Two-stage double peaks ageing and its effect on stress corrosion cracking susceptibility of Al-Zn-Mg alloy

Different artificial two-stage ageing behaviors and their effect on stress corrosion cracking （SCC） susceptibility of AI-Zn-Mg alloy have been investigated. The experimental results show that two hardness peaks present on the second-stage ageing-hardening curve when the first-stage ageing is dealt with comparatively lower temperature than the conventional one. The first peak is caused by dispersive and evenly distributed G.P. zones, while η ′phases and coarsened G.P. zones contribute to the second peak. Tensile strength of experimental alloy raises 9.6% （33.2 MPa） and SCC susceptibility decreases 38.9% by applying the second peak ageing regime instead of conventional T73. AI-Zn-Mg alloy obtains high strength and SCC resistance due to its finely dispersive matrix precipitates （MPts）, coarsened and discontinuous grain boundary precipitates （GBPs）, as well as the narrow precipitate free zone （PFZ） in the second peak ageing condition. 2017 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The editorial office of Journal of Materials Science ＆ Technology.

Effect of Solution Annealing on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of a Ni-Cr-W-Fe Alloy

The effect of solution annealing on the microstructure and mechanical properties of a Ni-Cr-W-Fe alloy developed for advanced 700？C ultra-supercritical power plants was investigated. Test samples in this study were subjected to different solution treatments and the same aging treatment（at 760？C for 1 h）.When solution annealing temperature was elevated from 1020？C to 1150？C, the stress-rupture life at750？C/320 MPa was increased from 60 h to 300 h, the stress-rupture elongation was enhanced from12% to 17%, and the elongation of the tensile at 750？C was improved from 11% to 24%. All tensile and stress-rupture samples displayed an intergranular dimple mixed fracture. Intergranular micro-cracks had a great relationship with the morphology of grain boundary carbides. Most carbides retained the morphology of globular shape and continuous thin plate. After tensile and stress-rupture tests, a few carbides were converted into lamellar. The results showed that intergranular micro-cracks were easier to form at continuous thin plate carbides than at globular shape carbides. Lamellar carbides hardly caused the nucleation of micro-cracks. Besides, grain boundaries sliding and elements diffusion during stressrupture tests led to the formation of precipitate free zones, which accelerated the extension of microcracks and influenced the stress-rupture life.