Influence of introducing Zr,Ti,Nb and Ce elements on externally solidified crystals and mechanical properties of high-pressure die-casting Al–Si alloy

High pressure die casting(HPDC)AlSi10Mn Mg alloy castings are widely used in the automobile industry.Mg can optimize the mechanical properties of castings through heat treatment,while the release of thermal stress arouses the deformation of large integrated die-castings.Herein,the development of non-heat treatment Al alloys is becoming the hot topic.In addition,HPDC contains externally solidified crystals(ESCs),which are detrimental to the mechanical properties of castings.To achieve high strength and toughness of non-heat treatment die-casting Al-Si alloy,we used AlSi9Mn alloy as matrix with the introduction of Zr,Ti,Nb,and Ce.Their influences on ESCs and mechanical properties were systematically investigated through three-dimensional reconstruction and thermodynamic simulation.Our results reveal that the addition of Ti increased ESCs'size and porosity,while the introduction of Nb refined ESCs and decreased porosity.Meanwhile,large-sized Al_3(Zr,Ti)phases formed and degraded the mechanical properties.Subsequent introduction of Ce resulted in the poisoning effect and reduced mechanical properties.

Synergistic effect of Zr and Mo on precipitation and high-temperature properties of Al-Si-Cu-Mg alloys

This study focuses on finding a solution to the sharp decline in mechanical properties of Al-Si-Cu-Mg alloys due to rapid coarsening of traditional intermediate phases at high temperature.A new type of modified al oy,to be used in automobile engines at high temperatures,was prepared by adding Zr and Mo into Al-Si-Cu-Mg alloy.The synergistic effects of Zr and Mo on the microstructure evolution and high-temperature mechanical properties were studied.Results show that the addition of Zr and Mo generates a series of intermetallic phases dispersed in the alloy.They can improve the strength of the alloy by hindering dislocation movement and crack propagation.In addition,some nano-strengthened phases show coherent interfaces with the matrix and improve grain refinement.The addition of Mo greatly improves the heat resistance of the alloy.The extremely low diffusivity of Mo enables it to improve the thermal stability of the intermetallic phases,inhibit precipitation during aging,reduce the size of the precipitates,and improve the heat resistance of the alloy.

Enhanced thermal stability and mechanical properties of high-temperature resistant Al-Cu alloy with Zr and Mn micro-alloying

The high temperature(HT)thermal stability and mechanical properties of Al-5%Cu(AC)and Al-5%Cu-0.2%Mn-0.2 Zr%(ACMZ)alloys from 573 to 673 K were systematically studied.The results displayed that micro-alloying additions of Zr and Mn elements have presented a significant role in stabilizing the main strengthening metastableθ′precipitates at a temperature as high as 573 K.Simultaneously,the HT tensile test demonstrated that ACMZ alloy retained their strength of(88.6±8.8)MPa,which was much higher than that of AC alloy((32.5±0.8)MPa)after the thermal exposure at 573 K for 200 h.Finally,the underlying mechanisms of strength and ductility enhancement mechanism of the ACMZ alloy at HT were discussed in detail.

Effect of RE addition on solidification process and high-temperature strength of Al-12%Si-4%Cu-1.6%Mn heat-resistant alloy

The effect of RE addition on solidification process and high-temperature strength of Al-12%Si-4%Cu-1.6%Mn(in wt.%)heat-resistant alloy was investigated by microstructure observation and tensile test.A great number of fine needle-like RE-rich phases are observed in the alloys with RE addition. Solutionizing treatment does not change their morphologies and sizes, indicating that they have good thermal stability. The addition of RE totally alters the solidification process of eutectic CruAl2 phase, from network-like phase in the form of segregation at the final eutectic grain boundaries to discretely blocky phase growing on the hair-filamentous RE-rich needles. In the alloys with Ce addition, blocky CuAl2, particulate Al15Mn3Si2 and needle-like RE-rich needle phases grow together, but they did not occur in the alloy with only La addition. The addition of RE does not considerably improve the strength of the alloy at high temperatures. The formation of RE-rich phases also does not significantly alter the originating and propagating of micro-cracks in the alloy during tensile test.

Influencing factors and mechanism of high-temperature oxidation of high-entropy alloys: A review

High-temperature oxidation is a common failure in high-temperature environments,which widely occur in aircraft engines and aerospace thrusters;as a result,the development of anti-high-temperature oxidation materials has been pursued.Ni-based alloys are a common high-temperature material;however,they are too expensive.High-entropy alloys are alternatives for the anti-oxidation property at high temperatures because of their special structure and properties.The recent achievements of high-temperature oxidation are reviewed in this paper.The high-temperature oxidation environment,temperature,phase structure,alloy elements,and preparation methods of high-entropy alloys are summarized.The reason why high-entropy alloys have anti-oxidation ability at high temperatures is illuminated.Current research,material selection,and application prospects of high-temperature oxidation are introduced.

Microstructure and high-temperature mechanical properties of near net shaped Ti−45Al−7Nb−0.3W alloy by hot isostatic pressing process

Near net shaped Ti−45Al−7Nb−0.3W alloy(at.%)parts were manufactured by hot isostatic pressing(HIP).The microstructure and high-temperature mechanical properties of the alloy were investigated by X-ray diffractometry(XRD),scanning electron microscopy(SEM)and transmission electron microscopy(TEM).The results show that at a temperature of 700℃,the peak yield stress(YS)and ultimate tensile stress(UTS)of alloy are 534 and 575 MPa,respectively,and the alloy shows satisfactory comprehensive mechanical properties at 850℃.The alloy exhibits superplastic characteristics at 1000℃ with an initial strain rate of 5×10^−5 s^−1.When the tensile temperature is below 750℃,the deformation mechanisms are dislocation movements and mechanical twinning.Increasing the tensile temperature above 800℃,grain boundary sliding and grain rotation occur more frequently due to the accumulation of dislocations at grain boundary.

Effect of slow shot speed on externally solidified crystal,porosity and tensile property in a newly developed high-pressure die-cast Al-Si alloy

The effect of slow shot speed on externally solidified crystal(ESC),porosity and tensile property in a newly developed high-pressure die-cast Al-Si alloy was investigated by optical microscopy(OM),scanning electron microscopy(SEM)and laboratory computed tomography(CT).Results showed that the newly developed AlSi9MnMoV alloy exhibited improved mechanical properties when compared to the AlSi10MnMg alloy.The AlSi9MnMoV alloy,which was designed with trace multicomponent additions,displays a notable grain refining effect in comparison to the AlSi10MnMg alloy.Refining elements Ti,Zr,V,Nb,B promote heterogeneous nucleation and reduce the grain size of primaryα-Al.At a lower slow shot speed,the large ESCs are easier to form and gather,developing into the dendrite net and net-shrinkage.With an increase in slow shot speed,the size and number of ESCs and porosities significantly reduce.In addition,the distribution of ESCs is more dispersed and the net-shrinkage disappears.The tensile property is greatly improved by adopting a higher slow shot speed.The ultimate tensile strength is enhanced from 260.31 MPa to 290.31 MPa(increased by 11.52%),and the elongation is enhanced from 3.72%to 6.34%(increased by 70.52%).

A 3–5μm broadband YBCO high-temperature superconducting photonic crystal

Photonic crystal structures have excellent optical properties,so they are widely studied in conventional optical materials.Recent research shows that high-temperature superconducting periodic structures have natural photonic crystal features and they are favourable candidates for single-photon detection.Considering that superconductors have completely different properties from conventional optical materials,we study the energy level diagram and mid-infrared 3μm–5μm transmission spectrum of two-dimensional superconducting photonic crystals in both superconducting and quenched states with the finite element method.The energy level diagram of the circular crystal column superconducting structure shows that the structure has a large band gap width in both states.At the same fill factor,the circular crystal column superconducting structure has a larger band gap width than the others structures.For lattice structures,the zero transmission point of the square lattice structure is robust to the incident angle and environmental temperature.Our research has guiding significance for the design of new material photonic crystals,photon modulation and detection.

Investigation of the high-temperature Cr：LiSrAlF6 crystal by Raman spectroscopy

In this paper, Cr-doped LiSrAlF6 crystals are investigated using high-temperature Raman spectroscopy and the single-crystal Raman spectra of Cr：LiSrAlF6 are analysed by factor group theory and comparison with other fluorides. The results indicate that Cr：LiSrAlF6 is stable below its melting point; Raman peaks located at 561,322 and 250 cm-1 are assigned to the Alg modes of AlF6, SrF6 and LiF6 octachdra, respectively; with temperature increasing, Raman peaks associated with AlF6 octahedra shift towards low frequencies, while LiF6 and SrF6 octahedra are temperature- insensitive; around the crystal melting point, three new Raman peaks occur, which are associated with the AlF6 octahedral chain structure. Finally, the microstruetural evolution of Cr：LiSrAlF6 from room temperature to its melting point is discussed based on its Raman spectra.

On the intergranular fracture behavior of high-temperature plastic deformation of 1420 Al-Li alloy

The tensile deformation hot simulation test of as-cast 1420 Al-Li alloy was performed on Gleeble-1500 Thermal Simulator in the deformation temperature range from 350 to 450 ℃ and the strain rate range from 0.01 to l0.0s-1.The tensile fracture behavior of the 1420 Al-Li alloy at high temperature was studied experimently. The results show that the tensile fracture mode of the 1420 Al-Li alloy at high temperature is changed from typical transgranular ductile fracture to intergranular brittle fracture with the increase of the deformation temperature and the strain rate. It is made out that the precipitation of LiH is the fundamental reason for the intergranular brittle fracture of the 1420 Al-Li alloy at high temperature. The mechanism of hydrogen embrittlement of the 1420 Al-Li alloy at high temperature was discussed, and it was proposed that the hydrogen embrittlement at high temperature is an integrated function of the dynamic and the static force, which enrichs the theories of hydrogen embrittlemen t.

Simple and scalable synthesis of super-repellent multilayer nanocomposite coating on Mg alloy with mechanochemical robustness,high-temperature endurance and electric protection

Multi-functionalization is the future development direction for protective coatings on metal surface,but has not yet been explored a lot.The effective integration of multiple functions into one material remains a huge challenge.Herein,a superhydrophobic multilayer coating integrated with multidimensional organic-inorganic components is designed on magnesium alloy via one-step plasma-induced thermal field assisted crosslinking deposition(PTCD)processing followed by after-thermal modification.Hard porous MgO ceramic layer and polytetrafluoroethylene(PTFE)nano-particles work as the bottom layer skeleton and filler components separately,forming an organic-inorganic multilayer structure,in which organic nano-particles can be crosslinked and cured to form a compact polymer-like outer layer with hierarchical surface textures.Remarkably,the chemical robustness after prolonged exposure to aqua regia,strong base and simulated seawater solution profits from polymer-like nanocomposite layer uniformly and compactly across the film bulk.Moreover,the self-similar multilayer structure coating endows it attractive functions of strong mechanical robustness(>100th cyclic rotary abrasion),stable and ultra-low friction coefficient(about 0.084),high-temperature endurance,and robust self-cleaning.The organic-inorganic multilayer coating also exhibits high insulating property with breakdown voltage of 1351.8±42.4 V,dielectric strength of 21.4±0.7 V/μm and resistivity of 3.2×10^(10)Ω·cm.The excellent multifunction benefits from ceramic bottom skeleton,the assembly and deposition of multidimensional nano-particles,and the synergistic effect of organic inorganic components.This study paves the way for designing next generation protective coating on magnesium alloy with great potential for multifunctional applications.

AN INVESTIGATION OF HIGH-TEMPERATURE DEFORMATION STRENGTHENING AND TOUGHENING MECHANISM OF TITANIUM ALLOY

The high-temperature deformation strengthening and toughening mechanisms of titanium alloys have been investigated in this paper. The materials processed by this method produce a new tri-modal microstrvcture, which consists of 10-20% equiaxed alpha, streaky alpha and transformed beta matrix. It is found that the higher ductility of tri-modal microstructure is attributed to the equiaxed alpha's coopemtive slip and coordinated deformation with the transformed beta matrix. The streaky alpha phases not only increase the strength and creep properties, but also increase the fracture toughness. Propagating along grain boundaries between two neighboring streaky alpha phases, cracks in tri-modal microstructure make a more tortuous way, and then the materials show a higher fracture toughness. This new method is applicable to α, near α,α+β and near β titanium alloys.

Research on microstructure and high-temperature friction and wear properties of a cobalt-based alloy for hot extrusion die

The hot extrusion die is a key tool for determining the surface quality and dimensional accuracy of extruded products.Because its service process is subject to high temperature,high pressure,and wear,it must be resistant to these conditions.In this paper,the high-temperature friction and wear properties of a cobalt(Co)-based alloy were investigated and compared with those of a titanium carbide(TiC)cemented material.The results show that the high-temperature wear performance of the Co-based alloy is better than that of the TiC cemented material,and that Co-based materials have the potential for replacing TiC cemented materials as hot-extrusion-die materials.Due to the high density and good combination of the matrix and carbide,the carbides do not easily peel off from the matrix during the wear process.Due to the higher impact toughness of the Co-based alloys,microcracks that can cause worn-surface peeling are not easily generated.As a result,the high-temperature wear performance of Co-based alloys is found to be better than that of TiC cemented materials.

New poly-types of LPSO structures in a non-equilibrium Mg_(97)Zn_(1)Y_(1.6)Ca_(0.4)alloy

In this study,a comprehensive analysis of microstructural features,morphology,crystal structures,and interface structures of long-period stacking ordered(LPSO)structures in a non-equilibrium Mg_(97)Zn_(1)Y_(16)Ca_(0.4)alloy cast in a steel mold was carried out.The addition of Ca element plays an important role in the refinement of LPSO structure.The result reveals new poly-types including 20H F2F2F4,60R(F2F3F3)_(3),and 66H F2F3F3F2(F6)_(4)featuring a 6-Mg structure,alongside the prevalent 18R and 14H LPSO structures.The incoherent interface between 20H and the Mg matrix is split into two dislocation arrays,leading to the formation of a segment of 60R_(1).Moreover,the superstructure 116L,designated as(F2)_(18)F4,is formed through the ordered distribution of F4 stacking faults in 18R.

Crystallization of amorphous NiTi shape memory alloy fabricated by severe plastic deformation

Based on the local canning compression,severe plastic deformation（SPD） is able to lead to the almost complete amorphous nickel-titanium shape memory alloy（NiTi SMA）,in which a small amount of retained nanocrystalline phase is embedded in the amorphous matrix.Crystallization of amorphous NiTi alloy annealed at 573,723 and 873 K was investigated,respectively.The crystallization kinetics of the amorphous NiTi alloy can be mathematically described by the Johnson-MehlAvrami-Kolmogorov（JMAK） equation.NiTi SMA with a complete nanocrystalline phase is obtained in the case of annealing at 573 K and 723 K,where martensite phase transformation is suppressed due to the constraint of the grain boundaries.Crystallization of amorphous NiTi alloy at 873 K leads to the coarse-grained NiTi sample,where（001） martensite compound twin is observed at room temperature.It can be found that the martensitic twins preferentially nucleate at the grain boundary and they grow up towards the two different grains.SPD based on the local canning compression and subsequent annealing provides a new approach to obtain the nanocrystalline NiTi SMA.

Crystal anisotropy of AZ31 magnesium alloy under uniaxial tension and compression

To investigate the deformation twinning and the plastic anisotropy of the hexagonal-close-packed（HCP） single crystal, the crystal plastic constitutive model including slip and twinning deformation was established with finite element method based on crystal plasticity theory. The model was verified by test data. Newton-Raphson iteration method was developed with the stress components directly as the basic variables of iteration. The plastic deformation behavior of single crystal AZ31 alloy was analyzed numerically under monotonic tension and compression, respectively, in four different strain paths（i.e. along 〈2110〉, 〈 0110〉, 〈0001〉 and 〈0111〉） with this model. The stress-strain curves were obtained in the above paths. The numerical calculation results show that this crystal model is feasible to predict the activity of slip/twinning system and to describe the number of active twin variants, the types of dominant twin variants and twin intersection. Due to the polar nature of mechanical twinning in inelastic deformation of the material, the plastic behavior of the single crystal material is demonstrated to be notably anisotropic and high asymmetry.

Isothermal oxidation behavior of single crystal superalloy DD6

The isothermal oxidation behavior of the second generation single crystal superalloy DD6 was studied at 1050 ℃ and 1100 ℃ in ambient atmosphere.Morphology of oxides was examined by SEM and their composition was analyzed by XRD and EDS.The experimental results show that DD6 alloy obeys subparabolic rate law during oxidation of 100 h at 1050 ℃ and 1100 ℃.The oxide scale exposed at 1050 ℃ is made up of an outer NiO layer with a small amount of Al2O3 and an inner Al2O3 layer.The oxide scale exposed at 1100 ℃ is made up of an outer Al2O3 layer with a small amount of NiO,an intermediate layer,mainly composed of Cr2O3 and TaO2,and an inner Al2O3 layer.The γ＇-free layer was formed under the oxide scale at two temperatures.

Effect of Ti-Al content on microstructure and mechanical properties of C_f/Al and TiAl joint by laser ignited self-propagating high-temperature synthesis

Cf/Al composites and TiAl alloys were joined by laser ignited self-propagating high-temperature synthesis（SHS） with Ni-Al-Ti interlayer. The effect of Ti-Al content on interfacial microstructure and mechanical properties of the joints was investigated. Localized melt of the substrates occurred in the joints. γ-Ni0.35Al0.30Ti0.35, NiA l3 and Ni2Al3 reaction layers formed adjacent to the substrates. Joint flaws, such as pores and cracks, made the joint density decrease and worked as the fracture source, which led to the sharp decline of joint strength. Additive Ti-Al increased joint density and strengthened the interlayer adhesion to Cf/Al. The joint flaws could be controlled by changing the Ti-Al content. When the Ti-Al content was 0.1, the joint was free of cracks with high density and reached the maximum shear strength of 24.12 MPa.

Crystallization microstructure of Mg_(65)Cu_(25)Y_(10) bulk amorphous alloy

Mg65Cu25Y10 bulk amorphous alloy specimens prepared by conventional copper mould method were heated at 200 °C for different time and the phase contents as well as microstructure were studied.The XRD results show that the crystallization of Mg65Cu25Y10 bulk amorphous alloy specimen becomes complete as the treating time increases and Mg2Cu,Mg24Y5 and HCP-Mg crystalline phases are found.Snowflake-like morphology is found in different specimens through SEM observation.The EDS patterns show that the composition of the snowflake-like structure is close to that of the as-cast alloy.Laminated structures are observed from the TEM images of the snowflake-like structure.From the electron diffraction patterns,it is seen that the snowflake-like structure is the combination of Mg24Y5 and amorphous matrix.The FCC-Mg phase in the matrix transforms into HCP-Mg during the heat-treating process.

Effects of shot speed and biscuit thickness on externaly solidified crystals of high-pressure diet cast AM60B magnesium alloy

Standard mechanical test bars with a diameter of 6.4 mm and a gauge length of 50 mm were processed, and the microstructures of die cast AM60B alloy under different die casting process parameters were observed. The influences of the slow shot speed, the fast shot speed and the biscuit thickness on the externally solidified crystals （ESCs） were investigated. With the increase of the biscuit thickness, the number of the ESCs in the cast samples decreases. Under a low slow shot speed, larg ESCs are found in the cast structure and a high fast shot speed results in more spherical ESCs. The relationships between ESCs and process parameters were also discussed.