A review on the multi-scaled structures and mechanical/thermal properties of tool steels fabricated by laser powder bed fusion additive manufacturing

The laser powder bed fusion(LPBF) process can integrally form geometrically complex and high-performance metallic parts that have attracted much interest,especially in the molds industry.The appearance of the LPBF makes it possible to design and produce complex conformal cooling channel systems in molds.Thus,LPBF-processed tool steels have attracted more and more attention.The complex thermal history in the LPBF process makes the microstructural characteristics and properties different from those of conventional manufactured tool steels.This paper provides an overview of LPBF-processed tool steels by describing the physical phenomena,the microstructural characteristics,and the mechanical/thermal properties,including tensile properties,wear resistance,and thermal properties.The microstructural characteristics are presented through a multiscale perspective,ranging from densification,meso-structure,microstructure,substructure in grains,to nanoprecipitates.Finally,a summary of tool steels and their challenges and outlooks are introduced.

Effect of Ti Additions on Mechanical and Thermodynamic Properties of W-Ti Alloys: A First-principles Study

The mechanical and thermodynamic properties of W-Ti alloys(including W_(15)Ti_(1),W_(14)Ti_(2),W_(12)Ti_(4) and W_(8)Ti_(8) alloys)were investigated by the first-principles approach based on density functional theory.The results indicate that W-Ti alloys except W_(8)Ti_(8) are thermodynamically stable.The modulus and hardness of W-Ti alloys are smaller than those of pure tungsten and gradually decrease with increasing Ti concentration.However,their B/G ratios and Poisson's ratios exceed those of pure tungsten,suggesting that the introduction of Ti decreases the mechanical strength while enhancing the ductility of W-Ti alloys.The thermal expansion coefficients for W-Ti alloys all surpass those of pure tungsten,indicating that the introduction of titanium exacerbates the thermal expansion behavior of W-Ti alloys.Nevertheless,elevated pressure has the capacity to suppress the thermal expansion tendencies in titanium-doped tungsten alloys.This study offers theoretical insights for the design of nuclear materials by exploring the mechanical and thermodynamic properties of W-Ti alloys.

Mechanical Properties of Railway High-strength Manufactured Sand Concrete: Typical Lithology, Stone Powder Content and Strength Grade

In order to achieve the large-scale application of manufactured sand in railway high-strength concrete structure,a series of high-strength manufactured sand concrete(HMC)are prepared by taking the manufactured sand lithology(tuff,limestone,basalt,granite),stone powder content(0,5%,10%,15%)and concrete strength grade(C60,C80,C100)as variables.The evolution of mechanical properties of HMC and the correlation between cubic compressive strength and other mechanical properties are studied.Compared to river sand,manufactured sand enhances the cubic compressive strength,axial compressive strength and elastic modulus of concrete,while its potential microcracks weaken the flexural strength and splitting tensile strength of concrete.Stone powder content displays both positive and negative effects on mechanical properties of HMC,and the stone powder content is suggested to be less than 10%.The empirical formulas between cubic compressive strength and other mechanical properties are proposed.

Effects of aggregate size distribution and carbon nanotubes on the mechanical properties of cemented gangue backfill samples under true triaxial compression

The mechanical behavior of cemented gangue backfill materials(CGBMs)is closely related to particle size distribution(PSD)of aggregates and properties of cementitious materials.Consequently,the true triaxial compression tests,CT scanning,SEM,and EDS tests were conducted on cemented gangue backfill samples(CGBSs)with various carbon nanotube concentrations(P_(CNT))that satisfied fractal theory for the PSD of aggregates.The mechanical properties,energy dissipations,and failure mechanisms of the CGBSs under true triaxial compression were systematically analyzed.The results indicate that appropriate carbon nanotubes(CNTs)effectively enhance the mechanical properties and energy dissipations of CGBSs through micropore filling and microcrack bridging,and the optimal effect appears at P_(CNT)of 0.08wt%.Taking PSD fractal dimension(D)of 2.500 as an example,compared to that of CGBS without CNT,the peak strength(σ_(p)),axial peak strain(ε_(1,p)),elastic strain energy(Ue),and dissipated energy(U_(d))increased by 12.76%,29.60%,19.05%,and90.39%,respectively.However,excessive CNTs can reduce the mechanical properties of CGBSs due to CNT agglomeration,manifesting a decrease inρ_(p),ε_(1,p),and the volumetric strain increment(Δε_(v))when P_(CNT)increases from 0.08wt%to 0.12wt%.Moreover,the addition of CNTs improved the integrity of CGBS after macroscopic failure,and crack extension in CGBSs appeared in two modes:detour and pass through the aggregates.Theσ_(p)and U_(d)firstly increase and then decrease with increasing D,and porosity shows the opposite trend.Theε_(1,p)andΔε_(v)are negatively correlated with D,and CGBS with D=2.150 has the maximum deformation parameters(ε_(1,p)=0.05079,Δε_(v)=0.01990)due to the frictional slip effect caused by coarse aggregates.With increasing D,the failure modes of CGBSs are sequentially manifested as oblique shear failure,"Y-shaped"shear failure,and conjugate shear failure.

Processing,microstructure,and mechanical properties of wire arc additively-manufactured AZ91 magnesium alloy using cold arc process

Thin walls of an AZ91 magnesium alloy with fine equiaxed grains were fabricated via cold arc-based wire arc additive manufacturing(CA-WAAM),and the droplet transfer behaviours,microstructures,and mechanical properties were investigated.The results showed that the cold arc process reduced splashing at the moment of liquid bridge breakage and effectively shortened the droplet transfer period.The microstructures of the deposited samples exhibited layered characteristics with alternating distributions of coarse and fine grains.During layer-by-layer deposition,the β-phase precipitated and grew preferentially along grain boundaries,while the fineη-Al_(8)Mn_(5)phase was dispersed in the α-Mg matrix.The mechanical properties of the CA-WAAM deposited sample showed isotropic characteristics.The ultimate tensile strength and elongation in the building direction(BD)were 282.7 MPa and 14.2%,respectively.The microhardness values of the deposited parts were relatively uniform,with an average value of HV 69.6.

Innovative dispersion techniques of graphene nanoplatelets(GNPs)through mechanical stirring and ultrasonication:Impact on morphological,mechanical,and thermal properties of epoxy nanocomposites

Graphene nanoplatelets(GNPs)have attracted tremendous interest due to their unique properties and bonding capabilities.This study focuses on the effect of GNP dispersion on the mechanical,thermal,and morphological behavior of GNP/epoxy nanocomposites.This study aims to understand how the dispersion of GNPs affects the properties of epoxy nanocomposite and to identify the best dispersion approach for improving mechanical performance.A solvent mixing technique that includes mechanical stirring and ultrasonication was used for producing the nanocomposites.Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to investigate the interaction between GNPs and the epoxy matrix.The measurements of density and moisture content were used to confirm that GNPs were successfully incorporated into the nanocomposite.The findings showed that GNPs are successfully dispersed in the epoxy matrix by combining mechanical stirring and ultrasonication in a single step,producing well-dispersed nanocomposites with improved mechanical properties.Particularly,the nanocomposites at a low GNP loading of 0.1 wt%,demonstrate superior mechanical strength,as shown by increased tensile properties,including improved Young's modulus(1.86 GPa),strength(57.31 MPa),and elongation at break(4.98).The nanocomposite with 0.25 wt%GNP loading performs better,according to the viscoelastic analysis and flexural properties(113.18 MPa).Except for the nanocomposite with a 0.5 wt%GNP loading,which has a higher thermal breakdown temperature,the thermal characteristics do not significantly alter.The effective dispersion of GNPs in the epoxy matrix and low agglomeration is confirmed by the morphological characterization.The findings help with filler selection and identifying the best dispersion approach,which improves mechanical performance.The effective integration of GNPs and their interaction with the epoxy matrix provides the doorway for additional investigation and the development of sophisticated nanocomposites.In fields like aerospace,automotive,and electronics where higher mechanical performance and functionality are required,GNPs'improved mechanical properties and successful dispersion present exciting potential.

Mechanical properties and flow stress constitutive relationship of Ti–6Al–4V alloy with equiaxed microstructure at cryogenic temperatures

This paper investigates the uniaxial tensile mechanical properties and flow behavior of Ti-6Al-4V alloys with equiaxed microstructure at cryogenic temperatures ranging from 77 K to298 K and strain rates from 10^(-4)/s to 10^(-2)/s.Scanning electron microscopy is utilized to analyze the fracture morphology,aiming to reveal the fracture behavior at various temperatures.The applicability of the Zener-Hollomon parameter and the Johnson-Cook model in describing the flow stress of Ti-6Al-4V at cryogenic temperatures is analyzed.Moreover,a constitutive relationship modeling method based on the variational recurrent networks is proposed.Mechanical test results show a significant increase in the strength of equiaxed Ti-6Al-4V alloy under cryogenic conditions while the plastic deformation process is shortened.However,the fracture analysis indicates that even at 77 K,the fracture process is still dominated by ductile fracture,and brittle fracture does not occur within the range of 77 K to 298 K.The fitting results validate the performance of the Zener-Hollomon parameter and the Johnson-Cook model in describing the deformation flow stress of Ti-6Al-4V alloy at cryogenic temperatures.The results also indicate that the proposed constitutive relationship modeling method based on the variational recurrent network performs better,making it a potential method for widespread applications.

Achieving further refinement of grain structure and improvement of mechanical properties in Al-12Si-4Cu-2Ni-1Mg alloy by Al-Ti-C-B master alloy addition and deep cryogenic treatment

Near-eutectic Al-Si alloys are widely used in automotive manufacturing due to their superior wear resistance and high temperature performance.Because of high Si content,the grain refinement of near-eutectic Al-Si alloy has been a problem for many years.In this study,the effect of deep cryogenic treatment(DCT)on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Al-12Si-4Cu-2Ni-Mg alloy with addition of Al-Ti-C-B master alloy was fully investigated.Results show that the average grain size of the alloy is greatly reduced from 0.92 mm to 0.50 mm,and the eutectic Si and Al7Cu4Ni precipitates are spheroidized and refined in Al-12Si-4Cu-2Ni-Mg after DCT for 24 h and aging treatment.Thereby these changes of microstructures result in a significant increment of about 22.5%in elongation and a slight enhancement of about 6.8%in tensile strength.Moreover,the refinement of microstructure also significantly improves the fatigue life of the alloy.

Positive effect of Mo on mechanical properties of a Ni-42W-10Co-xMo medium heavy alloy

In this study,a novel Ni-W-Co-Mo medium heavy alloy(MHA)was designed to improve its mechanical strength via Mo doping.In the Ni-42W-10Co-x Mo alloy series,where x represents the weight percent of Mo and varies between 0,1,2,5,and 10,the microstructure transitions from a dendritic structure to a hypo-eutectic structure as the Mo content increases from 0 to 5wt.%.Moreover,as the Mo content increases from 0 to 10wt.%,the distribution of theμ-phase shifts from being individually dispersed to forming aggregates,and its volume fraction rises from 0.5%to 7.9%.Notably,theμ-phase evolves into an eutectic microstructure,which helps in minimizing the segregation of elements.This change is accompanied by a substantial enhancement in mechanical properties;specifically,the compressive yield strength at room temperature increases from 350 MPa to 646 MPa,indicating a significant 85%increase.Similarly,the microhardness increases from 230 HV to 304 HV.Molecular dynamics simulations further reveal that the strengthening mechanism of Ni-42W-10Co-x Mo alloys is Mo-induced solid solution strengthening and precipitation strengthening.

Processing, characterization, room temperature mechanical properties and fracture behavior of hot extruded multi-scale B_4C reinforced 5083 aluminum alloy based composites

Microstructural characteristics and mechanical behavior of hot extruded Al5083/B4C nanocomposites were studied.Al5083and Al5083/B4C powders were milled for50h under argon atmosphere in attrition mill with rotational speed of400r/min.For increasing the elongation,milled powders were mixed with30%and50%unmilled aluminum powder(mass fraction)with meanparticle size of>100μm and<100μm and then consolidated by hot pressing and hot extrusion with9:1extrusion ratio.Hot extrudedsamples were studied by optical microscopy,scanning electron microscopy(SEM),energy dispersive spectroscopy(EDS),transmission electron microscopy(TEM),tensile and hardness tests.The results showed that mechanical milling process andpresence of B4C particles increase the yield strength of Al5083alloy from130to566MPa but strongly decrease elongation(from11.3%to0.49%).Adding<100μm unmilled particles enhanced the ductility and reduced tensile strength and hardness,but usingthe>100μm unmilled particles reduced the tensile strength and ductility at the same time.By increasing the content of unmilledparticles failure mechanism changed from brittle to ductile.

Physical,mechanical and thermal properties of vacuum sintered HUST-1 lunar regolith simulant

Establishing a base on the Moon is one of the new goals of human lunar exploration in recent years.Sintered lunar regolith is one of the most potential building materials for lunar bases.The physical,mechanical and thermal properties of sintered lunar regolith are vital performance indices for the structural design of a lunar base and analysis of many critical mechanical and thermal issues.In this study,the HUST-1 lunar regolith simulant(HLRS)was sintered at 1030,1040,1050,1060,1070,and 1080℃.The effect of sintering temperature on the compressive strength was investigated,and the exact value of the optimum vacuum sintering temperature was determined between 1040 and 1060℃.Then,the microstructure and material composition of vacuum sintered HLRS at different temperatures were characterized.It was found that the sintering temperature has no significant effect on the mineral composition in the temperature range of 1030-1080℃.Besides,the heat capacity,thermal conductivity,and coefficient of thermal expansion(CTE)of vacuum sintered HLRS at different temperatures were investigated.Specific heat capacity of sintered samples increases with the increase of test temperature within the temperature range from-75 to 145℃.Besides,the thermal conductivity of the sintered sample is proportional to density.Finally,the two temperatures of 1040 and 1050℃were selected for a more detailed study of mechanical properties.The results showed that compressive strength of sintered sample is much higher than tensile strength.This study reveals the effects of sintering temperature on the physical,mechanical and thermal properties of vacuum sintered HLRS,and these material parameters will provide support for the construction of future lunar bases.

A novel solution treatment and aging for powder bed fusion-laser beam Ti-6Al-2Sn-4Zr-6Mo alloy:Microstructural and mechanical characterization

Ti-6Al-4Zr-2Sn-6Mo alloy is one of the most recent titanium alloys processed using powder bed fusion-laser beam(PBF-LB)technology.This alloy has the potential to replace Ti-6Al-4V in automotive and aerospace applications,given its superior mechanical properties,which are approximately 10%higher in terms of ultimate tensile strength(UTS)and yield strength after appropriate heat treatment.In as-built conditions,the alloy is characterized by the presence of soft orthorhombicα″martensite,necessitating a postprocessing heat treatment to decompose this phase and enhance the mechanical properties of the alloy.Usually,PBFed Ti6246 components undergo an annealing process that transforms theα″martensite into anα-βlamellar microstructure.The primary objective of this research was to develop a solution treatment and aging(STA)heat treatment tailored to the unique microstructure produced by the additive manufacturing process to achieve an ultrafine bilamellar microstructure reinforced by precipitation hardening.This study investigated the effects of various solution temperatures in theα-βfield(ranging from 800 to 875℃),cooling media(air and water),and aging time to determine the optimal heat treatment parameters for achieving the desired bilamellar microstructure.For each heat treatment condition,differentα-βmicrostructures were found,varying in terms of theα/βratio and the size of the primaryα-phase lamellae.Particular attention was given to how these factors were influenced by increases in solution temperature and how microhardness correlated with the percentage of the metastableβphase present after quenching.Tensile tests were performed on samples subjected to the most promising heat treatment parameters.A comparison with literature data revealed that the optimized STA treatment enhanced hardness and UTS by13%and 23%,respectively,compared with those of the annealed alloy.Fracture surface analyses were conducted to investigate fracture mechanisms.

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

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

Effects of deformation temperatures on microstructures,aging behaviors and mechanical properties of Mg-Gd-Er-Zr alloys fabricated by hard-plate rolling

In this investigation,a high-strength Mg-12Gd-1.0Er-0.5Zr(wt.%)alloy sheet was produced by hot extrusion(HE)and subsequent hard-plate rolling(HPR)at different temperatures.The results indicate that the microstructures of these final-rolled sheets are inhomogeneous,mainly including coarse deformed grains and dynamic recrystallized(DRXed)grains,and the volume fraction of these coarse deformed grains increases as the rolling temperature increases.Thus,more DRXed grains can be found in R-385℃sheet,resulting in a smaller average grain size and weaker basal texture,while the biggest grains and the highest strong basal texture are present in R-450℃sheet.Amounts of dynamic precipitation ofβphases which are mainly determined by the rolling temperature are present in these sheets,and its precipitation can consume the content of Gd solutes in the matrix.As a result,the lowest number density ofβphase in R-450℃sheet is beneficial to modify the age hardening response.Thus,the R-450℃sheet displays the best age hardening response because of a severe traditional precipitation ofβ’(more)andβH/βM(less)precipitates,resulting in a sharp improvement in strength,i.e.ultimate tensile strength(UTS)of∼518±17 MPa and yield strength(YS)of∼438±18 MPa.However,the elongation(EL)of this sheet reduces greatly,and its value is∼2.7±0.3%.By contrasting,the EL of the peak-aging R-385℃sheet keeps better,changing from∼4.9±1.2%to∼4.8±1.4%due to a novel dislocation-induced chain-like precipitate which is helpful to keep good balance between strength and ductility.

Machine learning applications on lunar meteorite minerals:From classification to mechanical properties prediction

Amid the scarcity of lunar meteorites and the imperative to preserve their scientific value,nondestructive testing methods are essential.This translates into the application of microscale rock mechanics experiments and scanning electron microscopy for surface composition analysis.This study explores the application of Machine Learning algorithms in predicting the mineralogical and mechanical properties of DHOFAR 1084,JAH 838,and NWA 11444 lunar meteorites based solely on their atomic percentage compositions.Leveraging a prior-data fitted network model,we achieved near-perfect classification scores for meteorites,mineral groups,and individual minerals.The regressor models,notably the KNeighbor model,provided an outstanding estimate of the mechanical properties—previously measured by nanoindentation tests—such as hardness,reduced Young’s modulus,and elastic recovery.Further considerations on the nature and physical properties of the minerals forming these meteorites,including porosity,crystal orientation,or shock degree,are essential for refining predictions.Our findings underscore the potential of Machine Learning in enhancing mineral identification and mechanical property estimation in lunar exploration,which pave the way for new advancements and quick assessments in extraterrestrial mineral mining,processing,and research.

Microdynamic mechanical properties and fracture evolution mechanism of monzogabbro with a true triaxial multilevel disturbance method

The far-field microdynamic disturbance caused by the excavation of deep mineral resources and underground engineering can induce surrounding rock damage in high-stress conditions and even lead to disasters.However,the mechanical properties and damage/fracture evolution mechanisms of deep rock induced by microdynamic disturbance under three-dimensional stress states are unclear.Therefore,a true triaxial multilevel disturbance test method is proposed,which can completely simulate natural geostress,excavation stress redistribution(such as stress unloading,concentration and rotation),and subsequently the microdynamic disturbance triggering damaged rock failure.Based on a dynamic true triaxial test platform,true triaxial microdynamic disturbance tests under different frequency and amplitudes were carried out on monzogabbro.The results show that increasing amplitude or decreasing frequency diminishes the failure strength of monzogabbro.Deformation modulus gradually decreases during disturbance failure.As frequency and amplitude increase,the degradation rate of deformation modulus decreases slightly,disturbance dissipated energy increases significantly,and disturbance deformation anisotropy strengthens obviously.A damage model has been proposed to quantitatively characterize the disturbance-induced damage evolution at different frequency and amplitude under true triaxial stress.Before disturbance failure,the micro-tensile crack mechanism is dominant,and the micro-shear crack mechanism increases significantly at failure.With the increase of amplitude and frequency,the micro-shear crack mechanism increases.When approaching disturbance failure,the acoustic emission fractal dimension changes from a stable value to local large oscillation,and finally increases sharply to a high value at failure.Finally,the disturbance-induced failure mechanism of surrounding rock in deep engineering is clearly elucidated.

Effect of ultrasonic and mechanical vibration treatments on evolution of Mn-rich phases and mechanical properties of Al−12Si−4Cu−1Ni−1Mg−2Mn piston alloys

Effects of ultrasonic vibration(UV)and mechanical vibration(MV)on the Mn-rich phase modification and mechanical properties of Al−12Si−4Cu−1Ni−1Mg−2Mn piston alloys were investigated.The results show that the UV and UV+MV treatments can significantly refine and fragmentize the microstructures.In addition,UV treatment can significantly passivate the primary Mn-rich Al15Mn3Si2 intermetallics.The formation mechanisms of refinement and passivation of the grains and non-dendrite particles were discussed.Compared with the gravity die-cast alloys,the UV and UV+MV treated alloys exhibit improved tensile and creep resistance at room and elevated temperatures.These results can be attributed to the refinement of theα(Al)grains and the secondary intermetallics,the increased proportion of refined heat-resistant precipitates,and the formation of nano-sized Si particles.The ultimate tensile strength of the UV treated alloys at 350℃ exceeds that of commercial piston alloys.This indicates the high application potential of the developed piston alloys in density diesel engines.

Microstructures,corrosion behavior and mechanical properties of as-cast Mg-6Zn-2X(Fe/Cu/Ni)alloys for plugging tool applications

Mg-6Zn-2X(Fe/Cu/Ni)alloys were prepared through semi-continuous casting,with the aim of identifying a degradable magnesium(Mg)alloy suitable for use in fracturing balls.A comparative analysis was conducted to assess the impacts of adding Cu and Ni,which result in finer grains and the formation of galvanic corrosion sites.Scanner electronic microscopy examination revealed that precipitated phases concentrated at grain boundaries,forming a semi-continuous network structure that facilitated corrosion penetration in Mg-6Zn-2Cu and Mg-6Zn-2Ni alloys.Pitting corrosion was observed in Mg-6Zn-2Fe,while galvanic corrosion was identified as the primary mechanism in Mg-6Zn-2Cu and Mg-6Zn-2Ni alloys.Among the tests,the Mg-6Zn-2Ni alloy exhibited the highest corrosion rate(approximately 932.9 mm/a)due to its significant potential difference.Mechanical testing showed that Mg-6Zn-2Ni alloy possessed suitable ultimate compressive strength,making it a potential candidate material for degradable fracturing balls,effectively addressing the challenges of balancing strength and degradation rate in fracturing applications.

Pulsed current-assisted twelve-roll precision rolling deformation of SUS304 ultra-thin strips with exceptional mechanical properties

Innovative pulsed current-assisted multi-pass rolling tests were conducted on a 12-roll mill during the rolling deformation processing of SUS304 ultra-thin strips.The results show that in the first rolling pass,the rolling reduction rate of a conventionally rolled sample(at room temperature)is 33.8%,which can be increased to 41.5%by pulsed current-assisted rolling,enabling the formation of an ultra-thin strip with a size of 67.3μm in only one rolling pass.After three passes of pulsed current-assisted rolling,the thickness of the ultra-thin strip can be further reduced to 51.7μm.To clearly compare the effects of a pulsed current on the microstructure and mechanical response of the ultra-thin strip,ultra-thin strips with nearly the same thickness reduction were analyzed.It was found that pulsed current can reduce the degree of work-hardening of the rolled samples by promoting dislocation detachment,reducing the density of stacking faults,inhibiting martensitic phase transformation,and shortening the total length of grain boundaries.As a result,the ductility of ultra-thin strips can be effectively restored to approximately 16.3%while maintaining a high tensile strength of 1118 MPa.Therefore,pulsed current-assisted rolling deformation shows great potential for the formation of ultra-thin strips with a combination of high strength and ductility.

Spark Plasma Sintering of Mg-based Alloys:Microstructure,Mechanical Properties,Corrosion Behavior,and Tribological Performance

Within the past ten years,spark plasma sintering(SPS)has become an increasingly popular process for Mg manufacturing.In the SPS process,interparticle diffusion of compressed particles is rapidly achieved due to the concept of Joule heating.Compared to traditional and additive manufacturing(AM)techniques,SPS gives unique control of the structural and microstructural features of Mg components.By doing so,their mechanical,tribological,and corrosion properties can be tailored.Although great advancements in this field have been made,these pieces of knowledge are scattered and have not been contextualized into a single work.The motivation of this work is to address this scientific gap and to provide a groundwork for understanding the basics of SPS manufacturing for Mg.To do so,the existing body of SPS Mg literature was first surveyed,with a focus on their structural formation and degradation mechanisms.It was found that successful Mg SPS fabrication highly depended on the processing temperature,particle size,and particle crystallinity.The addition of metal and ceramic composites also affected their microstructural features due to the Zener pinning effect.In degradative environments,their performance depends on their structural features and whether they have secondary phased composites.In industrial applications,SPS'd Mg was found to have great potential in biomedical,hydrogen storage,battery,automotive,and recycling sectors.The prospects to advance the field include using Mg as a doping agent for crystallite size refinement and using bulk metallic Mg-based glass powders for amorphous SPS components.Despite these findings,the interactions of multi-composites on the processing-structure-property relationships of SPS Mg is not well understood.In total,this work will provide a useful direction in the SPS field and serve as a milestone for future Mg-based SPS manufacturing.