Effects of friction stir processing and nano-hydroxyapatite on the microstructure,hardness,degradation rate and in-vitro bioactivity of WE43 alloy for biomedical applications

Nowadays,magnesium alloys are emerging in biomedical implants for their similar properties to natural bones.However,the rapid degradation of magnesium alloys in biological media hinders successful implantation.Refinement of microstructure,as well as reinforcement particles can significantly improve the degradation rate.In this work,multi-pass friction stir processing(FSP)was proposed to synthesize WE43/nano-hydroxyapatite(n HA)surface composite,the microstructure,reinforced particle distribution,micro-hardness,corrosion behavior and in-vitro bioactivity were studied.The subsequent FSP passes of WE43 alloy and WE43/n HA composite refined the grain size which was reduced by 94.29%and 95.92%(2.63 and 1.88μm,respectively)compared to base metal after three passes.This resulted in increasing the microhardness by 120%(90.86 HV0.1)and 135%(105.59 HV0.1)for the WE43 and WE43-n HA,respectively.It is found that increasing FSP passes improved the uniform distribution of n HA particles within the composite matrix which led to improved corrosion resistance and less degradation rate.The corrosion rate of the FSPed WE43/n HA composite after three passes was reduced by 38.2%(4.13 mm/year)and the degradation rate was reduced by 69.7%(2.87 mm/y).This is attributed to secondary phase(Mg24Y5and Mg41Nd5)particle fragmentation and redistribution,as well as a homogeneous distribution of n HA.Additionally,the growing Ca-P and Mg(OH)2layer formed on the surface represented a protective layer that reduced the degradation rate.The wettability test revealed a relatively hydrophilic surface with water contact angle of 49.1±2.2°compared to 71.2±2.1°for base metal.Also,biomineralization test showed that apatite layer grew after immersion 7d in simulated body fluid with atomic ratio of Ca/P 1.60 approaching the stoichiometric ratio(1.67)indicating superior bioactivity of FSPed WE43/n HA composite after three passes.These results raise that the grain refinement by FSP and introduction of n HA particles significantly improved the degradation rate and in-vitro bioactivity of WE43 alloy for biomedical applications.

A new insight into LPSO phase transformation and mechanical properties uniformity of large-scale Mg-Gd-Y-Zn-Zr alloy prepared by multi-pass friction stir processing

A large-scale fine-grained Mg-Gd-Y-Zn-Zr alloy plate with high strength and ductility was successfully prepared by multi-pass friction stir processing(MFSP)technology in this work.The structure of grains and long period stacking ordered(LPSO)phase were characterized,and the mechanical properties uniformity was investigated.Moreover,a quantitative relationship between the microstructure and tensile yield strength was established.The results showed that the grains in the processed zone(PZ)and interfacial zone(IZ)were refined from 50μm to 3μm and 4μm,respectively,and numerous original LPSO phases were broken.In IZ,some block-shaped 18R LPSO phases were transformed into needle-like 14H LPSO phases due to stacking faults and the short-range diffusion of solute atoms.The severe shear deformation in the form of kinetic energy caused profuse stacking fault to be generated and move rapidly,greatly increasing the transformation rate of LPSO phase.After MFSP,the ultimate tensile strength,yield strength and elongation to failure of the large-scale plate were 367 MPa,305 MPa and 18.0% respectively.Grain refinement and LPSO phase strengthening were the major strengthening mechanisms for the MFSP sample.In particularly,the strength of IZ was comparable to that of PZ because the strength contribution of the 14H LPSO phase offsets the lack of grain refinement strengthening in IZ.This result opposes the widely accepted notion that IZ is a weak region in MFSP-prepared large-scale fine-grained plate.

Research progress in friction stir processing of magnesium alloys and their metal matrix surface composites: Evolution in the 21^(st )century

Rising concerns about climate change drive the demand for lightweight components.Magnesium(Mg)alloys are highly valued for their low weight,making them increasingly important in various industries.Researchers focusing on enhancing the characteristics of Mg alloys and developing their Metal Matrix Composites(MMCs)have gained significant attention worldwide over the past decade,driven by the global shift towards lightweight materials.Friction Stir Processing(FSP)has emerged as a promising technique to enhance the properties of Mg alloys and produce Mg-MMCs.Initially,FSP adapted to refine grain size from the micro to the nano level and accelerated the development of MMCs due to its solid-state nature and the synergistic effects of microstructure refinement and reinforcement,improving strength,hardness,ductility,wear resistance,corrosion resistance,and fatigue strength.However,producing defect-free and sound FSPed Mg and Mg-MMCs requires addressing several variables and their interdependencies,which opens up a broad range of practical applications.Despite existing reviews on individual FSP of Mg,its alloys,and MMCs,an attempt has been made to analyze the latest research on these three aspects collectively to enhance the understanding,application,and effectiveness of FSP for Mg and its derivatives.This review article discusses the literature,classifies the importance of Mg alloys,provides a historical background,and explores developments and potential applications of FSPed Mg alloys.It focuses on novel fabrication methods,reinforcement strategies,machine and tool design parameters,material characterization,and integration with other methods for enhanced properties.The influence of process parameters and the emergence of defects are examined,along with specific applications in mono and hybrid composites and their microstructure evolution.The study identifies promising reinforcement materials and highlights research gaps in FSP for Mg alloys and MMCs production.It concludes with significant recommendations for further exploration,reflecting ongoing advancements in this field.

Microstructural evolution and hot tensile behavior of Mg−3Zn−0.5Zr alloy subjected to multi-pass friction stir processing

The microstructures and hot tensile behaviors of ZK30 alloys subjected to single-and multi-pass friction stir processing(FSP)were systematically investigated.Following single-pass FSP(S-FSP),coarse grains underwent refinement to 1−2μm,with a distinct basal texture emerging in the stir zone(SZ).Additionally,second-phase particles were fragmented,dispersed,and partially dissolved.Multi-pass FSP(M-FSP)further enhanced the homogeneity of the microstructure,reduced texture intensity differences,and decreased the fraction of second-phase particles by 50%.Both S-FSP and M-FSP SZs demonstrated superplasticity at strain rates below 1×10^(−3)s^(−1)and at temperatures of 250−350℃.The S-FSP SZ exhibited an elongation of 390%at 250℃and 1×10^(−4)s^(−1),while the M-FSP SZ achieved an elongation of 406%at 350℃and 1×10^(−3)s^(−1).The superplastic deformation of SZ was co-dominated by grain boundary sliding(GBS)and the solute-drag mechanism in S-FSP and mainly by GBS in M-FSP.

Tailoring the microstructure of Mg-Al-Sn-RE alloy via friction stir processing and the impact on its electrochemical discharge behaviour as the anode for Mg-air battery

Constructing the magnesium alloy with fine grains,low density of dislocations,and weak crystal orientation is of crucial importance to enhance its comprehensive performance as the anode for Mg-air battery.However,this unique microstructure can hardly be achieved with conventional plastic deformation such as rolling or extrusion.Herein,we tailor the microstructure of Mg-Al-Sn-RE alloy by using the friction stir processing,which obviously refines the grains without increasing dislocation density or strengthening crystal orientation.The Mg-air battery with the processed Mg-Al-Sn-RE alloy as the anode exhibits higher discharge voltages and capacities than that employing the untreated anode.Furthermore,the impact of friction stir processing on the electrochemical discharge behaviour of Mg-Al-Sn-RE anode and the corresponding mechanism are also analysed according to microstructure characterization and electrochemical response.

Superplasticity of AZ31 magnesium alloy prepared by friction stir processing

Microstructure and tensile behaviors of AZ31 magnesium alloy prepared by friction stir processing（FSP） were investigated.The results show that microstructure of the AZ31 hot-rolled plate with an average grain size of 92.0 μm is refined to 11.4 μm after FSP.The FSP AZ31 alloy exhibits excellent plasticity at elevated temperature,with an elongation to failure of 1050% at 723 K and a strain rate of 5×10-4 s-1.The elongation of the FSP material is 268% at 723 K and 1×10-2 s-1,indicating that high strain rate superplasticity could be achieved.On the other hand,the hot-rolled base material,which has a coarse grain structure,possesses no superplasticity under the experimental conditions.

Preparation of ultra-fine grain Ni-Al-WC coating with interlocking bonding on austenitic stainless steel by laser clad and friction stir processing

The ultra-fine structured Ni?Al?WC layer with interlocking bonding was fabricated on austenitic stainless steel by combination of laser clad and friction stir processing (FSP). Laser was initially applied to Ni?Al elemental powder preplaced on the austenitic stainless steel substrate to produce a coating for further processing. The as-received coating was subjected to FSP treatment, processed by a rotary tool rod made of WC?Co alloy, to obtain sample for inspection. Microstructure, phase constitutions, hardness and wear property were investigated by methods of scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) microanalysis, and X-ray diffraction (XRD), hardness test alongside with dry sliding wear test. The results show that the severe deformation effect exerted on the specimen resulted in an ultra-fine grain layer of about 100μmin thickness and grain size of 1?2μm. Synergy between introduction of WC particles to the deformation layer and deformation strengthening contributes greatly to the increase in hardness and friction resistance. An interlocking bonding between the coating and matrix which significantly improves bonding strength was formed due to the severe deformation effect.

Evolution of microstructure and hardness of aluminum after friction stir processing

The effects of friction stir processing （FSP） on the microstructure, microtexture and hardness of rolled pure aluminum were investigated. The microstructure and microtexture were characterized using electron backscattered diffraction （EBSD） technique on the transversal section. The stir zone （SZ） contains fine, equiaxed and fully recrystallized grains. The texture component of the base material mainly consists of R, S and brass R textures. Miner copper texture component is also determined. In the center of the stir zone, the dominant texture is （111） parallel to about 70° from ND pointing toward RD. The textures of this location rotating clockwise about 30° and anticlockwise about 60° around the ND result in the textures of the areas, which are 3 mm apart from this location on the retreating side and advancing side, respectively.

Prediction of corrosion rate for friction stir processed WE43 alloy by combining PSO-based virtual sample generation and machine learning

The corrosion rate is a crucial factor that impacts the longevity of materials in different applications.After undergoing friction stir processing(FSP),the refined grain structure leads to a notable decrease in corrosion rate.However,a better understanding of the correlation between the FSP process parameters and the corrosion rate is still lacking.The current study used machine learning to establish the relationship between the corrosion rate and FSP process parameters(rotational speed,traverse speed,and shoulder diameter)for WE43 alloy.The Taguchi L27 design of experiments was used for the experimental analysis.In addition,synthetic data was generated using particle swarm optimization for virtual sample generation(VSG).The application of VSG has led to an increase in the prediction accuracy of machine learning models.A sensitivity analysis was performed using Shapley Additive Explanations to determine the key factors affecting the corrosion rate.The shoulder diameter had a significant impact in comparison to the traverse speed.A graphical user interface(GUI)has been created to predict the corrosion rate using the identified factors.This study focuses on the WE43 alloy,but its findings can also be used to predict the corrosion rate of other magnesium alloys.

Improvement in grain refinement efficiency of Mg-Zr master alloy for magnesium alloy by friction stir processing

Previous studies have proved that the zirconium(Zr)alloying and grain refining performance of a Mg-Zr master alloy on Mg alloy is closely related to the distribution of Zr particle size,and a Mg-Zr master alloy with more Zr particles in size range of 1-5μm exhibits a better refining efficiency.In this paper,friction stir processing(FSP)was used to modify the Zr particles size distribution of a commercially available Mg-30 wt.%Zr master alloy,and the subsequent grain refinement ability was studied by trials on a typical Mg-3Nd-0.2Zn-0.6Zr(wt.%,NZ30K)alloy.It is found that plenty of large Zr particles in the as-received Mg-30%Zr master alloy are broken by FSP.Grain refinement tests reveal that the refining efficiency of Mg-30%Zr alloy is significantly improved by FSP,which is attributed to the better distribution of Zr particles.The refinement effect by adding 0.6%FSP-ed Mg-30%Zr is approximately equivalent to that by adding 1.0%as-received Mg-30%Zr.Due to the easy and convenient operation of FSP,this study provides a new method to develop a more efficient Mg-Zr refiner.

Enhancement of wear and ballistic resistance of armour grade AA7075 aluminium alloy using friction stir processing

Industrial applications of aluminium and its alloys are restricted because of their poor tribological properties. Thermal spraying, laser surfacing, electron beam welding are the most widely used techniques to alter the surface morphology of base metal. Preliminary studies reveal that the coating and layering of aluminium alloys with ceramic particles enhance the ballistic resistance. Furthermore, among aluminium alloys,7075 aluminium alloy exhibits high strength which can be compared to that of steels and has profound applications in the designing of lightweight fortification structures and integrated protection systems. Having limitations such as poor bond integrity, formation of detrimental phases and interfacial reaction between reinforcement and substrate using fusion route to deposit hard particles paves the way to adopt friction stir processing for fabricating surface composites using different sizes of boron carbide particles as reinforcement on armour grade 7075 aluminium alloy as matrix in the present investigation. Wear and ballistic tests were carried out to assess the performance of friction stir processed AA7075 alloy. Significant improvement in wear resistance of friction stir processed surface composites is attributed to the change in wear mechanism from abrasion to adhesion. It has also been observed that the surface metal matrix composites have shown better ballistic resistance compared to the substrate AA7075 alloy. Addition of solid lubricant Mo S2 has reduced the depth of penetration of the projectile to half that of base metal AA7075 alloy. For the first time, the friction stir processing technique was successfully used to improve the wear and ballistic resistances of armour grade high strength AA7075 alloy.

Improvement in the mechanical properties of Al/SiC nanocomposites fabricated by severe plastic deformation and friction stir processing

Severely deformed aluminum sheets were processed by friction stir processing(FSP) with Si C nanoparticles under different conditions to improve the mechanical properties of both the stir zone and the heat affected zone(HAZ).In the case of using a simple probe and the same rotational direction(RD) of the FSP tool between passes,at least three FSP passes were required to obtain the appropriate distribution of nanoparticles.However,after three FSP passes,fracture occurred outward from the stir zone during transverse tensile tests;thus,the strength of the specimen was significantly lower than that of the severely deformed base material because of the softening phenomenon in the HAZ.To improve the mechanical properties of the HAZ,we investigated the possibility of achieving an appropriate distribution of nanoparticles using fewer FSP passes.The results indicated that using the threaded probe and changing the RD of the FSP tool between the passes effectively shattered the clusters of nanoparticles and led to an acceptable distribution of Si C nanoparticles after two FSP passes.In these cases,fracture occurred at the HAZ with higher strength compared to the specimen processed using three FSP passes with the same RD between the passes and with the simple probe.The fracture behaviors of the processed specimens are discussed in detail.

Synthesize of AZ31/TiC magnesium matrix composites using friction stir processing

Friction stir processing(FSP)is a novel solid state technique to synthesize metal matrix composites.In the present work,an attempt has been made to synthesize AZ31/TiC magnesium matrix composites using FSP and to analyze the microstructure using scanning electron microscopy.A groove was prepared on 6 mm thick AZ31 magnesium alloy plates and compacted with TiC particles.The width of the groove was varied to result in four different volume fraction of TiC particles(0,6,12 and 18 vol.%).A single pass FSP was carried out using a tool rotational speed of 1200 rpm,traverse speed of 40 mm/min and an axial force of 10 kN.Scanning electron microscopy was employed to study the microstructure of the synthesized composites.The results indicated that TiC particles were distributed uniformly in the magnesium matrix without the formation of clusters.There was no interfacial reaction between the magnesium matrix and the TiC particle.TiC particles were properly bonded to the magnesium matrix.

A comparative study on microstructural evolution and surface properties of graphene/CNT reinforced Al6061-SiC hybrid surface composite fabricated via friction stir processing

A comparative study on the surface properties of Al-SiC-multi walled carbon nanotubes (CNT) and Al-SiC-graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) hybrid composites fabricated via friction stir processing (FSP) was documented. Microstructural characterization reveals a more homogeneous dispersion of GNPs in the Al matrix as compared to CNTs. Dislocation blockade by SiC and GNP particles along with the defect-free interface between the matrix and reinforcements is also observed. Nanoindentation study reveals a remarkable ~207% and ~27% increment in surface nano-hardness of Al-SiC-GNP and Al-SiC-CNT hybrid composite compared to as-received Al6061 alloy, respectively. On the other hand, the microhardness values of Al-SiC-GNP and Al-SiC-CNT are increased by ~36% and ~17% relative to as-received Al6061 alloy, respectively. Tribological assessment reveals ~56% decrease in the specific wear rate of Al-SiC-GNP hybrid composite, whereas it is increased by ~122% in Al-SiC-CNT composite. The higher strength of Al-SiC-GNP composite is attributed to the mechanical exfoliation of GNPs to few layered graphene (FLG) in the presence of SiC. Also, various mechanisms such as thermal mismatch, grain refinement, and Orowan looping contribute significantly towards the strengthening of composites. Moreover, the formation of tribolayer by the squeezed-out GNP on the surface is responsible for the improved tribological performance of the composites. Raman spectroscopy and various other characterization methods corroborate the results.

Fabrication of AA7005/TiB2-B4C surface composite by friction stir processing: Evaluation of ballistic behaviour

The present work aims to enhance the ballistic resistance of AA7005 alloy by incorporating the TiB2 and B4C ceramic reinforcement particles. Surface composites with different weight fractions of TiB2 and B4C particles were processed by friction stir processing. Micro-hardness and depth of penetration tests were carried out to evaluate the ballistic properties of the surface composites. The surface hardness of the composite was found to be nearly 70 HV higher than base alloy. The depth of penetration of the steel projectile was 20e26mm in the composites as compared to 37mm in the base alloy. Ballistic mass efficiency factor of the surface composite was found to be 1.6 times higher than base alloy. This is mainly attributed to the dispersion strengthening from the reinforcement particles.

Influence of friction stir processing conditions on corrosion behavior of AZ31B magnesium alloy

The present study aims to investigate the effect of friction stir processing(FSP)conditions on the corrosion characteristic of AZ31B magnesium alloy.Specimens made of AZ31B alloy were friction stir processed under various processing conditions,and their microstructure and corrosion behavior were studied.The corrosion behavior was studied by potentiodynamic polarization,electrochemical impedance spectroscopy(EIS),and immersion test in 3.5%sodium chloride(NaCl)solution.The results showed a substantial improvement in the corrosion resistance of the friction stir processed AZ31B alloy.The improvement is likely a result of more stable corrosion products and microstructure refinement formed after friction sir processing.

Magnesium based surface metal matrix composites by friction stir processing

Surface metal matrix composites(MMCs)are a group of modern engineered materials where the surface of the material is modified by dispersing secondary phase in the form of particles or fibers and the core of the material experience no change in chemical composition and structure.The potential applications of the surface MMCs can be found in automotive,aerospace,biomedical and power industries.Recently,friction stir processing(FSP)technique has been gaining wide popularity in producing surface composites in solid state itself.Magnesium and its alloys being difficult to process metals also have been successfully processed by FSP to fabricate surface MMCs.The aim of the present paper is to provide a comprehensive summary of state-of-the-art in fabricating magnesium based composites by FSP.Influence of the secondary phase particles and grain refinement resulted from FSP on the properties of these composites is also discussed.

Assessment of Ti-6Al-4V particles as a reinforcement for AZ31 magnesium alloy-based composites to boost ductility incorporated through friction stir processing

Poor ductility is the primary concern of magnesium matrix composites(MMCs)inflicted by non-deformable ceramic particle reinforcements.Metal particles which melt at elevated temperature can be used as reinforcement to improve the deformation characteristics.Ti-6Al-4V particles reinforced AZ31 MMCs were produced through friction stir processing(FSP)which was carried out in a traditional vertical milling machine.The microstructural features as well as the response to external tensile load were explored.A homogenous distribution of Ti-6Al-4V was achieved at every part of the stir zone.There was no chemical decomposition of Ti-6Al-4V.Further,Ti-6Al-4V did not react with Al and Zn present in AZ31 alloy to form new compounds.A continuous strong interface was obtained around Ti-6Al-4V particle with the matrix.Ti-6Al-4V particles underwent breakage during processing due to severe plastic strain.There was a remarkable refinement of grains in the composite caused by dynamic recrystallization in addition to the pinning of smaller size broken particles.Dense dislocations were observed in the matrix because of plastic deformation and the associated strain misfit.Ti-6Al-4V particles improved the tensile behavior and assisted to obtain appreciable deformation before fracture.Brittle mode of failure was avoided.

Effects of processing parameters on corrosion properties of dissimilar friction stir welds of aluminium and copper

The influence of friction stir welding processing parameters on dissimilar joints conducted between aluminium alloy （AA5754） and commercially pure copper （C11000） was studied. The welds were produced by varying the rotational speed from 600 to 1200 r/min and the feed rate from 50 to 300 mm/min. The resulting microstructure and the corrosion properties of the welds produced were studied. It was found that the joint interfacial regions of the welds were characterized by interlayers of aluminium and copper. The corrosion tests revealed that the corrosion resistance of the welds was improved as the rotational speed was increased. The corrosion rates of the welds compared to the base metals were improved compared with Cu and decreased slightly compared with the aluminium alloy. The lowest corrosion rate was obtained at welds produced at rotational speed of 950 r/min and feed rate of 300 mm/min which corresponds to a weld produced at a low heat input.

Ballistic behavior of boron carbide reinforced AA7075 aluminium alloy using friction stir processing-An experimental study and analytical approach

High strength-to-weight ratio of non-ferrous alloys, such as aluminium, magnesium and titanium alloys, are considered to be possible replacement of widely accepted steels in transportation and automobile sectors. Among these alloys, magnesium is self explosive and titanium is costlier, and aluminium is most likely to replace steels. Application of aluminium or its alloys is also thought of as an appropriate replacement in defence field, especially to enhance the easiness in mobility of combat vehicles while maintaining the same standard as that of conventional armour grade steels. Hence most of the investigations have been confined to aluminium or its alloys as base material and open an era of developing the newer composite materials to address the major limitation, i.e. tribological properties. The surface composites can be fabricated by incorporating the ceramic carbides like silicon carbide, carbides of transition metals and oxides of aluminium using surface modification techniques, such as high energy laser melt treatment, high energy electron beam irradiation and thermal spray process which are based on fusion route. These techniques yield the fusion related problems, such as interfacial reaction, pin holes, shrinkage cavities or voids and other casting related defects, and pave the way to need of an efficient technique which must be based on solid state. Recently developed friction stir processing technique was used in the present investigation for surface modification of AA7075 aluminum alloy, which is an alternative to steels. In the present investigation, 160 μm sized boron carbide powder was procured and was reduced to 60 μm and 30 μm using high energy ball mill. Subsequently these powders were used to fabricate the surface composites using friction stir processing.Ballistic performance testing as per the military standard(JIS.0108.01) was carried out. In the present work, an analytical method of predicting the ballistic behavior of surface composites was developed. This method was based on energy balance, i.e., the initial energy of impact is same as that of energy absorbed by multi layers. An attempt also has been made to validate the analytical results with the experimental findings. Variation between the analytical and experimental results may be accounted due to the assumptions considering such as isotropic behavior of target and shearing area of contact as cylindrical instead of conical interface As the analytical model yields the ballistic performance in the closer proximity of experimentally obtained, it can be considered to be an approximation to evaluate the ballistic performance of targets.