Elucidating the evolution of long-period stacking ordered phase and its effect on deformation behavior in the as-cast Mg-6Gd-1Zn-0.6Zr alloy

Herein,the evolution of long-period stacking ordered(LPSO)phases in the as-cast Mg-6Gd-1Zn-0.6Zr(wt.%)alloy are investigated via transmission electron microscopy(TEM)and atom probe tomography(APT).The TEM results reveal that two types of LPSO phase(a bulky interdendritic phase and a plate-like matrix LPSO phase)are formed in the as-cast sample.Most of the LPSO phases are confirmed to be of the 14H type,with a smaller proportion being of the 18R LPSO.Further,the APT results reveal that the composition of the interdendritic LPSO phase is closer to that of the ideal 14H phase compared to the matrix LPSO phase,and both the interdendritic and matrix LPSO phases exhibit a Gd/Zn ratio of 2.5,thereby indicating a deficient Zn content compared to the ideal 14H phase(i.e.,1.3).In addition,the influence of the LPSO phases on the deformation behavior is investigated at different compressive plastic strains using electron backscatter diffraction(EBSD)analysis to reveal twinning and slip behavior during deformation.The results indicate that the LPSO phase induces additional work hardening in the late stage of deformation via the suppression of{1011}compressive twinning and the activation of non-basal slip systems.

In-situ study of the microstructure evolution during tension of a Mg-Y-Zn-Al alloy processed by rapidly solidified ribbon consolidation technique

Mg-Y-Zn-Al alloys processed by rapidly solidified ribbon consolidation(RSRC)technique exhibit an exceptional mechanical performance indicating promising application potential.This material has a bimodal microstructure consisting of fine recrystallized and coarse non-recrystallized grains with solute-rich stacking faults forming cluster arranged layers(CALs)and nanoplates(CANaPs),or complete long period stacking ordered(LPSO)phase.In order to reveal the deformation mechanisms,in-situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction line profile analysis was employed for a detailed study of the dislocation arrangement created during tension in Mg-0.9%Zn-2.05%Y-0.15%Al(at%)alloy.For uncovering the effect of the initial microstructure on the mechanical performance,additional samples were obtained by annealing of the as-consolidated specimen at 300 and 400℃ for 2 h.The heat treatment at 300℃ had no significant effect on the initial microstructure,its evolution during tension and,thus,the overall deformation behavior under tensile loading.On the other hand,annealing at 400℃ resulted in a significant increase of the recrystallized grains fraction and a decrease of the dislocation density,leading to only minor degradation of the mechanical strength.The maximum dislocation density at the failure of the samples corresponding to the plastic strain of 10-25% was estimated to be about 16-20×10^(14)m^(-2).The diffraction profile analysis indicated that most dislocations formed during tension were of non-basal and pyramidal types,what was also in agreement with the Schmid factor values revealed independently from orientation maps.It was also shown that the dislocation-induced Taylor hardening was much lower below the plastic strain of 3% than above this value,which was explained by a model of the interaction between prismatic dislocations and CANaPs/LPSO plates.

Microstructure and phase composition of as-cast Mg-9Er-6Y-xZn-0.6Zr alloys

The microstructure and phase composition of as-cast Mg-9Er-6Y-xZn-0.6Zr （x=1, 2, 3, 4; normal mass fraction in %） alloys were investigated. In low Zn content, aside from the major second phase of Mg24（Er, Y, Zn）5, there are a few lamellar phases that grow parallel with each other from the grain boundaries to the grain interior. With Zn content increasing, the Mg24（Er, Y, Zn）5 phase decreases, but the Mg12Zn（Y, Er） phase and lamellar phases continuously increase. When Zn content reaches 4% （normal mass fraction）, the Mg12Zn（Y, Er） phase mainly exists as large bulks, and some a-Mg grains are thoroughly penetrated by the lamellar phases. Moreover, the crystallography structures of the Mgl2Zn（Y, Er） and Mg24（Er, Y, Zn）5 phases are confirmed as 18R-type long-period stacking ordered structure and body-centred cubic structure, respectively.

The effect of the 18R-LPSO phase on the fatigue behavior of extruded Mg/LPSO two-phase alloy through a comparative experimental-numerical study

The fatigue behavior of four extruded Mg-Y-Zn alloys containing different volume fractions of long-period stacking ordered(LPSO)grains was investigated through a comparative study combining experiments and crystal plasticity finite element simulations.Strain controlled low-cycle fatigue experiments were conducted at different strain amplitudes and revealed a limited cyclic hardening in Mg_(89)Zn_(4)Y_(7)alloy or softening in Mg_(99.2)Zn_(0.2)Y_(0.6)and Mg_(97)Zn_(1)Y_(2)alloys.A decrease in the fatigue life against the plastic strain with the increase in LPSO phase volume fraction was observed and was related the limited ductility of extruded LPSO grains.Stress-strain hysteresis curves were used to calibrate and validate a crystal plasticity model taking into account twinning and detwinning.The interaction of the different phases on the distribution of local micro-mechanical fields at the grain scale was then analyzed on synthetic microstructures under strain-controlled conditions.Deformation twinning activity was predicted in coarse unrecrystallized grains and tended to disappear with the increase in the LPSO phase volume fraction.Cleavage-like facets observed in LPSO grains were related to high tensile stress,especially at the Mg/LPSO interface,due to the limited number of deformation mechanisms in LPSO crystal to accommodate out-of-basal plane strain.The increase of the fatigue limit with the increase in LPSO phase volume fraction was finally associated with the decreasing presence of coarse unrecrystallizedα-Mg grains due to a higher dynamic recrystallization activity during the extrusion process.

Effect of Li on formation of long period stacking ordered phases and mechanical properties of Mg-Gd-Zn alloy

Alloys with composition of Mg_(96-x)Gd_3Zn_1Li_x(at.%)(x=0, 2, 4, and 6) were prepared by conventional casting. The microstructures of these alloys under as-cast and solid-solution conditions have been observed, and the mechanical properties were investigated. The results showed that Li is an effective element to refine the grains and break the eutectic networks in as-cast MgGd_3Zn_1 alloy. During solid solution treatment, these broken eutectic networks are spheroidized and highly dispersed. In addition, plentiful lamellar long period stacking ordered(LPSO) phases are precipitated in an α-Mg matrix when the Li addition is not more than 4%. Solid-solution treated Mg_(92)Gd_3Zn_1Li_4 alloy exhibits an optimal ultimate tensile strength(UTS) of 226 MPa and elongation of 5.8%. The strength of MgGd_3Zn_1 alloy is improved significantly, meanwhile, the toughness is apparently increased.

Optimal Selection and Control for Precipitation of α_2 Phase in Near α High Temperature Ti Alloys during Aging Treatment

The characteristic of the precipitation and growth of α2 ordered phase during aging treatment in near α Ti alloys have been investigated in terms of the influences of aging temperature, aging time and aging manner. The results exhibit that aging temperatures influence the distribution of α2 phase precipitated and cause the changes in growth speed of α2 phase. For various aging temperatures, the time to finish precipitation of α2 phase is different. The facts that various distribution characteristics and growth speed of α2 ordered phase are caused by changed aging condition imply optimal selection and control for precipitation of α2 ordered phase reachable. Some discussions on adoptable aging steps are presented.

Effect of long period stacking ordered phase on damping capacities of as-cast Mg-Zn-Y alloys

The microstructure and damping capacities of MgZnxYi.33x(x=l-4at.%)alloys were discussed and researched.The main phase composition of the alloys consists of a_Mg and long-period stacking ordered(LPSO)phase.Due to increasedLPSO phase,grain size was refined.LPSO phase was advantageous to the damping properties of the Mg-Zn-Y alloys.Mg-7%Zn-12.8%Y has the highest damping capacity up to0.04.Due to stacking fault probability,the LPSO phase in the Mg-Zn-Yalloys could be new damping source to dissipate energy so as to contribute to the improvement of damping capacities.

Precipitation of ordered α_2 phase in a near-α titanium alloy with duplex microstructure

The precipitation of ordered alpha_2 phase in a near - alphaTi-6.3Al-4.8Sn-2.0Zr-1.0Mo-0.34Si-0.9Nd (mass fraction) alloy with duplex microstructure, duringaging at various temperatures, was investigated. It is concluded that the precipitation and growthof the alpha_2 phase can be controlled by suitable selection of the aging temperature. Aging athigher temperatures can result in the uniform precipitation and growth of alpha_2 ordered phase inalpha_p whereas the alpha_2 ordered phase precipitated only at the lamella boundaries anddislocations in beta_t. Aging at a moderate temperature can promote the tendency of uniformprecipitation of alpha_2 phase in both alpha_p and beta_t. Aging at a relatively low temperature issuitable for the uniform precipitation and growth of fine alpha_2 particles throughout both thealpha_p and beta_t matrix.

Dilute long period stacking/order(LPSO)-variant phases along the composition gradient in a Mg-Ho-Cu alloy

We have systematically investigated the microstructures of as-cast Mg_(97.49)Ho_(1.99)Cu_(0.43)Zr_(0.09)alloy by atomic resolution high-angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy(HAADF-STEM), revealing the coexistence of 18R, 14H and 24R long period stacking/order(LPSO) phases with fully coherent interfaces along step-like composition gradient in a blocky intermetallic compound distributed at grain boundary. The short-range order(SRO) L1_(2)-type Cu_(6)Ho_(8)clusters embedded across AB’C’A-stacking fault layers are directly revealed at atomic scale. Importantly, the order degree of SRO clusters in the present dilute alloy is significant lower than previous 6M and 7M in-plane order reported in ternary Mg-TM(transition metal)-RE(rare earth) alloys, which can be well matched by 9M in-plane order. This directly demonstrates that SRO in-plane L1_(2)-type clusters can be expanded into more dilute composition regions bounded along the definite TM/RE ratio of 3/4. In addition, the estimated chemical compositions of solute enriched stacking fault(SESF) in all LPSO variants are almost identical with the ideal SESF composition of 9M in-plane order, regardless of the type of LPSO phases. The results further support the viewpoint that robust L1_(2)-type TM_(6)RE_(8)clusters play an important role in governing LPSO phase formation.

CRYSTAL STRUCTURE OF A LONG－PERIOD ORDERED PHASE IN Fe－C MARTENSITE AND COMPUTER SIMULATION OF ITS ELECTRON DIFFRACTION PATTERNS

Different structure models of a long-period ordered phase in Fe-C martenstie formed during aging have been checked by computer simulation of electron diffraction(ED) patterns based on these models.The results showed that the simulated ED pattern of γ'-FexC(Ⅱ) model proposed by the present authors is in good agreement with experimentally observed ED pattern.It was also confirmed that the incommensurate superperiod stems from the coexistence of several γ'-Fe_xC(H) phases with different superperiods.The Fe(144)C(24)(Fe6C) model proposed by Uwakweh et al.generated ED patterns remarkably different from the experimental ones.

Electrical Neutrality and Symmetry Restoring Phase Transitions at High Density in a Two-Flavor Nambu-Jona-Lasinio Model

A general research on chiral symmetry restoring phase transitions at zero temperature and finite chemical potentials under electrical neutrality condition has been conducted in a Nambu-Jona-Lasinio model to describe twoflavor normal quark matter. Depending on whether mo/A, the ratio of dynamical quark mass in vacuum and the 3D momentum cutoff in the loop integrals, is less or greater than 0.413, the phase transition will be of the second or first order. A complete phase diagram of u quark chemical potential versus mo is given. With the electrical neutrality constraint, the region where the second order phase transition happens will be wider than the one without electrical neutrality limitation. The results also show that, for the value ofmo/A from QCD phenomenology, the phase transition must be of the first order.

Effect of Al Content on Precipitation of α_2 Ordered Phase in Ti-Al-Sn-Zr-Mo-Si-Nd Alloys

The precipitation characteristics of the α2 ordered phase in Ti-AI-Sn-Zr-Mo-Si-Nd alloys with various content of Al, under different aging conditions, were investigated. The distribution and size of the α2 ordered phase changed with temperature and Al content. The dislocations were the only places where the α2 ordered phase could precipitate at higher temperature near the critical transformation temperature for each alloy experimented. With the addition of Al content, the critical transformation temperature of α2 ordered phase increased. When the aging temperature was relatively low (650℃), the precedent precipitation of α2 ordered phase took place in primary a phase at the early stage of aging, in the duplex microstructure (the primary a with the transformed (3) of the alloys with lower Al content. But after certain aging time (50 h), the size of α2 particles was almost equal in both the primary a and the transformed β. And no obvious growth of α2 particles could be observed after 50 h.

New ordered MAX phase Mo_2 TiAlC_2: Elastic and electronic properties from first-principles

First-principles computation on the basis of density functional theory(DFT) is executed with the CASTEP code to explore the structural, elastic, and electronic properties along with Debye temperature and theoretical Vickers’ hardness of newly discovered ordered MAX phase carbide Mo2TiAlC2. The computed structural parameters are very reasonable compared with the experimental results. The mechanical stability is verified by using the computed elastic constants. The brittleness of the compound is indicated by both the Poisson’s and Pugh’s ratios. The new MAX phase is capable of resisting the pressure and tension and also has the clear directional bonding between atoms. The compound shows significant elastic anisotropy. The Debye temperature estimated from elastic moduli(B, G) is found to be 413.6 K. The electronic structure indicates that the bonding nature of Mo2TiAlC2is a mixture of covalent and metallic with few ionic characters. The electron charge density map shows a strong directional Mo–C–Mo covalent bonding associated with a relatively weak Ti–C bond.The calculated Fermi surface is due to the low-dispersive Mo 4d-like bands, which makes the compound a conductive one.The hardness of the compound is also evaluated and a high value of 9.01 GPa is an indication of its strong covalent bonding.

Effects of Alloying Elements on the Volume Fraction of Ordered α_2 Phase Precipitated in Ti-Al-Sn-Zr Alloys

An ideal method has been established for calculating the precipitation of α2 ordered phase in near-α titanium alloys based on the theory on the critical electron concentration for the precipitation of α2 ordered phase in near-α titanium alloys. With complete precipitation of α2 phase in near-α titanium alloys, the alloys can be considered to be composed of two parts： （1） the α2 ordered phase with the stoichiometric atomic ratio of Ti3X; （2） the disorder solid solution with the critical composition in which the α2 ordered phase is just unable to precipitate. By using this method, the volume fractions of α2 ordered phase precipitated in Ti-Al, Ti-Sn, Ti-Al-Sn-Zr alloys with various AI, Sn and/or Zr contents have been calculated. The influences of AI and Sn on the precipitation of α2 ordered phase are discussed. The calculating results show substantial agreement with the experimental ones.

Relationships between the precipitation of α_2 ordered phase and alloying elements/electron concentration in α+α_2 titanium alloys

Some experimental α+α2 alloys were prepared by the addition of tin or aluminum elements into Ti-55 alloy. These alloys were designed with varied electron concentration values and named as Sn-rich alloys and Al-rich alloys, respectively. The precipita- tion and growth of α2 ordered phase in the tested alloys under various heat treatment conditions were investigated. Some compari- sons among the experimental results were performed and discussed in detail. Stronger precipitation and growth of α2 ordered phase were caused in Al-rich alloys but relatively weak change in Sn-rich alloys with increasing the electron concentration. The precipita- tion of α2 ordered phase in Al-rich alloys is stronger than that in Sn-rich alloys when the electron concentration value is the same for the two alloys.

The role of melt cooling rate on the interface between 18R and Mg matrix in Mg_(97)Zn_(1)Y_(2) alloys

The role of melt cooling rate on the interface morphology and dislocation configuration between 18R long-period stacking ordered(LPSO)structure and Mg matrix in Mg_(97)Zn_(1)Y_(2)(at.%)alloys was investigated by atomic-scale HAADF-STEM imaging.The 18R/Mg interface is step-like both in the near-equilibrium alloy and non-equilibrium alloy.Lower cooling rate makes the step size more regular and larger.Only 54R structure can be observed at the interface in the near-equilibrium alloy,and the dislocations are highly ordered.54R and 54R′structure sandwiched by b1 and b2+b3 dislocation arrays,and new dislocation configuration can be detected at the interface in the non-equilibrium alloy,but the dislocations are less ordered.18R/Mg interface containing 54R or 54R′in equilibrium width,parallel to the(010)plane,should be most stable based on elastic calculation.The segregation of solute atoms and its strong interaction with dislocations dominate the LPSO/Mg interface via diffusion-displacive transformation.

High-Temperature Stability of Mg-1Al-12Y Alloy Containing LPSO Phase and Mechanism of Its Portevin-Le Chatelier(PLC)Effect

In this study,the high-temperature stability and the generation mechanism of the Portevin-Le Chatelier(PLC)effect in solid-solution Mg-1Al-12Y alloy with different heat treatment processes were investigated by adjusting the content of long-period stacking ordered(LPSO)phases.It was found that the content of LPSO phases in the alloys differed the most after heat treatment at 530℃for 16 h and 24 h,with values of 13.56%and 3.93%respectively.Subsequently,high-temperature tensile experiments were conducted on these two alloys at temperatures of 150℃,200℃,250℃,and 300℃.The results showed that both alloys exhibited the PLC effect at temperatures ranging from 150 to 250℃.However,at a temperature 300℃,only the alloy with a greater concentration of LPSO phases exhibited the PLC effect,whereas the alloy with a lower proportion of LPSO phases did not exhibit this phenomenon.Additionally,both alloys exhibited remarkable high-temperature stability,with the alloy containing a greater percentage of LPSO phases also demonstrating superior strength.The underlying mechanism for this phenomenon lies in the exceptional high-temperature stability exhibited by the second phase within the alloy.Furthermore,the LPSO phase effectively obstructs the movement of dislocations,and it also undergoing kinking to facilitate plastic deformation of the alloy.The results indicate that the PLC effect can be suppressed by reducing dislocation pile-up at grain boundaries,which leads to a decrease in alloy plasticity but an increase in strength.The presence of the PLC effect in the WA121 alloy is attributed to the abundant dispersed second phase within the alloy,which initially hinders the movement of dislocations,leading to an increase in stress,and subsequently releases the dislocations,allowing them to continue their movement and thereby reducing in stress.

Microstructure evolution and properties of Cu-20Ni-20Mn alloy during aging process

The microstructure evolution and phase transformation of Cu-20Ni-20Mn（mass fraction,%） alloy at 450 °C were investigated by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy（TEM）.The variations of tensile strength,yield strength and hardness of this alloy during aging process were also analyzed.The results show that no significant variations of hardness and strength in the initial stage of aging,with a long incubation period,are observed at 450 °C.Subsequently,the ordered face-centered tetragonal（FCT） Ni Mn phase nucleates and grows up with prolonging the aging time.The hardness and tensile strength of the alloy increase up to their maximum values with increasing the ordered particle size,i.e.,the strength of the alloy reaches 942 MPa after being aged at 450°C for 40h.The main cause of the age-hardening is considered to be precipitation strengthening due to the ordered FCT-Ni Mn particles.

Microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of Mg-7Gd-3Y-1Nd-1Zn-0.5Zr alloy

X-ray diffraction （XRD）, optical microscopy （OM）, scanning electronic microscopy （SEM）, transmission electron microscopy （TEM） and tensile tests at room temperature （RT） were performed to investigate the effect of homogenization on microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of Mg-7Gd-3Y-1Nd-1Zn-0.5Zr （mass fraction,%） alloy. The results indicate that the microstructure of the as-cast alloy is composed of α-Mg, （Mg, Zn）3RE phase and stacking fault （SF）, the homogenization results in the disappearance of （Mg, Zn）3RE phase and stacking fault （SF） as well as the emergence of 14H-type long-period stacking ordered （LPSO） phase. The ultimate tensile strength （UTS）, yield strength （YS） and elongation of the as-cast alloy are 187 MPa, 143 MPa and 3.1%, and the UTS, YS and elongation of the as-homogenized alloy are 229 MPa, 132 MPa and 7.2%, respectively.

Microstructure characterization and corrosion behavior of Mg-Y-Zn alloys with different long period stacking ordered structures

Mg-Y-Zn alloys with long period stacking ordered(LPSO)structure have received much attention recently and exhibit great potential in applications such as automotive,aerospace and in bio-medical fields.This paper aimed to investigate the effect of different phase constitution of LPSO structures on corrosion rate of bio-medical Mg-Y-Zn alloys.The results showed that as-cast Mg98.5Y1Zn0.5 alloys containing only 18R structure exhibited the highest corrosion resistance with the corrosion rate of 2.78 mm/year.The precipitation of 14H lamellas within a-Mg grains during solid solution treatment introduced the crystallographic orientation corrosion by accelerating micro-galvanic corrosion.The increase of 18R/14H interfaces deteriorated the corrosion resistance,and the grain boundaries also suffered from severe electrochemical dissolution.This work suggested that Mg-Y-Zn alloys with single LPSO structure(either 18R or 14H)exhibited better corrosion resistance than alloys with co-existence 18R and I4H LPSO structures.