Unexpected high-temperature brittleness of a Mg-Gd-Y-Ag alloy

Rare earth(RE)can produce excellent precipitation hardening in Mg alloys.However,when forming a solid solution,it also deteriorates formability,a problem that can usually be overcome by raising deformation temperature.Here we report an unexpected observation of high temperature brittleness in a Mg-Gd-Y-Ag alloy.As the temperature reached 500℃,the formability decreased drastically,leading to severe intergranular fracture under only 0.5% strain.This was caused by failure of grain boundaries,which are weakened by segregated interfacial compounds.

CHARACTERISTIC TRANSITION TEMPERATURE OF BRITTLENESS OF LOW CARBON STEEL

On the basis of analysis of low carbon steel fracture macro-features and micro-processes at low temperature,the definition was given of the characteristic transition temperature of brittleness,T_(pm),and its physical meaning was expounded.Discussion was carried out of phys- ical characteristic of variation at T_(pm) in respect of the fracture toughness and property of crack arrest.In addition,research was made on the application of T_(pm),which can give infor- mation about the transition of the fracture toughness,the property of crack arrest and critical crack size,to estimation the brittleness of low carbon steel at low temperatures.

INVESTIGATION ON HOT DUCTILITY AND STRENGTH OF CONTINUOUS CASTING SLAB FOR AH32 STEEL

By means of Gleeble-1500 testing machine, the simulation of continuous casting process forAH32 steel was carried out and hot ductility and strength were determined. The cracking sensitivity was studied under the different temperatures and strain rates. The Precipitations of AIN at different temperatures and the fractures of high-temperature tensile samples were observed by using TEM （transmission electron microscope） and SEM （scanning electron microscope）. The factors affecting the brittle temperature zone were discussed.

Mixed graphite cast iron for automotive exhaust component applications

Both spheroidal graphite iron and compacted graphite iron are used in the automotive industry. A recently proposed mixed graphite iron exhibits a microstructure between the conventional spheroidal graphite iron and compacted graphite iron. Evaluation results clearly indicate the suitability and benefits of mixed graphite iron for exhaust component applications with respect to casting, machining, mechanical, thermophysical, oxidation, and thermal fatigue properties. A new ASTM standard specification(A1095) has been created for compacted, mixed, and spheroidal graphite silicon-molybdenum iron castings. This paper attempts to outline the latest progress in mixed graphite iron published.

Effect of Solute Elements and Cooling Rate on Strain in Brittle Temperature Range of Continuously Cast Strand

A micro-segregation model of solute elements in mushy zone with δ/γ transformation during solidification was established based on the regular hexagon transverse cross section of dendrite shape proposed by finite difference method under the non-equilibrium solidification condition. The model was used to calculate the non-equilibrium pseudo binary Fe-C phase diagram and the strain of steels induced by variation of temperature in brittle temperature range. On the basis of the phase diagram and the strain, the strain curve in brittle temperature range as a function of carbon content for continuously fast strand was introduced and obtained, Solute elements change the position of the strain curve. And cooling rate changes the position arid the shape of the strain curve. The comprehensive formula of the strain as functions of solute elements and cooling rate in brittle temperature range has been obtained by nonlinear fitting program.

Application of Hot Strength and Ductility Test to Optimization of Secondary Cooling System in Billet Continuous Casting Process

By means of Gleeble-1500 dynamic thermomechanical simulator, the continuous casting process for HRB335C steel was simulated using solidifying method and hot ductility and strength of the steel were determined. The test results indicate that there are three temperature regions of brittleness for HRB335C billet in the temperature range from 700 ℃ to solidification point; the first temperature region of brittleness is 1 300 ℃ to solidification point of the billet, the second temperature region of brittleness is 1 200-- 1 000 ℃, and the third temperature region of brittleness is 700-850 ℃ ; the steel is plastic at 850--1 000 ℃. The cracking sensitivity was studied in the different temperature zones of the brittleness for steel HRB335C and the target surface temperature curve for the secondary cooling is determined. With optimized process, the mathematical model of the steady temperature field with two-dimensional heat transfer for 150 mm×150 mm HRB335C steel billet was established to optimize the secondary cooling process. The conic relation of water distribution between secondary cooling water flux and casting speed is regressed. Keeping the surface temperature of billet before the straightening point above 1 000 ℃, the results of billet test indicate that there is free central shrinkage cavity. The billet defect is decreased greatly, and the quality of billet is obviously improved.

Effect of Rare Earth and Cooling Process on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of an Ultra-Cleaned X80 Pipeline Steel

In order to explore the eff ect of a small amount of rare earth addition in ultra-cleaned pipeline steel and the influence of the cooling process on the tensile and impact properties,three API X80 pipeline steels were fabricated by varying RE addition and the cooling process at the same time.Three microstructures with different features for a low C high Nb microalloyed high-strength pipeline steel and the corresponding mechanical properties were investigated.The results showed that even in the ultra-cleaned steel with O and S contents less than 10 ppm,the addition of RE would still cause an increase in the volume fraction of inclusions consisting of complicated RE oxysulfide and RE sulfide.More inclusions formed in the 112 ppm RE steel were harmful to the low temperature toughness,while few inclusions formed in the 47 ppm RE steel had almost no influence on the low temperature toughness.The two RE additions had no effect on strength of the steels.As the finishing cooling temperature was increased and the cooling rate was decreased within a certain range,the volume fractions of polygonal ferrite and quasi-polygonal ferrite as well as the number density and size of martensite–austenite islands were increased.Under such combined effect,the strength of the steels had almost no change.As the finishing cooling temperature was increased from 481 to 584℃and the cooling rate was reduced from 20 to 13℃/s,for the steel with 112 ppm addition of RE,there was an obvious decrease in the low temperature toughness.The reduced value(about 33 J)of the USE of steel consisted of two parts including the influence(about 18 J)of more inclusions formed due to 112 ppm addition of RE and the eff ect(about 15 J)of the lower high-angle grain boundaries.