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.

Simulation of Dynamic Recrystallization in 7075 Aluminum Alloy Using Cellular Automaton

The evolution of microstructure during hot deformation is key to achieving good mechanical properties in aluminum alloys.We have developed a cellular automaton(CA) based model to simulate the microstructural evolution in 7075 aluminum alloy during hot deformation.Isothermal compression tests were conducted to obtain material parameters for 7075 aluminum alloy,leading to the establishment of models for dislocation density,nucleation of recrystallized grains,and grain growth.Integrating these aspects with grain topological deformation,our CA model effectively predicts flow stress,dynamic recrystallization(DRX) volume fraction,and average grain size under diverse deformation conditions.A systematic comparison was made between electron back scattered diffraction(EBSD) maps and CA model simulated under different deformation temperatures(573 to 723 K),strain rates(0.001 to 1 s^(-1)),and strain amounts(30% to 70%).These analyses indicate that large strain,high temperature,and low strain rate facilitate dynamic recrystallization and grain refinement.The results from the CA model show good accuracy and predictive capability,with experimental error within 10%.

Effect of Sc on Al_(3)Fe phase and mechanical properties of as-cast AA5052 aluminum alloy

The AA5052 aluminum alloy is widely used in automobile and aerospace manufacturing,and with the development of light-weight alloys,it is required that these materials exhibit better mechanical properties.Previous studies have demonstrated that the addition of Sc to aluminum alloys can improve both the microstructure and properties of the alloys.In this study,the effect of Sc on the Fe-rich phase and properties of the AA5052 aluminum alloy was studied by adding 0%,0.05%,0.2%,and 0.3%Sc.The results show that with the increase of Sc,the coarse needle-like Fe-rich phase gradually transforms into Chinese-script and then nearly spherical particles,reduce the size of Fe-rich phase,and refine the grain with increase of high angle grain boundaries(HAGBs).These microstructure changes enhance the strength of the AA5052 alloy through Sc addition.The ductility of the alloy is obviously improved because the addition of a lower amount of Sc changes the morphology of Fe-rich phase from needle-like into a Chinese-script,and it is subsequently reduced as a result of significant increase in HAGBs with increasing Sc content.

Influence of Non-Natural Ageing Temperature on the Microstructural Characteristics and Mechanical Properties of Cast Aluminum 6063 Alloy

This research considered the effect of non-natural aging on the microstructural characteristics and mechanical properties of as-cast aluminum 6063 alloys. The samples were developed through a sand casting process and machined into tensile and impact test samples before carrying out solution heat treatment at 550?C (0.83 Tm) on two parts of the samples while retaining one part as the control. The two parts were further divided into sets denoted A and B and were aged at 180?C (0.27 Tm) and 160?C (0.24 Tm), respectively, for 12 hours. The results showed that sample A has the optimal yield strength and ultimate tensile strength of 192 and 206 MPa, respectively. Likewise, the sample gave the highest impact strength value of about 9.63 J/mm2. The observed results were supported by the optical micrograph, which revealed that the sample has evenly dispersed precipitates in its microstructure. This is deemed responsible for the observed increase in strength of the sample.

Influence of Production Sequence of Aluminum Alloy Hot Rolling on Strip Surface Quality

With the intensification of market competition in the aluminum alloy strip processing industry,it is dif-ficult to control the mass production of the same specifications,which is bound to affect the hot rolling production.This paper studied the effect of the hot rolling order of aluminum alloy on the surface quality of strip,such as roll printing,color difference,anodic oxidation,etc.,reasonable discharge sequence and corresponding optimization measures were formulated.

Effects of Spinning Process on Intergranular Corrosion Behavior of 5A06 Aluminum Alloy

Aluminum alloy tubes were prepared by tube spinning.The intergranular and electrochemical corrosion tests were used to investigate the intergranular corrosion behavior of the 5A06 aluminum alloy blank sample and the spinning sample.Results showed that the intergranular corrosion resistance of the spinning sample was higher than that of the blank sample.In addition,the electrochemical corrosion resistance of the spinning sample was higher than that of the blank sample.The EDS maps indicated a uniform element distribution pattern of aluminum and magnesium.Moreover,the phase composition and lattice constant of the samples were obtained by XRD analysis.The differences in microstructure between the aluminum alloy subjected to the spinning process and the untreated aluminum alloy were determined by EBSD.The differences were mainly attributed to the complex interactions among grain size,dislocations and grain boundaries.

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

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

Fatigue crack propagation of 7050 aluminum alloy FSW joints after surface peening

The surface composite modification of the 7050 aluminum alloy friction stir-welded joints was performed by shot peening(SP)/multiple rotation rolling(MRR)and MRR/SP,and the fatigue performance of the nugget zone(NZ)was investigated.The results demonstrated that the fatigue life of SP/MRR samples is longer than that of MRR/SP.On the plane 150μm below the surface.The grains with high angle grain boundary account for 71.5%and 34.3%for MRR/SP and SP/MRR samples,respectively.The crack propagation path of the MRR/SP is transgranular and intergranular,and it is intergranular for the MRR/SP.Multitudinous fatigue striations and some voids appeared at the fracture during the stable crack propagation stage.However,fatigue striations for SP/MRR are with smaller spacing,fewer holes,and smaller size under SP/MRR compared with fatigue fracture of MRR/SP.The differences in fatigue properties and fracture characteristics of the NZ are related to the microstructure after the two combined surface modifications.

Effect of electrode morphology on steel/aluminum alloy joint

Microstructure characteristics of dissimilar-metal resistance spot welded joints of SUS301 L austenitic stainless steel and 6063-T6 aluminum alloy, and effects of electrode morphology were studied. Results indicated that welded joints of dissimilar materials between austenitic stainless steel and aluminum alloy had characteristics of welding-brazing. The aluminum nugget consisted mainly of the cellular crystal, cellular dendrites and dendrites. The interface between austenitic stainless steel and aluminum alloy had a two-layered structures:a flat front surface θ-Fe_2Al_5 on the steel side and a serrated morphology θ-FeAl_3 on the aluminium alloy side, and it was the weakest zone of the joints. The electrode morphology had great effects on spot welded joints of stainless steel and aluminum alloy. The custom electrodes were a planar circular tip electrode with tip diameter of 10 mm on the stainless steel side and a spherical tip electrode with spherical radius of 35 mm on the aluminum alloy side. When the custom electrodes were used, the nugget diameter, tensile shear load and indentation ratio of spot welded joint were 7.22 mm, 3 606 N and 10.71%, respectively. The nugget diameter and joint tensile shear load increased by 34% and 102% respectively, and the indentation ratio decreased by 65% compared with the F-type electrodes(nugget diameter: 5.384 mm, tensile-shear load 1 783 N, indentation rate 30.94%). Therefore, it was more favorable to use the custom electrodes for improving the mechanical properties and appearance quality of resistance spot welded joints of stainless steel and aluminum alloy.

Austenite grain growth of medium-carbon alloy steel with aluminum additions during heating process

In this study, the effects of heating temperature(850–1100°C) and holding time(30–150 min) on the grain growth behavior of austenite in medium-carbon alloy steel were investigated by conducting experiments. The abnormal grain growth and mixed grain structure phenomenon are explained using an equilibrium precipitation phase diagram calculated by Thermo-Calc software package. The Al N particles were observed by field-emission scanning electron microscopy(FESEM), and the amount of AlN precipitations was detected by electron probe microanalysis(EPMA). Based on the research results, it was found that the average grain size of austenite in the test steel increased continuously with the increase of temperature and holding time. Furthermore, the abnormal growth of austenite occurred in the test steel at 950°C, and the heating temperature affected the austenite grain size more significantly. In addition, the decline in the amount of AlN second-phase particle in the test steel, which weakened the "pinning" effect on austenite grain boundaries, resulted in abnormal growth and the development of mixed austenite grain structures. The prediction model for describing the austenite grain growth of medium-carbon alloy steel during heating was established by regression analysis of the experimental data, and the model was verified to be highly accurate.

Experimental study on dissimilar TIG welding-brazing of 5A06 aluminum alloy to SUS321 stainless steel

Dissimilar metals TIG welding-brazing of 5A06 aluminum alloy to SUS321 stainless steel has been carried out with Al-Sil2 eutectic filler metal and modified non-corrosive flux. The surface appearance and microstructures of the joint were analyzed and the average tensile strength of the joint was estimated. The results show that a sound dissimilar metals joint is obtained by TIG welding-brazing. Slag and residual flux on steel surface can be removed by sanding easily. The joint has dual characteristics： in aluminum alloy side, it is a welded joint, while in stainless steel side, it is a brazed joint. The whole interface layer, unequal in thickness at different position, ranges from 5 μm to 25 μm. The average tensile strength of the butt joint reaches 120 MPa and the fracture occurs at the interface layer.

Interfacial characterization of resistance spot welded joint of steel and aluminum alloy

The dissimilar material resistance spot welding of galvanized high strength steel and aluminum alloy had been conducted. The welded joint exhibited a thin reaction layer composed of Fe2Al5 and Fe4Al13 phases at steel/aluminum interface. The welded joint presented a tensile shear load of 3.3 kN with an aluminum alloy nugget diameter of 5.7 mm. The interfacial failure mode was observed for the tensile shear specimen and fracture occurred at reaction layer and aluminum alloy fusion zone beside the interface. The reaction layer with compounds was the main reason for reduction of the welded joint mechanical property.

Effects of nugget alloying on microstructures and properties of resistance spot welded joints of aluminum and steel

The resistance spot welding of 6063-T6 aluminum alloy and 16Mn steel was studied by nugget alloying. The results indicated that the Al-steel joint had characteristics of welding-brazing. The nugget zone consisted mainly of α-Al solid solution with dislocations and fine Mg2Si particles. The interface zone had a double-layer structure： Fe2Al5 layer at steel side and Fe4Al13 layer at Al nugget side. The nugget alloying has a significant effect on the joint properties by changing phase composition and refinement of grains. When alloy elements Cu, Zn, Ti and Ni were added, the tensile shear load of Al-steel joints reached 2 780 N, 2 910 N, 2 915 N and 2 929 N respectively, which increased by 24. 1%, 29.9%, 30. 1% and 30. 7% respectively compared with that （2 241 N） of joint without nugget alloying. Therefore, it is an effective way for improving mechanical properties of resistance spot welded Al-steel joints.

Microstructure and mechanical property of resistance spot welded joint of aluminum alloy to high strength steel with especial electrodes

Dissimilar material joining of 6008 aluminum alloy to H220 YD galvanized high strength steel was performed by resistance spot welding with especial electrodes that were a flat tip electrode against the steel surface and a domed tip electrode upon the aluminum alloy surface. An intermetallic compound layer composed of Fe2Al5 and FeAl3 was formed at the steel/ aluminum interface in the welded joint. The thickness of the intermetallic compound layer increased with increasing welding current and welding time, and the maximum thickness being 7. 0 μm was obtained at 25 kA and 300 ms. The weld nugget diameter and tensile shear load of the welded joint had increased tendencies first with increasing welding current （ 18 -22 kA） and welding time （ 50 - 300 ms）, then changed little with further increasing welding current （ 22 - 25 kA） and welding time （300 -400 ms）. The maximum tensile shear load reached 5.4 kN at 22 kA and 300 ms. The welded joint fractured through brittle intermetallic compound layer and aluminum alloy nugget.

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

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

Effect of Ti and Ce Microalloy on Microstructure and Properties of Al-Si-Cu-Zr-Sr Cast Aluminum Alloy

The effect of Ti and Ce microalloying on the mechanical properties of Al-9Si-3.5Cu-0.2Zr-0.1Sr cast aluminum alloy was investigated,and it was hoped that the cast aluminum alloy with excellent comprehensive properties could be obtained.On the basis of Zr-Sr microalloyed cast aluminum alloy(Al-9Si-3.5Cu-0.2Zr-0.1Sr),the effects of 0.2Zr-0.1Sr-0.16Ti ternary microalloying and 0.2Zr-0.1Sr-0.16Ti-0.1Ce quaternary microalloying on the microstructure and properties of the alloy were investigated.The experimental results show that compared with Zr-Sr microalloying,Zr-Sr-Ti microalloying and Zr-Sr-Ti-Ce microalloying can effectively refine the microstructure,improve the modification effect of Si phase,and promote the improvement of Al_(2)Cu phase,thus improving the properties.The higher the degree of microalloying,the hardness is gradually increasing,but the electrical conductivity is gradually decreasing.Zr-Sr-Ti microalloying can increase the tensile strength of the alloy to 400.07 MPa and the elongation to 9.5%.Zr-Sr-Ti-Ce microalloying do not continue to improve the properties of the alloy,and the tensile strength and elongation after fracture decrease to a certain extent due to the addition of Ce.Therefore,the best comprehensive properties can be obtained by ZrSr-Ti microalloying(Al-9Si-3.5Cu-0.2Zr-0.1Sr-0.16Ti).

Effect of Thermal-cold Cycling Treatment on Mechanical Properties and Microstructure of 6061 Aluminum Alloy

The influence of thermal-cold cycling treatment on mechanical properties and microstructure of 6061 aluminum alloy was investigated by means of tensile test, optical microscopy(OM), X-ray diffraction(XRD) and transmission electron microscopy(TEM). The cryogenic treatment mechanism of the alloys was discussed. The results show that thermal-cold cycling treatment is beneficial since it produces a large number of dislocations and accelerates the ageing process of the alloy and yields the finer dispersed β" precipitates in the matrix. This variation of microstructural changes leads to more favorable mechanical properties than the other investigated states, while grain boundary precipitation is coarse and distributed discontinuously along grain boundaries, with a lower precipitation free zone(PEZ) on the both sides of precipitated phase. As a result, the tensile strength, elongation and conductivity of 6061 aluminum alloy after thermal-cold cycling treatment are 373.37 MPa, 17.2% and 28.2 MS/m, respectively. Compared with conventional T6 temper, the mechanical properties are improved significantly.

Evaluation of Surface Roughness of Aluminum Alloy in Burnishing Process Based on Chaos Theory

Burnishing experiments with different burnishing parameters were performed on a computer numerical control milling machine to characterize the surface roughness of an aluminum alloy during burnishing.The chaos theory was employed to investigate the nonlinear features of the burnishing system.The experimental results show that the power spectrum is broadband and continuous,and the Lyapunov exponentλis positive,proving that burnishing has chaotic characteristics.The chaotic characteristic parameter,the correlation dimension D,is sensitive to the time behavior of the system and is used to establish the corresponding relationship with the surface roughness.The correlation dimension was the largest,when the surface roughness was the smallest.Furthermore,when the correlation dimension curve decreases,the roughness curve increases.The correlation dimension and surface roughness exhibit opposite variation trends.The higher the correlation dimension,the lower the surface roughness.The surface roughness of the aluminum alloy can be characterized online by calculating the correlation dimension during burnishing.

Nickel-coated Steel Stud to Aluminum Alloy Joints Made by High Frequency Induction Brazing

Nickel-coated 45 steel studs and 6061 aluminum alloy with 4047 A1 alloy foil as filler metal were joined by using high frequency induction brazing. The microstrueture of Fe/A1 brazed joint was studied by means of optical microscopy （OM）, scanning electron microscope （SEM）, energy dispersive X-ray （EDX）, and X-ray diffraction （XRD）. Results showed that 45 steel stud and 6061 aluminum alloy could be successfully joined by high frequency induction brazing with proper processing parameters. The bonding strength of the joint was of the order of 88 MPa. Ni coating on steel stud successfully avoided the generation of Fe-AI intermetallic compound which is brittle by blocking the contact between A1 and Fe. Intermetallic compounds, i e, AI3Ni2, AlmNi0.9 and A10.3Fe3Si0.7 presented in AI side, FeNi and Fe-A1-Ni ternary eutectic structure were formed in Fe side. The micro-hardness in intermetallic compound layer was 313 HV. The joint was brittle fractured in the intermetallic compounds layer of A1 side, where plenty of A13Ni2 intermetallie compounds were distributed continuously.

Residual stress with asymmetric spray quenching for thick aluminum alloy plates

Solution and quenching heat treatments are generally carried out in a roller hearth furnace for large-scale thick aluminum alloy plates.However,the asymmetric or uneven spray water flow rate is inevitable under industrial production conditions,which leads to an asymmetric residual stress distribution.The spray quenching treatment was conducted on self-designed spray equipment,and the residual stress along the thickness direction was measured by a layer removal method based on deflections.Under the asymmetric spray quenching condition,the subsurface stress of the high-flow rate surface was lower than that of the low-flow rate surface,and the difference between the two subsurface stresses increased with the increase in the difference in water flow rates.The subsurface stress underneath the surface with a water flow rate of 0.60 m^(3)/h was 15.38 MPa less than that of 0.15 m^(3)/h.The simulated residual stress by finite element(FE)method of the high heat transfer coefficient(HTC)surface was less than that of the low HTC surface,which is consistent with the experimental results.The FE model can be used to analyze the strain and stress evolution and predict the quenched stress magnitude and distribution.