surface.Results indicate no harm to alloy microstructure in both conditions,with no alterations to grain integrity and minimal reduction in the average grain sizes in the near machined area,when compared to before machined(base material)surface.The MCDM approach namely ARAS and COPRAS resulted in identical results,with the optimal condition being cutting speed of 625 m/min,a feed rate of 0.05 mm/teeth,and a depth of cut of 0.5 mm for both dry and cryogenic environments.

Cryogenic springback of 2219-W aluminum alloy sheet through V-shaped bending

A V-shaped bending device was established to evaluate the effects of temperature and bending fillet radius on springback behavior of 2219-W aluminum alloy at cryogenic temperatures.The cryogenic springback mechanism was elucidated through mechanical analyses and numerical simulations.The results indicated that the springback angle at cryogenic temperatures was greater than that at room temperature.The springback angle increased further as the temperature returned to ambient conditions,attributed to the combined effects of the “dual enhancement effect” and thermal expansion.Notably,a critical fillet radius made the springback angle zero for 90° V-shaped bending.The critical fillet radius at cryogenic temperatures was smaller than that at room temperature,owing to the influence of temperature variations on the bending moment ratio between the forward bending section at the fillet and the reverse bending section of the straight arm.

Effect of Cryogenic Treatment on Microstructure and Tribological Property Evolution of Electron Beam Melted Ti6Al4V

Cryogenic treatment was used to improve the tribological properties of Ti6Al4V artificial hip joint implants.Cryogenic treatment at-196℃with different holding time were carried out on Ti6Al4V specimens fabricated using electron beam melting(EBM),and their microstructure and tribological properties evolution were systematically analyzed by scanning electron microscopy(SEM),vickers hardness,and wear tests.The experimental results show that the as-fabricated specimen consists of lamellarαphase andβcolumnar crystal.While,the thickness of lamellarαphase decreased after cryogenic treatment.In addition,it can be found that the fineαphase was precipitated and dispersed between the lamellarαphase with the holding time increase.Vickers hardness shows a trend of first increasing and then decreasing.The wear rate of the specimen cryogenic treated for 24 h is the minimum and the average friction coefficient is 0.50,which is reduced by 14.61%compared with the as-fabricated.The wear mechanism of the as-fabricated specimen is severe exfoliation,adhesive,abrasive,and slight fatigue wear.However,the specimen cryogenic treated for 24 h shows slight adhesive and abrasive wear.It can be concluded that it is feasibility of utilizing cryogenic treatment to reduce the wear of EBMed Ti6Al4V.

Reliable ferroelectricity down to cryogenic temperature in wakeup free Hf_(0.5)Zr_(0.5)O_(2)thin films by thermal atomic layer deposition

The performance and reliability of ferroelectric thin films at temperatures around a few Kelvin are critical for their application in cryo-electronics.In this work,TiN/Hf_(0.5)Zr_(0.5)O_(2)/TiN capacitors that are free from the wake-up effect are investigated systematically from room temperature(300 K)to cryogenic temperature(30 K).We observe a consistent decrease in permittivity(εr)and a progressive increase in coercive electric field(Ec)as temperatures decrease.Our investigation reveals exceptional stability in the double remnant polarization(2P_(r))of our ferroelectric thin films across a wide temperature range.Specifically,at 30 K,a 2P_(r)of 36μC/cm^(2)under an applied electric field of 3.0 MV/cm is achieved.Moreover,we observed a reduced fatigue effect at 30 K in comparison to 300 K.The stable ferroelectric properties and endurance characteristics demonstrate the feasibility of utilizing HfO_(2)based ferroelectric thin films for cryo-electronics applications.

Cryogenic transmission electron microscopy on beam-sensitive materials and quantum science

Transmission electron microscopy(TEM)offers unparalleled atomic-resolution imaging of complex materials and heterogeneous structures.However,high-energy imaging electrons can induce structural damage,posing a challenge for electron-beam-sensitive materials.Cryogenic TEM(Cryo-TEM)has revolutionized structural biology,enabling the visualization of biomolecules in their near-native states at unprecedented detail.The low electron dose imaging and stable cryogenic environment in Cryo-TEM are now being harnessed for the investigation of electron-beam-sensitive materials and low-temperature quantum phenomena.Here,we present a systematic review of the interaction mechanisms between imaging electrons and atomic structures,illustrating the electron beam-induced damage and the mitigating role of Cryo-TEM.This review then explores the advancements in low-dose Cryo-TEM imaging for elucidating the structures of organic-based materials.Furthermore,we showcase the application of Cryo-TEM in the study of strongly correlated quantum materials,including the detection of charge order and novel topological spin textures.Finally,we discuss the future prospects of Cryo-TEM,emphasizing its transformative potential in unraveling the complexities of materials and phenomena across diverse scientific disciplines.

Bio-Based Rigid Polyurethane Foams for Cryogenic Insulation

Cryogenic insulation material rigid polyurethane(PU)foams were developed using bio-based and recycled feedstock.Polyols obtained from tall oil fatty acids produced as a side stream of wood biomass pulping and recycled polyethylene terephthalate were used to develop rigid PU foam formulations.The 4th generation physical blowing agents with low global warming potential and low ozone depletion potential were used to develop rigid PU foam cryogenic insulation with excellent mechanical and thermal properties.Obtained rigid PU foams had a thermal conductivity coefficient as low as 0.0171 W/m·K and an apparent density of 37-40 kg/m^(3).The developed rigid PU foams had anisotropic compression strength properties,which were higher parallel to the foaming direction.Moreover,the compression strength was also influenced by the type of applied bio-based polyol.The bio-based polyols with higher OH group functionality delivered higher crosslinking density of polymer matrix;thus,the mechanical properties were also higher.The mechanical strength of the foams increased when materials were tested at liquid nitrogen temperature due to the stiffening of the polymer matrix.The thermal properties of the developed materials were determined using differential scanning calorimetry,dynamic mechanical analysis,and thermogravimetric analysis methods.Lastly,the developed rigid PU foams had good adhesion to the aluminium substrate before and after applying cyroshock and an excellent safety coefficient of 4-5.Rigid PU foams developed using Solstice LBA delivered adhesion strength of~0.5 MPa and may be considered for application as cryogenic insulation in the aerospace industry.

Review of semiconductor devices and other power electronics components at cryogenic temperature

With the increasing demand for high power density,and to meet extreme working conditions,research has been focused on inves-tigating the performance of power electronics devices at cryogenic temperatures.The aim of this paper is to review the performance of power semiconductor devices,passive components,gate drivers,sensors,and eventually power electronics converters at cryogenic temperatures.By comparing the physical properties of semiconductor materials and the electrical performance of commercial power semiconductor devices,silicon carbide switches show obvious disadvantages due to the increased on-resistance and switching time at cryogenic temperature.In contrast,silicon and gallium nitride devices exhibit improved performance when tem-perature is decreased.The performance ceiling of power semiconductor devices can be influenced by gate drivers,within which the commercial alternatives show deteriorated performance at cryogenic temperature compared to room temperature.Moreover,options for voltage and current sense in cryogenic environments are justified.Based on the cryogenic performance of the various components afore-discussed,this paper ends by presenting an overview of the published converter,which are either partially or fully tested in a cryogenic environment.

Tensile behavior of 3104 aluminum alloy processed by homogenization and cryogenic treatment

The mechanical properties of 3104 aluminum alloy processed by different combinations of cryogenic and homogenization treatments were studied. The 3104 aluminum alloy processed by the cryogenic treatment followed by homogenization exhibited an enhancement in the tensile strength, yield strength, and elongation by 29%, 41%, and 11%, respectively, as compared with a sample processed by the conventional homogenization treatment. The stress-strain curve of the sample processed by the homogenization treatment exhibited the Portevin-Le Chatelier effect, whereas the sample processed by the cryogenic treatment did not. Further, the cryogenic treatment could accelerate the precipitation of secondary phase particles for the sample processed by a deep cryogenic treatment, followed by a homogenization treatment, which enhanced the dislocation pinning effect of the solvent atoms and thus improved the critical strain.

Effects of deep cryogenic treatment on microstructure and properties of WC-11Co cemented carbides with various carbon contents

The effects of deep cryogenic treatment on the microstructure and properties of WC-11 Co cemented carbides with various carbon contents were investigated.The results show that after deep cryogenic treatment,WC grains are refined into triangular prism with sound edges via the process of spheroidization,but WC grain size has no evident change compared with that of untreated alloys.The phase transformation of Co phase from α-Co（FCC） to ε-Co（HCP） is observed in the cryogenically treated alloys,which is attributed to the decrease of W solubility in the binder（Co）.Deep cryogenic treatment enhances the hardness and bending strength of the alloys,while it has no significant effects on the density and cobalt magnetic performance.

FEM simulation and experimental verification of temperature field and phase transformation in deep cryogenic treatment

Combining with the low temperature material properties and the boiling heat transfer coefficient of specimen immersed in the liquid nitrogen, a numerical model based on metallo-thermo-mechanical couple theory was established to reproduce the deep cryogenic treatment （DCT） process of a newly developed cold work die steel Cr8Mo2SiV （SDC99）. Moreover, an experimental setup for rapid temperature measurement was designed to validate the simulation results. The investigation suggests that the differences in temperature and cooling rate between the surface and core of specimen are very significant. However, it should be emphasized that the acute temperature and cooling rate changes during DCT are mainly concentrated on the specimen surface region about 1/3 of the sample thickness. Subjected to DCT, the retained austenite of quenched specimen continues to transform to martensite and finally its phase volume fraction reduces to 2.3%. The predicted results are coincident well with the experimental data, which demonstrates that the numerical model employed in this study can accurately capture the variation characteristics of temperature and microstructure fields during DCT and provide a theoretical guidance for making the reasonable DCT procedure.

Texture evolution and recrystallization behaviors of Cu-Ag alloys subjected to cryogenic rolling

The texture evolution and mechanical properties of Cu-Ag alloys subjected to severe plastic deformation at cryogenic temperature（CT） were investigated and the sequent annealing behaviors were also studied.Compared with the sheets rolled at room temperature（RT） showing copper texture,the CT-rolled sheets exhibited brass texture which indicated that cross-slip was suppressed at CT,and both the ultimate tensile strength and yield strength of the sheets were increased.Due to the in-situ recrystallization mechanism,recrystallization textures in as-annealed CT-rolled sheets were randomly distributed,while the as-annealed RT-rolled sheets mainly contained cube texture.Microstructures of the rolled and annealed sheets were observed using optical microscopy and electronic back-scatter diffraction.The results show that the dynamic recovery was suppressed during CT-rolling and resulted in higher deformation energy storage.Therefore,the recrystallization of CT-rolled sheets could start at a lower temperature than that of RT-rolled sheet at the same reduction.

Effects of cryogenic treatment on the thermal physical properties of Cu_(76.12) Al_(23.88) alloy

The thermal diffusion coefficient, heat capacity, thermal conductivity, and thermal expansion coefficient of Cu76.12Al23.88 alloy before and after cryogenic treatment in the heating temperature range of 25℃ to 600℃ were measured by thermal constant tester and thermal expansion instrument. The effects of cryogenic treatment on the thermal physical properties of CU76,12A123,88 alloy were investigated by comparing the variation of the thermal parameters before and after cryogenic treatment. The results show that the variation trend of the thermal diffusion coefficient, heat capacity, thermal conductivity, and thermal expansion coefficient of CU76.12Al23.88 alloy after cryogenic treatment was the same as before. The cryogenic treatment can increase the thermal diffusion coefficient, thermal conductivity, and thermal expansion coeffi- cient of Cu76.12Al23.88 alloy and decrease its heat capacity. The maximum difference in the thermal diffusion coefficient between the before and after cryogenic treatment appeared at 400℃. Similarly, thermal conductivity was observed at 200℃.

A New Method for Determining Fluid Compositions in the H_2O-NaClCaCl_2 System with Cryogenic Raman Spectroscopy

Raman peaks of various hydrates in the H20-NaCl-CaCl2 system have been previously identified, but a quantitative relationship between the Raman peaks and XNaCl （i.e.,NaCl/ （NaCl＋CaCl2）） has not been established, mainly due to the difficulty to freeze the solutions. This problem was solved by adding alumina powder to the solutions to facilitate nucleation of crystals. Cryogenic （-185℃） Raman spectroscopic studies of alumina-spiced solutions indicate that XNaCl is linearly correlated with the total peak area fraction of hydrohalite. Capsules of solutions made from silica capillary were prepared to simulate fluid inclusions. Most of these artificial fluid inclusions could not be totally frozen even at temperatures as low as -185℃, and the total peak area fraction of hydrohalite is not correlated linearly with XNaCI. However, the degree of deviation （△XNaCl） from the linear correlation established earlier is related to the amount of residual solution, which is reflected by the ratio （r） of the baseline ＂bump＂ area, resulting from the interstitial unfrozen brine near 3435 cm^-1, and the total hydrate peak area between 3350 and 3600 cm^-1. A linear correlation between △XNaCl and r is established to estimate XNaCl from cryogenic Raman spectroscopic analysis for fluid inclusions.

ADS Injector-I 2 K superfluid helium cryogenic system

The Accelerator Driven Sub-critical(ADS)system is a strategic plan to solve the nuclear waste problem for nuclear power plants in China.High-energy particle accelerators and colliders contain long strings of superconducting devices,superconducting radio frequency cavities,and magnets,which may require cooling by 2 K superfluid helium(HeliumⅡ).2 K superfluid helium cryogenic system has become a research hot spot in the field of superconducting accelerators.In this study,the ADS Injector-I 2 K cryogenic system is examined in detail.The cryogenic system scheme design,key equipment,and technology design,such as the 2 K Joule–Thomson(J–T)heat exchanger and cryomodules CM1+CM2 design,are examined,in addition to the commissioning and operation of the cryogenic system.The ADS Injector-I 2 K cryogenic system is the first 100 W superfluid helium system designed and built independently in China.The ADS proton beam reached 10 Me V at 10 m A in July 2016 and 10 Me V at 2 m A in continuous mode in January 2017 and has been operated reliably for over 15,000 h,proving that the design of ADS Injector-I 2 K cryogenic system,the key equipment,and technology research are reasonable,reliable,and meet the requirements.The research into key technologies provides valuable engineering experience that can be helpful for future projects such as CI-ADS(China Initiative Accelerator-Driven System),SHINE(Shanghai High Repetition Rate XFEL and Extreme Light Facility),PAPS(Platform of Advanced Photon Source Technology),and CEPC(Circular Electron-Positron Collider),thereby developing national expertise in the field of superfluid helium cryogenic systems.

Improvement of strength and ductility of Al-Cu-Li alloy through cryogenic rolling followed by aging

To develop an improved approach in achieving an excellent combination of high strength and ductility,the solutionized Al?Cu?Li plates were subjected to rolling at cryogenic and room temperatures,respectively,to a reduction of83%,followed by aging treatment at160°C.The results indicate that Al?Cu?Li alloys through cryogenic rolling followed by aging treatment possess better mechanical properties.Rolling at cryogenic temperature produces a high density of dislocations because of the suppression of dynamic recovery,which in turn promotes the precipitation of T1(Al2CuLi)precipitates during aging.Such high density of T1precipitates enable effective dislocation pinning,leading to an increase in strength and ductility.In contrast,room temperature rolled alloys after aging treatment exhibit lower strength and ductility due to low density of T1precipitates in the grain interior and high density of T1precipitates around subgrain boundaries.