Ultrahigh strength and improved electrical conductivity in an aging strengthened copper alloy processed by combination of equal channel angular pressing and thermomechanical treatment

In this paper,equal channel angular pressing and thermomechanical treatment was employed to improve the strength and electrical conductivity of an aging strengthened Cu-Ti-Cr-Mg alloy,and the microstructure and properties of the alloy were investigated in detail.The results showed that the samples deformed by the combination of cryogenic equal channel angular pressing(ECAP)and rolling had good comprehensive properties after aging at 400℃.The tensile strength of the peak-aged and over-aged samples was 1120 MPa and 940 MPa,with their corresponding electrical conductivity of 14.7%IACS and 22.1%IACS,respectively.ECAP and cryogenic rolling introduced high density dislocations,leading to the inhibition of the softening effects and refinement of the grains.After a long time aging at 400℃,the alloy exhibited ultra-high strength with obvious increasing electrical conductivity.The high strength was attributed to the synergistic effect of work hardening,grain refinement strengthening and precipitation strengthening.The precipitation of a large amount of Ti atoms from the matrix led to the high electrical conductivity of the over-aged sample.

Application of Lanthanum in High Strength and High Conductivity Copper Alloys

China is quite poor in argent resource. Roughly 80% of this industrial argent is imported every year. In order to improve the situation, we took advantage of rare earth (RE) mineral resource and successfully developed the non-argent Lanthanum-tellurium-copper alloy as a substitute for industry argent-copper. In our research, we were able to successfully apply rare earth lanthanum to copper alloy. The defects as porosity, inclusion, etc. originating from nonvacuum melting processing were controlled. Fine grain was obtained. Meanwhile, the comprehensive properties of the copper alloy, such as strength, conductivity and thermal conductivity were improved. The research results in increasing conductivity and thermal conductivity by 5% and 15%, respectively, while the tensile strength is increased by 6% higher than Ag-Cu alloy. The anti-electric corrosion property is good, and there is no argent-cadmium steam population originating from the electric arc effect. The addition of lanthanum further reduces the content of oxygen and hydrogen. The optimum quantity of the addition of RE lanthanum in the copper alloy is 0.010% - 0.020% .

High strength magnesium alloy with α-Mg and W-phase processed by hot extrusion

Fine-grained Mg-6Zn-4Y alloy was prepared by an ingot metallurgy process with hot extrusion at 300 ℃.The microstructure was studied by XRD,OM,SEM and TEM,and the tensile properties were tested at room temperature.The results show that the alloy is composed of α-Mg and W-phase.The microstructure of the as-extruded alloy has a bimodal grain size distribution.The fine grains with the mean size of 1.2 μm are formed by dynamic recrystallization.The coarse grains（about 23% in area fraction） are unrecrystallized regions which are elongated along extrusion direction.The engineering stress—strain curve shows a pronounced yield point.The ultimate tensile strength,yield strength,and elongation are（371±10） MPa,（350±5） MPa and（7±2）%,respectively.The high strengths are attributed to the fine-grained matrix structure enhanced by W-phase particles,nano-scaled precipitates,and strong basal plane texture.

High temperature mechanical behavior of alumina dispersion strengthened copper alloy with high content of alumina

The microstructure and its effects on the high temperature mechanical behavior of Cu-2.7%Al_2O_3 （volume fraction） dispersion strengthened copper （ADSC） alloy were investigated. The results indicate that fine alumina particles are uniformly distributed in the copper matrix, while a few coarse ones are distributed on the grain boundaries. Tensile tests results show that Hall-Petch mechanism is the main contribution to the yield strength of ADSC alloy at room temperature. Its high temperature strength is attributed to the strong pinning effects of alumina particles on the grain and sub-grain boundaries with dislocations. The ultimate tensile strength can reach 237 MPa and the corresponding yield strength reaches 226 MPa at 700℃. Tensile fracture morphology indicates that the ADSC alloy shows brittleness at elevated temperatures. Creep tests results demonstrate that the steady state creep rates at 400 ℃ are lower than those at 700 ℃. The stress exponents at 400 ℃ and 700℃ are 7 and 5, respectively, and the creep strain rates of the ADSC alloy are controlled by dislocation core diffusion and lattice diffusion.

Designing new low alloyed Mg-RE alloys with high strength and ductility via high-speed extrusion

Two new low-alloyed Mg-2RE-0.8Mn-0.6Ca-0.5Zn(wt%,RE=Sm or Y)alloys are developed,which can be produced on an in-dustrial scale via relatively high-speed extrusion.These two alloys are not only comparable to commercial AZ31 alloy in extrudability,but also have superior mechanical properties,especially in terms of yield strength(YS).The excellent extrudability is related to less coarse second-phase particles and high initial melting point of the two as-cast alloys.The high strength-ductility mainly comes from the formation of fine grains,nano-spaced submicron/nano precipitates,and weak texture.Moreover,it is worth noting that the YS of the two alloys can maintain above 160 MPa at elevated temperature of 250°C,significantly higher than that of AZ31 alloy(YS:45 MPa).The Zn/Ca solute segregation at grain boundaries,the improved heat resistance of matrix due to addition of RE,and the high melting points of strengthening particles(Mn,MgZn_(2),and Mg-Zn-RE/Mg-Zn-RE-Ca)are mainly responsible for the excellent high-temperature strength.

Microstructure and mechanical property of resistance spot welded joint of aluminum alloy to high strength steel with especial electrodes

Dissimilar material joining of 6008 aluminum alloy to H220 YD galvanized high strength steel was performed by resistance spot welding with especial electrodes that were a flat tip electrode against the steel surface and a domed tip electrode upon the aluminum alloy surface. An intermetallic compound layer composed of Fe2Al5 and FeAl3 was formed at the steel/ aluminum interface in the welded joint. The thickness of the intermetallic compound layer increased with increasing welding current and welding time, and the maximum thickness being 7. 0 μm was obtained at 25 kA and 300 ms. The weld nugget diameter and tensile shear load of the welded joint had increased tendencies first with increasing welding current （ 18 -22 kA） and welding time （ 50 - 300 ms）, then changed little with further increasing welding current （ 22 - 25 kA） and welding time （300 -400 ms）. The maximum tensile shear load reached 5.4 kN at 22 kA and 300 ms. The welded joint fractured through brittle intermetallic compound layer and aluminum alloy nugget.

Fuzzy neural network analysis on gray cast iron with high tensile strength and thermal conductivity

To develop a high performance gray cast iron with high tensile strength and thermal conductivity, multivariable analysis of microstructural effects on properties of gray cast iron was performed. The concerned parameters consisted of graphite content, maximum graphite length, primary dendrite percentage and microhardness of the matrix. Under the superposed influence of various parameters, the relationships between thermal conductivity and structural characteristics become irregular, as well as the effects of graphite length on the strength. An adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system was built to link the parameters and properties. A sensitivity test was then performed to rank the relative impact of parameters. It was found that the dominant parameter for tensile strength is graphite content, while the most relative parameter for thermal conductivity is maximum graphite length. The most effective method to simultaneously improve the tensile and thermal conductivity of gray cast iron is to reduce the carbon equivalent and increase the length of graphite flakes.

Microstructure and properties of electronic packaging box with high silicon aluminum-base alloy by semi-solid thixoforming

The electronic packaging box with high silicon aluminum-base alloy was prepared by semi-solid thixoforming technique.The flow characteristic of the Si phase was analyzed.The microstructures of different parts of the box were observed by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy,and the thermophysical and mechanical properties of the box were tested.The results show that there exists the segregation phenomenon between the primary Si phase and the liquid phase during thixoforming,the liquid phase flows from the box,and the primary Si phase accumulates at the bottom of the box.The volume fraction of primary Si phase decreases gradually from the bottom to the walls.Accordingly,the thermal conductivities of bottom center and walls are 107.6 and 131.5 W/（m·K）,the coefficients of thermal expansion（CTE） are 7.9×10-6 and 10.6×10-6 K-1,respectively.The flexural strength increases slightly from 167 to 180 MPa.The microstructures and properties of the box show gradient distribution overall.

Recent developments in high-strength Mg-RE-based alloys:Focusing on Mg-Gd and Mg-Y systems

Higher strength is always the goal pursued by researchers for the structural materials,especially for the lightweight magnesium(Mg)alloys which generally have relatively low strength at present.From this aspect,the present paper reviews the recent reports of a kind of Mg alloys,i.e.Mg-RE(RE:rare earths,mainly Gd or Y)casting and wrought alloys,which have been able to achieve high strength compared with common or commercial Mg alloys,from the viewpoint and content of the alloy system,alloying constitution,preparation process,tensile strength and each of the main strengthening mechanisms.This review of recent research and developments in high-strength Mg-RE alloys is beneficial for the further design of Mg alloys with higher strength as well as excellent comprehensive performance.

Design of a low-alloy high-strength and high-toughness martensitic steel

To develop a high strength low alloy （HSLA） steel with high strength and high toughness, a series of martensitic steels were studied through alloying with various elements and thermodynamic simulation. The microstructure and mechanical properties of the designed steel were investigated by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, tensile testing and Charpy impact test. The results show that cementite exists between 500℃ and 700℃, M7C3 exits below 720℃, and they are much lower than the austenitizing temperature of the designed steel. Furthermore, the Ti（C,N） precipitate exists until 1280℃, which refines the microstructure and increases the strength and toughness. The optimal alloying components are 0.19% C, 1.19% Si, 2.83% Mn, 1.24% Ni, and 0.049% Ti; the tensile strength and the V notch impact toughness of the designed steel are more than 1500 MPa and 100 J, respectively.

Development of a high-strength Mg alloy with superior ductility through a unique texture modification from equal channel angular pressing

In the current study,a homogenous ultra-fine grained microstructure with average grain size of 1.0μm is achieved in the Mg-Zn-Ca-Mn alloy through the reduplicative equal channel angular pressing(ECAP)at 300℃,and the mechanical properties are remarkably improved,with room-temperature yield strength of 269.6 MPa and elongation of 22.7%.The twinning deformation results in a discontinuous recrystallization behavior in the initial stage of ECAP.With further deformation,the continuously dynamic recrystallization contributes to an obvious grain refinement effect.The activation of non-basal slip system leads to the formation of a unique basal texture,which is related to the elevated ECAP temperature and the decreased grain size.Both grain refinement and texture modification derived from ECAP process result in the increase of yield strength,while the cracked secondary phase particles are beneficial to the enhanced ductility,through reducing the stress concentration and hindering premature failure.

Study on non-metallic inclusions in Al killed high strength alloy steel refined by high basicity and high Al_2O_3 content slag

Laboratory and industrial studies were carried out to investigate non-metallic inclusions in high strength alloy steel refined by high basicity and high Al_2O_3 slag.It was found that the steel/slag reaction time largely affected non-metallic inclusions.With the reaction time increased from 30 min to 90 min in laboratory study,MgO-Al_2O_3 spinels were gradually changed into CaO-MgO-Al_2O_3 system inclusions surrounded by softer CaO-Al_2O_3 surface layers.By using high basicity slag which contained as much as 41%Al_2O_3 in the laboratory study,ratio of low melting temperature CaO-MgO-Al_2O_3 system inclusions was remarkably increased to above 80%.In the industrial experiment,during the secondary refining,the inclusions changed in order of 'Al_2O_3→MgO-Al_2O_3→CaO-MgO-Al_2O_3'.Through the LF and RH refining,most inclusions could be transferred to lower melting temperature CaO-Al_2O_3 and CaO-MgO-Al_2O_3 system inclusions.

Microstructure and mechanical properties of high-strength low alloy steel by wire and arc additive manufacturing

A high-building multi-directional pipe joint(HBMDPJ)was fabricated by wire and arc additive manufacturing using high-strength low-alloy(HSLA)steel.The microstructure characteristics and transformation were observed and analyzed.The results show that the forming part includes four regions.The solidification zone solidifies as typical columnar crystals from a molten pool.The complete austenitizing zone forms from the solidification zone heated to a temperature greater than 1100℃,and the typical columnar crystals in this zone are difficult to observe.The partial austenitizing zone forms from the completely austenite zone heated between Ac1(austenite transition temperature)and1100℃,which is mainly equiaxed grains.After several thermal cycles,the partial austenitizing zone transforms to the tempering zone,which consistes of fully equiaxed grains.From the solidification zone to the tempering zone,the average grain size decreases from 75 to20μm.The mechanical properties of HBMDPJ satisfies the requirement for the intended application.

Research progress on microstructure evolution and hot processing maps of high strength β titanium alloys during hot deformation

High strength β titanium alloys are widely used in large load bearing components in the aerospace field. At present, large parts are generally formed by die forging. Different initial microstructures and deformation process parameters will significantly affect the flow behavior. To precisely control the microstructures, researchers have conducted many studies to analyze the microstructure evolution law and deformation mechanism during hot compression. This review focuses on the microstructure evolution of high strength β titanium alloys during hot deformation, including dynamic recrystallization and dynamic recovery in the single-phase region and the dynamic evolution of the α phase in the two-phase region. Furthermore, the optimal hot processing regions, instability regions,and the relationship between the efficiency of power dissipation and the deformation mechanism in the hot processing map are summarized. Finally, the problems and development direction of using hot processing maps to optimize process parameters are also emphasized.

GRAIN BOUNDARY SEGREGATION AND INTERGRANULAR BRITTLENESS IN HIGH STRENGTH ALUMINIUM ALLOY

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Numerical simulation of residual stress and deformation for submerged arc welding of Q690D high strength low alloy steel thick plate

The finite element simulation software SYSWELD is used to numerically simulate the temperature field,residual stress field,and welding deformation of Q690D thick plate multi-layer and multi-pass welding under different welding heat input and groove angles.The simulation results show that as the welding heat input increases,the peak temperature during the welding process is higher,and the residual stress increases,they are all between 330–340 MPa,and the residual stress is concentrated in the area near the weld.The hole-drilling method is used to measure the actual welding residual stress,and the measured data is in good agreement with the simulated value.The type of post-welding deformation is angular deformation,and as the welding heat input increases,the maximum deformation also increases.It shows smaller residual stress and deformation when the groove angle is 40°under the same heat input.In engineering applications,under the premise of guaranteeing welding quality,smaller heat input and 40°groove angle should be used.

Simulation on the deformation controlling of T-joint LBW with auxiliary heat source for high strength aluminum alloy

To avoid the angular deformation of aluminum alloy T-joint weldments, a new method named welding with auxiliary heat source is proposed. The welding simulation is performed with the commercial finite element software Abaqus and FORTRAN programme encoding a special conical heat source with Gaussian volumetric distribution of flux. The influence of the local model on the temperature, residual stress, and welding deformation distributions is investigated. The findings show that angular deformation achieved through numerical computation completely consists with the experimental result which has proved the effectiveness of the finite element methods developed. Various measurements performed on small-scale welded test specimens provide a data base of experimental results that serves as a bench mark for qualification of the simulation result. Finally, the residual stress and strain states in a T-joint are predicted.

Microstructures and mechanical properties of high strength Mg-Zn-Mn alloy

The microstructures and mechanical properties of a new Mg-6%Zn-1%Mn(mass fraction) wrought magnesium alloy were studied,which could be extruded smoothly at 310-330℃with a complete dynamic recrystallization.After solution treatment one and two-step aging techniques were used.All as-aged microstructures contained two types of dispersed phases:β' phases and pureα-Mn particles.The two-step aging had a better strengthening effect than the traditional one-step aging,and the strength value achieved by the two-step aging could reach that of the ZK60 wrought magnesium alloy.The outstanding precipitation strengthening effect of the alloy should be attribute to the GP zones,diffusive solute-rich zones and some metastable phases formed during the first step aging that provide more effective nuclei for Mg-Zn strengthening phases during the second step aging.

Strength properties examination of high zinc aluminium alloys inoculated with Ti addition

This paper includes studies on the influence of grain refinement treatment with respect to the composition and structure of high zinc aluminium casting alloys on the changes of their tensile properties. The Al-20 wt.%Zn alloy was inoculated with master alloys Al Ti5B1 and Al Ti3C0.15 to determine the impact of a variable titanium addition on the tensile properties of Al Zn20 alloy, and determine on this basis an optimal addition of Ti that would ensure the improvement of elongation of alloys cast in the sand mould, at the same time maintaining high tensile strength. Within the studies, light microscopy(LM) and strength tests were applied. Experimental results showed that the inoculation of high zinc aluminium alloy Al Zn20 with the master alloys Al Ti5B1 and Al Ti3C0.15 causes intensive structure refinement, while the intensity of reaction of both master alloys is comparable. The Al Ti3C0.15 master alloy addition, selected for further studies, introducing about 100 ppm Ti, enhances the tensile properties of the alloy; the elongation increases about 20% and tensile strength increases about 10% against the initial values(uninoculated alloy). Further increase of the Ti addition up to 500–600 ppm leads to the "overinoculation" effect that is accompanied by the decrease of elongation. Therefore,the Ti addition should be reduced to the level of about 100 ppm which ensures obtaining a set of optimal properties.

Process of friction-stir welding high-strength aluminum alloy and mechanical properties of joint

The process of friction-stir welding 2A12CZ alloy has been studied. And strength and elongation tests have been performed, which demonstrated that the opportunity existed to manipulate friction-stir welding parameters in order to improve a range of material properties. The results showed that the joint strength and elongation arrived at their maximums (331 MPa and 4%) at 37.5 mm/min and 300 rpm. As welding parameters changing, joint tensile strength and elongation had similar development. Hardness measurement indicated that the weld was softened. However, there was considerable difference in softening degree for different joint zone. The weld top had lower hardness and wider softening zone than other zone of the weld. And softening zone at advancing side was wider than that at retreating side.