Influence of heat treatment on microstructure,mechanical and corrosion behavior of WE43 alloy fabricated by laser-beam powder bed fusion

Magnesium(Mg)alloys are considered to be a new generation of revolutionary medical metals.Laser-beam powder bed fusion(PBF-LB)is suitable for fabricating metal implants withpersonalized and complicated structures.However,the as-built part usually exhibits undesirable microstructure and unsatisfactory performance.In this work,WE43 parts were firstly fabricated by PBF-LB and then subjected to heat treatment.Although a high densification rate of 99.91%was achieved using suitable processes,the as-built parts exhibited anisotropic and layeredmicrostructure with heterogeneously precipitated Nd-rich intermetallic.After heat treatment,fine and nano-scaled Mg24Y5particles were precipitated.Meanwhile,theα-Mg grainsunderwent recrystallization and turned coarsened slightly,which effectively weakened thetexture intensity and reduced the anisotropy.As a consequence,the yield strength and ultimate tensile strength were significantly improved to(250.2±3.5)MPa and(312±3.7)MPa,respectively,while the elongation was still maintained at a high level of 15.2%.Furthermore,the homogenized microstructure reduced the tendency of localized corrosion and favoredthe development of uniform passivation film.Thus,the degradation rate of WE43 parts was decreased by an order of magnitude.Besides,in-vitro cell experiments proved their favorable biocompatibility.

Alloy design for laser powder bed fusion additive manufacturing:a critical review

Metal additive manufacturing(AM)has been extensively studied in recent decades.Despite the significant progress achieved in manufacturing complex shapes and structures,challenges such as severe cracking when using existing alloys for laser powder bed fusion(L-PBF)AM have persisted.These challenges arise because commercial alloys are primarily designed for conventional casting or forging processes,overlooking the fast cooling rates,steep temperature gradients and multiple thermal cycles of L-PBF.To address this,there is an urgent need to develop novel alloys specifically tailored for L-PBF technologies.This review provides a comprehensive summary of the strategies employed in alloy design for L-PBF.It aims to guide future research on designing novel alloys dedicated to L-PBF instead of adapting existing alloys.The review begins by discussing the features of the L-PBF processes,focusing on rapid solidification and intrinsic heat treatment.Next,the printability of the four main existing alloys(Fe-,Ni-,Al-and Ti-based alloys)is critically assessed,with a comparison of their conventional weldability.It was found that the weldability criteria are not always applicable in estimating printability.Furthermore,the review presents recent advances in alloy development and associated strategies,categorizing them into crack mitigation-oriented,microstructure manipulation-oriented and machine learning-assisted approaches.Lastly,an outlook and suggestions are given to highlight the issues that need to be addressed in future work.

Influence of layer thickness on formation quality,microstructure,mechanical properties,and corrosion resistance of WE43 magnesium alloy fabricated by laser powder bed fusion

Laser powder bed fusion(L-PBF)of Mg alloys has provided tremendous opportunities for customized production of aeronautical and medical parts.Layer thickness(LT)is of great significance to the L-PBF process but has not been studied for Mg alloys.In this study,WE43 Mg alloy bulk cubes,porous scaffolds,and thin walls with layer thicknesses of 10,20,30,and 40μm were fabricated.The required laser energy input increased with increasing layer thickness and was different for the bulk cubes and porous scaffolds.Porosity tended to occur at the connection joints in porous scaffolds for LT40 and could be eliminated by reducing the laser energy input.For thin wall parts,a large overhang angle or a small wall thickness resulted in porosity when a large layer thicknesses was used,and the porosity disappeared by reducing the layer thickness or laser energy input.A deeper keyhole penetration was found in all occasions with porosity,explaining the influence of layer thickness,geometrical structure,and laser energy input on the porosity.All the samples achieved a high fusion quality with a relative density of over 99.5%using the optimized laser energy input.The increased layer thickness resulted to more precipitation phases,finer grain sizes and decreased grain texture.With the similar high fusion quality,the tensile strength and elongation of bulk samples were significantly improved from 257 MPa and 1.41%with the 10μm layer to 287 MPa and 15.12%with the 40μm layer,in accordance with the microstructural change.The effect of layer thickness on the compressive properties of porous scaffolds was limited.However,the corrosion rate of bulk samples accelerated with increasing the layer thickness,mainly attributed to the increased number of precipitation phases.

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.

Microstructure and thermal properties of dissimilar M300–CuCr1Zr alloys by multi-material laser-based powder bed fusion

Multi-material laser-based powder bed fusion (PBF-LB) allows manufacturing of parts with 3-dimensional gradient and additional functionality in a single step. This research focuses on the combination of thermally-conductive CuCr1Zr with hard M300 tool steel.Two interface configurations of M300 on CuCr1Zr and CuCr1Zr on M300 were investigated. Ultra-fine grains form at the interface due to the low mutual solubility of Cu and steel. The material mixing zone size is dependent on the configurations and tunable in the range of0.1–0.3 mm by introducing a separate set of parameters for the interface layers. Microcracks and pores mainly occur in the transition zone.Regardless of these defects, the thermal diffusivity of bimetallic parts with 50vol% of CuCr1Zr significantly increases by 70%–150%compared to pure M300. The thermal diffusivity of CuCr1Zr and the hardness of M300 steel can be enhanced simultaneously by applying the aging heat treatment.

Integrated high-performance and accurate shaping technology of low-cost powder metallurgy titanium alloys: A comprehensive review

The practical engineering applications of powder metallurgy (PM) Ti alloys produced through cold compaction and pressure-less sintering are impeded by poor sintering densification, embrittlement caused by excessive O impurities, and severe sintering deforma-tion resulting from the use of heterogeneous powder mixtures. This review presents a summary of our previous work on addressing the above challenges. Initially, we proposed a novel strategy using reaction-induced liquid phases to enhance sintering densification. Near- complete density (relative density exceeding 99%) was achieved by applying the above strategy and newly developed sintering aids. By focusing on the O-induced embrittlement issue, we determined the onset dissolution temperature of oxide films in the Ti matrix. On the basis of this finding, we established a design criterion for effective O scavengers that require reaction with oxide films before their dissol-ution. Consequently, a ductile PM Ti alloy was successfully obtained by introducing 0.3wt% NdB6 as the O scavenger. Lastly, a powder- coating strategy was adopted to address the sintering deformation issue. The ultrafine size and shell-like distribution characteristics of coating particles ensured rapid dissolution and homogeneity in the Ti matrix, thereby facilitating linear shrinkage during sintering. As a result, geometrically complex Ti alloy parts with high dimensional accuracy were fabricated by using the coated powder. Our fundament-al findings and related technical achievements enabled the development of an integrated production technology for the high-performance and accurate shaping of low-cost PM Ti alloys. Additionally, the primary engineering applications and progress in the industrialization practice of our developed technology are introduced in this review.

Role of inclination angle on columnar-to-equiaxed transition in the eutectic Al-5Mg-2Si alloy fabricated by laser powder bed fusion

In this study,the effect of inclination angles relative to the building direction in the additively manufactured eutectic Al-5Mg-2Si alloy was investigated through the laser powder bed fusion(LPBF).The microstructures and mechanical properties of the Al-5Mg-2Si alloy manufactured with different inclination angles(0°,30°,45°,60°and 90°)were reported and discussed.It is found that the“semicircular”melt pool(MP)in the load bearing face of 0°sample was eventually transformed into“stripe-like”MP in the 90°sample,accompanied by an increased fraction of melt pool boundaries(MPBs).Moreover,the microstructural analysis revealed that the columnar-to-equiaxed transition(CET)of theα-Al grains and eutectic Mg2Si was completed in the 90°sample,which were significantly refined with the average size of 10.6μm and 0.44μm,respectively.It is also found that the 90°sample exhibited good combination of strength and elongation(i.e.yield strength of 393 MPa,ultimate tensile strength of 483 MPa and elongation of 8.1%).The anisotropic mechanical properties were highly associated with the refined microstructures,thermal stress,and density of MPBs.Additionally,the CET driven by inclination angles was attributed to the variation of thermal conditions inside the local MPs.

Effect of solution treatment on the microstructure,phase transformation behavior and functional properties of NiTiNb ternary shape memory alloys fabricated via laser powder bed fusion in-situ alloying

Post-heat treatment is commonly employed to improve the microstructural homogeneity and enhance the mechanical performances of the additively manufactured metallic materials.In this work,a ternary(NiTi)91Nb9(at.%)shape memory alloy was produced by laser powder bed fusion(L-PBF)using pre-alloyed NiTi and elemental Nb powders.The effect of solution treatment on the microstructure,phase transformation behavior and mechanical/functional performances was investigated.The in-situ alloyed(NiTi)91Nb9 alloy exhibits a submicron cellular-dendritic structure surrounding the supersaturated B2-NiTi matrix.Upon high-temperature(1273 K)solution treatment,Nb-rich precipitates were precipitated from the supersaturated matrix.The fragmentation and spheroidization of the NiTi/Nb eutectics occurred during solution treatment,leading to a morphological transition from mesh-like into rod-like and sphere-like.Coarsening of theβ-Nb phases occurred with increasing holding time.The martensite transformation temperature increases after solution treatment,mainly attributed to:(i)reduced lattice distortion due to the Nb expulsion from the supersaturated B2-NiTi,and(ii)the Ti expulsion from theβ-Nb phases that lowers the ratio Ni/Ti in the B2-NiTi matrix,which resulted from the microstructure changes from non-equilibrium to equilibrium state.The thermal hysteresis of the solutionized alloys is around 145 K after 20%pre-deformation,which is comparable to the conventional NiTiNb alloys.A short-term solution treatment(i.e.at 1273 K for 30 min)enhances the ductility and strength of the as-printed specimen,with the increase of fracture stress from(613±19)MPa to(781±20)MPa and the increase of fracture strain from(7.6±0.1)%to(9.5±0.4)%.Both the as-printed and solutionized samples exhibit good tensile shape memory effects with recovery rates>90%.This work suggests that post-process heat treatment is essential to optimize the microstructure and improve the mechanical performances of the L-PBF in-situ alloyed parts.

Effect of process parameters on microstructure and mechanical properties of a nickel-aluminum-bronze alloy fabricated by laser powder bed fusion

This work investigated the effect of process parameters on densification,microstructure,and mechanical properties of a nickel-aluminum-bronze(NAB)alloy fabricated by laser powder bed fusion(LPBF)additive manufacturing.The LPBF-printed NAB alloy samples with relative densities of over 98.5%were obtained under the volumetric energy density range of 200−250 J/mm^(3).The microstructure of the NAB alloy printed in both horizontal and vertical planes primarily consisted ofβ'martensitic phase and bandedαphase.In particular,a coarser-columnar grain structure and stronger crystallographic texture were achieved in the vertical plane,where the maximum texture intensity was 30.56 times greater than that of random textures at the(100)plane.Increasing the volumetric energy density resulted in a decrease in the columnar grain size,while increasing the amount ofαphase.Notably,β_(1)'martensitic structures with nanotwins and nanoscaleκ-phase precipitates were identified in the microstructure of LPBF-printed NAB samples with a volumetric energy density of 250 J/mm^(3).Furthermore,under optimal process parameters with a laser power of 350 W and scanning speed of 800 mm/s,significant improvements were observed in the microhardness(HV 386)and ultimate tensile strength(671 MPa),which was attributed to an increase in refined acicular martensite.

Laser powder bed fusion of a Ni3Al-based intermetallic alloy with tailored microstructure and superior mechanical performance

Ni3Al-based alloys are excellent candidates for the structural materials used for turbine engines due to their excellent high-temperature properties.This study aims at laser powder bed fusion and post-hot isostatic pressing(HIP)treatment of Ni3Al-based IC^(-2)21 M alloy with a highγ0 volume fraction.The as-built samples exhibits unavoidable solidification cracking and ductility dip cracking,and the laser parameter optimization can reduce the crack density to 1.34 mm/mm^(2).Transmission electron microscope(TEM)analysis reveals ultra-fine nanoscaleγ0 phases in the as-built samples due to the high cooling rate during rapid solidification.After HIP treatment,a fully dense structure without cracking defects is achieved,which exhibits an equiaxed structure with grain size~120-180μm and irregularly shapedγ0 precipitates~1-3μm with a prominently high fraction of 86%.The room-temperature tensile test of as-built samples shows a high ultimate tensile strength(σUTS)of 1039.7 MPa and low fracture elongation of 6.4%.After HIP treatment,a significant improvement in ductility(15.7%)and a slight loss of strength(σUTS of 831.7 MPa)are obtained by eliminating the crack defects.Both the as-built and HIP samples exhibit retained highσUTS values of 589.8 MPa and 786.2 MPa,respectively,at 900C.The HIP samples exhibita slight decrease in ductility to~12.9%,indicating excellent high-temperature mechanical performance.Moreover,the abnormal increase in strength and decrease in ductility suggest the critical role of a highγ0 fraction in cracking formation.The intrinsic heat treatment during repeating thermal cycles can induce brittleness and trigger cracking initiation in the heat-affected zone with notable deteriorating ductility.The results indicate that the combination of LPBF and HIP can effectively reduce the crack density and enhance the mechanical properties of Ni_(3)Al-based alloy,making it a promising material for high-temperature applications.

Effect of Ni on microstructure and mechanical properties of Al−Mg−Si alloy for laser powder bed fusion

The microstructures and mechanical properties were systematically studied for the high-strength Al−5Mg_(2)Si−1.5Ni alloy fabricated by laser powder bed fusion(L-PBF).It is found that the introduction of Ni(1.5 wt.%)into an Al−5Mg_(2)Si alloy can significantly improve the L-PBF processibility and provide remarkable improvement in mechanical properties.The solidification range of just 85.5 K and the typical Al−Al3Ni eutectics could be obtained in the Ni-modified Al−5Mg_(2)Si samples with a high relative density of 99.8%at the volumetric energy density of 107.4 J/mm^(3).Additionally,the refined hierarchical microstructure was mainly characterized by heterogeneousα-Al matrix grains(14.6μm)that contain the interaction between dislocations and Al−Al3Ni eutectics as well as Mg_(2)Si particles.Through synergetic effects of grain refinement,dislocation strengthening and precipitation strengthening induced by Ni addition,the L-PBFed Al−5Mg_(2)Si−1.5Ni alloy achieved superior mechanical properties,which included the yield strength of(425±15)MPa,the ultimate tensile strength of(541±11)MPa and the elongation of(6.2±0.2)%.

Micro-aluminum powder with bi-or tri-component alloy coating as a promising catalyst:Boosting pyrolysis and combustion of ammonium perchlorate

A novel design of micro-aluminum(μAl)powder coated with bi-/tri-component alloy layer,such as:Ni-P and Ni-P-Cu(namely,Al@Ni-P,Al@Ni-P-Cu,respectively),as combustion catalysts,were introduced to release its huge energy inside Al-core and promote rapid pyrolysis of ammonium perchlorate(AP)at a lower temperature in aluminized propellants.The microstructure of Al@Ni-P-Cu demonstrates that a three-layer Ni-P-Cu shell,with the thickness of~100 nm,is uniformly supported byμAl carrier(fuel unit),which has an amorphous surface with a thickness of~2.3 nm(catalytic unit).The peak temperature of AP with the addition of Al@Ni-P-Cu(3.5%)could significantly drop to 316.2℃ at high-temperature thermal decomposition,reduced by 124.3℃,in comparison to that of pure AP with 440.5℃.It illustrated that the introduction of Al@Ni-P-Cu could weaken or even eliminate the obstacle of AP pyrolysis due to its reduction of activation energy with 118.28 kJ/mol.The laser ignition results showed that the ignition delay time of Al@Ni-P-Cu/AP mixture with 78 ms in air is shorter than that of Al@Ni-P/AP(118 ms),decreased by 33.90%.Those astonishing breakthroughs were attributed to the synergistic effects of adequate active sites on amorphous surface and oxidation exothermic reactions(7597.7 J/g)of Al@Ni-P-Cu,resulting in accelerated mass and/or heat transfer rate to catalyze AP pyrolysis and combustion.Moreover,it is believed to provide an alternative Al-based combustion catalyst for propellant designer,to promote the development the propellants toward a higher energy.

Accelerated intermetallic phase amorphization in a Mg-based high-entropy alloy powder

We describe a novel mechanism for the synthesis of a stable high-entropy alloy powder from an otherwise immiscible Mg-Ti rich metallic mixture by employing high-energy mechanical milling.The presented methodology expedites the synthesis of amorphous alloy powder by strategically injecting entropic disorder through the inclusion of multi-principal elements in the alloy composition.Predictions from first principles and materials theory corroborate the results from microscopic characterizations that reveal a transition of the amorphous phase from a precursor intermetallic structure.This transformation,characterized by the emergence of antisite disorder,lattice expansion,and the presence of nanograin boundaries,signifies a departure from the precursor intermetallic structure.Additionally,this phase transformation is accelerated by the presence of multiple principal elements that induce severe lattice distortion and a higher configurational entropy.The atomic size mismatch of the dissimilar elements present in the alloy produces a stable amorphous phase that resists reverting to an ordered lattice even on annealing.

Nitrogen-doping assisted local chemical heterogeneity and mechanical properties in CoCrMoW alloys manufactured via laser powder bed fusion

CoCrMoW alloys with different nitrogen(N)additions(0,0.05,0.1,and 0.2 wt%)were prepared via laser powder bed fusion(LPBF).The effects of N content on the microstructure and mechanical properties were investigated.The results indicate that the LPBFed CoCrMoW alloy with 0.1 wt%N addition(0.1 N alloy)shows the best combination of mechanical properties with a yield strength of~983 MPa and an elongation of~19%.Both the LPBF process and the N addition impose great effects on suppressing theγtoεmartensitic transformation,resulting in a decrease in the width and amount ofεlaths/stacking faults.Besides,the N addition promotes the segregation of elements Mo,W,and Si along the cellular sub-grain boundaries(CBs),forming fine and discontinuous precipitates rich in Mo,W and Si along the CBs in the 0.1 N alloy,but dense and continuous(Mo,W)5Si_(3)precipitates along the CBs in the 0.2 N alloy.The(Mo,W)5Si_(3)precipitates with a tetragonal structure were observed and characterized for the first time in the Co-Cr based alloys.The negative mixing enthalpy between the non-metallic elements N,Si and the metallic elements Mo,W,Cr,and the rapid solidification induced segregation of high melting point elements such as Mo and W along CBs during LPBF process,synergistically contribute to the chemical heterogeneity in the alloys.The pure FCC matrix,the slightly increased segregation of Mo,W,Si elements and fine precipitates along the CBs contribute to the good combination of strength and elongation of the 0.1 N alloy.However,though pure FCC phase was present in the 0.2 N alloy,the dense and continuous(Mo,W)5Si_(3)precipitates along CBs acted as nucleation sites for cracks,deteriorating the elongation of the alloy.Overall,it is possible to tune the mechanical properties of the LPBFed CoCrMoW alloy by adjusting the local chemical heterogeneity.

Magnetostrictive strain-sensitivity synergy for laser-beam powder bed fusion processed Fe81Ga19 alloys by magnetic field annealing

Magnetostrictive Fe-Ga alloys have been demonstrated potentialities for numerous applications,whereas,suffering a tradeoff between large magnetostrictive strain and high sensitivity.Herein,bulk polycrystalline Fe81Ga19 alloys were prepared by laser-beam powder bed fusion(LPBF)and then annealed in magnetic field for manipulating the comprehensive magnetostrictive properties.Results indicate that<001>oriented grains are developed in the LPBF-prepared Fe81Ga19 alloys due to high temperature gradient.After magnetic field annealing(MFA),the magnetic domains within the alloys gradually transformed into well-arranged stripe domains,especially,flat and smooth 90°domains were established in the alloys annealed at 2600 Oe.As a result,the induced<001>orientation grains and 90°domains contributed to an improved effective magnetic anisotropy constant(57.053 kJ/m^(3)),leading to an enhanced magnetostrictive strain of 92 ppm.Moreover,the MFA-treated alloys also displayed enhanced magnetostrictive sensitivity(0.097 ppm/Oe)owing to the smooth domain structures and low dislocation densities,demonstrating a fruitful strain-sensitivity synergy.In addition,good magnetostrictive dynamic response and enhanced compressive yield strength were also observed for the prepared alloys.This work demonstrates that LPBF and MFA might be an attractive strategy to resolve the tradeoff between strain and sensitivity,providing a basis for the preparation of high-performance magnetostrictive materials.

Towards implementation of alloy-specific thermo-fluid modelling for laser powder-bed fusion of Mg alloys

Multi-physics thermo-fluid modeling has been extensively used as an approach to understand melt pool dynamics and defect formation as well as optimizing the process-related parameters of laser powder-bed fusion(L-PBF).However,its capabilities for being implemented as a reliable tool for material design,where minor changes in material-related parameters must be accurately captured,is still in question.In the present research,first,a thermo-fluid computational fluid dynamics(CFD)model is developed and validated against experimental data.Considering the predicted material properties of the pure Mg and commercial ZK60 and WE43 Mg alloys,parametric studies are done attempting to elucidate how the difference in some of the material properties,i.e.,saturated vapor pressure,viscosity,and solidification range,can influence the melt pool dynamics.It is found that a higher saturated vapor pressure,associated with the ZK60 alloy,leads to a deeper unstable keyhole,increasing the keyhole-induced porosity and evaporation mass loss.Higher viscosity and wider solidification range can increase the non-uniformity of temperature and velocity distribution on the keyhole walls,resulting in increased keyhole instability and formation of defects.Finally,the WE43 alloy showed the best behavior in terms of defect formation and evaporation mass loss,providing theoretical support to the extensive use of this alloy in L-PBF.In summary,this study suggests an approach to investigate the effect of materials-related parameters on L-PBF melting and solidification,which can be extremely helpful for future design of new alloys suitable for L-PBF.

Robust interface and excellent as-built mechanical properties of Ti–6Al–4V fabricated through laser-aided additive manufacturing with powder and wire

The feasibility of manufacturing Ti-6Al-4V samples through a combination of laser-aided additive manufacturing with powder(LAAM_(p))and wire(LAAM_(w))was explored.A process study was first conducted to successfully circumvent defects in Ti-6Al-4V deposits for LAAM_(p) and LAAM_(w),respectively.With the optimized process parameters,robust interfaces were achieved between powder/wire deposits and the forged substrate,as well as between powder and wire deposits.Microstructure characterization results revealed the epitaxial prior β grains in the deposited Ti-6Al-4V,wherein the powder deposit was dominated by a finerα′microstructure and the wire deposit was characterized by lamellar α phases.The mechanisms of microstructure formation and correlation with mechanical behavior were analyzed and discussed.The mechanical properties of the interfacial samples can meet the requirements of the relevant Aerospace Material Specifications(AMS 6932)even without post heat treatment.No fracture occurred within the interfacial area,further suggesting the robust interface.The findings of this study highlighted the feasibility of combining LAAM_(p) and LAAM_(w) in the direct manufacturing of Ti-6Al-4V parts in accordance with the required dimensional resolution and deposition rate,together with sound strength and ductility balance in the as-built condition.

Preparation of FeCoNi medium entropy alloy from Fe^(3+)-Co^(2+)-Ni^(2+)solution system

In recent years,medium entropy alloys have become a research hotspot due to their excellent physical and chemical performances.By controlling reasonable elemental composition and processing parameters,the medium entropy alloys can exhibit similar properties to high entropy alloys and have lower costs.In this paper,a FeCoNi medium entropy alloy precursor was prepared via sol-gel and coprecipitation methods,respectively,and FeCoNi medium entropy alloys were prepared by carbothermal and hydrogen reduction.The phases and magnetic properties of FeCoNi medium entropy alloy were investigated.Results showed that FeCoNi medium entropy alloy was produced by carbothermal and hydrogen reduction at 1500℃.Some carbon was detected in the FeCoNi medium entropy alloy prepared by carbothermal reduction.The alloy prepared by hydrogen reduction was uniform and showed a relatively high purity.Moreover,the hydrogen reduction product exhibited better saturation magnetization and lower coercivity.

Influence of introducing Zr,Ti,Nb and Ce elements on externally solidified crystals and mechanical properties of high-pressure die-casting Al–Si alloy

High pressure die casting(HPDC)AlSi10Mn Mg alloy castings are widely used in the automobile industry.Mg can optimize the mechanical properties of castings through heat treatment,while the release of thermal stress arouses the deformation of large integrated die-castings.Herein,the development of non-heat treatment Al alloys is becoming the hot topic.In addition,HPDC contains externally solidified crystals(ESCs),which are detrimental to the mechanical properties of castings.To achieve high strength and toughness of non-heat treatment die-casting Al-Si alloy,we used AlSi9Mn alloy as matrix with the introduction of Zr,Ti,Nb,and Ce.Their influences on ESCs and mechanical properties were systematically investigated through three-dimensional reconstruction and thermodynamic simulation.Our results reveal that the addition of Ti increased ESCs'size and porosity,while the introduction of Nb refined ESCs and decreased porosity.Meanwhile,large-sized Al_3(Zr,Ti)phases formed and degraded the mechanical properties.Subsequent introduction of Ce resulted in the poisoning effect and reduced mechanical properties.

Effects of the extrusion parameters on microstructure,texture and room temperature mechanical properties of extruded Mg-2.49Nd-1.82Gd-0.2Zn-0.2Zr alloy

Microstructure,texture,and mechanical properties of the extruded Mg-2.49Nd-1.82Gd-0.2Zn-0.2Zr alloy were investigated at different extrusion temperatures(260 and 320℃),extrusion ratios(10:1,15:1,and 30:1),and extrusion speeds(3 and 6 mm/s).The experimental results exhibited that the grain sizes after extrusion were much finer than that of the homogenized alloy,and the second phase showed streamline distribution along the extrusion direction(ED).With extrusion temperature increased from 260 to 320℃,the microstructure,texture,and mechanical properties of alloys changed slightly.The dynamic recrystallization(DRX)degree and grain sizes enhanced as the extrusion ratio increased from 10:1 to 30:1,and the strength gradually decreased but elongation(EL)increased.With the extrusion speed increased from 3 to 6 mm/s,the grain sizes and DRX degree increased significantly,and the samples presented the typical<2111>-<1123>rare-earth(RE)textures.The alloy extruded at 260℃ with extrusion ratio of 10:1 and extrusion speed of 3 mm/s showed the tensile yield strength(TYS)of 213 MPa and EL of 30.6%.After quantitatively analyzing the contribution of strengthening mechanisms,it was found that the grain boundary strengthening and dislocation strengthening played major roles among strengthening contributions.These results provide some guidelines for enlarging the industrial application of extruded Mg-RE alloy.