Microstructure and mechanical properties stability of pre-hardening treatment in Al-Cu alloys for pre-hardening forming process

The stability of the microstructure and mechanical properties of the pre-hardened sheets during the pre-hardening forming(PHF)process directly determines the quality of the formed components.The microstructure stability of the pre-hardened sheets was in-vestigated by differential scanning calorimetry(DSC),transmission electron microscopy(TEM),and small angle X-ray scattering(SAXS),while the mechanical properties and formability were analyzed through uniaxial tensile tests and formability tests.The results in-dicate that the mechanical properties of the pre-hardened alloys exhibited negligible changes after experiencing 1-month natural aging(NA).The deviations of ultimate tensile strength(UTS),yield strength(YS),and sheet formability(Erichsen value)are all less than 2%.Also,after different NA time(from 48 h to 1 month)is applied to alloys before pre-hardening treatment,the pre-hardened alloys possess stable microstructure and mechanical properties as well.Interestingly,with the extension of NA time before pre-hardening treatment from 48 h to 1 month,the contribution of NA to the pre-hardening treatment is limited.Only a yield strength increment of 20 MPa is achieved,with no loss in elongation.The limited enhancement is mainly attributed to the fact that only a limited number of clusters are transformed into Guinier-Preston(GP)zones at the early stage of pre-hardening treatment,and the formation ofθ''phase inhibits the nucleation and growth of GP zones as the precipitated phase evolves.

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.

Self-repairing functionality and corrosion resistance of in-situ Mg-Al LDH film on Al-alloyed AZ31 surface

A novel Mg-Al LDH film was in-situ prepared hydrothermally in an alkaline aqueous solution on an Al-alloyed AZ31 substrate.The structural,chemical and functional characteristics of the film were explored by means of scanning electron microscope(SEM),X-ray diffraction(XRD),energy dispersive spectrometer(EDS),polarization curve,AC impedance and salt immersion tests,respectively.The anti-corrosion results indicated that the Mg-Al LDH film on the Al-alloyed AZ31 surface could effectively protect the AZ31 from corrosion attack even after 90 days of immersion in 3.5 wt.%NaCl solution.The protection performance is surprisingly better than most of the reported coatings on Mg alloys.More interestingly,when the Mg-Al LDH film was scratched,the exposed Al-alloyed surface might gradually release metal ions and re-generate dense LDH nano-sheets in the corrosive environment to inhibit the further corrosion there,exhibiting a self-repairing behavior.The combination of the benign long-term protection and desirable self-repairing performance in this new process of surface-alloying and LDH-formation may significantly extend the practical application of magnesium alloys.

Electrochemical Hydrogen Charging on Corrosion Behavior of Ti-6Al-4V Alloy in Artificial Seawater

This study employs advanced electrochemical and surface characterization techniques to investigate the impact of electrochemical hydrogen charging on the corrosion behavior and surface film of the Ti-6Al-4V alloy.The findings revealed the formation ofγ-TiH andδ-TiH_(2) hydrides in the alloy after hydrogen charging.Prolonging hydrogen charging resulted in more significant degradation of the alloy microstructure,leading to deteriorated protectiveness of the surface film.This trend was further confirmed by the electrochemical measurements,which showed that the corrosion resistance of the alloy progressively worsened as the hydrogen charging time was increased.Consequently,this work provides valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying the corrosion of Ti-6Al-4V alloy under hydrogen charging conditions.

Effect of air-formed film on corrosion behavior of magnesium-lithium alloys

It is recently suggested that air-formed film plays an important role in controlling corrosion resistance of Mg-Li alloys. However, the structure of the air-formed film and its effect on corrosion resistance of Mg-Li alloys has not been fully understood. Firstly, the air-formed films formed on α and β phases in a dual-phase LZ91 Mg-Li alloy after exposure to laboratory air for up to 48 h have been examined by SEM under the assistance of ultramicrotomy. Then, the effect of the air-formed film on surface potential and, consequently, corrosion/oxidation behavior of the alloy has been investigated. Finally, in order to exclude the influence from α phase, the structure of the air-formed film on β phase and its effect on corrosion/oxidation behavior of Mg-Li alloys have been studied based on a single-phase LA141 Mg-Li alloy. The results show that the air-formed film is thin and negligible on α phase but thick on β phase after prolonged exposure to laboratory air. The thick air-formed film on β phase has a multilayer structure with an inner layer consisting of Mg O/Mg(OH)_(2) and outer layer consisting of Li_(2)CO_(3), which greatly elevates the surface potential of β phase in air. Both LZ91 and LA141 Mg-Li alloys firstly undergo uniform corrosion and then filiform corrosion when immersed in Na Cl solution and the pre-existed air-formed film on β-Li phase can retard the occurrence of filiform corrosion in the alloys.

Corrosion characteristics of single-phase Mg-3Zn alloy thin film for biodegradable electronics

Biodegradable metals as electrodes, interconnectors, and device conductors are essential components in the emergence of transient electronics, either for passive implants or active electronic devices, especially in the fields of biomedical electronics. Magnesium and its alloys are strong candidates for biodegradable and implantable conducting materials because of their high conductivity and biocompatibility, in addition to their well-understood dissolution behavior. One critical drawback of Mg and its alloys is their considerably high dissolution rates originating from their low anodic potential, which disturbs the compatibility to biomedical applications. Herein, we introduce a single-phase thin film of a Mg-Zn binary alloy formed by sputtering, which enhances the corrosion resistance of the device electrode, and verify its applicability in biodegradable electronics. The formation of a homogeneous solid solution of single-phase Mg-3Zn was confirmed through X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. In addition, the dissolution behavior and chemistry was also investigated in various biological fluids by considering the effect of different ion species. Micro-tensile tests showed that the Mg-3Zn alloy electrode exhibited an enhanced yield strain and elongation in relation to a pure Mg electrode. Cell viability test revealed the high biocompatibility rate of the Mg-3Zn binary alloy thin film. Finally, the fabrication of a wireless heater demonstrated the integrability of biodegradable electrodes and highlighted the ability to prolong the lifecycle of thermotherapy-relevant electronics by enhancing the dissolution resistance of the Mg alloy.

Corrosion resistance of in-situ Mg-Al hydrotalcite conversion film on AZ31 magnesium alloy by one-step formation

In situ growth of nano-sized layered double hydroxides （LDH） conversion film on AZ31 alloy was synthesized by a urea hydrolysis method. The formation mechanism of the film was proposed. Firstly, the dissolved Mg2＋ ions deposited into a precursor film consisted of MgCO3 and Mgs（CO3）4（OH）2·4H2O; secondly, the precursor translated into the crystalline Mg（OH）2 in alkaline conditions; finally, the Mg2＋ ions in Mg（OH）z were replaced by A13＋ ions, Mg（OH）2 translated into the more stable LDH structure, simultaneously, the OH- ions in the interlayer were exchanged by CO32-, thus led to the formation of the LDH （Mg6Alz（OHh6CO3·4H2O） film. The results indicated that the LDH film characterized by interlocking plate-like nanostructures and ion-exchange ability significantly improved the corrosion resistance of the AZ31 Mg alloy.

Effects of boric acid on microstructure and corrosion resistance of boric/sulfuric acid anodic film on 7050 aluminum alloy

The microstructure and corrosion resistance of different boric/sulfuric acid anodic（BSAA） films on 7050 aluminum alloy were studied by atomic force microscopy（AFM）,electrochemical impedance spectroscopy（EIS） and scanning Kelvin probe（SKP）.The results show that boric acid does not change the structure of barrier layer of anodic film,but will significantly affect the structure of porous layer,consequently affect the corrosion resistance of anodic film.As the content of boric acid in electrolyte increases from 0 to 8 g/L,the resistance of porous layer（Rp） of BSAA film increases,the capacitance of porous layer（CPEp） decreases,the surface potential moves positively,the pore size lessens,and the corrosion resistance improves.However,the Rp,CPEp and surface potential will change towards opposite direction when the content of boric acid is over 8 g/L.

Properties of dawsonite conversion film on AZ31 magnesium alloy

An environmentally friendly method for synthesizing a dawsonite conversion film was developed to improve the corrosion resistance of AZ31 Mg alloy. The film was prepared by two steps： the AZ31 alloy was first immersed in an Al 2 （SO 4 ） 3 solution venting CO 2 gas to form a precursor film, and then the precursor film was treated in a Na 2 CO 3 solution dissolved with Al to obtain the dawsonite film. The surface morphology of the conversion film was observed with an environmental scanning electronic microscope. The chemical composition of the conversion film was analyzed by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffractometry. Electrochemical and immersion tests were carried out to evaluate the protection effect of the conversion film on AZ31 alloy. There are some network-like cracks on the surface of the film. The conversion film is mainly composed of dawsonite NaAlCO 3 （OH） 2 , Al（OH） 3 and Al 5 （OH） 13 （CO 3 ）·5H 2 O, which can increase the corrosion potential and reduce the corrosion current density of the Mg substrate. After immersion tests, the film almost keeps intact, except for the localized narrow areas with several corrosion pits, while the bare material undergoes serious general corrosion. It is indicated that the dawsonite film can provide good protection to the magnesium alloy.

Effects of external stress aging on morphology and precipitation behavior of θ'' phase in Al-Cu alloy

The exposure of Al-5Cu alloy to an external stress with normal aging was carried out. The effects of external stress-aging on the morphology and precipitation behavior of θ＂ phase were investigated by transmission electron microscopy （TEM）, differential scanning calorimetry （DSC） and first principle calculation. The size of the θ＂ phase precipitated plates in stress-aging （453 K, 6 h, 50 MPa） is 19.83 nm, which is smaller than that of those present （28.79 nm） in stress-flee aging （453 K, 6 h）. The precipitation process of θ＂ phase is accelerated by loading external stress aging according to the analysis of DSC results. The apparent activation energy for the external stress-aging is 10% lower than the stress-free one. The first principle calculation results show that the external stress makes a decrease of 6% in the interface energy. The effects of the stress on aging process of the alloy are discussed on the basis of the classical theory. The external stress changes the morphology and precipitation behavior of θ＂ phase because the critical nucleation energy is decreased by 19% under stress aging.

Phosphate film free of chromate, fluoride and nitrite on AZ31 magnesium alloy and its corrosion resistance

A phosphate solution free of chromate, fluoride and nitrite was prepared and an environment-friendly film was obtained on AZ31 magnesium alloy surface via the chemical deposition method. The morphology, composition, phase structure and its corrosion resistance were studied. The effects of film-forming temperature and free acid on corrosion resistance, microstructure and electrochemical behavior of the film were discussed. The results indicate that the corrosion resistance of AZ31 with the phosphate film was better than blank AZ31 substrate, which was most attributed to the great inhibitive action on the anodic dissolution and cathodic hydrogen evolution of the film.

Influence of oxidation heat on hard anodic film of aluminum alloy

The special experimental device and sulfuric acid electrolyte were adopted to study the influence of anodic oxidation heat on hard anodic film for 2024 aluminum alloy. Compared with the oxidation heat transferred to the electrolyte through anodic film, the heat transferred to the coolant through aluminum substrate is more beneficial to the growth of anodic film. The film forming speed, film thickness, density and hardness are significantly increased as the degree of undercooling of the coolant increases. The degree of undercooling of the coolant, which is necessary for the growth of anodic film, is related to the degree of undercooling of the electrolyte, thickness of aluminum substrate, thickness of anodic film, natural parameters of bubble covering and current density. The microstructure and performance of the oxidation film could be controlled by the temperature of the coolant.

Microstructure and crystal growth direction of Al-Cu alloy

The microstructures and crystal growth directions of permanent mould casting（PMC） and directionally solidified（DS） Al-Cu alloys with different contents of Cu were investigated. Simultaneously, the effects of pouring temperature on the microstructure and crystal growth direction of permanent mould casting pure Al were also discussed. The results indicate that the α（Al） crystals in the pure Al do not always keep common columnar grains, but change from the columnar grains to columnar dendrites with developed arms as the pouring temperature rises. The growth direction also varies with the change of pouring temperature. Cu element has similar effects on the microstructures of the PMC and DS casting Al-Cu alloys and the α（Al） crystals gradually change from columnar crystals in turn to columnar dendrites and developed equiaxed dendrites as the Cu content increases. The crystal growth direction in the PMC alloys gradually approaches （110） orientation with increasing Cu content. But the resulting crystals with growth direction of （110） do not belong to feathery grains. There are also no feathery grains to form in all of the DS Al-Cu alloys.

Electroless plating and growth kinetics of Ni-P alloy film on SiC_p/Al composite with high SiC volume fraction

After Sn/Pd activating, the SiCp/Al composite with 65% SiC (volume fraction) was coated by electroless Ni?P alloy plating. Surface morphology of the composite and its effect on the Ni?P alloy depositing process and bonding action of Ni and P atoms in the Ni?P alloy were studied. The results show that inhomogeneous distribution of the Sn/Pd activating points results in preferential deposition of the Ni?P alloy particles on the Al alloy and rough SiC particle surfaces and in the etched caves. The Ni?P alloy film has an amorphous structure where chemical bonding between Ni and P atoms exists. After a continuous Ni?P alloy film formed, electroless Ni?P alloy plating is not affected by surface morphology and characteristics of the SiCp/Al composite any longer, but by the electroless plating process itself. The Ni?P alloy film follows linear growth kinetics with an activation energy of 68.44 kJ/mol.

Structure Analysis of Oxidation Film of Ignition-Inhibition AZ91D Magnesium Alloy Added with Cerium

The effect of cerium on ignition temperature of AZ91D magnesium alloy was studie d. By the addition of cerium of 1%, the ignition temperature is raised by 180 ℃ , s o the magnesium alloy added with cerium can be melted in air. The burning temper ature increases with the increasing of cerium. The structure and chemical compos itions of the surface oxide film were investigated by XRD and Auger electron spe ctrometry(AES). The results of XRD indicate that the oxide film of the surface o f ignition-inhibition magnesium alloy can change from loose structure of simple magnesia to compact composite structure consisting of magnesia, cerium oxide, M g17 A112 and aluminum oxide, which has excellent ignition-inhibition effect. AE S depth profile analysis shows that the oxide film can be divided into three lay ers. The outside layer is mainly made up of magnesia, the middle layer, which co nsists of cerium oxide, magnesia, and aluminum oxide, is compound and compact. T hermodynamic analysis indicates that the structure of the surface oxide film is accordant to the change of free energy and high vapor pressure of magnesium.

Preparation of Mg-Yb alloy film by electrolysis in the molten LiCl-KCl-YbCl_3 system at low temperature

The electrochemical behavior of Yb3+ and electrodeposition of Mg-Yb alloy film at solid magnesium cathode in the molten LiCl-KCl-YbCl3(2 wt.%) system at 773 K was investigated.Transient electrochemical techniques,such as cyclic voltammetry,chronopotentiometry and chronoamperometry were used in order to explore the deposition mechanism of Yb.The reduction process of Yb3+ is stepwise reactions which are single-electron and double-electron reversible charge transfer reactions.The speed control step was a diffu...

Preparation and Performance of Rare Earths Chemical Conversion Film on Magnesium Alloy

Golden yellow cerium conversion film was obtained on magnesium alloys surface by immersion method and the preparation parameters were established. The influence of different process parameters on the surface morphology and performance of the conversion film were analyzed by means of SEM and electrochemical method. Formation dynamics about cerium conversion film on magnesium alloy in solution containing cerium salt and the anti-corrosion behavior of the conversion film in 3.5% NaCl solution were studied by electrochemical method respectively. The results shows that the conversion film is more compact at room temperature when concentration of cerium sulfate is 10 g·L-1 in the solution; the open circuit potential of the magnesium sample moves up to positive direction about 100 mV, the surface of conversion film becomes even and lustrous, and the adhesion intensity of conversion film increases when adding aluminum nitrate into the solution containing cerium salt. The pH value of the solution and immersion time of the sample in the solution also affect the surface morphology and anti-corrosion property of the conversion film. After covered by rare earths conversion film, the anti-corrosion property of magnesium alloy is obviously improved. Rare earth conversion film has self-repairing capability in corrosion medium.

Effects of acetic acid on microstructure and electrochemical properties of nano cerium oxide films coated on AA7020-T6 aluminum alloy

Nano cerium oxide films were applied on AA7020-T6 aluminum alloy and the effects of acetic acid concentration on the microstructure and electrochemical properties of the coated samples were investigated by using scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, X-ray diffraction （XRD）, and potentiodynamic polarization methods. It has been found that by increasing the acetic acid/CeCl3·7H2O molar ratio, high uniform and crack-free films with well-developed grains were obtained and grain sizes of the films decreased. Elimination of cracks and decreasing grain size of the nano cerium oxide films caused corrosion resistance to increase.

Effect of solution treatment and artificial aging on microstructure and mechanical properties of Al-Cu alloy

In order to achieve good mechanical properties of Al-Cu alloys such as high strength and good toughness,precipitation hardening and artificial aging treatment were applied.As defined by the T6 heat treatment,the standard artificial aging treatment for Al-Cu alloy followed heat treatments of solution treatment at 510-530 ℃ for 2 h,quenching in water at 60 ℃ and then artificial aging at 160-190 ℃ for 2-8 h.The effects of solution treatment and artificial aging on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Al-Cu alloy were studied by optical microscopy（OM）,scanning electron microscopy（SEM）,energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy（EDS）,transmission electron microscopy（TEM） and tensile test.The results of solution treatment indicate that the mechanical properties of Al-Cu alloy increase and then decrease with the increase of solution temperature.This is because the residual phases dissolve gradually into the matrix,and the fraction of the precipitation and the size of the re-crystallized grain increased.Compared to the solution temperature,the solution holding time has less effect on the microstructure and the mechanical properties of Al-Cu alloy.The artificial aging treatments were conducted at 160-180 ℃ for 2-8 h.The results show that the ultimate tensile strength can be obtained at 180 ℃ for 8 h.Ultimate tensile strength increased with increasing time or temperature.Yield strength was found as the same as the ultimate tensile strength result.

Fabrication and characterization of anodic oxide films on a Ti-10V-2Fe-3Al titanium alloy

Anodic oxide films of the titanium alloy Ti-10V-2Fe-3Al in ammonium tartrate electrolyte without hydrofluoric acid or fluoride were fabricated. The morphology, components, and microstructure of the films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy （XPS）, X-ray diffraction （XRD）, and Raman spectroscopy. The results showed that the films were thick, uniform, and nontransparent. Such films exhibited sedimentary morphology, with a thickness of about 3 μm, and the pore diameters of the deposits ranged from several hundred nanometers to 1.5 μm. The films were mainly titanium dioxide. Some coke-like deposits, which may contain or be changed by OH, NH, C-C, C-O, and C=O groups, were doped in the films. The films were mainly amorphous with a small amount of anatase and rutile phase.