Prediction of Hot Deformation Behavior of 7Mo Super Austenitic Stainless Steel Based on Back Propagation Neural Network

The hot compression tests of 7Mo super austenitic stainless(SASS)were conducted to obtain flow curves at the temperature of 1000-1200℃and strain rate of 0.001 s^(-1)to 1 s^(-1).To predict the non-linear hot deformation behaviors of the steel,back propagation-artificial neural network(BP-ANN)with 16×8×8 hidden layer neurons was proposed.The predictability of the ANN model is evaluated according to the distribution of mean absolute error(MAE)and relative error.The relative error of 85%data for the BP-ANN model is among±5%while only 42.5%data predicted by the Arrhenius constitutive equation is in this range.Especially,at high strain rate and low temperature,the MAE of the ANN model is 2.49%,which has decreases for 18.78%,compared with conventional Arrhenius constitutive equation.

Microstructure evolution and strengthening mechanism of high -performance powder metallurgy TA15 titanium alloy by hot rolling

Hot deformation of sintered billets by powder metallurgy(PM)is an effective preparation technique for titanium alloys,which is more significant for high-alloying alloys.In this study,Ti–6.5Al–2Zr–Mo–V(TA15)titanium alloy plates were prepared by cold press-ing sintering combined with high-temperature hot rolling.The microstructure and mechanical properties under different process paramet-ers were investigated.Optical microscope,electron backscatter diffraction,and others were applied to characterize the microstructure evolution and mechanical properties strengthening mechanism.The results showed that the chemical compositions were uniformly dif-fused without segregation during sintering,and the closing of the matrix craters was accelerated by increasing the sintering temperature.The block was hot rolled at 1200℃ with an 80%reduction under only two passes without annealing.The strength and elongation of the plate at 20–25℃ after solution and aging were 1247 MPa and 14.0%,respectively,which were increased by 24.5%and 40.0%,respect-ively,compared with the as-sintered alloy at 1300℃.The microstructure was significantly refined by continuous dynamic recrystalliza-tion,which was completed by the rotation and dislocation absorption of the substructure surrounded by low-angle grain boundaries.After hot rolling combined with heat treatment,the strength and plasticity of PM-TA15 were significantly improved,which resulted from the dense,uniform,and fine recrystallization structure and the synergistic effect of multiple slip systems.

Flow characteristics and hot workability of a typical low-alloy high-strength steel during multi-pass deformation

Heavy components of low-alloy high-strength(LAHS) steels are generally formed by multi-pass forging. It is necessary to explore the flow characteristics and hot workability of LAHS steels during the multi-pass forging process, which is beneficial to the formulation of actual processing parameters. In the study, the multi-pass hot compression experiments of a typical LAHS steel are carried out at a wide range of deformation temperatures and strain rates. It is found that the work hardening rate of the experimental material depends on deformation parameters and deformation passes, which is ascribed to the impacts of static and dynamic softening behaviors. A new model is established to describe the flow characteristics at various deformation passes. Compared to the classical Arrhenius model and modified Zerilli and Armstrong model, the newly proposed model shows higher prediction accuracy with a confidence level of 0.98565. Furthermore, the connection between power dissipation efficiency(PDE) and deformation parameters is revealed by analyzing the microstructures. The PDE cannot be utilized to reflect the efficiency of energy dissipation for microstructure evolution during the entire deformation process, but only to assess the efficiency of energy dissipation for microstructure evolution in a specific deformation parameter state.As a result, an integrated processing map is proposed to better study the hot workability of the LAHS steel, which considers the effects of instability factor(IF), PDE, and distribution and size of grains. The optimized processing parameters for the multi-pass deformation process are the deformation parameters of 1223–1318 K and 0.01–0.08 s^(-1). Complete dynamic recrystallization occurs within the optimized processing parameters with an average grain size of 18.36–42.3 μm. This study will guide the optimization of the forging process of heavy components.

Anthropogenic Influence on Decadal Changes in Concurrent Hot and Dry Events over China around the Mid-1990s

The frequency and duration of observed concurrent hot and dry events(HDEs) over China during the growing season(April–September) exhibit significant decadal changes across the mid-1990s. These changes are characterized by increases in HDE frequency and duration over most of China, with relatively large increases over southeastern China(SEC), northern China(NC), and northeastern China(NEC). The frequency of HDEs averaged over China in the present day(PD,1994–2011) is double that in the early period(EP, 1964–81);the duration of HDEs increases by 60%. Climate experiments with the Met Office Unified Model(MetUM-GOML2) are used to estimate the contributions of anthropogenic forcing to HDE decadal changes over China. Anthropogenic forcing changes can explain 60%–70% of the observed decadal changes,suggesting an important anthropogenic influence on HDE changes over China across the mid-1990s. Single-forcing experiments indicate that the increase in greenhouse gas(GHG) concentrations dominates the simulated decadal changes,increasing the frequency and duration of HDEs throughout China. The change in anthropogenic aerosol(AA) emissions significantly decreases the frequency and duration of HDEs over SEC and NC, but the magnitude of the decrease is much smaller than the increase induced by GHGs. The changes in HDEs in response to anthropogenic forcing are mainly due to the response of climatological mean surface air temperatures. The contributions from changes in variability and changes in climatological mean soil moisture and evapotranspiration are relatively small. The physical processes associated with the response of HDEs to GHG and AA changes are also revealed.

Microstructure Distribution Characteristics of High-Strength Aluminum Alloy Thin-Walled Tubes during Multi-Passes Hot Power Backward Spinning Process

The microstructure of the thin-walled tubes with high-strength aluminum alloy determines their final forming quality and performance. This type of tube can be manufactured by multi-pass hot power backward spinning process as it can eliminate casting defects, refine microstructure and improve the plasticity of the tube. To analyze the microstructure distribution characteristics of the tube during the spinning process, a 3D coupled thermo-mechanical FE model coupled with the microstructure evolution model of the process was established under the ABAQUS environment. The microstructure evolution characteristics and laws of the tube for the whole spinning process were analyzed. The results show that the dynamic recrystallization is mainly produced in the spinning deformation zone and root area of the tube. In the first pass, the dynamic recrystallization phenomenon is not obvious in the tube. With the pass increasing, the trend of dynamic recrystallization volume percentage gradually increases and extends from the outer surface of the tube to the inner surface. The fine-grained area shows the states of concentration, dispersion, and re-concentration as the pass number increases. .

Two-stage dynamic recrystallization and texture evolution in Al-7Mg alloy during hot torsion

Hot torsion tests were performed on the Al-7Mg alloy at the temperature ranging from 300 to 500℃ and strain rates between 0.05 and 5 s^(-1) to explore the progressive dynamic recrystallization(DRX)and texture behaviors.The DRX behavior of the alloy manifested two distinct stages:Stage 1 at strain of≤2 and Stage 2 at strains of≥2.In Stage 1,there was a slight increase in the DRXed grain fraction(X_(DRX))with predominance of discontinuous DRX(DDRX),followed by a modest change in X_(DRX) until the transition to Stage 2.Stage 2 was marked by an accelerated rate of DRX,culminating in a substantial final X_(DRX) of~0.9.Electron backscattered diffraction(EBSD)analysis on a sample in Stage 2 revealed that continuous DRX(CDRX)predominantly occurred within the(121)[001]grains,whereas the(111)[110]grains underwent a geometric DRX(GDRX)evolution without a noticeable sub-grain structure.Furthermore,a modified Avrami’s DRX kinetics model was utilized to predict the microstructural refinement in the Al-7Mg alloy during the DRX evolution.Although this kinetics model did not accurately capture the DDRX behavior in Stage 1,it effectively simulated the DRX rate in Stage 2.The texture index was employed to assess the evolution of the texture isotropy during hot-torsion test,demonstrating significant improvement(>75%)in texture randomness before the commencement of Stage 2.This initial texture evolution is attributed to the rotation of parent grains and the substructure evolution,rather than to an increase in X_(DRX).

Hot Compressive Deformation Characteristics of Al-9.3Zn-2.4Mg-1.1Cu Alloy

To understand the hot compression deformation characteristics of the self-developed Al-9.3Zn-2.4Mg^(-1).1Cu alloy,the hot compression tests of Al-9.3Zn-2.4Mg^(-1).1Cu alloy were investigated by Gleeble 1500 thermo-mechanical simulator to determine the best hot processing conditions.The hot deformation temperatures were 300,350,400,and 450℃,and the strain rates were 1,0.1,0.01,and 0.003 s^(-1),respectively.Based on the experimental results,the constitutive equation and hot processing maps are established,and the corresponding strain rate and temperature-sensitive index are analyzed.The results show that Al-9.3Zn-2.4Mg^(-1).1Cu alloy has a dynamic softening trend and high strain rate sensitivity during the isothermal compression process.The hot deformation behavior can be described by an Arrhenius-type equation after strain compensation.The temperature has a negligible effect on the hot processing properties,while a low strain rate is favorable for the hot working of alloy.The processing maps and microstructure show that the optimal processing conditions were in the temperature range of 400-450℃and strain rate range of 0.003-0.005 s^(-1).

Enhanced Cooling Efficiency of Urban Trees on Hotter Summer Days in 70 Cities of China

Increasing the urban tree cover percentage(TCP) is widely recognized as an efficient way to mitigate the urban heat island effect. The cooling efficiency of urban trees can be either enhanced or attenuated on hotter days, depending on the physiological response of urban trees to rising ambient temperature. However, the response of urban trees' cooling efficiency to rising urban temperature remains poorly quantified for China's cities. In this study, we quantify the response of urban trees' cooling efficiency to rising urban temperature at noontime [~1330 LT(local time), LT=UTC+8] in 17summers(June, July, and August) from 2003–19 in 70 economically developed cities of China based on satellite observations. The results show that urban trees have stronger cooling efficiency with increasing temperature, suggesting additional cooling benefits provided by urban trees on hotter days. The enhanced cooling efficiency values of urban trees range from 0.002 to 0.055℃ %-1 per 1℃ increase in temperature across the selected cities, with larger values for the lowTCP-level cities. The response is also regulated by background temperature and precipitation, as the additional cooling benefit tends to be larger in warmer and wetter cities at the same TCP level. The positive response of urban trees' cooling efficiency to rising urban temperature is explained mainly by the stronger evapotranspiration of urban trees on hotter days.These results have important implications for alleviating urban heat risk by utilizing urban trees, particularly considering that extreme hot days are becoming more frequent in cities under global warming.

Evolution of microstructure and texture of AZ80 magnesium alloy under hot torsion with constant decreasing temperature rate

Hot torsion tests for AZ80 magnesium alloy were carried out in the temperature range of 380℃-260℃,with a constant decreasing temperature rate of 10℃/s in order to weaken the basal texture and refine the grains.The results indicated that the average grain sizes were refined forming gradient structure with increasing specimen radial position from center(12.2-5.4μm),and that the initial basal texture intensity of the extruded magnesium alloy was weakened from 46.2 to 8.3.Furthermore,the extension twins(ETs)could be disintegrated from the twins forming separated twins with smaller sizes.Interestingly,ETs with the same twin variant intersecting with each other could be coalesced forming grains with similar orientation,while ETs with different twin variants were separated by twins boundaries contributing to grain refinement.Moreover,in addition to the conventional continuous dynamic recrystallized(CDRX)grains with 30˚orientation rotated around C-axis of the parent grains,CDRXed grains with 30˚rotation around a-axis and random rotation axis were also discerned.Besides,the CDRX evolution induced twins were also elaborated,exhibiting the complex competition between CDRX and twining.Hot torsion deformation with constant decreasing temperatures rate is an effective way of grain refinement and texture modification.

Influence of pore structure heterogeneity on channeling channels during hot water flooding in heavy oil reservoir based on CT scanning

Hot water flooding is an effective way to develop heavy oil reservoirs.However,local channeling channels may form,possibly leading to a low thermal utilization efficiency and high water cut in the reservoir.The pore structure heterogeneity is an important factor in forming these channels.This study proposes a method that mixes quartz sand with different particle sizes to prepare weakly heterogeneous and strongly heterogeneous models through which hot water flooding experiments are conducted.During the experiments,computer tomography(CT)scanning identifies the pore structure and micro remaining oil saturation distribution to analyze the influence of the pore structure heterogeneity on the channeling channels.The oil saturation reduction and average pore size are divided into three levels to quantitatively describe the relationship between the channeling channel distribution and pore structure heterogeneity.The zone where oil saturation reduction exceeds 20%is defined as a channeling channel.The scanning area is divided into 180 equally sized zones based on the CT scanning images,and threedimensional(3D)distributions of the channeling channels are developed.Four micro remaining oil distribution patterns are proposed,and the morphology characteristics of micro remaining oil inside and outside the channeling channels are analyzed.The results show that hot water flooding is more balanced in the weakly heterogeneous model,and the oil saturation decreases by more than 20%in most zones without narrow channeling channels forming.In the strongly heterogeneous model,hot water flooding is unbalanced,and three narrow channeling channels of different lengths form.In the weakly heterogeneous model,the oil saturation reduction is greater in zones with larger pores.The distribution range of the average pore size is larger in the strongly heterogeneous model.The network remaining oil inside the channeling channels is less than outside the channeling channels,and the hot water converts the network remaining oil into cluster,film,and droplet remaining oil.

Effect of Gd Addition on Hot Deformation Behavior and Microstructure Evolution of 7075 Aluminum Alloy

In order to clarify the effect of rare earth Gd on the microstructure evolution and deformation behavior of 7075 aluminum alloy during hot compression,uniaxial compression tests of Al-Zn-Mg-Cu-0.5%Gd were conducted at strain rates of 0.001,0.01,0.1,and 1 s^(-1)with the temperatures ranging from 350 to 450℃.The microstructural evolution during deformation was characterized using optical microscopy and electron backscatter diffraction(EBSD)techniques.The experimental results indicate that the addition of the rare earth element Gd significantly increases the peak flow stress and thermal activation energy of the alloy.Due to the pinning effect of rare earth phases,dislocation movement is hindered,leading to an increased level of work hardening in the alloy.However,the dynamic recrystallization of the alloy is complicated.At a high Z(Zener-Hollomon parameter)values,recrystallization occurs in the form of DDRX(Discontinuous Dynamic Recrystallization),making it easier to nucleate at grain boundaries.As the Z value decreases gradually,the recrystallization mechanism transitions from discontinuous dynamic recrystallization(DDRX)to continuous dynamic recrystallization(CDRX).At a low Z values with the strain rate of 0.001 s^(-1),the inhibitory effect of rare earths weakens,resulting in a comparable recrystallization ratio between Al-Zn-Mg-Cu-Gd alloy and 7075 aluminum alloy.Moreover,the average grain size of the aluminum alloy with Gd addition is only half that of 7075 aluminum.The addition of Gd provides Orowan and substructure strengthening for the alloy,which greatly improves the work-hardening of the alloy compared with 7075 aluminum alloy and improves the strength of the alloy.

Hot Deformation Behavior of Ti-6Al-4V-0.5Ni-0.5Nb Titanium Alloy

Characterization of hot deformation behavior of Ti-6Al-4V-0.5Ni-0.5Nb titanium alloy was investigated through isothermal compression at various temperatures from 750 to 1050℃and strain rate from 0.01 to 10 s^(-1).The isothermal compression experiment results showed that the peak stress of Ti-6Al-4V-0.5Ni-0.5Nb titanium alloy decreased with the temperature increasing and the strain rate decreasing.The softening mechanism was dynamic recovery below T_(β)and changed to dynamic recrystallization above T_(β).The arrheniustype relationship was used to calculate the constitutive equation of Ti-6Al-4V-0.5Ni-0.5Nb alloy in two-phase regions.It was found that the apparent activation energies were 427.095 kJ·mol^(-1)in theα+βphase region and 205.451 kJ·mol^(-1)in theβphase region,respectively.On the basis of dynamic materials model,the processing map is generated,which shows that the highest peak efficiency of power dissipation of 56%occurs at about 1050℃/0.01 s^(-1).It can be found in the processing maps that the strain had significant effect on the peak region of power dissipation efficiency of Ti-6Al-4V-0.5Ni-0.5Nb alloy.Furthermore,optimized hot working regions were investigated and validated through microstructure observation.The optimum thermo mechanical process condition for hot working of Ti-6Al-4V-0.5Ni-0.5Nb titanium alloy was suggested to be in the temperature range of 950-1000℃with a strain rate of 0.01-0.1 s^(-1).

Enhancing constitutive description and workability characterization of Mg alloy during hot deformation using machine learning-based Arrhenius-type model

Hot deformation is a commonly employed processing technique to enhance the ductility and workability of Mg alloy.However,the hot deformation of Mg alloy is highly sensitive to factors such as temperature,strain rate,and strain,leading to complex flow behavior and an exceptionally narrow processing window for Mg alloy.To overcome the shortcomings of the conventional Arrhenius-type(AT)model,this study developed machine learning-based Arrhenius-type(ML-AT)models by combining the genetic algorithm(GA),particle swarm optimization(PSO),and artificial neural network(ANN).Results indicated that when describing the flow behavior of the AQ80 alloy,the PSO-ANN-AT model demonstrates the most prominent prediction accuracy and generalization ability among all ML-AT and AT models.Moreover,an activation energy-processing(AEP)map was established using the reconstructed flow stress and activation energy fields based on the PSO-ANN-AT model.Experimental validations revealed that this AEP map exhibits superior predictive capability for microstructure evolution compared to the one established by the traditional interpolation methods,ultimately contributing to the precise determination of the optimum processing window.These findings provide fresh insights into the accurate constitutive description and workability characterization of Mg alloy during hot deformation.

Microstructure and Hot Tearing Sensitivity Simulation and Parameters Optimization for the Centrifugal Casting of Al-Cu Alloy

Four typical theories on the formation of thermal tears:strength,liquid film,intergranular bridging,and solidifica-tion shrinkage compensation theories.From these theories,a number of criteria have been derived for predicting the formation of thermal cracks,such as the stress-based Niyama,Clyne,and RDG(Rapaz-Dreiser-Grimaud)criteria.In this paper,a mathematical model of horizontal centrifugal casting was established,and numerical simulation analysis was conducted for the centrifugal casting process of cylindrical Al-Cu alloy castings to investigate the effect of the centrifugal casting process conditions on the microstructure and hot tearing sensitivity of alloy castings by using the modified RDG hot tearing criterion.Results show that increasing the centrifugal rotation and pouring speeds can refine the microstructure of the alloy but increasing the pouring and mold preheating temperatures can lead to an increase in grain size.The grain size gradually transitions from fine grain on the outer layer to coarse grain on the inner layer.Meanwhile,combined with the modified RDG hot tearing criterion,the overall distribution of the castings’hot tearing sensitivity was analyzed.The analysis results indicate that the porosity in the middle region of the casting was large,and hot tearing defects were prone to occur.The hot tearing tendency on the inner side of the casting was greater than that on the outer side.The effects of centrifugal rotation speed,pouring temperature,and preheating temperature on the thermal sensitivity of Al-Cu alloy castings are summarized in this paper.This study revealed that the tendency of alloy hot cracking decreases with the increase of the centrifugal speed,and the maximum porosity of castings decreases first and then increases with the pouring temperature.As the preheating temperature increases,the overall maximum porosity of castings shows a decreasing trend.

Temperature dependence of mechanical properties and damage evolution of hot dry rocks under rapid cooling

Understanding the differences in mechanical properties and damage characteristics of granitoid under high temperatures is crucial for exploring deep geothermal resources.This study analyzes the evolution of the acoustic emission(AE)characteristics and mechanical parameters of granodiorite and granite after heating and water cooling by uniaxial compression and variable-angle shear tests under different temperature gradients.We identify their changes in mesostructure and mineral composition with electron probe microanalysis and scanning electron microscopy.Results show that these two hot dry rocks have similar diagenetic minerals and microstructure,but show significantly different mechanical and acoustic characteristics,and even opposing evolution trends in a certain temperature range.At the temperatures ranging from 100℃to 500℃,the compressive and shear mechanical properties of granodiorite switch repeatedly between weakening and strengthening,and those of granite show a continuous weakening trend.At 600℃,both rocks exhibit a deterioration of mechanical properties.The damage mode of granite is characterized by initiating at low stress,exponential evolutionary activity,and intensified energy release.In contrast,granodiorite exhibits the characteristics of initiating at high stress,volatile evolutionary activity,and intermittent energy release,due to its more stable microstructure and fewer thermal defects compared to granite.As the temperature increases,the initiation and propagation of secondary cracks in granodiorite are suppressed to a certain extent,and the seismicity and brittleness are enhanced.The subtle differences in grain size,microscopic heterogeneity,and mineral composition of the two hot dry rocks determine the different acoustic-mechanical characteristics under heating and cooling,and the evolution trends with temperature.These findings are of great significance for the scientific and efficient construction of rock mass engineering by rationally utilizing different rock strata properties.

Effect of hot isostatic pressure on the microstructure and tensile properties of γ'-strengthened superalloy fabricated through induction-assisted directed energy deposition

The microstructure characteristics and strengthening mechanism of Inconel738LC(IN-738LC) alloy prepared by using induction-assisted directed energy deposition(IDED) were elucidated through the investigation of samples subjected to IDED under 1050℃ preheating with and without hot isostatic pressing(HIP,1190℃,105 MPa,and 3 h).Results show that the as-deposited sample mainly consisted of epitaxial columnar crystals and inhomogeneously distributed γ’ phases in interdendritic and dendritic core regions.After HIP,grain morphology changed negligibly,whereas the size of the γ’ phase became increasingly even.After further heat treatment(HT,1070℃,2 h + 845℃,24 h),the γ’ phase in the as-deposited and HIPed samples presented a bimodal size distribution,whereas that in the as-deposited sample showed a size that remained uneven.The comparison of tensile properties revealed that the tensile strength and uniform elongation of the HIP + HTed sample increased by 5% and 46%,respectively,due to the synergistic deformation of bimodal γ’phases,especially large cubic γ’ phases.Finally,the relationship between phase transformations and plastic deformations in the IDEDed sample was discussed on the basis of generalized stability theory in terms of the trade-off between thermodynamics and kinetics.

Design,preparation,microstructure and mechanical property of the lightweight radiation-shielding Mg-Ta-Al composites basing differential temperature hot rolling

A novel lightweight,radiation-shielding Mg-Ta-Al layered metal-matrix composite(LMC)was successful designed by doping the extremely refractory metal(Ta)into Mg sheets.These Mg-based LMCs sheets shows excellent radiation-dose shield effect,about 145 krad·a^(−1),which is about 17 times of traditional Mg alloy,while its surface density is only about 0.9 g·cm^(−2),reducing by 60%than that of pure Ta.The quantitate relationship between radiation-dose and the materials’thickness was also confirmed to the logistic function when the surface density is in the range of 0.6-1.5 g·cm^(−2).Meantime,the rolling parameters,interface microstructure and mechanical properties in both as-rolled and annealing treated samples were evaluated.The sheets possess a special dissimilar atoms diffusion transitional zone containing an obvious inter-diffusion Mg-Al interface and the unique micro-corrugated Ta-Al interface,as well as a thin Al film with a thickness of about 10μm.The special zone could reduce the stress concentration and enhance the strength of Mg-Ta-Al LMCs.The interface bonding strength reaches up to 54-76 MPa.The ultimate tensile strength(UTS)and yield strength(TYS)of the Mg-Ta-Al sheet were high to 413 MPa and 263 MPa,respectively,along with an elongation of 5.8%.The molecular dynamics(MD)analysis results show that the two interfaces exhibit different formation mechanism,the Mg-Al interface primarily depended on Mg/Al atoms diffusion basing point defects movement,while the Ta-Al interface with a micro-interlock pining shape formed by close-packed planes slipping during high temperature strain-induced deformation process.

Hot carrier cooling in lead halide perovskites probed by two-pulse photovoltage correlation spectroscopy

The next-generation hot-carrier solar cells,which can overcome the Shockley-Queisser limit by harvesting excessenergy from hot carriers,are receiving increasing attention.Lead halide perovskite(LHP)materials are considered aspromising candidates due to their exceptional photovoltaic properties,good stability and low cost.The cooling rate of hotcarriers is a key parameter influencing the performance of hot-carrier solar cells.In this work,we successfully detected hotcarrier dynamics in operando LHP devices using the two-pulse photovoltage correlation technique.To enhance the signalto-noise ratio,we applied the delay-time modulation method instead of the traditional power modulation.This advancementallowed us to detect the intraband hot carrier cooling time for the organic LHP CH_(3)NH_(3)PbBr_(3),which is as short as 0.21 ps.In comparison,the inorganic Cs-based LHP CsPbBr_(3)exhibited a longer cooling time of around 0.59 ps due to differentphonon contributions.These results provide us new insights into the optimal design of hot-carrier solar cells and highlightthe potential of LHP materials in advancing solar cell technology.

Hot tearing behavior of AZ91D magnesium alloy

Hot tearing is a serious destructive solidification defect of magnesium alloys and other casting metals.Quantitative and controllable measurements on the thermal and the mechanical behavior of an alloy during its solidification process are crucial for the understanding of hot tearing formation.We developed a new experimental method and setup to characterize hot tearing behavior via controlled cooling and active loading to force hot hearing formation on cooling at selected fractions of solid.The experimental setup was fully instrumented so that stress,strain,strain rate,and temperature can be measured in-situ while hot tearing was developing.An AZ91D magnesium alloy,which is prone to hot tearing,was used in this study.Results indicate that when hot hearing occurred,the local temperature,critical stress,and cumulative strain were directly affected by strain rate.Depending on the applied strain rate,hot tearing of the AZ91D magnesium alloy could occur in two solidification stages:one in the dendrite solidification stage(fS∼0.81-0.82)and the other in the eutectic solidification stage(fS∼0.99).AZ91D alloy exhibited distinct mechanical behaviors in these two ranges of fraction solid.

Ballistic performance of titanium-based layered composites made using blended elemental powder metallurgy and hot isostatic pressing

Metal matrix composites tiles based on Ti-6Al-4V(Ti64)alloy,reinforced with 10,20,and 40(vol%)of either TiC or TiB particles were made using press-and-sinter blended elemental powder metallurgy(BEPM)and then bonded together into 3-layer laminated plates using hot isostatic pressing(HIP).The laminates were ballistically tested and demonstrated superior performance.The microstructure and properties of the laminates were analyzed to determine the effect of the BEPM and HIP processing on the ballistic properties of the layered plates.The effect of porosity in sintered composites on further diffusion bonding of the plates during HIP is analyzed to understand the bonding features at the interfaces between different adjacent layers in the laminate.Exceptional ballistic performance of fabricated structures was explained by a significant reduction in the residual porosity of the BEPM products by their additional processing using HIP,which provides an unprecedented increase in the hardness of the layered composites.It is argued that the combination of the used two technologies,BEPM and HIP is principally complimentary for the materials in question with the abilities to solve the essential problems of each used individually.