EFFECT OF MICROSTRUCTURE ON THE HARDENING AND SOFTENING BEHAVIORS OF POLYCRYSTALLINE SHAPE MEMORY ALLOYS PART Ⅰ:MICROMECHANICS CONSTITUTIVE MODELING

The effects of microstructure and its evolution on the macroscopic superelastic stress-strain response of polycrystalline Shape Memory Alloy(SMA)are studied by a microstructure-based constitutive model developed in this paper.The model is established on the following basis:(1)the transformation conditions of the unconstrained single crystal SMA microdomain(to be distinguished from the bulk single crystal),which serve as the local criterion for the derivation of overall transfor- mation yield conditions of the polycrystal;(2)the micro-to macro-transition scheme by which the connection between the polycrystal aggregates and the single crystal microdomain is established and the macroscopic transformation conditions of the polycrystal SMA are derived;(3)the quantitative incorporation of three microstruc- ture factors(i.e.,nucleation,growth and orientation distribution of martensite)into the modeling.These microstructural factors are intrinsic of specific polycrystal SMA systems and the role of each factor in the macroscopic constitutive response is quan- titatively modeled.It is demonstrated that the interplay of these factors will result in different macroscopic transformation kinematics and kinetics which are responsible for the observed macroscopic stress-strain hardening or softening response,the latter will lead to the localization and propagation of transformation bands in TiNi SMA.

EFFECT OF MICROSTRUCTURE ON THE HARDENING AND SOFTENING BEHAVIORS OF POLYCRYSTALLINE SHAPE MEMORY ALLOYS PART Ⅱ:NUMERICAL SIMULATION UNDER AXISYMMETRICAL LOADING

Based on the microstructure-based constitutive model established in Part Ⅰ,a detailed numerical investigation on the role of each microstructure pa- rameter in the kinematical and kinetic evolution of polycrystalline SMA under ax- isymmetrical tension loading is performed.Some macroscopic constitutive features of stress-induced martensite transformation are discussed.

Effect of forging on the microstructure and texture of a high Nb containing γ-TiAl alloy

The effect of forging on the microstructure and texture evolution of a high Nb containing Ti-45Al-7Nb-0.3W(at.%)alloy was investigated by X-ray diffractometer(XRD),scanning electron microscopy(SEM),and transmission electron microscopy(TEM).The results show that the as-cast alloy is mainly composed of α_(2)/γ lamellar colonies with a mean size of 70μm,but the hot-forged pancake displays a near duplex microstructure(DP).Kinking and bending of lamellar colonies,deformation twinning and dynamic recrystallization(DRX)occur during hot forging.Meanwhile,dense dislocations in theβphase after forging suggest that the high-temperature β phase with a disordered structure is favorable for improving the hot-workability of the alloy.Unlike the common TiAl casting texture,the solidification process of the investigated as-cast alloy with high Nb content is completely via the β phase region,resulting in the formation of a<110>γ fiber texture where the<110>γ aligns parallel to the heat-flow direction.In comparison,the relatively strong<001>and weak<302>texture components in the as-forged alloy are attributed to the deformation twinning.After annealing,static recrystallization occurs at the twin boundary and intersections,which weakens the deformation texture.

Microstructure of cast γ-TiAl based alloy solidified from β phase region

The microstructures and phase transformation of Ti-43Al-4Nb alloy in as-cast and heat-treated states were investigated by using optical microscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy as well as differential scanning calorimetry. The results show that a fine microstructure of the as-cast alloy can be obtained by solidifying through the β phase. γ grains can nucleate directly from the β phase. The coexistence of β phase and γ phase along primary α grain boundaries contributes to the decrease in the grain size of the as-cast alloy. The phase transformation sequence during solidification of the Ti-43Al-4Nb alloy is suggested as L→L＋β→β→α＋β→α＋βr→α＋γ＋βr→lamellae（α2＋γ）＋γ＋βr. The microstructure of the alloy after heat treatment at 1 250 ℃ for 16 h exhibits a certain coarsening compared with that of the as-cast state. The remnant β phase can be removed by the heat treatment process due to the diffusion of Nb and the non-equilibrium state of β phase.

Effect of Nb additions on microstructure and properties of γ-TiAl based alloys fabricated by selective laser melting

The γ-TiAl based Ti.Al.Mn.Nb alloys with different Nb additions were fabricated by selective laser melting (SLM) on the TC4 substrate. The effects of Nb content on microstructure and properties of the alloys were investigated. The results reveal that the alloys consist of γ-TiAl phase with tetragonal lattice structure and α2-Ti3Al phase with hcp lattice structure, and show a sequential structure change from near full dendrite to near lamellar structure with the increase of Nb addition. Owing to the higher Nb content in γ-TiAl phase and the formation of near lamellar structure, the alloy with 7.0 at.% Nb addition has the best combination of properties among the studied alloys, namely, not only a high hardness of HV 2000, a high strength of 1390 MPa and a plastic deformation of about 24.5%, but also good tribological properties and high-temperature oxidation resistance.

Microstructure and shear strength ofγ-TiAl/GH536 joints brazed with Ti-Zr-Cu-Ni-Fe-Co-Mo filler alloy

The influence of brazing temperature and brazing time on the microstructure and shear strength ofγ-TiAl/GH536 joints brazed with Ti-Zr-Cu-Ni-Fe-Co-Mo filler was investigated using SEM,EDS,XRD and universal testing machine.Results show that all the brazed joints mainly consist of four reaction layers regardless of the brazing temperature and brazing time.The thickness of the brazed seam and the average shear strength of the joint increase firstly and then decrease with brazing temperature in the range of 1090-1170℃and brazing time varying from 0 to 20 min.The maximum shear strength of 262 MPa is obtained at 1150℃for 10 min.The brittle Al3NiTi2 and TiNi3 intermetallics are the main controlling factors for the crack generation and deterioration of joint strength.The fracture surface is characterized as typical cleavage fracture and it mainly consists of massive brittle Al3NiTi2 intermetallics.

Microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of forgedβ-solidifiedγ-TiAl alloy by different heat treatments

The microstructural evolution and tensile properties of a forged Ti−42Al−5Mn alloy subjected to different heat treatments were studied.The results showed that,when the forged alloy was aged at 800℃ for 24 h,the interlamellar spacing(λ)andγgrain size at colony boundaries are generally coarsened.Whereas,when the alloy was first annealed at 1300℃ and then aged at 800℃ for 24 h,this coarsening of related microstructures appears less pronounced.The suggested annealing temperatures for the forged Ti−42Al−5Mn alloy are in the range of 1250−1300℃.It was found that,on the condition of the same annealing system,both the strength and ductility were improved as the aging temperature changed from 1000 to 800℃.The secondary precipitatedβo(β_(o,sec))at colony boundaries could be responsible for improving the strength,and theγphase at colony boundaries with the grain size about 6μm might be one of the main reasons for the better ductility.

Influences of Alloying Elements W, Mo, Cr and Nb on Retained Beta Phase in 47Al Based near γ-TiAl Alloys

The influences of alloying elements W, Mo, Cr, and Nb on retained ft phase in 47AI based near 7-TiAI alloys have been studied. The results reveal that the amount of retained β phase is increased by the addition of Cr, Mo, W in rising rank, although the distribution of β phase in Cr-bearing alloys is different from that of Mo- or W-bearing alloys. For Nb-doped alloys, no retained ft was found even when 5 at. pct Nb was added. The as-cast microstructural features and the distribution of the b phase in the different alloy families were compared and interpreted in terms of the different segregation behaviour of these elements in Ti.

Effect of Lamellar Orientation on Crack Paths in PST Crystals of γ-TiAl BasedAlloys

The effect of lamellar orientation on crack paths in PST crystals of y-TiAl based alloys was investigated by in-situ SEM technique. The results indicate that the crack paths in PST crystals of y-TiAl based alloys are strongly dependent on lamellar orientation ofPST crystals, and the differently oriented PST crystals show different nucleation and propagation mechanisms of crack, resulting in different levels of fracture toughness.

Effect of brazing temperature on microstructure and tensile strength ofγ-TiAl joint vacuum brazed with micro-nano Ti−Cu−Ni−Nb−Al−Hf filler

A novel micro-nano Ti−10Cu−10Ni−8Al−8Nb−4Zr−1.5Hf filler was used to vacuum braze Ti−47Al−2Nb−2Cr−0.15B alloy at 1160−1220℃ for 30 min.The interfacial microstructure and formation mechanism of TiAl joints and the relationships among brazing temperature,interfacial microstructure and joint strength were emphatically investigated.Results show that the TiAl joints brazed at 1160 and 1180℃ possess three interfacial layers and mainly consist of α_(2)-Ti_(3)Al,τ_(3)-Al_(3)NiTi_(2) and Ti_(2)Ni,but the brazing seams are no longer layered and Ti_(2)Ni is completely replaced by the uniformly distributed τ_(3)-Al_(3)NiTi_(2) at 1200 and 1220℃ due to the destruction of α_(2)-Ti_(3)Al barrier layer.This transformation at 1200℃ obviously improves the tensile strength of the joint and obtains a maximum of 343 MPa.Notably,the outward diffusion of Al atoms from the dissolution of TiAl substrate dominates the microstructure evolution and tensile strength of the TiAl joint at different brazing temperatures.

High temperature oxidation behavior of Ti(Al,Si)_3 diffusion coating on γ-TiAl by cold spray

A Ti(Al,Si)3 diffusion coating was prepared on γ-TiAl alloy by cold sprayed Al?20Si alloy coating, followed by a heat-treatment. The isothermal and cyclic oxidation tests were conducted at 900 °C for 1000 h and 120 cycles to check the oxidation resistance of the coating. The microstructure and phase transformation of the coating before and after the oxidation were studied by SEM, XRD and EPMA. The results indicate that the diffusion coating shows good oxidation resistance. The mass gain of the diffusion coating is only a quarter of that of bare alloy. After oxidation, the diffusion coating is degraded into three layers: an inner TiAl2 layer, a two-phase intermediate layer composed of a Ti(Al,Si)3 matrix and Si-rich precipitates, and a porous layer because of the inter-diffusion between the coating and substrate.

Magnetostriction and structural characterization of Fe-Ga bulk alloy prepared by copper mold casting

Rapidly solidified Fe100-xGax （x=16-20） alloy rods were prepared by induction melting and copper mold casting under the protection of inert gases. The optical microscopy observation shows that the large and elongated columnar grains grow along the radial direction, which is parallel to the temperature gradient direction. The preferred orientation texture along the axial direction of the rod was detected by XRD. With the increase of Ga content, the saturation magnetization （Ms） of the alloys decreases distinctly and the dynamic response in low magnetic field increases drastically, the maximum longitudinal saturation magnetostriction for as-cast Fe82Ga18 alloy rods is 92×10-6 under an applied magnetic field strength of 30 kA/m. The large magnetostriction of Fe100-xGax alloys is attributed to the rapidly solidified disordered A2 phase and the high concentration of short range order of Ga atom clusters, which are arranged in the direction and finally trigger the formation of modified-DO3 structure, just as shown by the split of the （200） diffraction peak. Ordered DO3 phase is not conducive to the magnetostriction.

Influence of silicide on fracture behavior of a fully lamellar Ti-46Al-0.5W-0.5Si alloy

The fracture behavior of fully lamellar binary γ-TiAI alloys is extremely anisotropic with respect to the lamellar orientation. For the fully lamellar Ti-46Al-0.5W-0.5Si alloy, the existence of silicide clusters plays a critical role on the fracture behavior. In the present study, tensile test and three point bending test were performed at room temperature with the loading axis parallel and perpendicular to the lamellar orientation, respectively. To investigate the influence of silicide clusters on the initiation and propagation of cracks, the fracture surface and the cracks adjacent to the fracture zone of the specimens have been analyzed. Results show that the fracture process is related to the morphology and distribution of the silicide clusters. Crack preferentially initiates at and propagates along the interface of silicide and a2/7 lamellar with the loading axis perpendicular to the length direction of silicide. While the silicide can prevent the propagation of cracks from running across with the crack growth direction perpendicular to the length direction of silicide.

空位浓度对多晶γ-TiAl合金力学性能的影响

为研究点缺陷对材料力学性能的影响规律,采用分子动力学方法对含有不同空位浓度的多晶γ-TiAl合金模型进行单轴拉伸,研究了300 K下空位浓度对材料力学性能的影响。结果表明:随着空位浓度的增加,弹性模量呈非线性变化,但空位浓度对材料的强度和弹性模量影响较小,能量曲线的形状没有明显变化,但势能达到最大值的时间发生变化,空位浓度越大,最大能量值越低,当空位浓度大于等于0.09%时,材料的强度降低;在模型演化过程中,完美晶体和具有不同空位浓度的晶体均是率先在晶界处发生应力集中,之后在晶界处演化成孔洞,继而孔洞演化成微裂纹,微裂纹不断汇合变成大裂纹,最终材料发生断裂。

Influence of columnar grain boundary on fracture behavior of as-cast fully lamellar Ti-46Al-0.5W-0.5Si alloy

The fracture behavior of fully lamellar γ-TiAl alloys depends on the angle between the lamellar orientation and loading axis,but the role of the presentation of grain boundary cannot be ignored.To investigate the influence of the grain boundary on the initiation and propagation of cracks,the tensile test of the alloy was conducted at room temperature with loading axis parallel and perpendicular to the lamellar orientation,respectively.The cracks adjacent to the fracture zone of the tensile specimens have been investigated to analyze the fracture behavior.Results show that the grain boundary has dual influences on the fracture behavior.When the loading axis is parallel to the lamellar orientation,cracks are preferentially initiated at and propagate along the grain boundaries.When the loading axis is perpendicular to the lamellar orientation,the grain boundaries can prevent the propagation of cracks from running across.Additionally,serrated-shape grain boundaries have a better inhibiting effect on the propagation of cracks than planar boundaries.

Specific heat of superheated Al-10Sr alloy melts

The specific heat of superheated Al 10Sr melts was determined at different heating rates between 1 K/min and 20 K/min using a differential scanning calorimeter(DSC). As a whole, the specific heat increases with increasing temperature. A hump is observed on the specific heat curve at the temperature corresponding to the phase boundary temperature dependent on heating rate. Moreover, the hump shifts to higher temperature in the measured temperature range from about 840 ℃ to 890 ℃ with increasing heating rate. At certain temperature in the higher superheated zone, the specific heat of the melt as a function of temperature shows a sharp rise . The result indicates that disorder zone fraction begins to increase while atom clusters fraction decreases at the breaking temperature. [

Microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of homogenizing treated fully lamellar Ti-46Al-0.5W-0.5Si alloy

The microstructure of as-cast Ti-46AI-0.5W-0.5Si alloy exhibits significant microinhomogenetity due to the non-equilibrium solidification and low atom diffusion rate. In order to reduce the adverse effect of this microsegregation on plasticity, the microstructure evolution of the Ti-46AI-0.5W-0.5Si alloy homogenized at different temperatures from 1,200 ℃ to 1,320 ℃was investigated, and the optimized process of homogenizing treatment, i.e., annealing treated at 1,280 ℃ and held for 8 h, was determined. Microstructures of both the as-cast and heat treated alloys were observed by means of optical microscope and scanning electron microscopes. Tensile tests at room temperature were conducted on the homogenizing treated fully lamellar Ti-46AI-0.5W-0.5Si alloy with loading axis parallel to the lamellar interface. Results show that, at higher heat treatment temperatures, the W element diffuses sufficiently, the microstructure tends to be more homogeneous, and the profile of the silicide clusters becomes smooth. Heat treating conducted in the a＋y two phase region can keep the columnar grains and the original lamellar orientation within them. The microstructure of the alloy after heat treated in a＋y two phase region exhibits the coexisting morphology of coarse lamellar and thin lamellar. The homogenization process at 1,280℃ for 8 h can significantly reduce the microsegregation, and the elongation at room temperature can increase from 0.48% （as-cast） to 1.34%.

Quantitative multi-phase-field modeling of non-isothermal solidification in hexagonal multicomponent alloys

A quantitative multi-phase-field model for non-isothermal and polycrystalline solidification was developed and applied to dilute multicomponent alloys with hexagonal close-packed structures.The effects of Lewis coefficient and undercooling on dendrite growth were investigated systematically.Results show that large Lewis coefficients facilitate the release of the latent heat,which can accelerate the dendrite growth while suppress the dendrite tip radius.The greater the initial undercooling,the stronger the driving force for dendrite growth,the faster the growth rate of dendrites,the higher the solid fraction,and the more serious the solute microsegregation.The simulated dendrite growth dynamics are consistent with predictions from the phenomenological theory but significantly deviate from the classical JMAK theory which neglects the soft collision effect and mutual blocking among dendrites.Finally,taking the Mg-6Gd-2Zn(wt.%)alloy as an example,the simulated dendrite morphology shows good agreement with experimental results.

THE STRUCTURE CHANGE OF γ-TiAl IRRADIATED BY 50keV XENON IONS AT ROOM TEMPERATURE

The structure change of γ-TiAl intermetallic alloy irradiated by 50keV xenon ions with a dose of 7.6× 10~18 ions/m^2 was studied in a high voltage transmission electron microscope at room temperature. Some precipitates appeared in the γ-TiAl grains, which have a hexagonal structure with a=0.P283nm and c=0.462nm, and seems to be the disordered Al_2 Ti_3 phase. The orientation relationship between the precipitates and matrix is (0001)p//(11■)_γ-TiAl and [2■■0]_p//[011]γ-TiAl.

Simulatingthe Effect of Temperature Gradient on Grain Growth of 6061-T6 Aluminum Alloy via Monte Carlo Potts Algorithm

During heat treatment or mechanical processing,most polycrystalline materials experience grain growth,which significantly affects their mechanical properties.Microstructure simulation on a mesoscopic scale is an important way of studying grain growth.A key research focus of this type of method has long been how to efficiently and accurately simulate the grain growth caused by a non-uniform temperature field with temperature gradients.In this work,we propose an improved 3D Monte Carlo Potts(MCP)method to quantitatively study the relationship between non-uniform temperature fields and final grain morphologies.Properties of the aluminum alloy AA6061-T6 are used to establish a trial calculation model and to verify the algorithms with existing experimental results in literature.The detailed grain growth process of the 6061-T6 aluminum alloy under different temperature fields is then obtained,and grain morphologies at various positions are analyzed.Results indicate that while absolute temperature and duration time are the primary factors determining the final grain size,the temperature gradient also has strong influence on the grain morphologies.The relationships between temperatures,temperature gradients and grain growth process have been established.The proposed MCP algorithm can be applied to different types of materials when the proper parameters are used.