Effect of electrodes and thermal insulators on grain refinement by electric current pulse

The application of electric current pulse（ECP） to a solidification process refers to the immersion of electrodes into the liquid metal and the employment of thermal insulators on the upper surface of metal.In order to ascertain the effects of these two factors on the structure refinement by the ECP technique,three groups of experiments were performed with different types of electrodes or various thermal insulators.By the comparison between solidification structures under different conditions,it is followed that the electrode and the thermal insulator have an obvious influence on the grain refinement under an applied ECP,and further analysis demonstrates that the thermal conditions of the liquid surface play a vital role in the modification of solidification structure.Also,the results support the viewpoint that most of the equiaxed grains originate from the liquid surface subjected to an ECP.

Migration behavior of solidification nuclei in pure Al melt under effect of electric current pulse

A mathematical model considering free nuclei was developed to reveal the migration behavior of the free nuclei. Numerical simulation results show that most of the nuclei on the top surface of the melt move downwards and distribute randomly inside the Al melt, which induces more nucleation sites resulting in grain refinement. At the same time, the effect of nuclei size on the nuclei distribution and refinement employing electric current pulse （ECP） was also investigated. The smaller nuclei migrate a short distance with the Al melt at lower speed. But for the larger nuclei, the migration downwards with higher speed benefits the refinement of interior grains of the melt. The research results help to better understand the refinement process and provide a more reasonable explanation of the grain refinement mechanism using ECP.

Influences of pulse electric current treatment on solidification microstructures and mechanical properties of Al-Si piston alloys

Three kinds of AI-Si piston alloys were prepared and subjected to pulse electric current treatment （PECT） at different pouring temperatures. Some aspects of the solidification microstructures were examined including the morphology and the distribution of the matrix and the secondary phases by using of optical microscopy （OM）, SEM and EDS methods. Results indicate that PECT can refine the grains of α-AI in the alloys as effectively as chemical modification by sodium salt. The processing parameters of PECT on the multi-component AI-Si alloys were then optimized through the testing of tensile strength, elongation and microhardness of the prepared alloys. A new theory was put forward to explain the mechanism of PECT.

Microstructure and Temperature Distribution in ZnAl_2O_4 Sintered Body by Pulse Electric Current

Microstructure of reaction sintering of ZnAl2O4 at 1500℃ by hot-pressing(HP) and pulse electric current was investigated. The results indicated that the existed cracks in sintered body were caused by structure mismatch. It is the evidence that periodical temperature field existed during pulse electric current sintering of nonconductive materials. The distance between high temperature areas was related to die diameter.

Evolution of melt convection in a liquid metal driven by a pulsed electric current

Gain refinement in metal alloy can be achieved by applying an electric current pulse(ECP)in solidification process.Forced flow inside the melt has been proved to be a key role in grain refinement.In this paper,the fluid flow inside Ga 20 wt%-In 12 wt%-Sn alloy induced by a damping sinusoidal ECP flowing through two parallel electrodes into the cylindrical melt was investigated by both experimental measurements and numerical simulations.Experimental results showed that a strong descending jet was induced beneath the bottom of electrodes under the application of ECP.Besides,it was found that flow intensity increases with the increase of amplitude,frequency,and pulse width,respectively.In order to unlock the formation mechanism of flow pattern and the relevance of flow intensity varied with electrical parameters,a three-dimensional numerical model under the application of ECP was established.Meanwhile,a comparative study was conducted by numerical simulations to reveal the distributions of electromagnetic fields and forced flow.Numerical results showed that the downward Lorentz force induced by ECP was concentrated beneath the bottom of electrodes.This downward Lorentz force induces a descending jet and provokes a global forced flow.According to numerical simulations,the evolution of flow intensity with electrical parameters under the application of ECP can be understood by the time averaged impulse of Lorentz force.

Equivalent Resistance in Pulse Electric Current Sintering

The sintering resistance for conductive TiB2 and non-conductive A12O3 as well as empty die during pulse current sintering were investigated in this paper. Equivalent resistances were measured by current and valtage during sintering the conductive and non-conductive materials in the same conditions. It is found that the current paths for conductive are different from those for non-conductive materials. For non-conductive materials, sintering resistances are influenced by powder sizes and heating rates, which indicates that pulse current has some interaction with non-conductive powders. For conductive TiB2 , sintering resistances are influenced by heating rates and ball-milling time, which indicates the effect of powders activated by spark.

Migration Behavior of Impurity Iron in Silicon Melt Under Pulsed Electric Current

The impurity iron in silicon material will seriously affect the photoelectric conversion efficiency of silicon solar cells.However,the traditional silicon purification method has the disadvantages of long cycle,high energy consumption and serious pollution.In this study,an efficient and green pulsed electric current purification technology is proposed.The electromigration effect of iron elements,the current density gradient driving of iron phase,and the gravity of iron phase all affect the migration behavior of iron phase in silicon melt under pulsed electric current.Regardless of the depth of electrode insertion into the silicon melt,the solubility of iron in silicon decreases under the pulsed electric current,which helps to form the iron phase.At the same time,the iron phase tends to sink toward the bottom under the influence of gravity.When the electrode is shallowly inserted,a non-uniform electric field is formed in the silicon melt,and the iron phase is mainly driven by the current density gradient to accelerate sink toward the bottom.When the electrode is fully inserted,an approximately uniform electric field is formed in the silicon melt,and iron elements are preferentially migrated to the cathode by electromigration,forming iron phase sinking at the cathode.The study of impurity iron migration behavior in silicon melt under pulsed electric current provides a new approach for the purification of polycrystalline silicon.

Altering the Residual Stress in High-Carbon Steel through Promoted Dislocation Movement and Accelerated Carbon Diffusion by Pulsed Electric Current

Residual stress in high-carbon steel affects the dimensional accuracy, structural stability, and integrity of components. Although the evolution of residual stress under an electric field has received extensive attention, its elimination mechanism has not been fully clarified. In this study, it was found that the residual stress of high-carbon steel could be effectively relieved within a few minutes through the application of a low density pulse current. The difference between the current pulse treatment and traditional heat treatment in reducing residual stress is that the electric pulse provides additional Gibbs free energy for the system, which promotes dislocation annihilation and carbon atom diffusion to form carbides, thus reducing the free energy of the system. The electroplastic and thermal effects of the pulse current promoted the movement of dislocations under the electric field, thus eliminating the internal stress caused by dislocation entanglement. The precipitation of carbides reduced the carbon content of the steel matrix and lattice shrinkage, thereby reducing the residual tensile stress. Considering that a pulsed current has the advantages of small size, small power requirement, continuous output, and continuously controllable parameters, it has broad application prospects for eliminating residual stress.

A Pulsed Electromagnet for Laser Wakefield Electron Acceleration Experiments

Laser Wakefield plasma acceleration of electrons to energies above 10 GeV, may be possible in the new high power Laser beam facilities. The design of an Electron Spectrometer with an electro-magnet with adjustable magnetic field is proposed for the characterization of electron energy spectrum with a precision better than 10% for the entire energy range from 0.5 GeV to 38 GeV. The expected precision in the measurement of the electron energy is calculated as a function of the magnetic field, of the electron energy and of the magnet length. To outline the advantages offered by a pulsed electromagnet with high magnetic fields, the mass and the electric power lost in the coils of a 4 m long electromagnet with continuous current and Iron yoke are calculated.

Columnar to Equiaxed Transition During Solidification of Small Ingot by Using Electric Current Pulse

A new approach to applying the electric current pulse （ECP） with parallel electrodes to the promotion of the transition from columnar crystal to equiaxed crystal and the improvement of macrosegregation was introduced. The ECP was applied to different stages of the solidification. The results showed that the application of the ECP in both the initial stage （the thickness of solidified shell reached 2 mm approximately） and the late stage （the thickness of solidified shell reached 14 mm approximately） of solidification can promote the columnar to equiaxed transition （CET）. The analysis showed that during solidification, a large number of nuclei around the upper surface fell off due to ECP, which subsequently showered on the melt and impinged the growth front of the columnar crystal. Therefore, the CEToccurred. In addition, this method was also employed to influence the solidification process of bearing steel, and the results showed that the structure was changed from columnar crystal to equiaxed crystal, indicating that ECP can enhance the homogeneity of structure and composition of bearing steel.

Formation of Dense Inclusion Buildup on Submerged Entry Nozzle by Electric Current Pulse

In this work, low-density electric current pulse （ECP） has been applied to submerged entry nozzle （SEN） and its effect on the morphology of the inclusion buildup and the distribution of the inclusions in slab has been explored. The results reveal that under the unique effects of ECP, part of small inclusions less than 10 μm is expelled through the boundary layer along the current direction to form dense inclusion buildup. This method is of great potential to prolong the service life of SEN and improve the quality of the steel product.

Solidification of Pb–Al Alloys Under the Influence of Electric Current Pulses

Continuous solidification experiments are carried out with Pb–Al alloys under the influence of the electric current pulses（ECPs）. The results demonstrate that the ECPs mainly affect the microstructure formation through changing the energy barrier for the nucleation of the minority phase droplets（MPDs） and minority phase particles（MPPs） during cooling Pb–Al alloys in the liquid–liquid and liquid–solid phase transformation temperature ranges in advance of the solidification of the matrix liquid. For Pb–Al alloys with Al-rich droplets/particles as the minority phase, the ECPs lower the energy barriers for the nucleation of the MPDs/MPPs and cause a significant increase in the nucleation rate of the MPDs/MPPs and, thus,promote the formation of Pb–Al alloys with a well-dispersed or even nanoparticles dispersed microstructure. The ECPs parameters show an important influence on the microstructure formation of Pb–Al alloys. The refinement extent of the MPDs/MPPs increases with the increase in the peak current density. For a given peak current density, the refinement extent of the MPDs/MPPs increases with the increases in the pulse frequency and pulse width first, and then level off and become asymptotic.

Removing prior particle boundaries in a powder superalloy based on the interaction between pulsed electric current and chain-like structure

The chain-like prior particle boundaries(PPBs)as a kind of stubborn harmful precipitate will hinder atomic diffusion and particle connection.They can only be broken into nanoscale through thermal deformation(1160–1200℃).Here,treated by the pulsed electric current at 800℃,PPBs were dissolved quickly as a result of the interaction between the pulsed electric current and the chain-like structure.According to the electromigration theory and the calculation results,the high current density regions will be mainly produced at the gaps due to the conductivity difference between the precipitates and the matrix.The atomic diffusion flux caused by the pulsed electric current is proportional to the current density.Therefore,the existence of a large number of gaps in the chain-like PPBs will make the high current density regions play a more positive role in fast-dissolution.

Modification of Corrosion Resistance of the Plain Carbon Steels by Pulsed Electric Current

The fracture of pipelines caused by corrosion cracks and the resulting oil and gas leakage can lead to great environmentalpollution and economic losses. These negative effects are due to serious corrosion of the plain carbon steels used for armorof flexible pipe in oil and gas transmission medium. However, corrosion resistance of carbon steel armors has yet to beimproved. In this study, the relationship between corrosion resistance and pearlite fraction in the plain carbon steels hasbeen investigated through the application of pulsed electric current. Based on immersion test and electrochemical mea-surement, pulsed electric current increases the corrosion resistance of the plain carbon steels by reducing the fraction ofpearlite phase. Pitting corrosion, which tends to initiate by galvanic corrosion of ferrite and cementite, is therefore inhibiteddue to the decrease in pearlite fraction （mixture of ferrite and cementite） under electropulsing.

Sintering, thermal stability and mechanical properties of ZrO2-WC composites obtained by pulsed electric current sintering

ZrO2-WC composites exhibit comparable mechanical properties as traditional WC-Co materials, which provides an opportunity to partially replace WC-Co for some applications. In this study, 2 mol.% Y2O3 stabilized ZrO2 composites with 40 vol.% WC were consolidated in the 1150℃-1850℃ range under a pressure of 60 MPa by pulsed electric current sintering （PECS）. The densification behavior, microstructure and phase constitution of the composites were investigated to clarify the role of the sintering temperature on the grain growth, mechanical properties and thermal stability of ZrO2 and WC components. Analysis results indicated that the composites sintered at 1350℃ and 1450℃ exhibited the highest tetragonal ZrO2 phase transformability, maximum toughness, and hardness and an optimal flexural strength. Chemical reaction of ZrO2 and C, originating from the graphite die, was detected in the composite PECS for 20 min at 1850℃ in vacuum.

Cementite Decomposition in Spherical Graphite Iron by Electropulsing

The influence of electropulsing on cementite decomposition in the spherical graphite iron has been studied. The results indicated that the cementite was decomposed in a short time by high current density electropulsing. With increasing electropulsing time, the in situ nucleation of graphite in cementite was accompanied with the quick decomposition of cementite. The dislocation accumulation adjacent to the cementite and the quick diffusion of carbon atom by electropulsing were main reasons for the quick decomposition of cementite. The in situ nucleation of graphite in the cementite resulted from the dislocation climbing crossing the cementite lamellae.

Effect of High Density Current Pulses on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Dual-Phase Wrought Superalloy

In this study,high density electric current pulse(ECP)treatment was introduced instead of the conventional solution treatment,and theγ′phase was completely dissolved under the ECP treatment within only several milliseconds at 1148°C.Due to the extremely short treatment time and high cooling rate,the growth ofγ-phase matrix grain andγ′phase precipitate was effectively retarded.By comparing with the conventional heat process,the grain size of ECP treated sample was controlled to about 15μm,the size of the re-precipitatedγ′phase reduced from 65 to 35 nm,and the number density ofγ′precipitate increased from 1.46×108 to 3.03×108/mm2.The Vickers hardness,ultimate tensile strength and yield strength of the ECP treated sample were significantly improved.According to the theoretical derivation of kinetics,the ECP treatment introduces an extra electrical free energy which promoted the dissolution ofγ′phase.The ECP treatment may provide a new method for solution treatment of the Ni-based superalloy.

Ultrafast regulation of nano-scale matrix defects using electrical property discrepancies to delay material embrittlement

Nano-scale phases can enhance or reduce the mechanical properties of materials,so it is very important to control the size of the phases.Copper-rich nanoclusters as matrix defects will significantly reduce the performance of materials for key nuclear power components,while traditional heat treatment method has a technical bottleneck for the dissolution of nanoclusters.A new method of using the inherent electrical property discrepancies between the matrix material and the nanoclusters to effectively dissolve the nanoclusters through pulsed electric current to realize the recovery of material aging degradation performance is proposed.The performance evolution of simulated steel in the aging-external field repair cycle was studied,and it was found the dislocations as the preferred nucleation sites of nanoclusters were regulated in virtue of the non-thermal effect of current,resulting in a decrease in dislocation density and entanglement release.In the subsequent thermal aging process,the embrittlement rate of the aged and tempered material trained by the electric pulse was slower than that of the untreated sample.When moving dislocations are pinned by nanoclusters under high stress,nano-scale dislocations can be induced into the clusters.The dislocations near the nanoclusters and the newly formed nano-scale dislocations in the nanoclusters act as fast diffusion channels,which can further accelerate the dissolution of the nanoclusters.

Mechanical Manipulation of Electrical Behaviors of Piezoelectric Semiconductor Nanofibers by Time-Dependent Stresses

We study electric currents in a piezoelectric semiconductor fiber under a constant voltage and time-dependent axial stresses applied locally.From a nonlinear numerical analysis based on a one-dimensional phenomenological model using the commercial software COMSOL,it is found that pulse electric currents can be produced by periodic or time-harmonic stresses.The pulse currents can be tuned by the amplitude and frequency of the applied stress.The result obtained provides a new approach for the mechanical control of electric currents in piezoelectric semiconductor fibers and has potential applications in piezotronics.

Regulating the recrystallized grain to induce strong cube texture in oriented silicon steel

Cube texture contains two easy magnetization directions<001>parallel to rolling and transverse direction,respectively,which is the most ideal magnetic texture suitable not only for transformers but also for rotating machines.In this study,a strong cube texture with ODF density of 50.73 mrd was successfully obtained by regulating the recrystallized grain orientation using cross-rolling and pulsed electric current,compared to conventional thermal annealing(the average cube texture intensity is~10 mrd in lots of latest studies).Cross cold rolling process intentionally"created"metastable deformed cube orientation in oriented silicon steel and the specific recrystallization texture rotation path was identified under pulsed electric current in 5 min:{114}<261>→{114}<151>→{114}<041>→{001}<150>→{001}<010>.The cube-oriented grains were induced by pulsed electric current(800℃)and rapid heating(51.9℃/s,750℃),while the cube grains were observed in the annealed samples at the high temperature(1060℃).Recrystallized grain size of pulsed samples is about twice that of the annealed sample.This phenomenon is considered that the concurrent effects of electron wind force and Joule heating affected the nucleation,growth and rotation of cube grains by reducing the nuclear barrier,producing higher grain boundary mobility and structural evolution towards a state with lower electrical resistance.This idea of current-controlled texture is worthy of popularization in more materials and the realization of an electromagnetic field to crystal orientation selection is an interesting topic.