Precipitation of multi-type nano-quasicrystals in a Mg-Zn-Y alloy

Mg-6Zn-1Y(at.%)ribbons with strengthening precipitates of multi-type nanoquasicrystals were prepared by melt-spinning followed by aging treatments.Microstructural evolution of the rapidly solidified ribbons during isothermal aging was comprehensively studied using various electron microscopy techniques.Two new kinds of decagonal quasicrystals were formed in aged ribbons,in addition to precipitation of nanometer icosahedral quasicrystals.Atomic-resolution observations reveal that both decagonal quasicrystals can be modeled by quasiperiodic tiling with decagonal clusters of 2.5 nm in diameter,but overlap of neighboring clusters in both decagonal quasicrystals is different from the Gummelt model observed in other quasicrystals.A shell composed of complex Laves Mg-Zn domains was formed surrounding each decagonal quasicrystal precipitate upon prolonged aging.In addition,all kinds of nanoprecipitates exhibit excellent structure and size stability at 573 K.Our findings may have implications for not only fundamental studies about quasicrystals,but also microstructural manipulation of high-performance Mg alloys.

Revealing the grain size dependent hot workability and deformation mechanisms in a Mg-Zn-Y alloy

Despite the industrial significance of grain size for enhancing mechanical properties and formability,the in-depth deformation mechanisms at elevated temperature are still unclear.To investigate the functions of grain size on hot workability and deformation mechanisms,three groups of Mg-1.2Zn-0.2Y alloy specimens with different grain sizes were hot compressed and then studied by combining constitutive model,processing map and microstructural observations.The results showed that the enhanced hot workability accompanying low deformation activation energy and small instability regime was obtained with refined grain size.During hot deformation,the decreased grain size in Mg1.2Zn-0.2Y alloy mainly improved the plastic deformation homogeneity,especially for the weakened local straining around grain boundaries.As a result,the dynamic recrystallization nucleation and texture development at lower strain level were influenced by the initial grain size.At higher strain magnitude,the growth and coarsening of dynamic recrystallized grains would further release strain localization and improve hot workability,while the texture was less impacted.Further,unlike the primary basal slip and deformation twinning in the specimen with coarse grain at low temperature,non-basal slips of dislocations were initiated with less deformation twins in the specimens with refined grain size.

Mechanical properties and failure mechanisms of Mg-Zn-Y alloys with different extrusion ratio and LPSO volume fraction

In long period stacking ordered(LPSO)phase containing Mg-Zn-Y alloys,high elastic modulus and deformation kinks of LPSO phase considerably enhance the tensile yield strength,with slight detriment of or benefit to the ductility depending on its volume fraction.In present work,uniaxial tensile tests and fracture toughness tests are carried out using Mg99.2Zn0.2Y0.6,Mg97Zn1Y2,Mg89Zn4Y7 and Mg85Zn6Y9(at%)materials with different extrusion ratios.Extrusion processing enhances both strength and ductility due to the recrystallization of Mg grains.Variable plastic deformation mechanisms are activated depending on volume fraction of Mg and LPSO phase as well as their relative size during bending.{1012¯}<101¯1¯>tensile twins in Mg grains and deformation kinks in LPSO phase are observed,which dissipate large amount of deformation energy favoring for toughness.However,inherently brittle LPSO phase is detrimental to toughness.Microstructure-motivated empirical models for yield strength and fracture toughness prediction based on rule of mixtures are calibrated by experimental data.Energy release rates of individual mechanisms are estimated,which quantitatively indicate strong Mg/LPSO interaction.

Microstructure and Peritectic Reaction within As-solidified Mg-Zn-Y Alloy

An investigation on the microstructure and peritectic reaction involving icosahedra phase （I-phase） and crystalline phase （W-phase） within Mg-Zn-Y alloy during conventional solidification technology and rapid quenching was carried out, The solidification process of the peritectic reaction is discussed in details, It is shown that there is no obvious crystallographic relationship between the W-phase and I-phase during the solidification of Mg-Zn-Y alloy.

Aging kinetics of 14H-LPSO precipitates in Mg-Zn-Y alloy

Alloys with long-period stacking ordered structures(LPSO)have good properties and are highly regarded.Mg-Zn-Y alloy containing LPSO phase was prepared by the traditional casting method,and the aging heat treatment was performed at different temperatures and times.The microstructure and phase constitutions of the alloy were observed by means of optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy methods.Results show the microstructure of as-cast Mg95.5Zn1.5Y3 mainly consists ofα-Mg,W phases and LPSO phases.During the aging treatment,fine lamellar-shaped 14H-LPSO phase is formed at the grain boundaries and precipitates from the supersaturated magnesium matrix,and the volume fraction increases as the aging time increases.By controlling the aging time,Mg-Zn-Y alloys with different volume fractions of 14H-LPSO phase were prepared.The aging kinetics equation of the 14H-LPSO phase is summarized,that is f=1-exp(-0.2705 t 0.6368).The phase transformation mechanism of 14H-LPSO in Mg95.5Zn1.5Y3 alloy can be described as the change of dislocation energy.

Effect of Gd addition on microstructure and corrosion behaviors of Mg-Zn-Y alloy

The Mg_(97-x)Zn_(1)Y_(2)Gd_(x) alloys were prepared by as-casting method.Corrosion performance of alloys was evaluated by using potentiodynamic polarization,hydrogen evolution rate and mass loss measurements in 3%sodium chloride solution at room temperature.The results shown that the atomic rate of the long period stacking ordered(LPSO)with the composition of Mg_(12)Zn_(1)Y_(1).The microstructure of LPSO phases was lamellar structure.When the atomic fraction of Zn is 1%and the atomic ratio of Zn/RE(Y,Gd)is 2:5,the volume fraction of LPSO phase can reach the extreme value.The corrosion resistance of Mg–Zn–Y alloy improves with the increase of the volume fraction of LSPO phase.The Mg_(96.5)Zn_(1)Y_(2)Gd_(0.5)(MG0.5)alloy had better corrosion resistance than those of other alloys.It meant that 0.5 at.%gadolinium(Gd)was a suitable addition to Mg_(97)Zn_(2)Y alloy about corrosion resistance.

Tensile fracture of as-cast and hot rolled Mg-Zn-Y alloy with long-period stacking phase

An experimental Mg97Zn1Y2(molar fraction,%)alloy was produced by rolling the as-cast alloy.The microstructure of the alloy is composed of theα-Mg(also marked as 2H-Mg with reference to long-period stacking structure according to hexagonal close packed structure)and long-period stacking(LPS)phase.Tensile tests of Mg97Zn1Y2 alloy in comparison with pure Mg were conducted.The fracture morphologies of the tensile specimens were characterized and the microstructures near fracture surface were observed.The results show that the rolled Mg97Zn1Y2 alloy shows a mixed fracture mode including dimples indicating a ductile fracture pattern and a small fraction of cleavage planes indicating a brittle fracture pattern,which is different from the single brittle fracture of the as-cast alloy.In addition,the plastic deformation is mainly from dislocations induced strain with small strengthening effect during plastic deformation in the as-cast Mg97Zn1Y2 alloy,and the strain hardening rate is similar to that of the as-cast pure magnesium.The deformation mechanism of Mg97Zn1Y2 alloy is different from that of the pure magnesium according to a metallographical observation that whether twins are found or not.The strengthening effect hardly exists in the rolled Mg97Zn1Y2 alloy under the same dislocations induced strain,which is different from that of the as-cast alloy with moderate strengthening effect.

Synergetic deformation mechanisms in an Mg-Zn-Y-Zr alloy with intragranular LPSO structures

Deformation kink is one of the important strengthening mechanisms of the long-period-stacking-ordered(LPSO)phase containing magnesium(Mg)alloys,while the deformation twin is generally suppressed.To optimize the mechanical properties of LPSO containing Mg alloy by simultaneously exciting kink and twin,we successfully prepared the Mg-Zn-Y-Zr alloy featuring intragranular LPSO phase and free grain boundary LPSO phase by homogenization.We unraveled the corresponding strengthening and toughening mechanisms through transmission electron microscopy characterization and theoretical analysis.The high strength and good plasticity of the homogenized alloy benefit from the synergistic deformation mechanism of multiple kinking and twining in the grains.And the activation of kinking and twinning depends on the thicknesses of LPSO lamellae and their relative spacing.These results may shed light on optimizing the design of Mg alloys regulating the microstructure of LPSO phases.

Mg-Zn-Y系镁合金的研究现状与展望

镁合金作为“21世纪的绿色工程材料”,在航空航天、汽车、电子等领域具有广阔的应用前景。在诸多镁合金中,Mg-Zn-Y合金由于其独特的组织结构和优异的力学性能而成为研究热点。综述了近年来Mg-Zn-Y合金的研究现状。介绍了Mg-Zn-Y合金的物相与显微组织,主要对其存在的三种平衡相进行了简介,即准晶I相(Mg_(3)YZn_(6))、W相(Mg_(3)Y_(2)Zn_(3))和LPSO-Z相(Mg_(12)YZn);重点综述了主要合金元素(Zn、Y、Zr、Nd、Mn、Ca等)、变形加工处理对其微观组织及强韧化行为的作用规律,并总结了相应的铸态及变形态合金的力学性能。基于已有的研究基础展望了合金的未来发展方向。

Relationship between the unique microstructures and behaviors of high-entropy alloys

High-entropy alloys(HEAs),which were introduced as a pioneering concept in 2004,have captured the keen interest of nu-merous researchers.Entropy,in this context,can be perceived as representing disorder and randomness.By contrast,elemental composi-tions within alloy systems occupy specific structural sites in space,a concept referred to as structure.In accordance with Shannon entropy,structure is analogous to information.Generally,the arrangement of atoms within a material,termed its structure,plays a pivotal role in dictating its properties.In addition to expanding the array of options for alloy composites,HEAs afford ample opportunities for diverse structural designs.The profound influence of distinct structural features on the exceptional behaviors of alloys is underscored by numer-ous examples.These features include remarkably high fracture strength with excellent ductility,antiballistic capability,exceptional radi-ation resistance,and corrosion resistance.In this paper,we delve into various unique material structures and properties while elucidating the intricate relationship between structure and performance.

Microstructure and damping properties of LPSO phase dominant Mg-Ni-Y and Mg-Zn-Ni-Y alloys

This work studied the microstructure,mechanical properties and damping properties of Mg_(95.34)Ni_(2)Y_(2.66) and Mg_(95.34)Zn_(1)Ni_(1)Y_(2.66)alloys systematically.The difference in the evolution of the long-period stacked ordered(LPSO)phase in the two alloys during heat treatment was the focus.The morphology of the as-cast Mg_(95.34)Ni_(2)Y_(2.66)presented a disordered network.After heat treatment at 773 K for 2 hours,the eutectic phase was integrated into the matrix,and the LPSO phase maintained the 18R structure.As Zn partially replaced Ni,the crystal grains became rounded in the cast alloy,and lamellar LPSO phases and more solid solution atoms were contained in the matrix after heat treatment of the Mg_(95.34)Zn_(1)Ni_(1)Y_(2.66)alloy.Both Zn and the heat treatment had a significant effect on damping.Obvious dislocation internal friction peaks and grain boundary internal friction peaks were found after temperature-dependent damping of the Mg_(95.34)Ni_(2)Y_(2.66)and Mg_(95.34)Zn_(1)Ni_(1)Y_(2.66)alloys.After heat treatment,the dislocation peak was significantly increased,especially in the alloy Mg_(95.34)Ni_(2)Y_(2).66.The annealed Mg_(95.34)Ni_(2)Y_(2.66)alloy with a rod-shaped LPSO phase exhibited a good damping performance of 0.14 atε=10^(−3),which was due to the difference between the second phase and solid solution atom content.These factors also affected the dynamic modulus of the alloy.The results of this study will help in further development of high-damping magnesium alloys.

High corrosion and wear resistant electroless Ni–P gradient coatings on aviation aluminum alloy parts

A Ni–P alloy gradient coating consisting of multiple electroless Ni–P layers with various phosphorus contents was prepared on the aviation aluminum alloy. Several characterization and electrochemical techniques were used to characterize the different Ni–P coatings’ morphologies, phase structures, elemental compositions, and corrosion protection. The gradient coating showed good adhesion and high corrosion and wear resistance, enabling the application of aluminum alloy in harsh environments. The results showed that the double zinc immersion was vital in obtaining excellent adhesion (81.2 N). The optimal coating was not peeled and shredded even after bending tests with angles higher than 90°and was not corroded visually after 500 h of neutral salt spray test at 35℃. The high corrosion resistance was attributed to the misaligning of these micro defects in the three different nickel alloy layers and the amorphous structure of the high P content in the outer layer. These findings guide the exploration of functional gradient coatings that meet the high application requirement of aluminum alloy parts in complicated and harsh aviation environments.

Prediction of the thermal conductivity of Mg–Al–La alloys by CALPHAD method

Mg-Al alloys have excellent strength and ductility but relatively low thermal conductivity due to Al addition.The accurate prediction of thermal conductivity is a prerequisite for designing Mg-Al alloys with high thermal conductivity.Thus,databases for predicting temperature-and composition-dependent thermal conductivities must be established.In this study,Mg-Al-La alloys with different contents of Al2La,Al3La,and Al11La3phases and solid solubility of Al in the α-Mg phase were designed.The influence of the second phase(s) and Al solid solubility on thermal conductivity was investigated.Experimental results revealed a second phase transformation from Al_(2)La to Al_(3)La and further to Al_(11)La_(3)with the increasing Al content at a constant La amount.The degree of the negative effect of the second phase(s) on thermal diffusivity followed the sequence of Al2La>Al3La>Al_(11)La_(3).Compared with the second phase,an increase in the solid solubility of Al in α-Mg remarkably reduced the thermal conductivity.On the basis of the experimental data,a database of the reciprocal thermal diffusivity of the Mg-Al-La system was established by calculation of the phase diagram (CALPHAD)method.With a standard error of±1.2 W/(m·K),the predicted results were in good agreement with the experimental data.The established database can be used to design Mg-Al alloys with high thermal conductivity and provide valuable guidance for expanding their application prospects.

Improving corrosive wear resistance of Mg-Zn-Y-Zr alloys through heat treatment

The wear behavior of an as-received Mg-Zn-Y-Zr alloy before and after a facile heat treatment was investigated under sliding in air and 0.5 wt.%NaCl solution.Results revealed that the wear resistance of the alloy was remarkably enhanced after the heat treatment,irrespective of testing condition.The wear mechanism was predominantly abrasive wear accompanied by oxidation under the dry sliding condition,while corrosive wear was dominant under sliding in the NaCl solution.The superior corrosive wear resistance was attributed to the homogenous distribution of fine I-phase precipitates in the alloy by the heat treatment,leading to a reduction in wear,corrosion as well as wear-corrosion synergy.The wear-accelerated corrosion rate was remarkably alleviated after the heat treatment.

Machine learning-assisted efficient design of Cu-based shape memory alloy with specific phase transition temperature

The martensitic transformation temperature is the basis for the application of shape memory alloys(SMAs),and the ability to quickly and accurately predict the transformation temperature of SMAs has very important practical significance.In this work,machine learning(ML)methods were utilized to accelerate the search for shape memory alloys with targeted properties(phase transition temperature).A group of component data was selected to design shape memory alloys using reverse design method from numerous unexplored data.Component modeling and feature modeling were used to predict the phase transition temperature of the shape memory alloys.The experimental results of the shape memory alloys were obtained to verify the effectiveness of the support vector regression(SVR)model.The results show that the machine learning model can obtain target materials more efficiently and pertinently,and realize the accurate and rapid design of shape memory alloys with specific target phase transition temperature.On this basis,the relationship between phase transition temperature and material descriptors is analyzed,and it is proved that the key factors affecting the phase transition temperature of shape memory alloys are based on the strength of the bond energy between atoms.This work provides new ideas for the controllable design and performance optimization of Cu-based shape memory alloys.

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.

Greatly enhanced corrosion/wear resistances of epoxy coating for Mg alloy through a synergistic effect between functionalized graphene and insulated blocking layer

The poor corrosion and wear resistances of Mg alloys seriously limit their potential applications in various industries.The conventional epoxy coating easily forms many intrinsic defects during the solidification process,which cannot provide sufficient protection.In the current study,we design a double-layer epoxy composite coating on Mg alloy with enhanced anti-corrosion/wear properties,via the spin-assisted assembly technique.The outer layer is functionalized graphene(FG)in waterborne epoxy resin(WEP)and the inner layer is Ce-based conversion(Ce)film.The FG sheets can be homogeneously dispersed within the epoxy matrix to fill the intrinsic defects and improve the barrier capability.The Ce film connects the outer layer with the substrate,showing the transition effect.The corrosion rate of Ce/WEP/FG composite coating is 2131 times lower than that of bare Mg alloy,and the wear rate is decreased by~90%.The improved corrosion resistance is attributed to the labyrinth effect(hindering the penetration of corrosive medium)and the obstruction of galvanic coupling behavior.The synergistic effect derived from the FG sheet and blocking layer exhibits great potential in realizing the improvement of multi-functional integration,which will open up a new avenue for the development of novel composite protection coatings of Mg alloys.

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.

New insights on the high-corrosion resistance of UHP Mg-Ge alloys tested in a simulated physiological environment

UHP Mg-Ge alloys was recently found to provide excellent corrosion resistance.This paper provides new insights on the mechanism of improved corrosion resistance of UHP Mg-Ge alloys in Hanks’solution.The studied UHP Mg-0.5Ge and UHP Mg-1Ge alloys showed superior corrosion resistance compared to UHP Mg and WE43,with the Mg-1Ge exhibiting the best corrosion performance.The exceptional corrosion resistance of the UHP alloy is attributed to(i)Mg_(2)Ge’s ability to suppress cathodic kinetics,(ii)Ge’s capability to accelerate the formation of a highly passive layer,and the(iii)low amounts of corrosion-accelerating impurities.

Review on laser directed energy deposited aluminum alloys

Lightweight aluminum(Al)alloys have been widely used in frontier fields like aerospace and automotive industries,which attracts great interest in additive manufacturing(AM)to process high-value Al parts.As a mainstream AM technique,laser-directed energy deposition(LDED)shows good scalability to meet the requirements for large-format component manufacturing and repair.However,LDED Al alloys are highly challenging due to their inherent poor printability(e.g.low laser absorption,high oxidation sensitivity and cracking tendency).To further promote the development of LDED high-performance Al alloys,this review offers a deep understanding of the challenges and strategies to improve printability in LDED Al alloys.The porosity,cracking,distortion,inclusions,element evaporation and resultant inferior mechanical properties(worse than laser powder bed fusion)are the key challenges in LDED Al alloys.Processing parameter optimizations,in-situ alloy design,reinforcing particle addition and field assistance are the efficient approaches to improving the printability and performance of LDED Al alloys.The underlying correlations between processes,alloy innovation,characteristic microstructures,and achievable performances in LDED Al alloys are discussed.The benchmark mechanical properties and primary strengthening mechanism of LDED Al alloys are summarized.This review aims to provide a critical and in-depth evaluation of current progress in LDED Al alloys.Future opportunities and perspectives in LDED high-performance Al alloys are also outlined.