Lap-Shear Performance of Weld-Bonded Mg Alloy and Austenitic Stainless Steel in Three-Sheet Stack-Up

With the growing interest in utilizing Mg and austenitic stainless steel(ASS)in the automotive sector,joining them together in three-sheet configuration is inevitable.However,achieving this task presents considerable challenges due to the large differences in their physical,metallurgical and mechanical properties.To overcome these challenges,the feasibility of using weld-bonding to join Mg alloy/ASS/ASS was investigated.The nugget formation,interface characteristics,microstructure and mechanical properties of the joints were investigated.The results show that the connection between the Mg alloy and upper ASS was achieved through the combined effect of the cured adhesive and weld-brazing in the weld zone.On the other hand,a metallurgical bond was formed at the ASS/ASS interface.The Mg nugget microstructure exhibited fine columar grains composed predominantly of primaryα-Mg grains along with a eutectic mixture ofα-Mg andβ-Mg17Al12.The nugget formed at the ASS/ASS interface consisted largely of columnar grains of austenite,with some equiaxed dendritic grains formed at the centerline of the joint.The weld-bonded joints exhibited an average peak load and energy absorption of about 8.5 kN and 17 J,respectively(the conventional RSW joints failed with minimal or no load application).The failure mode of the joints changed with increasing welding current from interfacial failure via the Mg nugget/upper ASS interface to partial interfacial failure(part of the Mg nugget was pulled out of the Mg sheet).Both failure modes were accompanied by cohesive failure in the adhesive zone.

An Experimental Artificial Neural Network Model:Investigating and Predicting Effects of Quenching Process on Residual Stresses of AISI 1035 Steel Alloy

The present study establishes a new estimation model using an artificial neural network(ANN) to predict the mechanical properties of the AISI 1035 alloy.The experiments were designed based on the L16 orthogonal array of the Taguchi method.A proposed numerical model for predicting the correlation of mechanical properties was supplemented with experimental data.The quenching process was conducted using a cooling medium called “nanofluids”.Nanoparticles were dissolved in a liquid phase at various concentrations(0.5%,1%,2.5%,and 5% vf) to prepare the nanofluids.Experimental investigations were done to assess the impact of temperature,base fluid,volume fraction,and soaking time on the mechanical properties.The outcomes showed that all conditions led to a noticeable improvement in the alloy's hardness which reached 100%,the grain size was refined about 80%,and unwanted residual stresses were removed from 50 to 150 MPa.Adding 5% of CuO nanoparticles to oil led to the best grain size refinement,while adding 2.5% of Al_(2)O_(3) nanoparticles to engine oil resulted in the greatest compressive residual stress.The experimental variables were used as the input data for the established numerical ANN model,and the mechanical properties were the output.Upwards of 99% of the training network's correlations seemed to be positive.The estimated result,nevertheless,matched the experimental dataset exactly.Thus,the ANN model is an effective tool for reflecting the effects of quenching conditions on the mechanical properties of AISI 1035.

Effect of heat treatment on microstructure and mechanical properties of Ti-containing low alloy martensitic wear-resistant steel

Effects of quenching temperature and cooling conditions(water cooling and 10%NaCl cooling)on microstructure and mechanical properties of a 0.2%Ti low alloy martensitic wear-resistant steel used for die casting ejector plate were investigated.The results show that lath martensite can be obtained after austenitizing in the range of 860-980℃and then water cooling.With an increase in austenitizing temperature,the precipitate content gradually decreases.The precipitates are mainly composed of TiC and Ti4C2S2,and their total content is between 1.15wt.%and 1.64wt.%.The precipitate phase concentration by water-cooling is higher than that by10%NaCl cooling due to the lower cooling rate of water cooling.As the austeniting temperature increases,the hardness and tensile strength of both water cooled and 10%NaCl cooled steels firstly increase and then decrease.The experimental steel exhibits the best comprehensive mechanical properties after being austenitized at 900℃,cooled by 10%NaCl,and then tempered at 200℃.Its hardness,ultimate tensile strength,and wear rate reach551.4 HBW,1,438.2 MPa,and 0.48×10^(-2)mg·m^(-1),respectively.

In situ observation of austenite grain growth behavior in the simulated coarse-grained heat-affected zone of Ti-microalloyed steels

The austenite grain growth behavior in a simulated coarse-grained heat-affected zone during thermal cycling was investigated via in situ observation. Austenite grains nucleated at ferrite grain boundaries and then grew in different directions through movement of grain boundaries into the ferrite phase. Subsequently, the adjacent austenite grains impinged against each other during the α→γtransformation. After the α→γ transformation, austenite grains coarsened via the coalescence of small grains and via boundary migration between grains. The growth process of austenite grains was a continuous process during heating, isothermal holding, and cooling in simulated thermal cycling. Abundant finely dispersed nanoscale TiN particles in a steel specimen containing 0.012wt% Ti effectively retarded the grain boundary migration, which resulted in refined austenite grains. When the Ti concentration in the steel was increased, the number of TiN particles de- creased and their size coarsened. The big particles were not effective in pinning the austenite grain boundary movement and resulted in coarse austenite grains.

Hot ductility behavior of V-N and V-Nb microalloyed steels

The hot ductility of V-N and V-Nb microalloyed steels was investigated on a Gleeble-1500 thermomechanical simulator, and the results were compared with those of V and Nb microalloyed steels. A ductility trough is found in both the steels in the temperature range of 700 to 1050℃. Compared to the V steel, the V-N steel has a wider and deeper ductility trough with the increase of N content, due to the in- creased precipitation of V（C, N） in the steel. Above 930℃, when 0.047wt% V is added to the 0.028wt% Nb-containing steel, the ductility becomes worse, owing to the rise of the onset dynamic recrystallization temperature. However, the ductility gets better at 800 to 930℃ be- cause of the coarsening of precipitates in austenite. With the improvement in ductility, the fracture mechanism is changed from intergranular to high ductile fracture in the temperature range of 800 to 1050℃.

Effect of Alloying Elements on Thermal Wear of Cast Hot-Forging Die Steels

The effect of main alloying elements on thermal wear of cast hot-forging die steels was studied. The wear mechanism was discussed. The results show that alloying elements have significant influences on the thermal wear of cast hot-forging die steels. The wear rates decrease with an increase in chromium content from 3% to 4% and molybdenum content from 2% to 3%, respectively. With further increase of chromium and molybdenum contents, chromium slightly reduces the wear resistance and molybdenum severely deteriorates the wear resistance with high wear rate. Lower vanadium/carbon ratio （1.5-2.5） leads to a lower wear resistance with higher wear rate. With an increase in vanadium/carbon ratio, the wear resistance of the cast steel substantially increases. When vanadium/carbon ratio is 3, the wear rate reaches the lowest value. The predominant mechanism of thermal wear of cast hot-forging die steels are oxidation wear and fatigue delamination. The Fe2O3 and Fe3O4 or lumps of brittle wear debris are formed on the wear surface.

High Nitrogen Austenitic Stainless Steels Manufactured by Nitrogen Gas Alloying and Adding Nitrided Ferroalloys

A simple and feasible method for the production of high nitrogen austenitic stainless steels involves nitrogen gas alloying and adding nitrided ferroalloys under normal atmospheric conditions. Alloying by nitrogen gas bubbling in Fe-Cr-Mn-Mo series alloys was carried out in MoSi2 resistance furnace and air induction furnace under normal atmospheric conditions. The results showed that nitrogen alloying could be accelerated by increasing nitrogen gas flow rate, prolonging residence time of bubbles, increasing gas/molten steel interfaces, and decreasing the sulphur and oxygen contents in molten steel. Nitrogen content of 0.69% in 18Crl8Mn was obtained using air induction furnace by bubbling of nitrogen gas from porous plug. In addition, the nickel-free, high nitrogen austenitic stainless steels with sound and compact macrostructure had been produced in the laboratory using vacuum induction furnace and electroslag remelting furnace under nitrogen atmosphere by the addition of nitrided alloy with the maximum nitrogen content of 0.81%. Pores were observed in the ingots obtained by melting and casting in vacuum induction furnace with the addition of nitrided ferroalloys and under nitrogen atmosphere. After electroslag remelting of the cast ingots, they were all sound and were free of pores. The yield of nitrogen increased with the decrease of melting rate in the ESR process. Due to electroslag remelting under nitrogen atmosphere and the consequential addition of aluminum as deoxidizer to the slag, the loss of manganese decreased obviously. There existed mainly irregular Al2O3 inclusions and MnS inclusions in ESR ingots, and the size of most of the inclusions was less than 5 um. After homogenization of the hot rolled plate at 1 150℃ × 1 h followed by water quenching, the microstructure consisted of homogeneous austenite.

Recent progress in third-generation low alloy steels developed under M^3 microstructure control

During the past thirty years, two generations of low alloy steels(ferrite/pearlite followed by bainite/martensite) have been developed and widely used in structural applications. The third-generation of low alloy steels is expected to achieve high strength and improved ductility and toughness, while satisfying the new demands for weight reduction, greenness, and safety. This paper reviews recent progress in the development of third-generation low alloy steels with an M^3 microstructure, namely, microstructures with multi-phase, meta-stable austenite, and multi-scale precipitates. The review summarizes the alloy designs and processing routes of microstructure control, and the mechanical properties of the alloys.The stabilization of retained austenite in low alloy steels is especially emphasized. Multi-scale nano-precipitates, including carbides of microalloying elements and Cu-rich precipitates obtained in third-generation low alloy steels, are then introduced. The structure–property relationships of third-generation alloys are also discussed. Finally, the promises and challenges to future applications are explored.

Influence of chromium on the initial corrosion behavior of low alloy steels in the CO_2–O_2–H_2S–SO_2 wet–dry corrosion environment of cargo oil tankers

The influence of Cr on the initial corrosion behavior of low-alloy steels exposed to a CO2–O2–H2S–SO2 wet–dry corrosion environment was investigated using weight-loss measurements, scanning electron microscopy, N2 adsorption tests, X-ray diffraction analysis, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The results show that the corrosion rate increases with increasing Cr content in samples subjected to corrosion for 21 d. However, the rust grain size decreases, its specific surface area increases, and it becomes more compact and denser with increasing Cr content, which indicates the enhanced protectivity of the rust. The results of charge transfer resistance(Rct) calculations indicate that higher Cr contents can accelerate the corrosion during the first 7 d and promote the formation of the enhanced protective inner rust after 14 d; the formed protective inner rust is responsible for the greater corrosion resistance during long-term exposure.

Review on synergistic damage effect of irradiation and corrosion on reactor structural alloys

The synergistic damage effect of irradiation and corrosion of reactor structural materials has been a prominent research focus.This paper provides a comprehensive review of the synergistic effects on the third-and fourth-generation fission nuclear energy structural materials used in pressurized water reactors and molten salt reactors.The competitive mechanisms of multiple influencing factors,such as the irradiation dose,corrosion type,and environmental temperature,are summarized in this paper.Conceptual approaches are proposed to alleviate the synergistic damage caused by irradiation and corrosion,thereby promoting in-depth research in the future and solving this key challenge for the structural materials used in reactors.

Performance of the Aluminide Coating of SomeLow Alloy Steels

Two low alloy steels 0.5Cr-0.5Mo-0.25V and H85 were pack-aluminized at 900°for 4 h by using Fe-Al powder mixture containing 48% Fe, 20.6% Al- 29.4% Al2O3 and 2% NH4Cl by weight. The microhardness and oxidation resistance at 900℃ of the aluminide coatings were studied. It was found that pack-aluminizing improves the microhardness of the 0.5Cro.5Mo-0.25V steel while it reduces the microhardness of the H85 steel. Pack aluminizing highly improves the oxidation resistance after 20h exposure at 900℃ in air for the investigated steels.

Incubation and development of corrosion in microstructures of low alloy steels under a thin liquid film of NaCl aqueous solution

Electrochemical measurement, optical microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy were employed to investigate the corrosion behavior of some low alloy steels. The steels were held under a thin liquid film of 0.5wt% NaCl aqueous solution. It is found that the steels with the same chemical composition but different micmstructures exhibit obviously different corrosion behaviors. However, the corrosion behavior of the steels with different compositions but the same microstructnres may be similar in the present investigation. The corrosion rate of bainite is slower than that of ferrite and pearlite. The corrosion products of bainite are uniform and fine. The size of carbon-rich phases produces a great impact on the corrosion of the steels, whether in the initial stage or in the long tenn. It is easy to induce large pitting for carbon-rich phases with large size, which damages the compactness of the rust layer.

Alloying Elements in High Speed Steels

Effects of alloying elements,Si,Nb,Ti,W,Mo,V,Al and rare earth metals on the microstructure and properties of high speed steels(HSSs) have been reviewed.More attention is paid to effects of Si on the secondary hardening and V on the morphology of eutectic carbides in HSSs.A lot of work has been carried out on the behavior of alloying elements in HSSs in the past decade,and some new types of HSSs containing silicon,aluminum or rare earth metals have been successfully developed in the world.

Investigation on influence of alloying on phase transitions of duplex stainless steel based on thermochemical calculation

This paper investigated on influence of different alloying elements added into duplex stainless steel (DSS) on phase transitions using thermochemical methods in comparison with experiment.The results showed that the most possible species in the ferrite phase,austenite phase,σphase,Hcp phase,χphase,and carbide were Cr:Va-type,Fe:Va-type,Ni:Cr:Mo-type,Cr_(2)N-type,Fe_(24)Mo_(10)Cr_(24)-type,and Cr:Mo:C-type,respectively.Furthermore,the Ni,N,Cr,and Mo alloying had significant influences on the transition of each DSS phase.The Ni and N additions obviously raised the temperature at ferrite-1/austenite-1 balance while the Cr and Mo decreased the dual-phase balance temperature.In addition,the Ni addition can promote the precipitating ofσphase at relatively high temperature while the precipitating of Hcp phase at relatively low temperature.The Hcp phase andχphase can be obviously increased by the N addition.The introduction of Cr and Mo notably enhances the precipitation ofσphase.However,the promotion ofχphase precipitation is facilitated by the presence of Mo,while the Cr element acts as an inhibitor forχphase precipitation.Furthermore,the ferrite/austenite ratio tested by experiment was higher than that calculated by thermochemical methods,thus pre-designed solution temperature should be lower about 30-100℃than that calculated by thermochemical methods.

Microstructure and Corrosion Resistance of CrN and CrN/TiN Coated Heat-Resistant Steels in Molten Aluminum Alloy

The components of the equipment for processing the Al melts into the molded parts can be markedly corroded by the molten Al. In this study, a 4 μm CrN coating or CrN/TiN multilayer coating for providing the physical and chemical barriers between the molten reactive Al and the steel substrate were deposited by Cathodic Arc Evaporation onto 10 mm-thick heat-resistant steel plates. The dipping tests were conducted in a 700℃ A356 melt for 1 to 21 h at intervals of 3 h. The damage of the coated steel was eva...

Chloride resistance of Cr-bearing alloy steels in carbonated concrete pore solutions

The effect of carbonation on the chloride resistance of low-carbon steel and two Cr-bearing alloy steels in simulated concrete pore solutions was investigated.The chloride threshold values of steels were determined on the basis of corrosion potential(Ecorr)and polarization resistance(Rp).Moreover,the chloride-induced corrosion behavior of steels was evaluated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy,cyclic voltammetry,cathodic potentiodynamic polarization,and scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy measurements.Alloy steels have higher chloride resistance than low-carbon steel in carbonated and non-carbonated concrete pore solutions.The chloride resistance of alloy steels improves with increasing Cr content.In addition,the chloride resistance of all steels is negatively affected by the carbonation of concrete pore solution,especially for alloy steel with high Cr content in the presence of high chloride content.

Carbon Equivalent Fundamentals in Evaluating the Weldability of Microalloy and Low Alloy Steels

Understanding the weldability of steel in relation to the use of carbon equivalent is very necessary for the welding industry. The study was poised to unearth the fundamentals of carbon equivalent as applied in evaluating the weldability of steel. The study used a two-stage design approach to address the problem of carbon equivalence weldability of steel, thus, survey and experimental. Two different steels were tested to ascertain their chemical composition which could inform carbon equivalent calculation, and the results revealed microalloy and low alloy steels respectively. In subjecting the microalloy steel to carbon equivalent analyses of the AWS and IIW coefficients;revealed a value (CEV) = 0.11 each, suggesting that this microalloy steel has excellent weldability;no preheating is required. A successful welding operation on this steel does not depend on preheating. Also, the average results of the low alloy steel revealed a value (CEV) = 0.37 and 0.32 respectively, suggesting that this type of steel has very good weldability and may require to preheat. It is recommended that welders have a general idea about the weldability of steel with regard to carbon equivalent calculation. In addition, they should understand the chemical compositions of steels they are dealing with.

Thermodynamic Calculation of A_(r3) Temperature inLow Alloy Steels

On the basis of superelement model, Cahn's transformation kinetics theory and Scheil's additivity rule, actual γ/α transformation start temperature, A.3 in Fe-Σ Xi-C (Xi=Mn, Si, Ni, Mo etc.)multi-component low alloy Steels during continuous cooling process was calculated. Influences of chemical composition, hot deformation of γ and cooling rate on Ar3 temperature were analyzed. Calculated Ar3 temperatures are in reasonable agreement with measured ones.

Abrasive Wear Characteristics of Carbon and Low Alloy Steels for Better Performance of Farm Implements

The low stress abrasion behaviours of heat treated mild, medium carbon and high C - low Cr steels, which are generally used in making farm implements, have been investigated. The simple heat treatment greatly improves the hardness, tensile strength and abrasion resistance of medium carbon and high C - low Cr steels. The results indicate that the material removal during abrasion is controlled by a number of factors, such as hardness, chemical composition, microstructure and heat treatment conditions. The conclusion is that the heat treated high C - low Cr steel and mild steel carburized by using coaltar pitch provide the best hardness and abrasion resistance and thus appear to be the most suitable materials for making agricultural tools.

Susceptibility of two types of low-alloy hull steels to pit initiation

Four low-alloy hull steels with different alloy elements were selected. Theirsusceptibility to pitting corrosion was compared by means of electrochemical polarization test. Theinclusions in the steels and their pitting corrosion characteristics were studied by an electronprobe micro-analyzer (EPMA). The results indicate that some inclusions are the main sources ofpitting corrosion. The susceptibility of nickel-chromium steel to pit initiation is less than thatof manganese steel. Under the same conditions, nickel-chromium steel is easier to passivate thanmanganese steel, and the passive films on nickel-chromium steel surface are more stable than that onmanganese steel. In low-alloy steels, the higher the contents of nickel and chromium, the lower thecritical passive pH value. In the same kind of steel, multi-phase inclusions containing sulfide areeasier to initiate pitting corrosion than other inclusions.