Microstructure evolution and strengthening mechanism of high -performance powder metallurgy TA15 titanium alloy by hot rolling

Hot deformation of sintered billets by powder metallurgy(PM)is an effective preparation technique for titanium alloys,which is more significant for high-alloying alloys.In this study,Ti–6.5Al–2Zr–Mo–V(TA15)titanium alloy plates were prepared by cold press-ing sintering combined with high-temperature hot rolling.The microstructure and mechanical properties under different process paramet-ers were investigated.Optical microscope,electron backscatter diffraction,and others were applied to characterize the microstructure evolution and mechanical properties strengthening mechanism.The results showed that the chemical compositions were uniformly dif-fused without segregation during sintering,and the closing of the matrix craters was accelerated by increasing the sintering temperature.The block was hot rolled at 1200℃ with an 80%reduction under only two passes without annealing.The strength and elongation of the plate at 20–25℃ after solution and aging were 1247 MPa and 14.0%,respectively,which were increased by 24.5%and 40.0%,respect-ively,compared with the as-sintered alloy at 1300℃.The microstructure was significantly refined by continuous dynamic recrystalliza-tion,which was completed by the rotation and dislocation absorption of the substructure surrounded by low-angle grain boundaries.After hot rolling combined with heat treatment,the strength and plasticity of PM-TA15 were significantly improved,which resulted from the dense,uniform,and fine recrystallization structure and the synergistic effect of multiple slip systems.

Design,preparation,microstructure and mechanical property of the lightweight radiation-shielding Mg-Ta-Al composites basing differential temperature hot rolling

A novel lightweight,radiation-shielding Mg-Ta-Al layered metal-matrix composite(LMC)was successful designed by doping the extremely refractory metal(Ta)into Mg sheets.These Mg-based LMCs sheets shows excellent radiation-dose shield effect,about 145 krad·a^(−1),which is about 17 times of traditional Mg alloy,while its surface density is only about 0.9 g·cm^(−2),reducing by 60%than that of pure Ta.The quantitate relationship between radiation-dose and the materials’thickness was also confirmed to the logistic function when the surface density is in the range of 0.6-1.5 g·cm^(−2).Meantime,the rolling parameters,interface microstructure and mechanical properties in both as-rolled and annealing treated samples were evaluated.The sheets possess a special dissimilar atoms diffusion transitional zone containing an obvious inter-diffusion Mg-Al interface and the unique micro-corrugated Ta-Al interface,as well as a thin Al film with a thickness of about 10μm.The special zone could reduce the stress concentration and enhance the strength of Mg-Ta-Al LMCs.The interface bonding strength reaches up to 54-76 MPa.The ultimate tensile strength(UTS)and yield strength(TYS)of the Mg-Ta-Al sheet were high to 413 MPa and 263 MPa,respectively,along with an elongation of 5.8%.The molecular dynamics(MD)analysis results show that the two interfaces exhibit different formation mechanism,the Mg-Al interface primarily depended on Mg/Al atoms diffusion basing point defects movement,while the Ta-Al interface with a micro-interlock pining shape formed by close-packed planes slipping during high temperature strain-induced deformation process.

Self-Learning and Its Application to Laminar Cooling Model of Hot Rolled Strip

The mathematical model for online controlling hot rolled steel cooling on run-out table （ROT for abbreviation） was analyzed, and water cooling is found to be the main cooling mode for hot rolled steel. The calculation of the drop in strip temperature by both water cooling and air cooling is summed up to obtain the change of heat transfer coefficient. It is found that the learning coefficient of heat transfer coefficient is the kernel coefficient of coiler temperature control （CTC） model tuning. To decrease the deviation between the calculated steel temperature and the measured one at coiler entrance, a laminar cooling control self-learning strategy is used. Using the data acquired in the field, the results of the self-learning model used in the field were analyzed. The analyzed results show that the self-learning function is effective.

Application of multi-scale feature extraction to surface defect classification of hot-rolled steels

Feature extraction is essential to the classification of surface defect images. The defects of hot-rolled steels distribute in different directions. Therefore, the methods of multi-scale geometric analysis （MGA） were employed to decompose the image into several directional subba^ds at several scales. Then, the statistical features of each subband were calculated to produce a high-dimensional feature vector, which was reduced to a lower-dimensional vector by graph embedding algorithms. Finally, support vector machine （SVM） was used for defect classification. The multi-scale feature extraction method was implemented via curvelet transform and kernel locality preserving projections （KLPP）. Experiment results show that the proposed method is effective for classifying the surface defects of hot-rolled steels and the total classification rate is up to 97.33%.

Austempering of Hot Rolled Si-Mn TRIP Steels

The austempering after hot roiling in hot roiled Si-Mn TRIP （transformation-induced plasticity） steels was investigated. The mechanism of TRIP was discussed through examination of the microstructure and the mechanical properties of this kind of steel. The results showed that the strain induced transformation to martensite of retained austenite occurs in hot rolled Si-Mn TRIP steels. The sample exhibited a good combination of ultimate tensile strength and total elongation when it was held at the bainite transformation temperature after hot deformation. The stability of retained austenite increases with an increase in isothermal holding time, and a further increase in the hold- ing duration resulted in the decrease of stability. The mechanical properties were optimal when holding for 25 min, and tensile strength and total elongation reached the maximum values （774 MPa and 33 ;, respectively）.

Effect of Ce-base mischmetal addition on the microstructure and mechanical properties of hot-rolled ZK60 alloy

Mg-Zn-Zr(ZK)alloys exhibit notably high mechanical strength amongst all magnesium alloy grades.However,due to the formation of low melting point Mg_3Zn_7-precipitates,these alloys are susceptible to hot cracking,thus compromising their metallurgical processing.The addition of rare earths to ZK alloys is an alternative to form higher melting point intermetallic compounds,speed up dynamic recrystallization,refine grain size,enhance corrosion resistance and extend the service temperature due to improved creep resistance.This work deals with the effect of Ce-base mischmetal addition on the hot rolling behaviour of as-cast ZK60 alloy.The microstructure investigation conducted using electron microscopy and X-Ray diffraction shows that precipitation of Mg_(7)Zn_(3) intermetallics occur during hot rolling,whereas no further precipitation is observed for the ZK60-Mm alloys.The fragmentation of the intermetallic compounds occur during hot rolling and finer particles of Mg_(7)Zn_(3) are observed for the ZK60,whereas Mg_(7)Zn_(3) and Mg Zn_(2) Ce intermetallics are formed in the alloy modified with mischmetal addition.A higher fraction of dynamically recrystallized grains is observed for the ZK60-Mm in comparison to the ZK60.Continuous recrystallization takes place in ZK60 with the formation of sub-grains near to the intermetallics and the addition of mischmetal promotes the occurrence of discontinuous recrystallization with the nucleation of new grains close to the precipitates.The mechanical strength and,in particular,the ductility of the hot-rolled alloys are notably improved when compared to the same alloys in the as-cast condition.The mechanical strength is,however,higher for the ZK60 alloy.Less solid solution strengthening,softer Mg Zn_(2) Ce intermetallics and more extensive recrystallization contribute to reduce the mechanical strength of ZK60-Mm.Failure in both alloys are initiated at coarse intermetallics and propagate through intermetallic-rich regions.

Enhanced mechanical properties and formability of hot-rolled Mg-Zn-Mn alloy by Ca and Sm alloying

In order to broaden the application of wrought Mg alloy sheets in the automotive industry,the influence of Ca and Sm alloying on the texture evolution,mechanical properties,and formability of a hot-rolled Mg-2Zn-0.2Mn alloy was investigated by OM,XRD,SEM,EBSD,tensile tests,and Erichsen test.The results showed that the average grain size and basal texture intensity of Mg-2Zn-0.2Mn alloys were remarkably decreased after Ca and Sm additions.0.64 wt.%Ca or 0.48 wt.%Sm addition significantly increased the tensile strength,ductility and formability.Moreover,the synergetic addition of Sm and Ca improved the ductility and formability of Mg-2Zn-0.2Mn alloy,which was due to the change of Ca distribution and further reduction of the size of Ca-containing particles by Sm addition.The results provided a possibility of replacing RE elements with Ca and Sm in Mg alloys which bring about outstanding mechanical properties and formability.

Effect of pre-homogenizing treatment on microstructure and mechanical properties of hot-rolled AZ91 magnesium alloys

To improve the homogeneity and rolling formability of as-cast AZ91 magnesium,the effects of pre-homogenizing treatment on microstructure evolution,deformation mechanism,mechanical properties and tensile fracture morphology of hot-rolled AZ91 magnesium alloy were studied.The results showed that the amount of coarseβ-Mg17Al12 phase decreases dramatically,being distributed along the grain boundaries as small strips after homogenizing.Twining plays a dominant role in the deformation mechanism of AZ91 alloys in the experimental condition,while dynamic recrystallization(DRX)considerably occurred in homogenized-rolled alloys,contributed to microstructure uniformity andβ-Mg17Al12 phase precipitated refinement.The tensile strength of homogenized-rolled AZ91 alloys increases dramatically with elongation declining slightly in contrast to homogenized alloys.The fracture surface of homogenized-rolled specimen exhibits more ductile fracture with the manifestation of a large amount of dimples distributing higher density in matrix,while the micro cracks are prone to initiate around the Mg/Mg17Al12 phase interface and grain boundaries owing to the fragile interface bonding of two phases.

EFFECT OF CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND PROCESSES ON THE TEXTURE OF HOT-ROLLED DEEP DRAWING STEEL SHEET

A hot-rolled deep drawing(HDD)steel with high r-value and uniformdistribution of{111}texture in thickness was developed by hot rolling in ferrite region withlubricating between the roller and the steel.The experimental results show that the carbon contentand finish rolling temperature have significant effects on beneficial texture{111},and lubricatingduring hot rolling at low temperature in alpha-region makes the distribution of the textureuniform.Three basic requirements needed to meet for HDD steel were concluded by comparing differentcarbon contents and hot rolling processes.

Improvement to anti-rust property of hot rolled rebar by compact oxide scale

A method was proposed to improve the anti-rust property of hot rolled rebar, which uses oil–water emulsion cooling instead of water cooling after hot rolling. The experiments were carried out by two cooling methods, one cooled by water, the other cooled by oil–water emulsion. The results of wet/dry cyclic accelerated corrosion test showed that the anti-rust property of rebar cooled by oil–water emulsion was better than that by water obviously. The results of OM, SEM and EPMA analysis indicated that these two scales contained three layers: an outer Fe_3O_4 layer, an intermediate Fe O layer with island-shaped pro-eutectoid Fe_3O_4, an inner eutectoid Fe_3O_4 layer. For the water cooled rebar, all three layers of oxide scale were relatively thin. Moreover, the scale had plenty of defects such as porosity, and crack. However, for the oil–water emulsion cooled rebar, all three layers of oxide scale were relatively thick and compact, which played an important role in protecting the rebar from atmospheric rust.

Effects of Austempering on the Mechanical Properties of the Hot Rolled Si-Mn TRIP Steels

The effect of austempering on the mechanical properties of the hot rolled Si- Mn TRIP steels was studied. The mechanism of transformation induced plasticity （TRIP） was discussed through the examination of the microstructure and the mechanical properties of the specimens. The results stow that the microstructures of the steels were comprised of polygonal ferrite, granular bainite and a significant amount of stable retained austenite. The specimen exhibits excellent mechanical properties for the TRIP effect. Isothermal holding time for austempering affects the stability of retained austenite. The mechanical properties such as tensile strength, total elongation and strength ductility balance reach their optimal values （ 776 MPa , 33% and 25608 MPa% , respectively） when the specimen is held at 400℃ for 25 min.

Research on Single-Side Long Edge of Hot Rolled Strip Caused by Asymmetrical Stiffness of Mill Stand

To analyze and solve the problem of single-side long edge of hot rolled strip in certain domestic factory, the asymmetrical deformation of rolls and strip in asymmetrical stiffness mill stand based on slit beam model, the strip profile and rolling force distribution at the exit of asymmetric stiffness stand mill were calculated using influence function method. Considering the character of in-site equipment and technology, a scheme of adjusting load distribution in finishing mill was made and the experiment was applied. Comparison of strip profile between new load distribution and the old one shows that the method can solve single-side long edge problem well.

Influence of oxide scales on the corrosion behaviors of B510L hot-rolled steel strips

The influence of oxide scales on the corrosion behaviors of B510 L hot-rolled steel strips was investigated in this study. Focused ion beams and scanning electron microscopy were used to observe the morphologies of oxide scales on the surface and cross sections of the hot-rolled steel. Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction were used for the phase analysis of the oxide scales and corrosion products. The corrosion potential and impedance were measured by anodic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. According to the results, oxide scales on the hot-rolled strips mainly comprise iron and iron oxides. The correlation between mass gain and test time follows a power exponential rule in the damp-heat test. The corrosion products are found to be mainly composed of γ-Fe OOH, Fe3O4, ？-Fe OOH, and γ-Fe2O3. The contents of the corrosion products are different on the surfaces of the steels with and without oxide scales. The steel with oxide scales is found to show a higher corrosion resistance and lower corrosion rate.

Effects of Austempering after Hot Deformation on the Mechanical Properties of Hot Rolled Si-Mn TRIP Steel Sheets

Excellent mechanical properties are obtained by austempering after hot deformation without subsequent heat treatment in the present Si-Mn TRIP steel sheets. Isothermal holding time after finishing rolling has affected the mechanical properties of this steel. The results show that the sample exhibits a good combination of ultimate tensile strength and total elongation when it is held at the bainite transformation temperature after hot deformation. The stability of retained austenite increases with an increase of isothermal holding time, and a further increase in the holding duration results in a decrease of it. The tensile strength, total elongation and strength ductility reach the maximum values (774MPa, 33% and 25542MPa% respectively) for this sort of hot rolled Si-Mn TRIP steel using the optimal technology.

Internal oxidation of hot-rolled ultra-high strength steel and its effect on the surface quality of cold-rolled sheets

In this study,the scale and internal oxidation of hot-rolled ultra-high strength steel sheets were characterized.It was found that both the formation of the scale and the internal oxidation of Si and Mn depended on the coiling temperature and position of the steel sample on the strip coil.At a relatively high coiling temperature,a large amount of internal oxidation was observed on the samples cut from the middle of the coil.The depth of the internal oxidation zone exceeded 10 μm and a thin iron layer covering the scale was observed in some cases.Pickling and cold-rolling experiments were conducted on selected samples.Scale pickling was found to be greatly delayed by the formation of an iron layer,which frequently resulted in under-pickled defects.In addition,pickling of the entire internal oxidation zone was difficult,except at the grain boundaries,where the degree of internal Si and Mn oxidation was enriched.The surface of the cold-rolled steel sheet was ruined by the remaining oxidation zone in the subsurface of the pickled steel.The internal oxidation of hot-rolled ultra-high strength steel must be precisely controlled to improve the subsequent surface quality of cold-rolled steel.

Development of a hot-rolled 980 MPa advanced high-strength steel with excellent flangeability and bendability

A new 980 MPa advanced high-strength steel(AHSS) with excellent bendability and flangeability has been studied and industrially produced, typical of tensile strength, fractured elongation, and hole expansion ratio(HER) exceeding 980 MPa, 10%,and 30%,respectively.The 90° V-type bending perpendicular to the rolling direction can satisfy the R/t=1.0 requirement, indicating excellent bendability.Systematic evaluations of industrial trial-produced 980 MPa hot-rolled AHSS have been conducted, including microstructure, tensile properties in three directions, HER,bendability, fatigue limit strength, and forming limit.The microstructure of the newly developed 980 MPa AHSS primarily consists of fine bainite and a small amount of martensite-austenite constituent.The practical yield and tensile strength are higher than 800 and 980 MPa, respectively, with typical elongation of 13% and HER of around 40%.The good combination of the newly developed 980 MPa AHSS is primarily attributed to the fine bainitic microstructure, resulting in excellent flangeability and bendability.In addition, the newly developed 980 MPa AHSS has good fatigue and forming properties, making it suitable for the production of chassis and suspension components.

“Quartus scale” of hot-rolled strip steels and its formation mechanism

The types and growth of various oxide scales formed during the different phases of the production of hotrolled strip steel products are reviewed. Similarities and differences between the ＂tertiary scale＂ on the surface of carbon steels at high temperatures and the oxide scale on pure iron are compared. The micro-structural features of the ＂final oxide scale＂ on the surface of strip steels at room temperature as well as the relationship between these features and the position of the steel coil （plate） and the subsequent processes of recoiling, temper rolling and trimming, etc. are summarized. The actual oxide scales retained on the commercial hot-rolled strip steels at room temperature have been proposed to define as ＂ quartus scale＂ for the first time. The micro-structural development and phase transformation of the initial ＂tertiary scale＂ during and after cooling and coiling are described. The reasons for the ＂tertiary scale＂ on carbon steels differing from the oxide scale formed on pure iron, and the major influencing factors in the formation of various types of ＂quartus scales＂ are analyzed from both thermodynamic and dynamic viewpoints. The development mechanism of ＂ quartus scales＂ is discussed and the potential effects of the ＂ quartus scale＂ state （thickness, constitution, structure and defects）, on the rusting and pickling properties of commercial hot-rolled strip steel, as well as on the mechanical properties of oxide scales are analyzed.

Stream Surface Strip Element Method and Simulation of Three-Dimensional Deformation of Continuous Hot Rolled Strip

A new method,the stream surface strip element method,for simulating the three-dimensional deformation of plate and strip rolling process was proposed.The rolling deformation zone was divided into a number of stream surface(curved surface)strip elements along metal flow traces,and the stream surface strip elements were mapped into the corresponding plane strip elements for analysis and computation.The longitudinal distributions of the lateral displacement and the altitudinal displacement of metal were respectively constructed to be a quartic curve and a quadratic curve,of which the lateral distributions were expressed as the third-power spline function,and the altitudinal distributions were fitted in the quadratic curve.From the flow theory of plastic mechanics,the mathematical models of the three-dimensional deformations and stresses of the deformation zone were constructed.Compared with the streamline strip element method proposed by the first author of this paper,the stream surface strip element method takes into account the uneven distributions of stresses and deformations along altitudinal direction,and realizes the precise three-dimensional analysis and computation.The simulation example of continuous hot rolled strip indicates that the method and the model accord with facts and provide a new reliable engineering-computation method for the three-dimensional mechanics simulation of plate and strip rolling process.

Microstructures and Mechanical Properties of Nb-Ti Bearing Hot-rolled TRIP Steels

Nb-Tihot-rolled TRIP-assisted steel with high plasticity and appropriate volume percentage of retained austenite based on fine ferrite grain have been developed in the experiment. The test results showed that niobium tend to exist in solution state in matrix with less precipitation, and niobium-titanium could be precipitated in form of （Nb, Ti）C or （Nb, Ti） （C, N）, which play an important role in increasing yield strength （from 495 MPa to 610 MPa）. Besides, the retained austenite had a positive effect on improving the plasticity by transformation into martensite during tensile deformation.

Research on Retained Austenite for Advanced Aluminum-containing Hot-rolled TRIP Steel

A new type of hot-rolled transformation induced plasticity （TRIP） steel with 2.3%AI was developed to replace conventional Si-bearing TRIP steel to improve surface quality of the steel sheet. The relationship between retained austenite volume fraction and hot-rolling processing was researched by Gleeble-2000 thermo-dynamic test for the Al-bearing steel. The experimental result showed that aluminum played an important role on retaining austenite and the volume fraction increased from 4.4% to 7.5% as coiling temperature increased from 350℃ to 450℃, while coiling temperature had a stronger effect on retaining austenite than finishing rolling temoerature.