EXTREME PROPERTIES OF FIBER COMPOSITES AND THEIRCRYOGENIC APPLICATIONS

Fiber-polymer composites exhibit extraordianary and unusual properties. Depending on the fiber type and arrangementt the following can be achieved: a very high tensile strength and stiffness or fatigue strength, a zero or negative thermal expension, a rather high damping capability and a very high thermal and electrical insulating performance. But even carbon fibers can be converted into excellent electrical conductors when calined with fluorine. However, the shear properties of fiber composites with a polymeric matrix are medium. Extreme mechanical and thermal cryogenic properties will be discussed and compared to those of other material classes. Special emphasis is put on present and future cryogenic applications including storage and transportation of hydrogen or liquefied gases. Gas permeation through composites afier mechani-cal and thermal cycling and modifications for a better performance will be discassed.Further trends for getting advanced materials will finish the presentation.

Influence of soaking time in deep cryogenic treatment on the microstructure and mechanical properties of low-alloy medium-carbon HY-TUF steel

The influence of soaking time in deep cryogenic treatment on the tensile and impact properties of low-alloy medium-carbon HY-TUF steel was investigated in this study. Microstructural studies based on phase distribution mapping by electron backscatter diffraction show that the deep cryogenic process causes a decrease in the content of retained austenite and an increase in the volume fraction of η-carbide with increasing soaking time up to 48 h. The decrease in the content of retained austenite from ~1.23vol% to 0.48vol% suggests an isothermal martensitic transformation at 77 K. The η-type precipitates formed in deep cryogenic-treated martensite over 48 h have the Hirotsu and Nagakura orientation relation with the martensitic matrix. Furthermore, a high coherency between η-carbide and the martensitic matrix is observed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The variations in macrohardness, yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, and ductility with soaking time in the deep cryogenic process show a peak/plateau trend.

MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF Al-Li ALLOY 8090 AT CRYOGENIC TEMPERATURES

Cryogenic strength,ductility and toughness of AI-Li alloy 8090 were found to be superior to those at ambient temperature,and up to optima at about 20 K.Different aging regimes may only influence on its cryogenic yield strength and elongation.

CRYOGENIC MECHANICAL BEHAVIOUR OF MARAGING STEEL CONTAINING HYDROGEN

Within the range of 77 to 295 K,the strength and plastieity of 18Ni maraging steel increase with decreasing temperature and decrease with increasing hydrogen content.The susceptibility to hydrogen embrittlement of the maraged specimens is superior to solid solution ones.The dislocations after plastically deforming will tangle into dislocation cells which reduce thermselves in size as the temperature decreases,and coarsen as the hydrogen content in- creases.No cryogenie deformation twin was found.The tensile fracture surfaces of the solu- tion and maraged specimens containing 5.90 ppm hydrogen under 295 to 223 K are revealed as quasi-cleavage and intergranular features respectively and as transgranular ones under other experimental conditions.The influence of hydrogen on the mechanical behaviour of steel and the mechanism of hydrogen induced deformation and fracture are discussed. Research Assistant, Institute of Metal Research,Academia Sinica, Shenyang 110015,China

Tensile properties and fracture behavior of friction stir welded joints of Fe-32Mn-7Cr-1Mo-0.3N steel at cryogenic temperature

This study investigates the cryogenic tensile properties and fracture behavior of fiction stir welded and post-weld heat-treated joints of 32Mn-7Cr-1Mo-0.3N steel. Cryogenic brittle fracture, which occurred in the as-welded joint, is related to the residual particles that contain tungsten in the joint band structure. Post-weld water toughening resulted in the cryogenic intergranular brittleness of the joint, which is related to the non-equilibrium segregation of solute atoms during the post-weld water toughening. Annealing at 55OC for 30rain can effectively inhibit the cryogenic intergranular brittleness of the post- weld water-toughened joint. The yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, and uniform elongation of the annealed joint are approximately 95%, 87%, and 94% of the corresponding data of the base metal.

Effect of Mn Content on Microstructure and Cryogenic Mechanical Properties of a 7%Ni Steel

The effect of Mn content on the microstructure and cryogenic mechanical properties of a 7% Ni steel was investigated within the Mn content range from 0.13% to 0.36%. The microstructure of the steel as determined by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, electron backscattering diffraction and X-ray diffraction was presented, and the low-temperature mechanical properties were given. The size of prior austenite grain did not change a lot as Mn content increased. Film-like reversed austenite, having high stability, was found mainly in the specimens with lower Mn content; however, in the specimen with the highest Mn content, the role of Mn was not obvious in stabilizing reversed austenite. Besides, with increasing Mn content, the amount of reversed austenite at grain boundaries gradually decreased. The variable Mn content had a significant effect on cryogenic toughness~ but not apparent on cryogenic tensile strength or yield strength. An excellent combination of cryogenic tensile and impact properties was obtained when Mn content of steel was 0.13%.

Influence of Nb Content on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of a 7%Ni Steel

The influence of Nb content on the microstructure and cryogenic mechanical properties of a 7%Ni steel was investigated within the Nb content range from 0 to 0.05%. The microstructure was characterized by optical microscope, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction, and the low-temperature mechanical property tests were conducted. The Nb addition can effectively refine the prior austenite grains and microstructure of the steel. Fine niobium precipitates with a diameter of about 10-50 nm were observed. They tend to be spherical and locate mainly in the vicinity of grain boundaries. Although there are considerable amounts of reversed austenite forming at grain boundaries in the specimen containing the highest Nb content, no Nb element was detected in such reversed austenite, which implies that Nb element did not affect the formation of the reversed austenite directly. Mechanical test results suggest that the strength of the 7%Ni steel is not simply in relation to the prior austenite grain size, but also depends on the amount of reversed austenite. On the other hand, the grain refinement, enhanced with increasing Nb content, has a good effect on cryogenic toughness.

Microstructure and abrasive wear resistance of an alloyed ductile iron subjected to deep cryogenic and austempering treatments

To further improve the mechanical performance of a new alloyed austempered ductile iron（ADI）, deep cryogenic treatment（DCT） has been adopted to investigate the effect of DCT time on the microstructure and mechanical behaviors of the alloyed ADI Fe-3.55 C-1.97 Si-3.79 Ni-0.71 Cu-0.92 Mo-0.64 Cr-0.36 Mn-0.30 V（in wt.%）. With increasing the DCT time, more austenite transformed to martensite and very fine carbides precipitated in martensite in the extended period of DCT. The amount of austenite decreased in alloyed ductile irons, while that of martensite and carbide precipitation increased. The alloyed ADI after DCT for 6 h had the highest hardness and compressive strength, which can be attributed to the formation of more plate-like martensite and the finely precipitated carbides. There was a gradual decrease in hardness and compressive strength with increasing the DCT time to 12 h because of the dissolution of M3 C carbide. After tempering, there was a decrease in mechanical properties compared to the direct DCT sample, which was caused by the occurrence of Ostwald ripening of precipitated carbides. The optimum wear resistance was achieved for the alloyed ADI after DCT for 6 h. The wear mechanism of the alloyed ADI in associating with DCT is mainly consisted of micro-cutting wear and some plastic deformation wear.