Effect of heat treatment on microstructures and mechanical properties of sand-cast Mg-10Gd-3Y-0.5Zr magnesium alloy

The microstructure, mechanical properties and fracture behavior of sand-cast Mg-10Gd-3Y-0.5Zr alloy （mass fraction,%） under T6 condition （air cooling after solid solution and then aging heat treatment） were investigated. The optimum T6 heat treatments for sand-cast Mg-10Gd-3Y-0.5Zr alloy are （525 ℃, 12 h＋225 ℃, 14 h） and （525 ℃, 12 h＋250 ℃, 12 h） according to age hardening curve and mechanical properties, respectively. The ultimate tensile strength, yield strength and elongation of the Mg-10Gd-3Y-0.5Zr alloy treated by the two optimum T6 processes are 339.9 MPa, 251.6 MPa, 1.5%and 359.6 MPa, 247.3 MPa, 2.7%, respectively. The tensile fracture mode of peak-aged Mg-10Gd-3Y-0.5Zr alloy is transgranular quasi-cleavage fracture.

Effect of extrusion process on microstructure and mechanical properties of Ni_3Al-B-Cr alloy during self-propagation high-temperature synthesis

The well-densified Ni3Al-0.5B-5Cr alloy was fabricated by self-propagation high-temperature synthesis and extrusion technique. Microstructure examination shows that the synthesized alloy has fine microstructure and contains Ni3Al, Al2O3, Ni3B and Cr3Ni2 phases. Moreover, the self-propagation high-temperature synthesis and extrusion lead to great deformation and recrystallization in the alloy, which helps to refine the microstructure and weaken the misorientation. In addition, the subsequent extrusion procedure redistributes the Al2O3 particles and eliminates the γ-Ni phase. Compared with the alloy synthesized without extrusion, the Ni3Al-0.5B-5Cr alloy fabricated by self-propagation high-temperature synthesis and extrusion has better room temperature mechanical properties, which should be ascribed to the microstructure evolution.

Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Recycled Ni_3Al Base Alloy IC6

The effect of recycle proportion on the composition,microstructure and mechanical prop- erites of recycled Ni_3Al basealloy IC6 was examined by scanning electron microscopy with X-ray en-ergy-dispersive spectrometer (SEM/ES) and transmission electronmicroscopy (TEM). The results indicate that the addition of recycledscraps has no obvious effect on the chemical composition, except thecontent of C and N increases with the addition proportion of recycledscraps. The microstructure of IC6 recycled alloys has no obviousdifference compared with the fresh alloy, except some M_6C car- bidesprecipitate in the interdendritic area.

EFFECT OF SILICON ON THE MICROSTRUCTURE AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF YTTRIUM MODIFIED Ni_3Al BASE ALLOY IC6

The effect of different amounts of silicon on the microstructure of the yttrium modified Ni3Al base alloy IC6 was studied with transmission electron microscope (TEM). The chemical compositions of phases formed due to the presence of silicon and yttrium were analyzed with energy dispersive spectrum(EDS) technique of electron probe microstructural analysis (EPMA). The results showed that a bulk shape phase rich in Mo and Si was formed in the alloys with addition of 0.10-0.20wt%Si and 0.12wt%Y, and that a needle like phase named Y-NiMo was precipitated in the interdendritic area in the alloy with addition of 0.30wt%Si and 0.12wt%Y besides the formation of the bulk shape phase mentioned above. The stress rupture properties under 1100℃/80MPa and the thermal fatigue properties at 1100℃ were improved by adding 0. 12wt%Y but decreased by adding 0.10-0.30wt%Si and 0.12wt%Y. The addition of 0. 10-0.20wt%Si and 0.12wt%Y has no obvious influence on the tensile properties of alloy IC6 at room temperature (R. T.), 760, and 900℃, respectively.

EFFECT OF Zr,Cr AND B ADDITIVES ON MICROSTRUCTURE AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF Ni_3Al ALLOYS

The microstructure and the mechanical properties from room temperature up to 1050℃ of Ni_3Al alloys containing 0—0.6 at.-%Zr,0—7.7 at.-%Cr and 0—2.22 at.-%B have been studied.It was found that the temperature dependence of their yield strength variation reveals to be anomalous,i.e.the strength increases with the temperature raising,and then decreases till it surpassed the peak value.Both Zr and Zr+Cr may improve the yield strength of the al- loys in the entire range of testing temperatures,as well as the tensile strength and elongation under high temperatures.B is favourable to raise the tensile and yield strengths of the alloys, and also plasticity.But the strength will reduce as B added is over 2.22 at.-%.The Ni_(20)Al_3B_6 and Ni_3Al eutectic mixture like islands and globes precipitated inside the grains and along the grain bounderies,which are harmful to the strength and ductility,may be formed when the B content exceeds the limit of solubility.

MICROSTRUCTURE AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF A Ni_3Al-Fe BASED ALLOY

The microstructure,tensile properties at 20—950℃ and creep rupture properties at 700- 900℃ in a Ni_3Al-Fe based alloy after high temperature deformation have been studied.The results show the microstructure of the alloy is composed of γ′-and β-phases.The grain size and yield strength of the alloy is stable when the temperature≤600℃,and it is ductile at high temperature.The creep of the alloy at 700—900℃ is controlled by the climbing of dislo- cations,and the activation energy for creep is 439 KJ/mol with a stress exponent of 4.

Correlation of the Mechanical Properties of Polycrystalline Ni_3Al Alloys with Their Electronic Structure

The electronic structure of Ni_3Al alloys with different B contents has been investigated by measuring the positron lifetime spectra.The segregation of B atoms to defects could form strong covalent bondings with Ni and Al atoms and make the electronic structure in those locations similar to that in bulk,thus strengthen their cohesion.The interaction of B atoms,which were solid-solutioned in the crystal lattice of Ni_3Al in a manner of occupying interstitial sites,with Ni and Al atoms resulted in the increase of the density of valent electrons,thus increased the bonding cohesion in bulk.The im- provement of the mechanical properties of Ni_3Al alloys by B doping was due to both“grain bounda- ry effect”and“bulk effect”of B,which correlated with their electronic structure.

Effect of heat treatment on microstructures and mechanical properties of high vacuum die casting Mg-8Gd-3Y-0.4Zr magnesium alloy

The microstructure, the content of compounds, mechanical properties and fracture behavior of high vacuum die casting Mg-8Gd-3Y-0.4Zr alloy （mass fraction, %） under T4 condition and T6 condition were investigated. The microstructure for the as-cast Mg-8Gd-3Y-0.4Zr alloy mainly consists ofα-Mg and eutectic Mg24（Gd,Y）5 compound. After solution treatment, the eutectic compounds dissolve massively into the Mg matrix. The main composition of solution-treated alloys is supersaturated α-Mg and cuboid-shaped phase. The T4 heat treated samples have increasing cuboidal particles with the increase of heat treatment temperature, which turn out good mechanical properties. The optimum T4 heat treatment for high vacuum die cast Mg-8Gd-3Y-0.4Zr alloy is 475 ℃, 2 h according to microstructure results. The optimum ultimate strength and elongation of solution-treated Mg-8Gd-3Y-0.4Zr alloy are 222.1 MPa and 15.4%, respectively. The tensile fracture mode of the as-cast, and T6 heat treated alloys is transgranular quasi-cleavage fracture.

Effect of pressure on microstructures and mechanical properties of Al-Cu-based alloy prepared by squeeze casting

A new high-strength aluminum alloy with better fluidity than that of ZL205A was developed. The effect of applied pressure during squeeze casting on microstructures and properties of the alloy was studied. The results show that the fluidity of the alloy is 16% and 21% higher than that of ZL205A at the pouring temperature of 993 K and 1 013 K, respectively. Compared with permanent-mold casting, mechanical properties of the alloy prepared by squeeze casting are much higher. The tensile strength and elongation of the alloy are 520 MPa and 7.9% in squeeze casting under an applied pressure of 75 MPa, followed by solution treatment at 763 K for 1 h and at 773 K for 8 h, quenching in water at normal temperature and aging at 463 K for 5 h. The improvement of mechanical properties is attributed to the remarkable decreasing of the secondary dendrite arm spacing(SDAS) and eliminating of micro-porosity in the alloy caused by applied pressure.

Effects of Ce and Ti on the microstructures and mechanical properties of an Al-Cu-Mg-Ag alloy

The effects of Ce and Ti additions on the microstructures and mechanical properties of an Al-Cu-Mg-Ag alloy have been studied, It has been shown that either Ce or Ti can decrease the as-cast grain size of the Al-Cu-Mg-Ag alloy, increase the nucleation ratio for Ω phase as heterogeneous nucleation centers, inhibit the growth of Ω phase during aging, and thus increase the volume fraction and decrease the spacing of Ω phase. These microstructures increase the yield strength and tensile strength. However, if both Ce and Ti are added to the alloy, they form （Ce,Ti）-contained compounds and increase the grain size during casting, but have no effects on the nucleation and the growth of Ω phase during aging. The alloy containing both Ce and Ti has a relatively lower Vicks hardness and strength compared to the alloy containing either Ce or Ti.

Effect of Sc and Zr on microstructures and mechanical properties of as-cast Al-Mg-Si-Mn alloys

Microstructures of as-cast Al-Mg-Si-Mn alloys with and without Sc and Zr were investigated by optical microscopy, scanning electronic microscopy(SEM) and energy dispersion spectrum analysis. Addition of 0.2%-0.4% Sc can refine the grain size and change the growth morphology from dendritic to fine equi-axial crystal. The higher the addition of Sc, the finer the as-cast grain size. The tensile strength is increased by more than 30% with 0.4% Sc. Moreover, an addition of 0.1%-0.2% Zr is able to refine grain size and change the growth morphology from dendritic to equi-axial grain too, but less effective. However, Zr is found to increase the ductility of the cast alloys, and the elongation is increased to 11.97% with 0.2% Zr.

Effects of Ag addition on mechanical properties and microstructures of Al-8Cu-0.5Mg alloy

The mechanical properties and microstructures of Al-8Cu-0.5Mg alloy with and without Ag addition were studied at both room- and elevated-temperatures. The results show that the alloy with Ag is strengthened by a homogeneous distribution of coexistent θ′ and ? precipitates on the matrix (001) and (111) planes, respectively, whereas the alloy without Ag by θ′ precipitates only. The small size and high volume fraction of θ′ and ? precipitates in the Ag-containing alloy improve the tensile strength and yield strength, especially those at the elevated temperatures. However, it is also responsible for the decrease in elongation, compared with the alloy without Ag, which is due to the microcracks initiated from the inherent incompatibility between the particles and the Al matrix during deformation.

Effect of heat treatment on microstructures and mechanical properties of a bulk nanostructured Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy

A bulk nanostructured Al-10.0Zn-2.8Mg-1.8Cu alloy was synthesized by cryomilling first and then by spark plasma sintering （SPS）, and the effect of heat treatment on the microstructures and mechanical properties of this alloy were studied. Most MgZn2 particles with a coarse size lie on the grain boundaries of the SPS-processed sample. After solid solution and artificial aging, fine spherical-like MgZn2 particles precipitate uniformly in the grain interiors. No obvious grain growth is found after the heat treatment. A nanoindentation study indicates that no clear change is found in the Yong＇s modulus of the nanostructured alloy after the heat treatment. However, the hardness of the nanostructured alloy increases by about 33% after the heat treatment, which is attributed to the effect of precipitation-hardening.

Study of rare earth element effect on microstructures and mechanical properties of an Al-Cu-Mg-Si cast alloy

The improvements of microstructures and properties of a high strength aluminum cast alloy were studied. The effects of rare earth elements on the microstructures and mechanical properties of the high strength cast alloy Al-Cu-Mg-Si were investigated. The result shows that the addition of rare earth elements can change the microstructures in refining the grain size of the alloy and making the needle-like and laminar eutectic Si to a granular Si. With the increase of the rare earth, the tensile strength and elongation of the alloy increase first and then fall down. The mechanical properties of the alloy will reach the highest value when the content of rare earth elements is about 0.7%.

Effects of V and Zr Additions on Microstructures and Mechanical Properties of Nb-Ti-Al-Base Alloys

Microstructures and mechanical properties of Nb-32Ti-7Al alloys containing different V and Zr contents were investigated. The microstructures were characterized using optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The alloy with V and Zr presents single phase Nb solid solution (Nbss). Tensile testing was carried out at room temperature and 1373 K. The results show that these alloys have good ductility at room temperature. The strengths at room and high temperature increase with the addition of V and Zr, but the room temperature ductility decrease.

Effect of Rare Earths on Mechanical Properties and Microstructures of Si_3N_4-based Ceramics

The effects of Y2O3d, La2O3 and Nd2O3 on the mechanical properties and microstructures of Si3N4-hased ceramics were studied. It shows that a significant improvement in mechanical properties can be obtained by adding rare earths oxides in Si3N4. The fracture toughness and the fie-cural strength of Si3N4 added with both Y2O3 and La2O3 are 7. 8 MPa.m1/2 and 962 MPa, respectively. The main reason is that adding rare earths in Si3N4 can improve the microstructure of the material and increase the aspect ratio of β-Si3N4 grain.

EFFECTS OF Cr AND Nb ON MICROSTRUCTURES AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF Fe_3Al ALLOYS

The effects of Cr and Nb on tensile properties at room and elevated temperatures and also on the microstructure have been investigated.An improvement in ductiliy plasicity and the cleavage strength of Fe_3AI may result from adding Cr;the improvement is more pronounced at over 400℃.The formation of Fe_2Nb containing A1 precipitates in the Fe_3AI+Nb alloy provide significant strengthening effect.Additions of Cr and Nb in Fe_3AI can cause a signifi- cant improvement in the yield strength at 550℃.

Microstructure,interfacial reaction behavior,and mechanical properties of Ti_(3)AlC_(2)reinforced Al6061 composites

The interfacial reaction behavior of Al and Ti_(3)AlC_(2)at different pouring temperatures and its effect on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the composites were investigated.The results show that the addition of3.0 wt.%Ti_(3)AlC_(2)refines the average grain size ofα(Al)in the composite by 50.1%compared to Al6061 alloy.Morphological analyses indicate that an in-situ Al_(3Ti)transition layer of-180 nm in thickness is generated around the edge of Ti_(3)AlC_(2)at 720℃,forming a well-bonded Al-Al_(3Ti)interface.At this processing temperature,the ultimate tensile strength of A16061-3.0 wt.%Ti_(3)AlC_(2)composite is 199.2 MPa,an improvement of 41.5%over the Al6061 matrix.Mechanism analyses further elucidate that 720℃is favourable for forming the nano-sized transition layer at the Ti_(3)AlC_(2)edges.And,the thermal mismatch strengthening plays a dominant role in this state,with a strengthening contribution of about 74.8%.

Microstructure,Corrosion and Mechanical Properties of Medium-Thick 6061-T6 Alloy/T2 Pure Cu Dissimilar Joints Produced by Double Side Friction Stir Z Shape Lap-Butt Welding

A novel double side friction stir Z shape lap-butt welding(DS-FSZW)process was proposed to achieve excellent mechanical properties of Al/Cu medium-thick dissimilar joints.The influence of welding parameters on weld microstructure and properties of DS-FSZW joint were systematically investigated.It indicated that defect-free medium-thick Al/Cu DS-FSZW joint could be achieved under an optimal welding parameter.DS-FSZW joint was prone to form void defects in the bottom of the second-pass weld.The recrystallization mechanisms at the top and middle of the weld nugget zone(WNZ)were continuous dynamic recrystallization(CDRX)and geometric dynamic recrystallization(GDRX).While the major recrystallization mechanism at the bottom of the WNZ was GDRX.DS-FSZW joint of the optimal welding condition with 850 r/min-400 mm/min was produced with a continuous thin and crack-free IMCs layer at the Al/Cu interface,and the maximum tensile strength of this joint is 160.57 MPa,which is equivalent to 65.54%of pure Cu base material.Moreover,the corrosion resistance of Al/Cu DS-FSZW joints also achieved its maximum value at the optimal welding parameter of 850 r/min-400 mm/min.It demonstrates that the DS-FSZW process can simultaneously produce medium-thick Al/Cu joints with excellent mechanical performance and corrosion resistance.

Effect of cold rolling deformation on microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of spray formed Al−Zn−Mg−Cu−Cr alloys

The impact of cold rolling deformation,which was introduced after solid solution and before aging treatment,on microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of the as-extruded spray formed Al−9.8Zn−2.3Mg−1.73Cu−0.13Cr(wt.%)alloy,was investigated.SEM,TEM,and EBSD were used to analyze the microstructures,and tensile tests were conducted to assess mechanical properties.The results indicate that the D1-T6 sample,subjected to 25%cold rolling deformation,exhibits finer grains(3.35μm)compared to the D0-T6 sample(grain size of 4.23μm)without cold rolling.Cold rolling refines the grains that grow in solution treatment.Due to the combined effects of finer and more dispersed precipitates,higher dislocation density and smaller grains,the yield strength and ultimate tensile strength of the D1-T6 sample can reach 663 and 737 MPa,respectively.In comparison to the as-extruded and D0-T6 samples,the yield strength of the D1-T6 sample increases by 415 and 92 MPa,respectively.