Refinement Mechanism of Microstructure of Undercooled Nickel Based Alloys

Through the use of purification and recirculation superheating techniques on molten glass,the Ni65Cu33Co2 alloy was successfully undercooled to a maximum temperature of 292 K.High-speed photography was employed to capture the process of interface migration of the alloy liquid,allowing for an analysis of the relationship between the morphological characteristics of the alloy liquid solidification front and the degree of undercooling.Additionally,the microstructure of the alloy was examined using metallographic microscopy,leading to a systematic study of the microscopic morphological characteristics and evolution laws of the refined structure during rapid solidification.The research reveals that the grain refining mechanism of the Ni-Cu-Co ternary alloy is consistent with that of the binary alloy(Ni-Cu).Specifically,under low undercooling conditions,intense dendritic remelting was found to cause grain refinement,while under high undercooling conditions,recrystallization driven by accumulated stress and plastic strain resulting from the interaction between the liquid flow and the primary dendrites caused by rapid solidification was identified as the main factor contributing to grain refinement.Furthermore,the study highlights the significant role of the Co element in influencing the solidification rate and reheat effect of the alloy.The addition of Co was also found to facilitate the formation of non-segregated solidification structure,indicating its importance in the overall solidification process.

Strength and plasticity improvement induced by strong grain refinement after Zr alloying in selective laser-melted AlSiMg1.4 alloy

In order to enhance the mechanical properties of the selective laser-melted(SLM) high-Mg content AlSiMg1.4 alloy,the Zr element was introduced.The influence of Zr alloying on the processability,microstructure,and mechanical properties of the alloy was systematically investigated through performing microstructure analysis and tensile testing.It was demonstrated that the SLM-fabricated AlSiMg1.4-Zr alloy exhibited high process stability with a relative density of over 99.5% at various process parameters.Besides,the strong grain refinement induced by the primary Al3Zr particle during the melt solidification process simultaneously enhanced both the strength and plasticity of the alloy.The values for the yield strength,ultimate tensile strength,and elongation of the SLM-fabricated AlSiMg1.4-Zr were(343±3) MPa,(485±4) MPa,and(10.2±0.2)%,respectively,demonstrating good strengthplasticity synergy in comparison to the AlSiMg1.4 and other Al-Si-based alloys fabricated by SLM.

Effect of addition temperature on dispersion behavior and grain refinement efficiency of MgO introduced into Mg alloy

The effect of addition temperature of MgO particles(MgOp)on their dispersion behavior and the efficiency of grain refinement in AZ31 Mg alloy was investigated.In addition,the grain refinement mechanism was systematically studied by microstructure characterization,thermodynamic calculation,and analysis of solidification curves.The results show that the grain size of AZ31 Mg alloy initially decreases and then increases as the MgOp addition temperature is increased from 720 to 810℃,exhibiting a minimum value of 136μm at 780℃.The improved grain refinement efficiency with increasing MgOp addition temperature can be attributed to the reduced Mg melt viscosity and enhanced wettability between MgOp and Mg melt.Furthermore,a corresponding physical model describing the solidification behavior and grain refinement mechanism was proposed.

Grain refinement of Mg-Ca alloys by native MgO particles

In Mg-Ca alloys the grain refining mechanism,in particular regarding the role of nucleant substrates,remains the object of debates.Although native MgO is being recognised as a nucleating substrate accounting for grain refinement of Mg alloys,the possible interactions of MgO with alloying elements that may alter the nucleation potency have not been elucidated yet.Herein,we design casting experiments of Mg-xCa alloys varied qualitatively in number density of native MgO,which are then comprehensively studied by advanced electron microscopy.The results show that grain refinement is enhanced as the particle number density of MgO increases.The native MgO particles are modified by interfacial layers due to the co-segregation of Ca and N solute atoms at the MgO/Mg interface.Using aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy,we reveal the nature of these Ca/N interfacial layers at the atomic scale.Irrespective of the crystallographic termination of MgO,Ca and N co-segregate at the MgO/Mg interface and occupy Mg and O sites,respectively,forming an interfacial structure of a few atomic layers.The interfacial structure is slightly expanded,less ordered and defective compared to the MgO matrix due to compositional deviations,whereby the MgO substrate is altered as a poorer template to nucleate Mg solid.Upon solidification in a TP-1 mould,the impotent MgO particles account for the grain refining mechanism,where they are suggested to participate into nucleation and grain initiation processes in an explosive manner.This work not only reveals the atomic engineering of a substrate through interfacial segregation but also demonstrates the effectiveness of a strategy whereby native MgO particles can be harnessed for grain refinement in Mg-Ca alloys.

Effect of titanium content on the refinement of coarse columnar austenite grains during the solidification of peritectic steel

The effect of titanium content on the refinement of austenite grain size in as-cast peritectic carbon steel was investigated by fast directional solidification experiments with simulating the solidification and growth of surface and subsurface austenite in continuously cast slabs.Transmission electron microscope(TEM)and scanning electron microscope(SEM)were used to analyze the size and distribution of Ti(C,N)precipitates during solidification.Based on these results,the pinning pressure of Ti(C,N)precipitates on the growth of coarse columnar grains(CCGs)was studied.The results show that the austenite microstructure of as-cast peritectic carbon steel is mainly composed of the regions of CCGs and fine columnar grains(FCGs).Increasing the content of titanium reduces the region and the short axis of the CCGs.When the content of titanium is 0.09wt%,there is no CCG region.Dispersed microscale particles will firstly form in the liquid,which will decrease the transition temperature from FCGs to CCGs.The chain-like nanoscale Ti(C,N)will precipitate with the decrease of the transition temperature.Furthermore,calculations shows that the refinement of the CCGs is caused by the pinning effect of Ti(C,N)precipitates.

Refinement of primary Si grains in Al–20%Si alloy slurry through serpentine channel pouring process

In this study, a serpentine channel pouring process was used to prepare the semi-solid A1-20%Si alloy slurry and refine primary Si grains in the alloy. The effects of the pouring temperature, number of curves in the serpentine channel, and material of the serpentine channel on the size of primary Si grains in the semi-solid A1-20%Si alloy slurry were investigated. The results showed that the pouting temperature, number of the curves, and material of the channel strongly affected the size and distribution of the primary Si grains. The pouring tempera- ture exerted the strongest effect, followed by the number of the curves and then the material of the channel. Under experimental conditions of a four-curve copper channel and a pouring temperature of 701℃, primary Si grains in the semi-solid A1-20%Si alloy slurry were refined to the greatest extent, and the lath-like grains were changed into granular grains. Moreover, the equivalent grain diameter and the average shape coefficient of primary Si grains in the satisfactory semi-solid A1-20%Si alloy slurry were 24.4 μm and 0.89, respectively. Finally, the re- finement mechanism and distribution rule of primary Si grains in the slurry prepared through the serpentine channel pouring process were analyzed and discussed.

Effect of grain refinement induced by wire and arc additive manufacture (WAAM) on the corrosion behaviors of AZ31 magnesium alloy in NaCl solution

Additive manufacturing(AM)of Mg alloys has become a promising strategy for producing complex structures,but the corrosion performance of AM Mg components remains unexploited.In this study,wire and arc additive manufacturing(WAAM)was employed to produce single AZ31 layer.The results revealed that the WAAM AZ31 was characterized by significant grain refinement with non-textured crystallographic orientation,similar phase composition and stabilized corrosion performance comparing to the cast AZ31.These varied corrosion behaviors were principally ascribed to the size of grain,where cast AZ31 and WAAM AZ31 were featured by micro galvanic corrosion and intergranular corrosion,respectively.

Recent advances on grain refinement of magnesium rare-earth alloys during the whole casting processes:A review

High-performance cast magnesium rare-earth(Mg-RE) alloys are one of the most important materials among all developed Mg alloy families, and have shown great potential in military and weapons, aerospace and aviation, orthopedic implants, etc. Controlling grain size and distribution of it is key to the promising mechanical performance of Mg-RE alloy casting components. During the casting of a real component, nearly every procedure in the fabrication process will influence the grain refinement effect. The procedure may include and may not be limited to the chemical inoculations, possibly applied physical fields, the interfere between grain refiner and purifications, and the casting techniques with different processing parameters. This paper reviews the recent advances and proposed future developments in these categories on grain refinement of cast Mg-RE alloys. The review will provide insights for the future design of grain refinement techniques,the choosing of processing parameters, and coping strategies for the failure of coarsening for cast Mg-RE components with high quality and good performance.

EQUIAXED REFINEMENT OF GRAINS IN ALLOY TC11

The formation reason and elimination method of non-uniform microstructure defects in Ti al- loy TC11 bar have been studied.The coagulating and coarsening into block of the part of grain boundary α and secondary α seem to be caused by the ingot cogging and initial forging temperature in the β region as well as no more enough deformation and uneven distribution. The grain α,elongated α and blocky α may be finally eliminated by adopting the technique of (α+β)thermomechanical processing+β processing,W.Q.+recrystallization annealing,A.C., thus the size of uniform and fine equiaxed α structure is believed to be reduced to 1.9258μm.

Influence of strain rate on grain refinement and texture evolution under complex shear stress conditions

The effects of different complex shear stress conditions on grain refinement and texture evolution of Mg-13Gd-4Y-2Zn-0.5Zr alloy were investigated.With increasing strain rate,the average grain size of compression-shear(CS)and compression-torsion(CT)samples are decreased,and the grain size of dynamic recrystallization(DRX)grains is also decreased.This is because that the precipitation number ofβphases is increased,and the hindering effect on grain growth can be significantly enhanced.The DRX fractions of CS and CT samples are decreased with increased strain rate.The low DRX fraction at high strain rate is related to the insufficient time for grains to nucleate.The DRX process can be promoted by the PSN mechanism of second phases,and the grain growth can be restricted by the pinning effect.At the same time,the texture strength is enhanced as the strain rate increased.Besides,the kinking degree of lamellar long-period stacking ordered(LPSO)phases is increased.Under complex shear stress conditions,non-basal slip,especially pyramidal slip,is easily activated and the texture is deflected greatly.Compared with the CS samples,CT samples have smaller average grain size,higher DRX fraction,and lower texture strength for a certain strain rate.This is because that the equivalent stress of the CT sample is larger,the stress triaxiality is smaller,so more serious dislocations are piled up near grain boundaries and second phases.At the same time,since CT sample was sheared with torsion,the dislocation movement path can be called“rotational dislocation accumulation”,and the longer distribution path of the CT sample is generated,so more sub-grains and low-angle grain boundaries(LAGBs)are formed.Compared with the CS sample,more huge-angle grain boundaries(HAGBs)and DRX grains are formed from grain boundary to grain interior,so better grain refinement effect is achieved.

Effect of wide-spectrum pulsed magnetic field on grain refinement of pure aluminium

A wide-spectrum pulsed magnetic field(WSPMF)was obtained by adjusting the number of current pulses and the pulse interval between adjacent pulses.The effect of WSPMF on the grain refinement of pure aluminium was studied.The distribution of electromagnetic force and flow field in the melt under the WSPMF was simulated to reveal the grain refining mechanism.Results show that the grain refinement is attributed to the combined effect of the melt flow and oscillation under a WSPMF.When the pulse interval is 5 ms,the extreme value of electromagnetic force is the highest,and the size of the crystal nucleus is 0.35 mm.In the case of similar flow rates,the grain size gradually decreases as the pulse interval increases.The range of the harmonic frequency of the magnetic field gradually expands with the increase of the pulse interval,which can provide more energy for nucleation at the solid-liquid interface and promote nucleation.

Grain refinement and strength enhancement in Mg wrought alloys: A review

Low absolute strength becomes one major obstacle for the wider applications of low/no rare-earth(RE) containing Mg alloys. This review firstly demonstrates the importance of grain refinement in improving strength of Mg alloys by comprehensively comparing with other strategy, e.g., precipitation strengthening. Dynamic recrystallization(DRX) plays a crucial role in refining grain size of Mg wrought alloys.Therefore, secondly, the DRX models, grain nucleation mechanisms and the related grain refinement abilities in Mg alloys are summarized,including phase boundary, twin boundary and general boundary induced recrystallization. Thirdly, the newly developed low-RE containing Mg alloy, e.g., Mg-Ce, Mg-Nd and Mg-Sm based alloys, and the RE-free Mg alloys, e.g., Mg-Al, Mg-Zn, Mg-Sn and Mg-Ca based alloy,are reviewed, with the focus on enhancing the mechanical properties mainly via the grain refinement strategy. At the last section, the perspectives and outstanding issues concerning high-performance Mg wrought alloys are also proposed. This review is meant to promote the deep understanding on the critical role of grain refinement in Mg alloys and provide reference for the development of other high strength and low-cost Mg alloys which are fabricated by the conventional extrusion/rolling processing.

Microstructure Transformation of Undercooled Cu-Ni-Co Alloy and Refinement Mechanism under High Undercooling

The molten Cu60Ni35Co5 ternary alloy was undercooled by fluxing method and solidified by natural cooling method.The microstructure of all undercooled samples were analyzed.It is found that the rapidly solidified Cu60Ni35Co5 alloy has undergone two grain refinement phenomena within the undercooling range,and its microstructure and morphology change with the undercooling through the transformation process of“coarse dendrite-equiaxed dendrite-oriented fine dendrite-equiaxed crystal”.The refined structure with the maximum undercooling?T of 253 K was selected for electron backscatter diffraction(EBSD)and transmission electron microscopy(TEM)tests.EBSD results show that the refined structure contains a high proportion of large angle grain boundaries(LAGBs),a large number of randomly oriented grains,and high proportion of twins,while TEM results show that the dislocation density in most areas is relatively low.The above characteristics confirm that the solidification structure is refined due to recrystallization behavior under high undercooling.

Phase field simulation of grain refinement in silver-based filler metal

Numerical simulation is one of the important auxiliary methods for studying materials-related problems. In this study, phase field simulation was employed to investigate the refinement behavior of BAg55CuZn-x B brazing alloys. Simulation and experimental studies were conducted for B contents ranging from 0 wt.% to 0.2 wt.%. The results demonstrated that the addition of 0.05 wt.% B in the brazing alloy leads to a significant refinement effect. As the B content increases, the grain size further reduces, and a refinement stagnation phenomenon occurs after exceeding 0.15 wt.%. The solidification process of brazing alloys with different B content was predicted by simulation, and the simulation results showed that with the increase of B content, the initial number of nucleation increased, and the radius of the dendrite tip decreased. The simulation results are in good agreement with the experimental findings, providing further evidence of the refining effect of the B element and the reliable predictive capability of the phase field model.

Effect of ultrasonic melt treatment on structure refinement of solidified high purity aluminum

Effect of ultrasonic melt treatment on the macrostructure of solidified high purity aluminum was studied experimentally using metallographic method and complementary numerical calculations of acoustic pressure and velocity distribution in the melt. The results reveal that the macrostructure is effectively refined within a cone-shaped zone ahead of the irradiating face. Inner crystals along with wall crystals multiply particularly within the effectively refined zone and they contribute equally to structure refining. Isothermal holding after ultrasonic melt treatment results in loss of nucleation potency for nearly a half of nuclei, indicating that ultrasound activated heterogeneous nucleation may be as equal important as homogeneous nucleation for ultrasonic induced structure refining.

Structure uniformity and limits of grain refinement of high purity aluminum during multi-directional forging process at room temperature

The effect of forging passes on the refinement of high purity aluminum during multi-forging was investigated. The attention was focused on the structure uniformity due to deformation uniformity and the grain refinement limitation with very high strains. The results show that the fine grain zone in the center of sample expands gradually with the increase of forging passes. When the forging passes reach 6, an X-shape fine grain zone is initially formed. With a further increase of the passes, this X-shape zone tends to spread the whole sample. Limitation in the structural refinement is observed with increasing strains during multi-forging process at the room temperature. The grains size in the center is refined to a certain size （110 μm as forging passes reach 12, and there is no further grain refinement in the center with increasing the forging passes to 24. However, the size of the coarse grains near the surface is continuously decreased with increasing the forging passes to 24.

Grain refinement in AZ31 magnesium alloy rod fabricated by extrusion-shearing severe plastic deformation process

A new severe plastic deformation （SPD） method that is extrusion-shearing （ES）, which includes initial forward extrusion and shearing process subsequently, was developed to fabricate the fine grained AZ31 Mg alloys. The components of ES die were manufactured and installed to gleeble1500D thermo-mechanical simulator. Microstructure observations were carried out in different positions of ES formed rods. The results show that homogeneous microstructures with mean grain size of 2 μm are obtained at lower temperature as the accumulated true strain is 2.44. Occurring of continuous dynamic recrystallization （DRX） is the main reason for grain refinement during ES process. The experimental results show that the ES process effectively refines the grains of AZ31 magnesium. The production results of ES extrusion with industrial extruder under different extrusion conditions show that the ES extrusion can be applied in large-scale industry.

Numerical simulation of acoustic pressure field for ultrasonic grain refinement of AZ80 magnesium alloy

Ultrasound with different intensities was applied to treating AZ80 alloy melt to improve its solidification structure.The average grain size of the alloy could be decreased from 303 to 148 μm after the ultrasound with intensity of 30.48 W/cm2 was applied.To gain insight into the mechanism of ultrasonic treatment which affected the microstructure of the alloy,numerical simulations were carried out and the effects of different ultrasonic pressures on the behaviors of cavitation bubble in the melt were studied.The ultrasonic field propagation in the melt was also characterized.The results show that samples from different positions are subjected to different acoustic pressures and the effect of grain refinement by ultrasonic treatment for these samples is different.With the increase of ultrasonic intensity,the acoustic pressure is increased and the grain size is decreased generally.

Grain refinement of Al-5%Cu aluminum alloy under mechanical vibration using meltable vibrating probe

A mechanical vibration technique to refine solidified microstructure was reported. Vibration energy was directly introduced into a molten alloy by a vibrating horn, and the vibrating horn was melted during vibration. Effects of vibration acceleration and mass ratio on the microstructure of Al-5% Cu alloy were investigated. Results show that the present mechanical vibration could provide localized cooling by extracting heat from the interior of molten alloy, and the cooling rate is strongly dependent on vibration acceleration. It is difficult to refine the solidified microstructure when the treated alloy keeps full liquid state within the entire vibrating duration. Significantly refined microstructure was obtained by applying mechanical vibration during the initial stage of solidification. Moreover, mechanisms of grain refinement were discussed.

Grain refinement of as-cast superalloy IN718 under action of low voltage pulsed magnetic field

The grain refinement of superalloy IN718 under the action of low voltage pulsed magnetic field was investigated. The experimental results show that fine equiaxed grains are acquired under the action of low voltage pulsed magnetic field. The refinement effect of the pulsed magnetic field is affected by the melt cooling rate and superheating. The decrease of cooling rate and superheating enhance the refinement effect of the low voltage pulsed magnetic field. The magnetic force and the melt flow during solidification are modeled and simulated to reveal the grain refinement mechanism. It is considered that the melt convection caused by the pulsed magnetic field, as well as cooling rate and superheating contributes to the refinement of solidified grains.