Assessment of solidification characteristics of carbon-inoculated Mg-3%Al melt by thermal analysis

The Mg-3%Al melt was inoculated by carbon with different holding time.The effect of holding time on grain refining efficiency was evaluated.The solidification characteristics of the carbon-inoculated Mg-3%Al melt with different holding time were assessed by computer-aided cooling curve analysis.The results showed that Mg-3%Al alloy could be effectively refined by carbon inoculation.Slight fading phenomenon occurred with increasing the holding time to 60 min.Carbon inoculation could significantly influence the shape of cooling curves of Mg-3%Al melt.The nucleation starting and minimum temperatures increased.The recalescence undercooling and duration decreased to almost zero after carbon inoculation.The grain refining efficiency of carbon inoculation could be assessed by the shape of the cooling curve and solidification characteristic parameters including nucleation starting and minimum temperatures,recalescence undercooling and duration.

Solidification characteristics of Fe-Ni peritectic al oy thin strips under a near-rapid solidification condition

This paper is an experimental investigation of the structure evolution and the solute distribution of 2 mm thick strips of Fe-(2.6, 4.2, 4.7, 7.9wt.%)Ni peritectic alloy under a near-rapid solidification condition, which were in the regions of δ-ferrite single-phase, hypo-peritectic, hyper-peritectic and γ-austenite single-phase, respectively. The highest area ratio of equiaxed grain zone in the hyper-peritectic of Fe-4.7wt.%Ni alloy strip was observed, while other strips were mainly columnar grains. The lowest micro-segregation was obtained in the Fe-7.9wt.%Ni alloy strip, while micro-segregation in the Fe-4.7wt.%Ni alloy was the highest. As opposed to the microsegregation, the macro-segregation of all the Fe-Ni strips was suppressed due to the rapid solidification rate. Finally, the structure formation mechanism of Fe-Ni alloy strips was analyzed.

Microstructure Characteristics of Ni-Nb Near Eutectic Alloy during EBFZM Directional Solidification

Microstructure Characteristic of Ni-Nb near eutectic alloy is systematically investigated during directional solidification with electron beam floating zone melting (EBFZM). The effect of the Zone melting rate on the microstructure has also been studied.

Investigation of Solidification and Segregation Characteristics of Cast Ni-Base Superalloy K417G

Differential scanning calorimetry （DSC） analysis, isothermal solidification experiment and Thermo-Calc simulation were employed to investigate solidification characteristics of K417G Ni-base superalloy. Elec- tron probe microanalysis （EPMA） was employed to analyze the segregation characteristics. Liquidus, solidus and the formation temperatures of main phases were measured. In the process of solidification, the volume fraction of liquid dropped dramatically in the initial stage, while the dropping rate became very low in the final stage due to severe segregation of positive segregation elements into the residual liquid. The solidification began with the formation of primary γ. Then with solidification proceeding, Ti and Mo were enriched in the liquid interdendrite, which resulted in the precipitation of MC carbides in the interdendrite. A1 accumulated into liquid at the initial stage, but gathered to solid later due to the precipitation of γ/γ＇ eutectic at the intermediate stage of solidification. However, Co tended to segregate toward the solid phase. In the case of K417G alloy, combining DSC analysis and isothermal solidification experiment is a good way to investigate the solidification characteristics. Thermo-Calc simulation can serve as reference to investigate K417G alloy.

Vertical section phase diagrams of La−Fe−B ternary system

The vertical sections of the La−Fe−B system were investigated using electron probe microanalysis and differential thermal analysis.Based on the microstructures and phase compositions of the as-cast and equilibrium alloys,together with their heat flow−temperature curves,phase diagrams for three vertical sections were drawn:La_(x)Fe_(82)B_(y)(x+y=18),La_(x)Fe_(70)B_(y)(x+y=30)and La_(x)Fe_(53)B_(y)(x+y=47),where x and y represent mass fraction of La and B,respectively,%.Additionally,according to the phase diagrams,the compound La2Fe14B was identified as a stable phase at high temperatures.It was found to be stable between 926.2 and 792.6℃;at low temperatures,however,it decomposed into α-La,α-Fe and LaFe_(4)B_(4),according to the reaction La_(2)Fe_(14)B→α-Fe+α-La+LaFe_(4)B_(4).

Effect of Melt Superheating Treatment on Directional Solidification Interface Morphology of Multi-component Alloy

The influence of melt superheating treatment on the solid/liquid （S/L） interface morphology of directionally solidified Ni-based superalloy DZ125 is investigated to elucidate the relationship between melt characteristic and S/L interface stability. The results indicate that the interface morphology is not only related to the withdrawal velocity （R） but also to the melt superheating temperature （Ts） when the thermal gradient of solidification interface remains constant for different Ts with appropriate superheating treatment regulation. The interface morphology changes from cell to plane at R of 1.1 μm/s when Ts increases from 1500°C to 1650°C, and maintains plane with further elevated Ts of 1750°C. However, the interface morphology changes from coarse dendrite to cell and then to cellular dendrite at R of 2.25 μm/s when Ts increases from 1500°C to 1650°C and then to 1750°C. It is proved that the solidification onset temperature and the solidification interval undergo the nonlinear variation when Ts increases from 1500°C to 1680°C, and the turning point is 1650°C at which the solidification onset temperature and the solidification interval are all minimum. This indicates that the melt superheating treatment enhances the solidification interface stability and has important effect on the solidification characteristics.

Preparation of sulfoaluminate cementitious material using harmful titanium gypsum:material properties and heavy metal immobilization characteristics

The production of titanium dioxide(a necessary industrial color additive)can generate massive amount of titanium gypsum,a hard-to-treat solid waste.Diverse metallic impurities,heavy metals and reddish color in titanium gypsum make it difficult to be used in building materials like other by-product gypsums.As a result,most of titanium gypsum in China is just stored and has caused serious environmental issues.In this study,titanium gypsum,which contained high contents of impurities and heavy metals,was synergistically used with other three solid wastes to prepare sulfoaluminate cementitious material(SACM)for the first time.The mass proportion of titanium gypsum in the raw materials exceeded 25%.The chemical,mechanical and heavy metal leaching characteristics of this solid waste-based SACM were tested via XRD,XRF,ICP-OES,etc.The main components and metallic impurities of titanium gypsum could be transformed to the components of the main mineral of SACM,ye’elimite.The compressive strength of the prepared SACM reached 38.2,59.7 and 95.8 MPa at 1-day,3-day,and 28-day hydration,respectively,indicating the features of rapidly hardening and high strength.Importantly,the solid waste-based SACM could effectively solidify the heavy metals contained in titanium gypsum and other raw material during thje hydration process.The retention ratio of total Cr reached 97.5%,and other heavy metals were almost not detected in the leachate of SACM.This study provided a feasible approach to utilize titanium gypsum to produce high-performance,green building material,and might promote the massive utilization of this solid waste.

Effect of cerium on microstructure,eutectic carbides and Laves phase in electroslag remelted 15Cr-22Ni-1Nb austenitic heat-resistant steel

The dendrites,eutectic carbides,Laves phase and microsegregation of alloying element in electroslag remelted 15Cr-22Ni-1Nb austenitic heat-resistant steel with varying cerium contents were studied.The liquidus and solidus temperatures of the steel were determined to reveal the effect of cerium on solidification temperature interval and local solidification time of the steel.The secondary dendrite arm spacing decreases from 57.10 to 40.18μm with increasing the cerium content from 0 to 0.0630 wt.%.The eutectic NbC and Laves phase in as-cast ingots exhibit blocky and honeycomb morphology,respectively.The area fractions and sizes of eutectic NbC and Laves phase in as-cast ingots decrease with the increase in cerium content.The atomic percentage of Laves phase-forming element(Ni,Nb,Cr,Mo and Si)decreases with the increase in cerium content of the steel.The microsegregation of Mo,Ni,Si,Cr and Nb decreases with increasing the cerium content,which is favorable to reducing both the amount and sizes of eutectic NbC and Laves phase in as-cast ingots.The solidification temperature interval and local solidification time of the steel decrease as the cerium content is increased from 0 to 0.0630 wt.%,which inhibits the growth of dendrites,eutectic NbC and Laves phase.