Effect of homogenization treatment on microstructure evolution and the distributions of RE and Zr elements in various MgeLieREeZr alloys

Mge3Lie0.4Zr alloys containing RE elements(Gd,La,Nd)(Mge3LieREe0.4Zr alloys)are investigated to reveal the influence of homogenization treatment on microstructures and distributions of RE,Zr elements.It is found that 300
C24 h homogenization treatment shows better improvement on the microstructure including the refinement of grain size,the dispersion of cellular dendrite and low melting point particles.Before treatment,La and Nd segregate effectively at grain boundary and Zr segregates in the form of precipitates.Homogenization treatment induces the reduction of RE segregation.However,the segregation of Zr in precipitates cannot be abated due to the relatively low diffusion rate compared with RE elements.

Microstructural evolution of Al-Cu-Li alloys with different Li contents by coupling of near-rapid solidification and two-stage homogenization treatment

Microstructural improvement of Al-Cu-Li alloys with high Li content plays a critical role for the acquisition of excellent mechanical properties and ultra-low density.In this regard,the Al-Cu-Li alloy castings with high Li content from 1.5 wt.%to 4.5 wt.%were prepared by near-rapid solidification,followed by two-stage homogenization treatment(490℃/16 h and 530℃/16 h).The microstructural evolution and solidification behavior of the as-cast and homogenized alloys with different Li contents were systematically studied by combining experiments with calculations by Pandat software.The results indicate that with the increase of Li content,the grain sizes decrease,the solution ability of Cu in the matrixα-Al phase increases,while the content of secondary dendrites increases and the precipitated phases change from low melting point phases to high melting point phases under the near-rapid solidification.Additionally,by the coupling of near-rapid solidification and two-stage homogenization,the metastable precipitated phases(Al7Cu4Li and AlCu3)can be dissolved effectively in the alloys with Li content of 1.5 wt.%-2.5 wt.%;moreover,the stable precipitated phases(Al6CuLi3 and Al2CuLi)uniformly distribute at the grain boundaries in the alloys with Li content of 3.5 wt.%-4.5 wt.%.As a result,the refined and homogenized microstructure can be obtained.

HOMOGENIZATION TREATMENT OF ALLOY GH169

A new point of view on the homogenization treatment has been proposed.It is supposed that a little liquid in the alloy may promote the homogenization process in some aspects and reduce the time for eliminating the Laves-phase in alloy GH169.The microprocess of the elimination of Laves-phase in the case of a little liquid existing in the alloy has also been described.

Effect of homogenization treatment in electric field on microstructure and properties of 1420 Al-Li alloy

In comparison with the homogenization treatment without an electric field prior to the same solid solution and aging treatment, the homogenization treatment in an electric field increases the hardness and strength of 1420 Al Li alloy, but somewhat decreases the elongation of the alloy. Moreover, the elongation of the alloy increases with the homogenization temperature in an electric field increasing. TEM observation showed that the homogenization treatment in an electric field can accelerate the dissolution of the coarse particles of second phase on the grain boundary as well as make δ′phase precipitated in subsequent aging process finer and more numerous.

INFLUENCE OF HOMOGENIZATION TREATMENT UNDER AN ELECTRIC FIELD ON DUCTILITY OF 2091 Al－Li ALLOY DURING HOT ROLLING

For 2091 Al-Li alloy, the volume fraction of second phase particles is greatly determined by the homogenization temperature and homogenization time under an electric field and the ductility of the alloy is determined by the fraciton of second phase particles. The combined homogenization treatment shortens the homogenization time, reduces the loss ofLi content and increases the ductity of the alloy.

EFFECT OF HOMOGENIZATION TREATMENT UNDER AN ELECTRIC FIELD ON T_1 DISTRIBUTION AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF 2091 Al－Li ALLOY

Homogenization treatment under an electric field increases the distributive homogeneity of the T1 precipitation and improves the yield strength of 2091 Al-Li alloy.

Effect modeling of Cr and Zn on microstructure evolution during homogenization heat treatment of AA3xxx alloys

Both of chromium and zinc could appear as either minor impurities or alloying elements in recycled and commercial aluminum alloys, and they could have detrimental effects on the final product properties if not controlled in an appropriate way. A Kampmann-Wagner numerical modeling approach, built on the basis of computational thermodynamics and diffusion kinetics, is employed to investigate the effect of these two minor impurities on dispersoids precipitation during homogenization heat treatment of AA3xxx alloys. The simulation results obtained from different simulation set-ups were compared. The aim is to demonstrate that the modeling approach has the potential to guide the design or optimization of the chemical compositions and heat treatment parameters of aluminum alloys.

Formation and transformation of metastable LPSO building blocks clusters in Mg-Gd-Y-Zn-Zr alloys by spinodal decomposition and heterogeneous nucleation

To study the formation and transformation mechanism of long-period stacked ordered(LPSO)structures,a systematic atomic scale analysis was conducted for the structural evolution of long-period stacked ordered(LPSO)structures in the Mg-Gd-Y-Zn-Zr alloy annealed at 300℃~500℃.Various types of metastable LPSO building block clusters were found to exist in alloy structures at different temperatures,which precipitate during the solidification and homogenization process.The stability of Zn/Y clusters is explained by the first principles of density functional theory.The LPSO structure is distinguished by the arrangement of its different Zn/Y enriched LPSO structural units,which comprises local fcc stacking sequences upon a tightly packed plane.The presence of solute atoms causes local lattice distortion,thereby enabling the rearrangement of Mg atoms in the different configurations in the local lattice,and local HCP-FCC transitions occur between Mg and Zn atoms occupying the nearest neighbor positions.This finding indicates that LPSO structures can generate necessary Schockley partial dislocations on specific slip surfaces,providing direct evidence of the transition from 18R to 14H.Growth of the LPSO,devoid of any defects and non-coherent interfaces,was observed separately from other precipitated phases.As a result,the precipitation sequence of LPSO in the solidification stage was as follows:Zn/Ycluster+Mg layers→various metastable LPSO building block clusters→18R/24R LPSO;whereas the precipitation sequence of LPSO during homogenization treatment was observed to be as follows:18R LPSO→various metastable LPSO building block clusters→14H LPSO.Of these,14H LPSO was found to be the most thermodynamically stable structure.

Microstructural evolution during homogenization of DC cast 7085 aluminum alloy

The microstructural evolution of a DC cast 7085 alloy during homogenization treatment was investigated by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results showed that serious dendritic segregation existed in the as-cast 7085 alloy. Numerous eutectic microstructures and phases were observed at the grain boundary. During homogenization process, eutecticα(Al)+T(AlZnMgCu) microstructure gradually was dissolved into matrix. IntermetallicS(Al2CuMg) phase formed and grew along the eutectic microstructure and disappeared into the matrix completely when it was homogenized at 460 °C for 24 h. It could be found that the evolution of primary eutectic structure of 7085 alloy consisted of three processes, dissolution of eutecticα+T microstructure, phase transformation fromT phase toS phase and the dissolution ofS phase. The optimum homogenization parameter was at 470 °C for 24 h.

Effect of high temperature treatments on microstructure of Nb-Ti-Cr-Si based ultrahigh temperature alloy

To investigate the effects of homogenizing and aging treatments on the microstructure of an Nb-Ti-Cr-Si based ultrahigh temperature alloy,coupons were homogenized at 1 200-1 500 °C for 24 h,and then aged at 1 000 °C for 24 h.The results show that the heat-treated alloy is composed of Nb solid solution（Nbss）,（Nb,X）5Si3 and Cr2Nb phases.With the increase of heat-treatment temperature,previous Nbss dendrites transformed into equiaxed grains,and petal-like Nbss/（Nb,X）5Si3 eutectic colonies gradually changed into small（Nb,X）5Si3 particles distributed in Nbss matrix.A drastic change occurred in the morphology of the Laves phase after homogenizing treatment.Previously coarse Cr2Nb blocks dissolved during homogenizing at temperature above 1 300 °C,and then much finer and crowded Cr2Nb flakes precipitated in the Nbss matrix in cooling.Aging treatment at 1 000 °C for 24 h led to further precipitation of fine particles of Laves phase in Nbss matrix and made the difference in concentrations of Ti,Hf and Al in Nbss,（Nb,X）5Si3 and Cr2Nb phases reduced.

Effects of Reinforcement Content and Homogenization Treatment on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of in‑situ TiB_(2)/2219Al Composites

Obtaining an appropriate grain size is crucial for Al alloys or Al matrix composites prior to processing,as it significantly influences the mechanical properties of components and workability during the manufacturing process.TiB_(2)particles are exceptional grain refiners in Al and serve as excellent reinforcement particles for particulate-reinforced aluminum matrix composites.However,the optimal particle content for achieving excellent refinement and strengthening effects depends on the matrix composition and requires further investigation.Additionally,homogenization is essential for mitigating the element segregation in the ingot.Although it is anticipated that adding suitable particles can effectively inhibit undesired grain growth during homogenization,comprehensive investigations on this aspect are currently lacking.Therefore,TiB_(2)/2219Al matrix composites with varying reinforcement contents(0,1,3,5 wt%)were fabricated through traditional casting followed by homogenization treatment to address these research gaps.The effects of reinforcement content and homogenization treatment on the microstructure and mechanical properties of in-situ TiB_(2)/2219Al composites were investigated.The results demonstrate a gradual strengthening of the refining effect with increasing particle concentration.Moreover,composites containing 3 wt%TiB_(2)particles exhibit superior comprehensive mechanical properties in both as-cast and homogenized state.Additionally,potential orientation relationships are observed and calculated between undissolved Al_(2)Cu eutectic phase and submicron or nanometer-sized TiB_(2)particles,resulting in a mixture structure with enhanced bonding strength.This mixture structure is continuously distributed along grain boundaries during solidification,forming a three-dimensional cellular network that acts as primary retarding forces for grain growth during homogenization.Furthermore,the established homogenization kinetic equations were further utilized to analyze the correlation between homogenization time and grain size,as well as the influence of homogenization temperature.

Microstructure evolution during homogenization of Al-Mg-Si-Mn-Fe alloys: Modelling and experimental results

Microstructure evolution during the homogenization heat treatment of an Al?Mg?Si?Fe?Mn(AA6xxx)alloy wasinvestigated using a combination of modelling and experimental studies.The model is based on the CALPHAD-coupledhomogenization heat treatment model originally developed for AA3xxx alloys(i.e.,Al?Mn?Fe?Si).In this work,the model wasadapted to the more complex AA6xxx system(Al?Mg?Si?Mn?Fe)to predict the evolution of critical microstructural features suchas the spatial distribution of solute,the type and fraction of constituent particles and dispersoid number density and size distribution.Experiments were also conducted using three direct chill(DC)cast AA6xxx alloys with different Mn levels subjected to varioushomogenization treatments.The resulting microstructures were characterized using a range of techniques including scanning electronmicroscopy,electron microprobe analysis(EPMA),XRD,and electrical resistivity measurements.The model predictions werecompared with the experimental measurements,and reasonable agreement was found.

Microstructure and microhardness of directionally solidified and heat-treated Nb-Ti-Si based ultrahigh temperature alloy

Directionally solidified （DS） specimens of Nb-Ti-Si based ultrahigh temperature alloy were heat-treated at （1 500 ℃, 50 h） and （1 500 ℃, 50 h） ＋ （1 100 ℃, 50 h）, respectively. The results show that the microstructures become uniform, the long and big primary （Nb,X）sSi3 （X represents Ti and Hf elements） plates in the DS specimens are broken into small ones, and the eutectic cells lose their lamellar morphology and their interfaces become blurry after heat-treatment. Meanwhile, the （Nb,X）sSi3 slices in the eutectic cells of the DS specimens coarsen obviously after heat-treatment. Homogenizing and aging treatments could effectively eliminate elemental microsegregation, and the segregation ratios of all elements in niobium solid solution （Nbss） in different regions tend to 1. After heat-treatment, the microhardness of retained eutectic cells increases evidently, and the maximum value reaches HV1 404.57 for the specimen directionally solidified with a withdrawing rate of 100 μm/s and then heat-treated at （1 500 ℃, 50 h） ＋ （1 100 ℃, 50 h）, which is 72.8 % higher than that under DS condition.

Homogenization heat treatment of 2099 Al–Li alloy

Abstract The microstructure evolution and composition distribution of as-cast and homogenized 2099 aluminumlithium （Al-Li） alloy were studied by optical microscopy （OM）, differential thermal analysis （DTA）, scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, energy dispersive spectrometry （EDS）, area and line scanning, X-ray diffraction （XRD）, and Vickers microhardness test methods. The results show that severe dendrite exists in the as-cast alloy. Cu, Zn, Mn, and Mg distribute unevenly from the grain boundary to inside. The low-melting point nonequilibrium eutectic phases dis- solve into the matrix during the first-step homogenization, whereas the melting point of residual eutectic phases is elevated. After the second-step homogenization, most of the remaining eutectic phases dissolve into the matrix, except a small amount of A1-Cu-Fe phases. An optimized homogenization process of the 2099 A1-Li alloy is developed （515℃ - 18 h ＋ 525℃ - 16 h）, which shows a good agreement with the homogenization kinetic analysis results.

Influence of Mo content on microstructure and mechanical properties of β-containing TiAl alloy

The influence of Mo content on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the Ti?45Al?5Nb?xMo?0.3Y(x=0.6,0.8,1.0,1.2)alloys was studied using small ingots produced by non-consumable electrode argon arc melting.The results show that smallquantities ofβphase are distributed alongγ/α2lamellar colony boundaries as discontinuous network in the TiAl alloys owing to thesegregation of Mo element.Theγphase forms in the interdentritic microsegregation area when the Mo addition exceeds0.8%.Theβandγphases can be eliminated effectively by subsequent homogenization heat treatment at the temperature above Tα.The evolutionof the strength,microhardness and ductility at different Mo contents under as-cast and as-homogenization treated conditions wasanalyzed,indicating that excessive Mo addition is prone to cause the microsegregation,thus decreasing the strength andmicrohardness obviously,which can be improved effectively by subsequent homogenization heat treatment.

Evolution in microstructure and mechanical properties during back-annealing of AlMnFeSi alloy

An Al-Mn-Fe-Si model alloy was subjected to two homogenization treatments, to achieve materials with different levels of Mn in solid solution and dispersoid densities, followed by cold rolling and back-annealing. Characterization of homogenization and deformation structures with respect to the effect of different microchemistries and strains on the structures was performed. Time-temperature-transformation （TTT） diagram with respect to precipitation and recrystallisation as a basis for analysis of the degree of concurrent precipitation was established. The TTT-diagram shows a strong effect of Mn concentration in solid solution and dispersoid density on the softening behavior. Recrystallization which finishes without the effect of concurrent precipitation results in an even, fine and equiaxed grain structure. Precipitation prior to or during recrystallization （concurrent） does retard the softening kinetics and leads to a coarse grain structure. However, the effect also depends on the duration of recrystallization and amount of precipitation. Recrystallization proceeding over a long time combined with a large amount of concurrent precipitation has a strong effect, otherwise the effect will be limited. Pre-existing fine and dense dispersoids （mean size 0.1 μm） before back-annealing do also lead to a coarse grain structure after recrystallization no matter whether additional concurrent precipitation occurs.

Influence of homogenizing on mechanical properties of as-cast AZ31 magnesium alloy

Forward extrusion experiments of as-cast AZ31 magnesium alloy were conducted at different temperatures and different extrusion ratios using the as-cast billets with and without homogenizing treatment.The mechanical properties of pre-and post-extrusion of the two kinds of billets were investigated.Experimental results show that the mechanical properties of post-extrusion of the two kinds of billets all are obviously improved compared with those of pre-extrusion.The elongation of post-extrusion using the billet with homogenizing is higher than that without homogenizing,but the tensile strength is lower than that without homogenizing.When the extrusion ratio increases,the elongation and tensile strength of post-extrusion of two kinds of billets all will increase obviously.When the extrusion temperature of billet without homogenizing increases,the tensile strength of post-extrusion will decrease obviously and the elongation of post-extrusion will change to a small extent.For the billet with homogenizing,the tensile strength of post-extrusion will decrease in some sort when extrusion temperature increases.

Microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of homogenizing treated fully lamellar Ti-46Al-0.5W-0.5Si alloy

The microstructure of as-cast Ti-46AI-0.5W-0.5Si alloy exhibits significant microinhomogenetity due to the non-equilibrium solidification and low atom diffusion rate. In order to reduce the adverse effect of this microsegregation on plasticity, the microstructure evolution of the Ti-46AI-0.5W-0.5Si alloy homogenized at different temperatures from 1,200 ℃ to 1,320 ℃was investigated, and the optimized process of homogenizing treatment, i.e., annealing treated at 1,280 ℃ and held for 8 h, was determined. Microstructures of both the as-cast and heat treated alloys were observed by means of optical microscope and scanning electron microscopes. Tensile tests at room temperature were conducted on the homogenizing treated fully lamellar Ti-46AI-0.5W-0.5Si alloy with loading axis parallel to the lamellar interface. Results show that, at higher heat treatment temperatures, the W element diffuses sufficiently, the microstructure tends to be more homogeneous, and the profile of the silicide clusters becomes smooth. Heat treating conducted in the a＋y two phase region can keep the columnar grains and the original lamellar orientation within them. The microstructure of the alloy after heat treated in a＋y two phase region exhibits the coexisting morphology of coarse lamellar and thin lamellar. The homogenization process at 1,280℃ for 8 h can significantly reduce the microsegregation, and the elongation at room temperature can increase from 0.48% （as-cast） to 1.34%.

Homogenization heat treatment for an additively manufactured precipitation-hardening high-entropy alloy

A precipitation-hardening high-entropy alloy(HEA),(FeCoNi)_(86)Al_(7) Ti_(7),was successfully fabricated using selective laser melting(SLM).Severe segregation of Ti occurred at the boundaries of dislocation cells.Therefore,homogenization heat treatment at 1150℃for 0.5 h was performed to alleviate the microsegregation.After homogenization,almost no dislocation cells were left in the grains,and recrystallization occurred as the average grain size increased from 37 to 54μm.Compared with the initial as-built HEA,the ductility of the HEA increases significantly from 29%to 40%,and the strength decreases slightly from 710 to 606 MPa.For further aging,pre-homogenization can decrease the precipitation of ordered L2_(1) phases.Because void has a high propensity to initiate from the matrix/L2_(1) incoherent interface,pre-homogenization reduced the number of weak points,thus considerably improving the plastic deformation ability of the aged HEA by 36%.In addition,the strengthening mechanism has also been analyzed for the aged HEA.It was revealed that the coherent L1_(2)precipitate contributed the most to the increased strength.

Study on Low Temperature Coefficient Rare-Earth Magnets

The rare-earth hard magnets with lower temperature coefficient, including Nd_2Fe_ 14B/Fe_3B-ferrite compound bonded magnets and Sm_ 0.8RE_ 0.2 (Co_ balFe_ 0.22Cu_ 0.06Zr_ 0.03)_ 7.4(RE=Gd, Er) sintered magnets, were studied. The result shows that the addition, that dope ferrite magnetic powder to double-phase nanocomposite Nd_2Fe_ 14B/Fe_3B magnetic powder, can make β_ jH_c to be obviously decreased. Similarly, the effect of homogeneous heating treatment on magnetic properties was studied. Doping heavy rare earth elements to the 2∶17-type SmCo magnet material powders shows that the sintered magnets obtained lower temperature coefficient, and enhanced magnets temperature stability.