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% .

Tensile properties of high strength cast Mg alloys at room temperature:A review

As most Mg alloy products are now produced by a casting process,the development of high strength cast Mg alloys can promote their further applications and has already become one of the hot research areas of Mg alloys.The present paper reviews the strengthening mechanisms,tensile properties and modification results of commercial high strength cast Mg alloys;as well as the development of Mg-Gd,Mg-Nd and Mg-Sn based alloys.It concludes that precipitation strengthening is the most important strengthening mechanism in high strength cast Mg alloys,which contributes more than 60%of yield strength in solution&peak-aged(T6)cast Mg alloys.For the yield strength,the alloys follow the sequence of Mg-Gd(Y)-Ag>Mg-Gd(Y)-Zn>Mg-Gd-Y/Sm/Nd>Mg-Y-Nd(WE series)>ZK61>Mg-Nd>AZ91>Mg-Sn.Mg-Gd(Y)-Ag based alloys are the strongest cast Mg alloys at present,followed by Mg-Gd(Y)-Zn based alloys.The high yield strengths of Mg-Gd(Y)-Ag and Mg-Gd(Y)-Zn cast alloys are due to the co-precipitation of basal and prismatic meta-stable phases.

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.

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.

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.

Towards designing high mechanical performance low-alloyed wrought magnesium alloys via grain boundary segregation strategy:A review

Low-alloyed magnesium(Mg)alloys have emerged as one of the most promising candidates for lightweight materials.However,their further application potential has been hampered by limitations such as low strength,poor plasticity at room temperature,and unsatisfactory formability.To address these challenges,grain refinement and grain structure control have been identified as crucial factors to achieving high performance in low-alloyed Mg alloys.An effective way for regulating grain structure is through grain boundary(GB)segregation.This review presents a comprehensive summary of the distribution criteria of segregated atoms and the effects of solute segregation on grain size and growth in Mg alloys.The analysis encompasses both single element segregation and multi-element co-segregation behavior,considering coherent interfaces and incoherent interfaces.Furthermore,we introduce the high mechanical performance low-alloyed wrought Mg alloys that utilize GB segregation and analyze the potential impact mechanisms through which GB segregation influences materials properties.Drawing upon these studies,we propose strategies for the design of high mechanical performance Mg alloys with desirable properties,including high strength,excellent ductility,and good formability,achieved through the implementation of GB segregation.The findings of this review contribute to advancing the understanding of grain boundary engineering in Mg alloys and provide valuable insights for future alloy design and optimization.

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.

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.

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.

Toward the development of Mg alloys with simultaneously improved strength and ductility by refining grain size via the deformation process

Magnesium(Mg) alloys, as the lightest metal engineering materials, have broad application prospects.However, the strength and ductility of traditional Mg alloys are still relativity low and difficult to improve simultaneously.Refining grain size via the deformation process based on the grain boundary strengthening and the transition of deformation mechanisms is one of the feasible strategies to prepare Mg alloys with high strength and high ductility.In this review, the effects of grain size on the strength and ductility of Mg alloys are summarized, and fine-grained Mg alloys with high strength and high ductility developed by various severe plastic deformation technologies and improved traditional deformation technologies are introduced.Although some achievements have been made, the effects of grain size on various Mg alloys are rarely discussed systematically and some key mechanisms are unclear or lack direct microscopic evidence.This review can be used as a reference for further development of high-performance fine-grained Mg alloys.

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.

Towards developing Mg alloys with simultaneously improved strength and corrosion resistance via RE alloying

Magnesium(Mg)alloys have received an increasing interest in the past two decades for their tremendous application potential.The strength and corrosion resistance levels of common Mg alloys are still relativity low,and especially they are to be improved simultaneously.The addition of rare earth(RE)to Mg alloys is believed to be beneficial for both the strength and corrosion resistance,and some RE-modified traditional Mg alloys have been studied and some new RE-containing Mg alloys have been developed by now.However,further simultaneous improvements in both strength and anti-corrosion require a better understanding of the behavior and mechanism of RE in Mg alloys.In this review,the common influence mechanisms of RE on mechanical and anti-corrosion properties of Mg alloys are summarized,and the latest research progress of RE-containing Mg alloys with simultaneously improved strength and corrosion resistance are introduced.It is demonstrated that the research on high-strength and high corrosion resistant RE-containing Mg alloys is still immature,and some opinions and suggestions are put forward for the synergetic improvement of the strength and corrosion resistance of Mg alloys,so as to contribute to the further development of Mg alloys with higher performance.

Microstructure investigation of a new type super high strength aluminum alloy at different heat-treated conditions

As a structural material with low density and high strength, super-highstrength aluminum alloys have a future for wide application. However, its poor stress corrosionresistance (SCC) restricts further development. In present, retrogression and re-ageing (RRA)treatment, which can improve both strength and SCCR of 7XXX series alloy, is a best method to solvethis problem. The effect of RRA treatment on the microstructure evolution of a new type lowfrequency electric-magnetic casting Al-9.OZn-2.45Mg-2.2Cu-0.15Zr alloy was investigated using DSCand TEM technologies. The results show that the typical microstructure of the alloy at T6 conditionis characterized by both fine eta' and GP zone homogeneously distributed in the matrix andcontinuous r) particles occurred on the grain-boundary. After RRA treatment, the matrixprecipitations are mainly fine and dispersed eta' and eta phases, being coarser and more stable thanthat from T6 temper. While, the grain-boundary microstructure is very close to that resulting fromT73 temper. High retrogression temperature and long retrogression time leads to a more stablemicrostructure after re-ageing.

Microstructures and mechanical properties of C-Mn-Cr-Nb and C-Mn-Si-Nb ultra-high strength dual-phase steels

The microstructures and mechanical properties of C-Mn-Cr-Nb and C-Mn-Si-Nb ultra-high strength dual-phase steels were studied by scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, transmission electron microscopy （TEM）, and tensile test. The results show that Si can promote the transformation of austenite （γ） to ferrite （α）, enlarge the （α＋γ） region, and increase the aging stability of martensite by inhibiting carbide precipitation. Adding Cr leads to the formation of retained austenite and martensite/austenite （M/A） constituents, as well as the decomposi- tion of martensite during the overaging stage. Both of the steels show higher initial strain-hardening rates and two-stage strain-hardening characteristics. The C-Mn-Si-Nb steel shows the higher strain-hardening rate than the C-Mn-Cr-Nb steel in the first stage; however, there is no significant difference in the second stage. Although the tensile strength and elongation of the two steels both exceed 1000 MPa and 15%, respectively, the comprehensive mechanical properties of the C-Mn-Si-Nb steel are superior.

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.

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.

Novel high strength Al−10.5Si−3.4Cu−0.2Mg alloy produced through two-stage solution heat treatment

Mechanical properties of aluminum−silicon−copper alloys are enhanced through precipitation hardening.The response of these alloys to age-hardening is very slow.To overcome this problem,0.2,0.4 and 0.7 wt.%magnesium were added to Al−10.5Si−3.4Cu alloy.The new alloys were subjected to two types of precipitation hardening processes different in the solutionizing stage.The results showed that the presence of various amounts of magnesium in the composition of this alloy accelerates the response to ageing treatments,increasing the hardness and strength.Higher mechanical properties can be achieved when the alloys were subjected to a two-stage solution heat treatment.It is found that Al−10.5Si−3.4Cu alloy containing 0.2 wt.%Mg treated through a two-stage solution process,has optimum properties with ultimate tensile strength of 383.9 MPa,yield strength of 289.7 MPa and elongation of 3.97%,and can be used as a substitute for a large number of aluminum castings which need high strength and excellent castability.

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.

Stability of fiber laser-MIG hybrid welding of high strength aluminum alloy

The effect of fiber laser on MIG arc was investigated with 8 mm 7075-T6 high strength aluminum alloy as base material.The arc shape,droplet transfer form and electrical signal in the process of MIG welding and laser-MIG hybrid welding were analyzed.The stability of the hybrid welding process was evaluated by standard deviation analysis.The results show that with the increase of laser power,a large number of laser-induced plasma enters the arc column area,providing more conductive channels,which makes the heat of MIG arc more concentrated and the short circuit transition disappear.Due to the continuous effect of laser,the keyhole becomes a continuous electron emission source,and a stable cathode spot will be formed near the keyhole,which enhances the stability of MIG arc at the base current state.By using the method of standard deviation analysis,the voltage standard deviation of single MIG welding arc and laser-MIG hybrid arc within 4 seconds was calculated.The standard deviation of single MIG arc voltage was 1.05,and the standard deviation of MIG arc voltage in laser-MIG hybrid welding was 0.71–0.86,so the hybrid welding process was more stable.

GRAIN BOUNDARY SEGREGATION AND INTERGRANULAR BRITTLENESS IN HIGH STRENGTH ALUMINIUM ALLOY

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