Precipitation Strengthening by Nanometer-sized Carbides in Hot-rolled Ferritic Steels

The mechanical properties of the hot-rolled plates of Ti steel and Ti-Mo steel after isothermal transformation in a temperature range of 600 700 ℃ for 60 min have been tested, and the microstructures of the matrix and the characteristics of precipitated nanometer-sized carbides have also been examined by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The precipitation regularity of nanometer-sized carbides has been studied by thermodynamic method and the contributions of corresponding strengthening mechanisms to the total yield strength have been calculated. The tensile strength of hot-rolled Ti-Mo ferritie steel can achieve 780 MPa with an elongation of 20.0% after being isothermally treated at 600 ℃ for 60 rain, and the tensile strength of Ti steel is 605 MPa with an elongation of 22.7%, according to the results of tensile tests. The critical nucleation size of （Ti,Mo）C is smaller than that of TiC at a given isothermal temperature, but the nucleation rate of （Ti, Mo）C is larger than that of TiC. The grainrefinement strengthening and precipitation strengthening contribute the main amount of the total yield strength. The major increase in yield strength with the decrease of isothermal temperature results from the contribution of precipi tation strengthening. The contribution of precipitation strengthening to the yield strength of the steels has been esti mated. The ferrite phase can be strengthened by about 400 MPa through precipitation strengthening in Ti-Mo steel isothermally treated at 600 ℃ for 60 rain, which is about 200 MPa higher than that of Ti steel under the same conditions.

Break the strength-ductility trade-off in a transformation-induced plasticity high-entropy alloy reinforced with precipitation strengthening

Transformation-induced plasticity(TRIP)endows material with continuous work hardening ability,which is considered as a powerful weapon to break the strength-ductility tradeoff.However,FCC based alloys with TRIP effect can not get rid of the“soft”feature of the structure entirely,resulting in insufficient yield strength.Here,a Co_(x)Cr_(25)(AlFeNi)_(75-x) high-entropy alloy is designed.NiAl phase is used as strengthening component to improve yield strength,while TRIP effect ensures plasticity.Compared with the previous TRIP high-entropy alloy,its yield strength is nearly doubled,and the uniform elongation is more than 55%at room temperature.Furthermore,the corresponding multiphase microstructure evolution and deformation mechanisms are investigated.Significantly,stacking faults andΣ3 twin boundaries are confirmed to be the nucleation sites of HCP phase by HAADF-STEM.Ingenious composition design and proper heat treatment process make it a perfect combination of precipitation strengthening and transformationinduced plasticity,and thus guide design in the high-performance alloy.

Precipitation strengthening of nano-scale TiC in a duplex low-density steel under near-rapid solidification

Precipitation strengthening of nano-scale TiC is a promising method to improve mechanical properties of Fe–16Mn–9Al–0.8C (wt.%) low-density steel. This work attempted to introduce nano-scale TiC precipitates by adding 1 wt.% Ti element. The experimental results show that these precipitates with the total fraction of about 2 vol.% were formed and no coarse precipitates were observed despite the high Ti addition. It was interesting that the polygonal and needle-shaped TiC precipitates were observed in γ-austenite and δ-ferrite, respectively. Ti addition also decreased the volume fraction of γ-austenite significantly. Correspondingly, the yield strength was increased, but the elongation was significantly decreased due to the significant decrease of γ-austenite. Comparing with the Ti-free steel, the formation of TiC precipitates was the main reason for the increase in yield strength of Ti-bearing steel, and TiC precipitates also led to a higher strain hardening index at the first deformation stage. TiC precipitates promoted the Orowan strengthening, resulting in a higher strain hardening capability than Ti-free steel reinforced by shearable κ-carbide.

Improved mechanical properties and strengthening mechanism with the altered precipitate orientation in magnesium alloys

Aging prior to twinning deformation was proposed to alter the precipitate orientation of the plate-shapedβ-MgAlfrom(0002)basal planes(named basal plates)to■prismatic planes(named prismatic plates)in AZ31 Mg alloy.The experimental results showed that the compressive yield strength(CYS)of the sample containing prismatic plates increased 40 MPa and the compression ratio raised by 22%compared to that containing basal plates.The underlying strengthening mechanism was analyzed via a yield strengthen(YS)model with a function of grain size,precipitate characters(size,oritention,fraction)and Schmid factor(SF).It revealed that the improvement of CYS was mainly attributed to the altered precipitate orientation and refined grain size produced by twinning deformation.Particularly,the prismatic plates always have a stronger hardening effect on basal slip than basal plates under the same varites of precipitate diameter and SF.Besides,the decreased CRSS ratio of prismatic slip to basal slip revealed that the activity of non-basal slip in Mg alloy might be enhanced.More activated slip systems provided more mobile dislocations,contributing to the large compression ratio of the Mg rolled sheet with prismatic plates.

Towards high strength cast Mg-RE based alloys:Phase diagrams and strengthening mechanisms

Mg-rare earth(RE)based systems provide several important commercial alloys and many alloy development opportunities for high strength applications,especially in aerospace and defense industries.The phase diagrams,microstructure,and strengthening mechanisms of these multicomponent systems are very complex and often not well understood in literature.We have calculated phase diagrams of important binary,ternary,and multicomponent RE-containing alloy systems,using CALPHAD(CALculation of PHAse Diagrams).Based on these phase diagrams,this paper offers a critical overview on phase equilibria and strengthening mechanisms in these alloy systems,including precipitation,long period stacking order(LPSO),and other intermetallic phases.This review also summarized several promising Mg-RE based cast alloys in comparison with commercial WE54 and WE43 alloys;and explored new strategies for future alloy development for high strength applications.It is pointed out that the combination of precipitation and LPSO phases can lead to superior strength and ductility in Mg-RE based cast alloys.The precipitates and LPSO phases can form a complex three-dimensional network that effectively impedes dislocation motion on the basal and non-basal planes.The LPSO phases can also prevent the coarsening of precipitates when they interact,thus providing good thermal stability at elevated temperatures.Future research is needed to determine how the combination of these two types of phases can be used in alloy design and industrial scale applications.

Nanoscale precipitates and comprehensive strengthening mechanism in AISI H13 steel

The effects of heat treatment on the precipitates and strengthening mechanism in AISI H13 steel were investigated. The results showed that the presence of nanoscale precipitates favorably affected grain refinement and improved the yield strength. The volume fraction of precipitates increased from 1.05% to 2.85% during tempering, whereas the average precipitate size first decreased then increased during tempering. Contributions to the yield strength arising from the various mechanisms were calculated quantificationally, and the results demonstrated that grain refinement and dislocation density most strongly influenced the yield strength. In addition, under the interaction of average size and volume fraction, precipitates＇ contribution to the yield strength ranged from 247.9 to 378.5 MPa. Finally, a root-mean-square summation law of σ = σg ＋ σs ＋（σd^2 ＋ σp^2）^1/2, where σg, σs, σd, and σp represent the contributions of fine-grain strengthening, solid-solution strengthening, dislocation strengthening, and precipitation strengthening, respectively, was confirmed as the most applicable for AISI H13 steel, which indicates a strong link between precipitates and dislocations in AISI H13 steel.

T6处理对Mg-10Gd-3Y-0.6Zr合金组织及拉伸性能的影响(英文)

The effects of solution and ageing treatment (T6) on microstructure and tensile properties of as-extruded Mg-10Gd-3Y-0.6Zr (mass fraction. %) alloy were investigated. The results show that after T6 treatment, the diameter of grain increases to 20 μm. As the second phases dissolve into the matrix, the smaller and denser β′ phases precipitate inside the grains. After T6-treatment, both yield strength (TYS) and ultimate tensile strength (UTS) are increased. Comparing with that in only ageing condition (T5), the UTS and TYS increased from 365 MPa,285 MPa to 400 MPa,310 MPa, respectively, but the elongation decreased from 7.0% to 3.5%. It has been found that the effects of precipitates on the strength are stronger than that of the growth of grain size.

Strengthening effect of Cu-rich phase precipitation in 18Cr9Ni3CuNbN austenitic heat-resisting steel

The Cu-containing austenitic heat-resistant steel 18Cr9Ni3CuNbN, which is being used as superheater and reheater tube material for modern ultra-super-critical （USC） power plants all over the world, has been investigated at 650 ℃ long time aging till 10 000 h. SEM, TEM and 3DAP （three dimensional atom probe） have been used to follow microstructural changes with mechanical property variations. Experimental results show that Cu-rich phase and MX precipitate in the grains as well as M 23 C 6 precipitates at grain boundaries are the main precipitation strengthening phases in this steel. Among them Cu-rich phase is the most important strengthening phase. Homogeneous distribution of very fine nano-size Cu-rich phase has been formed at very early stage of 650 ℃ aging （less than 1 h）. Cu atoms gradually concentrate to Cu-rich particles and the other elements （such as Fe, Cr, Ni etc） diffuse away from Curich particles to γ-matrix with the increasing of aging time at 650 ？ C. The growth rate of Cu-rich phase at 650 ℃ long time aging is very slow and the average diameters of Cu-rich phase have been determined by TEM method. Cu-rich phase keeps in about 30 nm till 650 ℃ aging for 10 000 h. It shows that nano-size Cu-rich phase precipitation strengthening can be kept for long time aging at 650 ℃ because of its excellent stability at high temperatures. According to structure stability study and mechanical properties determination results the Cu-rich phase precipitation sequence and its strengthening mechanism model have been suggested and discussed.

Dislocation-Induced Precipitation and Its Strengthening of Al–Cu–Li–Mg Alloys with High Mg

Generally, the good combination of pre-deformation and aging can improve the mechanical strength of the Al–Cu–Li–Mg alloys. However, the effects of pre-deformation on competitive precipitation relationship and precipitation strengthening have not been clarified in detail in Al–Cu–Li–Mg alloys with high Mg. In the present study, the effects of pre-deformation level on the microstructure and mechanical properties of an Al–2.95 Cu–1.55 Li–0.57 Mg–0.18 Zr alloy have been investigated. It is found that the introduction of dislocation by 5% pre-deformation can facilitate the precipitation of new successive composite precipitates and T _1 precipitates along the sub-grain boundaries or dislocations and inhibit the precipitation of dispersive GPB zones which is the main precipitates of the alloys without pre-deformation. The introduction of 5% pre-deformation can enhance the mechanical properties considerably. When the pre-deformation level increases from 5 to 15%, the number density of the successive composite precipitates and T _1 precipitates increases, and the aspect ratio of T _1 precipitates decreases. The decrease in T _1 precipitate aspect ratio and the increment of the successive composite precipitates result in the reduction in precipitation strengthening. Therefore, the increase in pre-deformation level from 5 to 15% does not further improve the mechanical properties of the alloys, although the dislocation strengthening increases continuously.

Nanophase precipitation and strengthening in a dual-phase Al_(0.5)CoCrFeNi high-entropy alloy

Precipitation-hardening in fcc-based high-entro py alloys(HEAs)have usually been realized by introducing complex intermetallic compounds.In this study,enhanced strength is ascribed to the existence of L1_(2) precipitates and B2/bcc conjoint phases in the fcc matrix.The nano-size particles in the Al_(0.5)CoCrFeNi HEA are produced by cold-rolling,followed by intermediate-temperature-annealing at 650℃.For L1_(2) ordering,the initial granular structure has transformed into lamella structure and then kept stable when the holding time prolonged to 200 h.The formation of this conjoint B2/bcc driven by the concentration profiles takes place when the diffusion process of elements is sufficient after long-time aging.Based on the microstructure analysis,changes in mechanical properties are associated with the shape,size scale and volume fraction of the precipitates.The peak ultimate tensile stress reaches 1221.5 MPa,1.97 times compared with the as-cast alloy,remaining plasticity of 21.3%.

Phase Analysis of Titanium in Steel and Some Aspects on Their Application

Phase analysis of titanium in steel has been carried out on thirty samples with different Ticontent from 0. 036 %-0. 204% . The various heat treatments for the samples are to anneal at 1050-1200 ℃ for a while ,followed by cooling at a rate of 1 . 10, 20 ℃/s ,respectively.It is achieved to separate and determine fine particle TiC ,coarse particle Ti_2CS and TiN ex-tracted from steel by controlling the oxidation potential and acidity of solutions.The results of quantrtative analysis of the individual phase show that 0. 09 %- 0. 13 % Ti-contentis enough to eliminate free nitrogen and transform MnS into Yi_2CS in steel effectively. In the case of0. 06 %- 0. 10 % Ti-content combined with annealing at 1050℃. and quick cooling at 20 ℃/s ,a prop-er amount of fine particle TiC can be precipitated and the rate of TiC (fine )/TiC (total )is high ,which arebeneficial to increase strength and toughness of steel. More Ti-content or cooling slowly will preciprtatemore coarse particle TiC which decreaces toughness severely. The proposed methods for quantitativephase analysis of titanium in steel are given in detail.

Excellent strength-ductility combination in Co_(36)Cr_(15)Fe_(18)Ni_(18)Al_(8)Ti_(4)Mo_(1)multi-principal element alloys by dual-morphology B2 precipitates strengthening

Precipitation strengthening provides one of the most widely-used mechanisms for strengthen-ing multi-principal-element alloys(MPEAs).Here,we report dual-morphology B2 precipitates in Co_(36)Cr_(15)Fe_(18)Ni_(18)Al_(8)Ti_(4)Mo_(1)MPEA obtained by thermo-mechanical processing.Electron microscopy charac-terization reveals that the dual-morphology B2 precipitates are either recrystallized B2 particles formed at the grain boundaries or triple junctions with recrystallization process,or rod-like within the non-recrystallized FCC matrix.The dual-morphology B2 precipitates enhance the yield strength and ultimate tensile strength up to 1120 MPa and 1480 MPa,respectively.This work suggests the mechanical proper-ties of the alloy can be optimized by B2 precipitation strengthening to meet the needs of engineering applications.

Strengthening and deformation mechanism of high-strength CrMnFeCoNi high entropy alloy prepared by powder metallurgy

Multiphase CrMnFeCoNi high-entropy alloys(HEAs)were prepared by a powder metallurgy process com-bining mechanical alloying(MA)and vacuum hot-pressing sintering(HPS).The single-phase face-centered cubic(FCC)HEA powder prepared by MA was sintered into a bulk HEA specimen containing FCC phase matrix along with precipitated M 23 C 6 phase and nanoscaleσphase particles.When the sintering temper-ature was 1223 K,the ultimate strength reaches 1300±11.6 MPa,and the elongation exceeds 4%±0.6%.Microstructural characterization reveals that the formation of nanoscale particles and deformation twins play critical roles in improving the strain hardening(SH)ability.Prolonging the MA time promoted the formation of the precipitated phase and enhanced the SH ability by increasing the number of precip-itated particles.The SH capacity increases significantly with increasing sintering temperature,which is attributed to a significant enhancement in the twinning capacity due to grain growth and the reduced number ofσphase particles.Through systematic studies,the planar glide of dislocations was found to be the main mode of deformation,while deformation twinning appeared as an auxiliary deformation mode when the twinning stress was reached.Although the formation of precipitates leads to grain bound-ary and precipitation strengthening effects,crack initiation is more prominent owing to increased grain boundary brittleness around the precipitated M 23 C 6 phase.The prominence of crack initiation is a contra-diction that must be reconciled with regard to precipitation strengthening.This work serves as a useful reference for the preparation of high-strength HEA parts by powder metallurgy.

EFFECT OF MICROSTRUCTURE ON MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF INCOLOY 907

Effect of microstructure on the mechanical properties of a precipitation strengthening Fe-Ni-Co based low expansion alloy,Incoloy 907.has been investigated under different heat treatments.The dispersed γ-phase is found to be the principal strengthening phase in the alloy.The microstructure of the alloy with even dispersed fine γ′-phase seems to have the best mechanical properties.However,it will be worsened if the alloy was aged at some higher tem- perature or overaged to precipitate needle-like ε-phase.

Strengthening of Ultrafine Lamellar-Structured Martensite Steel via Tempering-Induced Nanoprecipitation

An ultrafine lamellar-structured martensite steel fabricated by heavy warm rolling(HWR)has shown an excellent combination of strength and ductility.By appending tempering at 400℃to HWR,we show that the comprehensive mechanical property of a lamellar-structured low-carbon martensite steel can be further improved to reach a yield strength of~1.8 GPa,an ultimate tensile strength of~2.0 GPa and a total elongation of~9.3%.This is achieved by tempering the HWR steel from 300 to 750℃,and the optimum tempering temperature is thus obtained.We find that the tempered ultrafine lamellar martensite contains high-density nanoprecipitates dispersed within the aligned martensite laths with reduced crystallographic variations.The ultrahigh strength of the steel is rationalized as mainly the result of grain boundary strengthening and precipitation strengthening,which contribute to yield stress by 610 MPa and 440 MPa,respectively.The good ductility is believed to be closely related to the capacity of the tempered grains to accommodate dense dislocations upon plastic deformation.The present thermomechanical processing provides a feasible routine for producing steels with ultrahigh-strength and good-ductility.

CALCULATION OF YIELD STRENGTH IN NICKEL BASE SINGLE CRYSTAL SUPERALLOYS

In this article, a quantitative equation was established to determine the relationship between yield strength and composition in nickel base SC superalloys based on Copley Kear precipitation strengthening model. The yield strength of two well known commercial SC superalloys calculated by this equation was compared with experimental data. It was found that the calculated yield strength of these two alloys was fairly correspondent with experimental results reported in the references. This model accurately described the solution strengthening of alloying elements and precipitation strengthening of γ′ phase. Yield strength of SC superalloys can be successfully predicted by this equation.

New research developments on ultra fast cooling technologies and new generation TMCP

Since the 21^(st) century,great attention has been paid to ultra fast cooling(UFC) technology in the whole world.The industries and the research institutions began to carry out investigations on basic theories and industrial applications.Since 2003,the RAL of Northeastern University has made some progresses on microstructure control theories,understanding of strengthening mechanisms and their industrial applications.In this paper,these achievements since the last Baosteel BAC in 2008 will be reported on the industrialization of UFC, strengthening mechanism,development of new steel grades,and so on.

Accelerating matrix/boundary precipitations to explore high-strength and high-ductile Co_(34)Cr_(32)Ni_(27)Al_(3.5)Ti_(3.5) multicomponent alloys through hot extrusion and annealing

Annealing-regulated precipitation strengthening combined with cold-working is one of the most efficient strategies for resolving the conflict between strength and ductility in metals and alloys.However,precipitation control and grain refinement are mutually contradictory due to the excellent phase stability of multicomponent alloys.This work utilizes the high-temperature extrusion and annealing to optimize the microstructures and mechanical properties of the Co_(34)Cr_(32)Ni_(27)Al_(3.5)Ti_(3.5) multicomponent alloy.Hot extrusion effectively reduces grain sizes and simultaneously accelerates the precipitation of coherent L12 nanoparticles inside the face-centered cubic(FCC)matrix and grain boundary precipitations(i.e.,submicron Cr-rich particles and L12-Ni 3(Ti,Al)precipitates),resulting in strongly reciprocal interaction between dislocation slip and hierarchical-scale precipitates.Subsequent annealing regulates grain sizes,dislocations,twins,and precipitates,further allowing to tailor mechanical properties.The high yield strength is attributed to the coupled precipitation strengthening effects from nanoscale coherent L12 particles inside grains and submicron grain boundary precipitates under the support of pre-existing dislocations.The excellent ductility results from the synergistic activation of dislocations,stacking faults,and twins during plastic deformation.The present study provides a promising approach for regulat-ing microstructures,especially defects,and enhancing the mechanical properties of multicomponent alloys.

Development of the high-strength ductile ferritic alloys via regulating the intragranular and grain boundary precipitation of G-phase

A typical G-phase strengthened ferritic model alloy(1Ti:Fe-20Cr-3Ni-1Ti-3Si,wt.%)has been carefully studied using both advanced experimental(EBSD,TEM and APT)and theoretical(DFT)techniques.During the classic“solid solution and aging”process,the superfine(Fe,Ni)_(2)TiSi-L2_(1)particles densely precipitate within the ferritic grain and subsequently transform into the(Ni,Fe)_(16)Ti_(6)Si_(7)-G phase.In the meanwhile,the elemental segregation at grain boundaries and the resulting precipitation of a large amount of the(Ni,Fe)_(16)Ti_(6)Si_(7)-G phase are also observed.These nanoscale microstructural evolutions result in a remarkable increase in hardness(100-300 HV)and severe embrittlement.When the“cold rolling and aging”process is used,the brittle fracture is effectively suppressed without loss of nano-precipitation strengthening ef-fect.Superhigh yield strength of 1700 MPa with 4%elongation at break is achieved.This key improvement in mechanical properties is mainly attributed to the pre-cold rolling process which effectively avoids the dense precipitation of the G-phase at the grain boundary.These findings could shed light on the further exploration of the precipitation site via optimal processing strategies.

Achieving ultrahigh strength and ductility in high-entropy alloys via dual precipitation

The strength-ductility trade-offhas been a longstanding dilemma in metallic materials.Here we report an innovative approach to achieve a high strength-ductility synergy via dual precipitation of sheared and bypassed precipitates.(Ni_(2) Co_(2) FeCr)_(96-x) Al_(4) Nb_(x)(at.%)alloys strengthened by nanoscale L12 particles and Laves precipitates were selected as a model for this study,and their precipitate microstructures and mechanical properties were thoroughly investigated.The dual-precipitation-strengthened alloys exhibit a yield strength of more than 1400 MPa,an ultimate tensile strength of over 1800 MPa,and a uniform elon-gation of 18%,thus achieving a high strength-ductility synergy.Our analysis reveals that the nanoscale L1_(2) precipitates contribute to the strength via the particle shearing mechanism,whereas the Laves phase provides the strengthening through the Orowan bypass mechanism.The study of deformation microstruc-tures shows that the L1_(2) precipitates are sheared by stacking faults,which facilitates long-range disloca-tion gliding through the matrix.As a result,deformation induces the formation of hierarchical stacking fault networks and immobile Lomer-Cottrell locks,which effectively enhance the work hardening ca-pability and plastic stability,thereby resulting in a high ductility at high strength levels.Dislocations are piled-up against the interface between the Laves precipitates and matrix,which increases the work hardening capability at the early stages of plastic deformation but causes stress concentrations.The dual precipitation strategy may be useful for many other alloys for achieving superior mechanical properties for technological applications.