Nickel and nickel-phosphorous matrix composite electrocoatings

Nickel and nickel-phosphorous matrix composite coatings reinforced by TiO2,SiC and WC particles were produced under direct and pulse current conditions from an additive-free Watts' type bath.The influence of the variable electrolysis parameters(type of current,frequency of current pulses and current density) and the reinforcing particles properties(type,size and concentration in the bath) on the surface morphology and the structure of the deposits was examined.It is demonstrated that the embedding of ceramic particles modifies in various ways the nickel electrocrystallisation process.On the other hand,Ni-P amorphous matrix is not affected by the occlusion of the particles.Overall,the imposition of pulse current conditions leads to composite coatings with increased embedded percentage and more homogenous distribution of particles in the matrix than coatings produced under direct current regime.

Thermo-Mechanical Processing of Iron-Phosphorous-Carbon Alloys

Phosphorous is widely considered as an impurity in steels. Consequently, its role as an important alloying element in iron could never be established. The present paper deals with the exploitation of phosphorous as a useful alloying element in iron in conjunction with carbon by way of improved thermo-mechanical processing leading to a tough steel equivalent to high strength low alloy steels. It was observed that phosphorous is pushed towards ferrite grains by carbon which in turn forms pearlite along ferrite grains. Suitable adjustment in the amounts of carbon and phosphorous yields an attractive set of mechanical properties after appropriate processing. Typical chemistry and processing combinations yields UTS: 700 MPa and % El: 25% Area under the stress-strain curve: 60 Joules.

Effect of electropulsing treatment on corrosion behavior of nickel base corrosion-resistant alloy

Electropulsing treatment（EPT） was performed on a nickel base corrosion resistant alloy during aging.The effect of EPT on the microstructure and corrosion resistance of the alloy and the mechanisms were investigated.The results show that the intergranular corrosion resistance can be improved substantially without the degradation of mechanical properties of the alloy by EPT.The EPT has an effect of enhancing the interface diffusion rate of the alloying element,which is higher than the body diffusion rate.And thus discontinuous precipitation of M23C6 type carbides appears at the grain boundary in the alloy by EPT,which decreases the depletion extent of the alloying elements at the grain boundary substantially.As a result,the intergranular corrosion resistance of the alloy can be improved by the EPT without any degradation of mechanical properties.

Effects of heat treatment on mechanical properties of ODS nickel-based superalloy sheets prepared by EB-PVD

A Y2O3 dispersion strengthened nickel-based superalloy sheet（0.15 mm thick） was prepared by electron beam physical vapor deposition（EB-PVD） technology.Different heat treatments were used to improve the mechanical properties of the alloy sheet.Differential thermal analysis（DTA） was used to examine the thermal stability of the as-deposited sheet.Element contents,phase composition and microstructure investigations on as-deposited and heat treated specimens were performed by X-ray fluorescence spectrometer（XRF）,X-ray diffraction（XRD） and scanning electron microscopy（SEM）.Tensile tests were conducted at room temperature on specimens as-deposited and heat treated.The results show that the as-deposited sheet is composed of equiaxed grains on the substrate side and columnar grains on the evaporation side.The as-deposited sheet shows poor ductility due to micropores between columnar grains.The strength and ductility can be improved effectively by annealing at 800°C for 3 h.For samples treated at 1100°C,the strength drops down due to the precipitates of Y3Al5O12（YAG）.

Nickel release rate of 18KW gold alloy for ornaments

Nickel is widely used as a bleaching element in white gold alloys, but it is a potential allergen. In this paper, a popular 18 KW gold alloy, often called ＂safe nickel,＂ was chosen as the experimental material; its nickel release rates under six different processing conditions were evaluated according to the EN1811 standard. The results reveal that both the surface processing method and heat treatment technology significantly affect the nickel release rate. A coarse surface releases more nickel ions than a smooth surface. The sample normalized at 700 ~C in the single region has a lower nickel release rate than the one treated at 550 ~C in the two-phase phase region, while high temperature normalizing at 800 ~C will accelerate it. All the measured nickel release rates of the experimental material under various processing conditions exceed the permitted threshold value in the Nickel Directive, which indicates that there exists the potential risk of nickel- induced allergy when it is used to make jewelries, espe- cially for piercing types.

The microscopic mechanical performance for nonuniform welded joint of nickel-based alloy with nanoindentation

To quantify the nonuniform micromechanical performance of welded joint,the load-displacement curves by nanoindentation test were introduced to examine different zones including base metal,coarse grained heat affected zone,partially melted zone,weld metal near the fusion boundary and weld metal center.The results showed that the strengthening effect of weld metal was more obvious than that of heat affected zone for nickel based welded joint and especially in coarse grained heat affected zone,the hardening resulted from overheating was not apparent.Nickel based weld metal with high content of alloying elements which were often segregated at interdendritic regions or precipitated in grain interior under nonequilibrium solidification contributed to the characteristics that differ from conventional low alloy steel welded joint.

Microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of friction stir-welded C71000 copper–nickel alloy and 304 austenitic stainless steel

Dissimilar joints comprised of copper–nickel and steel alloys are a challenge for manufacturers in modern industries, as these metals are not thermomechanically or chemically well matched. The present study investigated the effects of tool rotational speed and linear speed on the microstructure and mechanical properties of friction stir-welded C71000 copper–nickel and 340 stainless steel alloys using a tungsten carbide tool with a cylindrical pin. The results indicated that a rotational-to-linear speed ratio of 12.5 r/mm did not cause any macro defects, whereas some tunneling defects and longitudinal cracks were found at other ratios that were lower and higher. Furthermore, chromium carbide was formed on the grain boundaries of the 304 stainless steel near the shoulder zone and inside the joint zone, directing carbon and chromium penetration toward the grain boundaries. Tensile strength and elongation percentages were 84% and 65% of the corresponding values in the copper–nickel base metal, respectively.

Effect of surface preparation on corrosion properties and nickel release of a NiTi alloy

Surface preparation is potentially important to the corrosion and biomedical properties of NiTi shape memory alloys. The effect of surface preparation on corrosion properties and nickel release of a Ti-56 wt.%Ni alloy has been studied. Surface of the NiTi coupons were prepared by four methods, namely, chemical etching, electropolishing, mechanical polishing and oxidizing, and then examined by corrosion test system. Furthermore, the Ni ion releases from NiTi samples with different surface preparations dipped in 1% HCl solution were analysed. Compared with the surface after chemical treatment, mechanical polishing and thermal oxidation, electropolished surface has better corrosion resistance and less nickel release for not only its lower surface roughness, but also the composition and property of its surface film.

Urinary levels of nickel and chromium associated with dental restoration by nickel-chromium based alloys

This paper aims to investigate if the dental restoration of nickel-chromium based alloy(Ni-Cr) leads to the enhanced excretions of Ni and Cr in urine.Seven hundred and ninety-five patients in a dental hospital had single or multiple Ni-Cr alloy restoration recently and 198 controls were recruited to collect information on dental restoration by questionnaire and clinical examination.Urinary concentrations of Ni and Cr from each subject were measure by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry.Compared to the control group,the urinary level of Ni was significantly higher in the patient group of < 1 month of the restoration duration,among which higher Ni excretions were found in those with either a higher number of teeth replaced by dental alloys or a higher index of metal crown not covered with the porcelain.Urinary levels of Cr were significantly higher in the three patient groups of <1,1 to <3 and 3 to <6 months,especially in those with a higher metal crown exposure index.Linear curve estimations showed better relationships between urinary Ni and Cr in patients within 6-month groups.Our data suggested significant increased excretions of urinary Ni and Cr after dental restoration.Potential short- and long-term effects of Ni-Cr alloy restoration need to be investigated.

DENDRITE REFINING AND EUTECTIC TRANSFORMATION BEHAVIOR OF NICKEL-BASE SINGLE CRYSTAL (NBSC) SUPERALLOY

ＤＥＮＤＲＩＴＥＲＥＦＩＮＩＮＧＡＮＤＥＵＴＥＣＴＩＣＴＲＡＮＳＦＯＲＭＡＴＩＯＮＢＥＨＡＶＩＯＲＯＦＮＩＣＫＥＬ┐ＢＡＳＥＳＩＮＧＬＥＣＲＹＳＴＡＬ（ＮＢＳＣ）ＳＵＰＥＲＡＬＬＯＹＤｕＷｅｉ（杜炜），ＬｉＪｉｎｓｈａｎ（李金山），ＬｉＪｉａｎｇｕｏ...

Mechanism of Nickel-Aluminium Alloy Electroplating

The effect of operating conditions on the aluminium content of Ni-Al alloy deposit and the catalytic function of NaF on electrodeposition in the nonaqueous solution containing aluminium are investigated.The results indicate that the plated aluminuim content will be increased with the rise of current density in a given range.When the current density is 2.5A/dm 2,nickle aluminium alloy containing 13.1 wt% aluminium will be deposited.The plated aluminium content will be increased by 2wt% as 0.1mol/L NaF is added to the bath.

Properties of fluoride film and its effect on electroless nickel deposition on magnesium alloys

The physical characteristics and microstructure of the fluoride film formed during activation were investigated using SEM,XPS and SAM,and its stability in electroless nickel(EN) bath was analyzed.The effects of the fluoride film on EN deposition were studied additionally.The results show that the fluoride film on magnesium alloys is a kind of porous film composed of MgF2 with thickness of 1.6-3.2 μm.The composition of the activation bath and pretreatment of EN processing have influence on the composition of the fluoride film.The fluoride is stable and dissolves little in EN bath;as a result,the fluoride film can protect magnesium substrate from the corrosion of EN bath.The composition of fluoride determines the initial deposition of EN and part of the fluoride film finally exists as inclusion in EN coating.

New approach for assessing the weldability of precipitation-strengthened nickel-base superalloys

A new procedure was proposed for evaluating the weldability of nickel-base superalloys. The theory is on the basis of two microstructural patterns. In pattern I, the weld microstructure exhibits severe alloying segregation, many low-melting eutectic structures, and low weldability. The weld requires a weaker etchant and a shorter time for etching. In pattern Ⅱ, the weld microstructure displays less alloying segregation, low quantity of eutectic structures, and high weldability. The weld needs a stronger etchant and a longer time for etching. Five superalloys containing different amounts of Nb and Ti were designed to verify the patterns. After welding operations, the welds were etched by four etchants with different corrosivities. The weldability was determined by TG-DSC measurements. The metallography and weldability results confirmed the theoretic patterns. Finally, the etchant corrosivity and etching time were proposed as new criteria to evaluate the weldability of nickel-base superalloys.

The electrochemical characteristics of AB_(4)-type rare earth-Mg-Ni-based superlattice structure hydrogen storage alloys for nickel metal hydride battery

Rare earth-Mg-Ni-based alloys with superlattice structures are new generation negative electrode materials for the nickel metal hydride batteries.Among them,the novel AB_(4)-type superlattice structure alloy is supposed to have superior cycling stability and rate capability.Yet its preparation is hindered by the crucial requirement of temperature and the special composition which is close to the other superlattice structure.Here,we prepare rare earth-Mg-Ni-based alloy and study the phase transformation of alloys to make clear the formation of AB_(4)-type phase.It is found Pr_(5)Co_(19)-type phase is converted from Ce_(5)Co_(19)-type phase and shows good stability at higher temperature compared to the Ce_(5)Co_(19)-type phase in the range of 930-970℃.Afterwards,with further 5℃increasing,AB_(4)-type superlattice structure forms at a temperature of 975℃by consuming Pr_(5)Co_(19)-type phase.In contrast with A_(5)B_(19)-type alloy,AB_(4)-type alloy has superior rate capability owing to the dominant advantages of charge transfer and hydrogen diffusion.Besides,AB_(4)-type alloy shows long lifespan whose capacity retention rates are 89.2%at the 100;cycle and 82.8%at the 200;cycle,respectively.AB_(4)-type alloy delivers 1.53 wt.%hydrogen storage capacity at room temperature and exhibits higher plateau pressure than Pr_(5)Co_(19)-type alloy.The work provides novel AB_(4)-type alloy with preferable electrochemical performance as negative electrode material to inspire the development of nickel metal hydride batteries.

Electrorefining of nickel from nickel–chromium alloy in molten LiCl–KCl

Electrorefining of nickel in LiCl–KCl melt was investigated using electrochemical techniques. Nickel products after electrorefining were characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence, and scanning electron microscopy. Both cyclic voltammetry and square wave voltammetry results suggested that Ni^2+ was directly reduced to Ni metal in LiCl–KCl. Based on a preliminary study on the electrochemical behavior of nickel and chromium, electrorefining was carried out under constant potential, whereupon deposits were formed on the cathode. The purity of nickel increased from 72.62% in the original alloy to 99.83% in cathodic deposits, as determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy analysis. Almost all the nickel in the alloy could be recovered during the electrochemical process with[90% current efficiency. A lower concentration of NiCl2 in LiCl– KCl was found to be favorable for nickel electrorefining, as increased NiCl2 concentration caused severe corrosion of the nickel anode at the gas–liquid interface due to the accumulation of Cl2 gas.

Two-stage reduction for the preparation of ferronickel alloy from nickel laterite ore with low Co and high MgO contents

The preparation of ferronickel alloy from the nickel laterite ore with low Co and high MgO contents was studied by using a pre-reduction-smelting method. The effects of reduction time, calcination temperature, quantity of reductant and calcium oxide (CaO), and pellet diameter on the reduction ratio of Fe and on the pellet strength were investigated. The results show that, for a roasting temperature > 800 A degrees C, a roasting time > 30 min, 1.5wt% added anthracite coal, 5wt% added CaO, and a pellet size of similar to 10 mm, the reduction ratio of Fe exceeds 70% and the compressive strength of the pellets exceeds 10 kg per pellet. Reduction smelting experiments were performed by varying the smelting time, temperature, quantity of reductant and CaO, and reduction ratio of Fe in the pellets. Optimal conditions for the reduction smelting process are as follows: smelting time, 30-45 min; smelting temperature, 1550A degrees C; quantity of reductant, 4wt%-5wt%; and quantity of CaO, 5wt%; leading to an Fe reduction ratio of 75% in the pellets. In addition, the mineral composition of the raw ore and that during the reduction process were investigated by process mineralogy.

Effect of additives on anode passivation in direct electrolysis process of copper–nickel based alloy scraps

Effects of nickel component,thiourea,glue and chloride ions and their interactions on the passivation of copper–nickel based alloy scrap anodes were investigated by combining conventional electrochemical techniques.Results obtained from chronopotentiometry and linear voltammetry curves showed that the Ni component made electrochemical stability of the anode strong and difficult to be corroded,caused by the adsorption of generated Cu2O,NiO or copper powder to the anode surface.The Ni2+reducing Cu2+to Cu+or copper powder aggravated the anode passivation.In a certain range of the glue concentration≤8×10–6 or thiourea concentration≤4×10–6,the increase of glue or thiourea concentration increases the anode passivation time.Over this range,glue and thiourea played an adverse effect.The increase of chloride ions concentration led to the increase in passivation time.

Effect of electroless plating nickel treatment on electrode properties of Zr-based AB_2 type alloy

An electroless plating nickel treatment was processed to improve the active behaviors and discharge capacities of Zr based AB 2 alloys. The effects of the nickel coating on the surface appearance, the structure of the alloy powders and the electrode characteristics were investigated. It is found that the Ni rich layer formed through electroless plating nickel treatment plays an important role on the initial activation property and the discharge capacity of Zr based alloy. The optimal content of electroless plating nickel is about 15%, and the discharge capacity of the electrode can be increased to 400?mA·h·g -1 after 6 cycles. Although coated nickel is beneficial for quick activation and discharge capacity, excessive electroless plating nickel can result in a decreased discharge capacity.

Liquid-solid interface control of BFe10-1-1 cupronickel alloy tubes during HCCM horizontal continuous casting and its effect on the microstructure and properties

Based on horizontal continuous casting with a heating-cooling combined mold （HCCM） technology, this article investigated the effects of processing parameters on the liquid-solid interface （LSI） position and the influence of LSI position on the surface quality, microstructure, texture, and mechanical properties of a BFe10-1-1 tube （φ50 mm × 5 mm）. HCCM efficiently improves the temperature gradient in front of the LSI. Through controlling the LSI position, the radial columnar-grained microstructure that is commonly generated by cooling mold casting can be eliminated, and the axial columnar-grained microstructure can be obtained. Under the condition of 1250℃ melting and holding temperature, 1200-1250℃ mold heating temperature, 50-80 mm/min mean drawing speed, and 500-700 L/h cooling water flow rate, the LSI position is located at the middle of the transition zone or near the entrance of the cooling section, and the as-cast tube not only has a strong axial columnar-grained microstructure （{hkl}〈621〉, {hkl}〈221〉） due to strong axial heating conduction during solidification but also has smooth internal and external surfaces without cracks, scratches, and other macroscopic defects due to short solidified shell length and short contact length between the tube and the mold at high temperature. The elongation and tensile strength of the tube are 46.0%-47.2% and 210-221 MPa, respectively, which can be directly used for the subsequent cold-large-strain processing.