Effect of Aging Heat Treatment on the Microstructure and Creep Properties of the Cast Ni-Based Superalloy at Low Temperature

Effect of aging heat treatment on the grain boundary microstructure and creep properties of a cast Ni-based superalloy was investigated. With increasing aging temperature from 750 to 1000 ℃, M_(23)C_6 carbides along the grain boundaries evolve from fine distributed block, continuous film into the coarse discrete block. Moreover, the M_(23)C_6 carbides are mainly enveloped within γ’ layers along grain boundaries during 1000 ℃ aging. Creep rupture lifetime and elongation at 760 ℃ and 645 MPa are improved with increasing the aging temperature. In particular, the creep rupture lifetime of the specimens aging at 1000 ℃ is one order of magnitude higher than that of the specimens aging at 750 ℃. The enhancement of ductility induced by the γ’ envelopes plays a significant role in the improvement of creep rupture lifetime.     

Effect of Indirect Transformation of Retained Austenite During Tempering on the Charpy Impact Toughness of a Low-Alloy Cr-Mo-V Steel

A modified tempering treatment has been designed in order to avoid the direct transformation of retained austenite (Ar) during tempering of a low-alloy Cr-Mo-V steel. Instead of the direct transformation of Ar into ferrite and M₂₃C₆ carbides during conventional tempering at 700 °C, transformation into aggregate of ferrite and cementite has been forced by a pre-tempering at 455 °C before conventional tempering. Experiments have been performed on specimens quenched with cooling rates 1.5, 3 and 12 °C/s, providing different types of Ar within the as-quenched microstructures. The results show that the tempering modification does not improve the Charpy impact toughness at the highest quenching rate of 12 °C/s, where the specimens cannot incur cleavage cracking induced from fine and discontinuous M₂₃C₆ carbides along lath interfaces. For the lowest quenching rate 1.5 °C/s, the Charpy impact toughness can be improved, and the failure is dominated by carbide aggregates, which originate from the decomposed products of blocky Ar. This is because the tempering modification effectively suppresses the formation of coarse M₂₃C₆ carbides at interfaces between the carbide aggregate and bainitic matrix, thereby resulting in a relatively homogeneous distribution of M₂₃C₆ carbides inside carbide aggregates. Therefore, the tempering modification is recommended for large-scale forgings, in which relatively high quenching rates are difficult to achieve.     

Microstructures and Mechanical Properties of a Newly Developed Austenitic Heat Resistant Steel

The effect of heat treatment on the microstructures and mechanical properties of a newly developed austenitic heat resistant steel(named as T8 alloy) for ultra-supercritical applications have been studied. Results show that the main phases in the alloy after solution treatment are γ and primary MX. Subsequent aging treatment causes the precipitation of M_(23)C_6 carbides along the grain boundaries and a small number of nanoscale MX inside the grains. In addition, with increasing the aging temperature and time, the morphology of M_(23)C_6 carbides changes from semi-continuous chain to continuous network.Compared with a commercial HR3C alloy, T8 alloy has comparable tensile strength, but higher stress rupture strength. The dominant cracking mechanism of the alloy during tensile test at room temperature is transgranular, while at high temperature, intergranular cracking becomes the main cracking mode, which may be caused by the precipitation of continuous M_(23)C_6 carbides along the grain boundaries. Typical intergranular cracking is the dominant cracking mode of the alloy at all stress rupture tests.     

Precipitation Behavior and Mechanical Properties of a 16Cr-25Ni Superaustenitic Stainless Steel Weld Metal During Post-weld Heat Treatment

A 16Cr-25Ni superaustenitic stainless steel weld metal for austenitic stainless steel/ferrite heat-resistance steel dissimilar metal weld was designed and prepared through tungsten inert-gas welding. The precipitate evolution and its correlation with mechanical properties were investigated during post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) at 690 °C for up to 12 h. The primary precipitates in the as-welded weld metal were identified as Mo-rich M₆C carbides in the interdendritic region and semicontinuous fine-sized M₂₃C₆ carbides along grain boundary. After PWHT, three types of precipitates coexisted in the interdendritic region: primary M₆C carbides, newly precipitated Mo-rich M₂X carbonitrides and some of the secondary M₂₃C₆ carbides. Additionally, mass secondary M₂₃C₆ carbides formed and coarsened along grain boundary. No undesirable intermetallic phases formed during the whole period. The M₂X and interdendritic M₂₃C₆ improved the strength of the weld metal after PWHT, but the elongation and impact toughness degraded, which were mainly owing to the intergranular M₂₃C₆ carbides that changed the fracture mode from ductile transgranular mode to mixed mode of transgranular and intergranular fracture. Meanwhile, the coarsening of M₂X carbonitrides may lead to the elongation loss during 8 h to 12 h. Evolution of impact toughness was also related to the M₂X carbonitrides, which made the crack easier to propagate compared with austenitic matrix and contributed to the decline of impact toughness. However, due to the sluggish precipitation of M₂X carbonitrides with longer holding time, the decreasing trend became slow from 4 to 12 h. The results showed that PWHT should be controlled within 8 h to obtain better combination of strength and ductility.     

Phase Transformation and Carbide Precipitation of Functional Gradient Semi-solid 9Cr18 Steel

The unique phase transformation and carbide evolution in 9Cr18 steel were investigated during semi-solid forming and subsequent heat treatment. The functional gradient thixoforging 9Cr18 component was divided into inner area and edge area. Microstructure evolution was different at each area. After semi-solid cooling, the solid particles in the inner area were retained as meta-austenite. During annealing, M_(23)C_6 carbide began to precipitate when temperature reached 700 °C.Martensite transformation occurred when temperature reached 800 °C. The occurrence of M_(23)C_6 carbide and martensite structure would be harmful to the mechanical properties of inner area. In the edge area, the liquid underwent eutectic transformation to form bar-shape M_7C_3 carbide and secondary austenite after semi-solid cooling. The width of bar-shape carbide would decrease during annealing. By controlling the carbide evolution, we could tailor the functional gradient material with required property.     

Effects of Isothermal Aging on Microstructure and Mechanical Property of Low-Carbon RAFM Steel

In order to investigate the microstructure and mechanical property evolution of low-carbon reduced activation ferritic/martensitic(RAFM) steel during isothermal aging, the normalized and tempered specimens were aged at 600 °C for 500,1000, and 3000 h, respectively. The microstructural evolution with aging time was analyzed, including the precipitation and growth of M_(23)C_6 and MX-type carbides as well as the formation of Laves phase. The results indicate that the coarsening of M_(23)C_6 is more obvious than that of MX with increase in aging time. During the long-term thermal exposure, the Fe_2 W Laves phase precipitates adjacent to M_(23)C_6 along the prior austenite grain boundaries and packet boundaries. Lower carbon content can delay the precipitation of Laves phase compared to the steel containing higher carbon. In addition, the Laves phase precipitated along boundaries can provide the precipitation strengthening, slightly increasing the tensile strength of low-carbon RAFM steel after aging for 3000 h.     

Effect of Long-Term Thermal Exposures on Tensile Behaviors of K416B Nickel-Based Superalloy

The effect of long-term thermal exposure on the tensile behavior of a high W content nickel-based superalloy K416B was investigated. The microstructure and the deformation characteristics were observed by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, and the phase transformation of the alloy during long-term thermal exposure was analyzed by X-ray diffraction patterns and differential thermal analysis. Results showed that after thermal exposure at 1000 °C, the MC carbides in the K416B alloy decomposed into M₆C. During tensile deformation, dislocations slipping in γ matrix crossed over the M₆C by Orowan bowing mechanism. With the increase of thermal exposure time, the secondary M₆C reduced greatly the yield strength of the alloy at room temperature. Meanwhile, the continuous distribution of the secondary M₆C with great brittleness in the grain boundary could become the main source of crack, which might change the fracture characteristic of the alloy from trans-granular to intergranular.     

High-temperature Tensile Behavior in Coarse-grained and Fine-grained Nb-containing 25Cr-20Ni Austenitic Stainless Steel

In this study, tensile behavior of Nb-containing 25Cr-20Ni austenitic stainless steels composed of coarse or fine grains has been investigated at temperatures ranging from room temperature to 900 °C. Results show that the tensile strength of fine-grained specimens decreases faster than that of coarse-grained specimens, as the test temperature increases from 600 °C to 800 °C. The rapidly decreasing tensile strength is attributed to the enhanced dynamic recovery and recrystallization, because additional slip systems are activated, and cross-slipping is accelerated during deformation in fine-grained specimens. After tensile testing at 700-900 °C, sigma phases are formed concurrently with dynamic recrystallization in fine-grained specimens. The precipitation of sigma phases is induced by simultaneous recrystallization as the diffusion of alloying elements is accelerated during the recrystallization process. Additionally, the minimum ductility is observed in coarse-grained specimens at 800 °C, which is caused by the formation of M₂₃C₆ precipitates at the grain boundaries.     

Evolution of Microstructures and Mechanical Properties of Zr-Containing Y-CLAM During Thermal Aging

The thermal stability and mechanical properties of China low activation martensitic steel with Zr and Y were investigated via thermal aging at 550 °C for 8000 h. The Laves phase content monotonically increased with thermal aging, and the volume fraction of the Laves phases stabilized in the alloy after 3000 h of thermal aging. The observed degradation in mechanical properties was because of the coarsening of M_(23)C_6 carbides and matrix grains during the earlier stages of thermal aging. The precipitation of Laves phases and V_3Zr_3C particles increased the strength and hardness of the alloy. Grain coarsening was the primary reason for the decrease in impact properties, and the ductile-to-brittle transition temperature increased from-71 to -48 °C after 8000 h of thermal aging.     

Effect of Short-Time Aging on the Pitting Corrosion Behavior of a Novel Lean Duplex Stainless Steel 2002

The effect of short-time aging in the temperature range between 400 and 1000 °C on the pitting corrosion behavior and mechanical property of a novel lean duplex stainless steel(LDSS) 2002 was investigated through the potentiostatic critical pitting temperature(CPT) tests and the Charpy impact tests. Both the pitting corrosion resistance and the toughness of aged specimens degraded due to the precipitation of detrimental secondary phases and the most significant reduction of CPT and impact energy emerged at 650 °C concurrently. The CPT of LDSS 2002 specimen aged at 650 °C decreased by 28 °C, and the impact energy dropped from 69 to 29 J/cm~2 compared with the solution-annealed sample. Transmission electron microscopy characterization showed that the main precipitates in LDSS 2002 were Cr_2N and M_(23)C_6 along the ferrite–austenite grain boundaries.     

Characterization of the Hot Deformation Behavior of Cu–Cr–Zr Alloy by Processing Maps

Hot deformation behavior of the Cu–Cr–Zr alloy was investigated using hot compressive tests in the temperature range of 650–850 °C and strain rate range of 0.001–10 s-1. The constitutive equation of the alloy based on the hyperbolic-sine equation was established to characterize the flow stress as a function of strain rate and deformation temperature. The critical conditions for the occurrence of dynamic recrystallization were determined based on the alloy strain hardening rate curves. Based on the dynamic material model, the processing maps at the strains of 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5were obtained. When the true strain was 0.5, greater power dissipation efficiency was observed at 800–850 °C and under0.001–0.1 s-1, with the peak efficiency of 47%. The evolution of DRX microstructure strongly depends on the deformation temperature and the strain rate. Based on the processing maps and microstructure evolution, the optimal hot working conditions for the Cu–Cr–Zr alloy are in the temperature range of 800–850 °C and the strain rate range of 0.001–0.1 s-1.     

Effect of Co on Microstructure and Stress Rupture Properties of K4750 Alloy

The effects of substituting Co for Fe on the microstructure and stress rupture properties of K4750 alloy were studied.The microstructure of the alloy without Co(K4750 alloy) and the alloy containing Co(K4750-Co alloy) were analyzed.Substitution of Co for Fe inhibited the decomposition of MC carbide and the precipitation of η phase during long-term aging treatment.In K4750-Co alloy,the morphology of MC carbide at the grain boundary(GB) remained dispersed blocky shape and no η phase was observed after aging at 750℃for 3000 h.However,in K4750 alloy,almost all the MC carbides at GBs broke down into granular M_(23)C_6 carbide and needle-like η phase.The addition of cobalt could delay the decomposition of MC carbides,which accordingly restricted the elemental supply for the formation of η phase.The stress rupture tests were conducted on two alloys at 750℃/430 MPa.When Co is substituted for Fe in K4750 alloy,the stress rupture life increased from 164.10 to 264.67 h after standard heat treatment.This was mainly attributed to increased concentration of Al,Ti and Nb in γ' phase in K4750-Co alloy,which further enhanced the strengthening effect of γ' phase.After aging at 750℃for 3000 h,substitution of Co for Fe can also cause the stress rupture life at 750℃/430 MPa to increase from 48.72 to 208.18 h.The reason was mainly because MC carbide degradation and η phase precipitation in K4750 alloy,which promoted the initiation and propagation of micro-crack during stress rupture testing.     

Mg-4Zn-2Y合金的高温拉伸流变本构关系

通过对轧制态Mg-4Zn-2Y合金在不同热变形温度以及应变速率下进行高温拉伸试验,研究了Mg-4Zn-2Y合金在不同工艺参数下进行热变形时流变应力的变化规律,并绘制了热加工图。结果表明,流变应力与变形温度以及应变速率均有关系,热变形温度不变时,材料的最大流变应力会随着应变速率的提高而增大;在应变速率不变时,材料的最大流变应力随着变形温度的升高会逐渐下降。采用双曲正弦修正的本构模型确定了轧制态Mg-4Zn-2Y合金的变形激活能Q=242 233.2 J·mol^-1,应力指数n=8.09。通过热加工图确定了Mg-4Zn-2Y合金的可加工区域为472.15~545.00 K,10^-3~10^-4 s^-1和545.00~672.15 K,10^-4~10^-1 s^-1。     

Hot Deformation Behavior and Workability of(SiC_p + Mg_2B_2O_(5w))/6061 Al Hybrid and SiC_p/6061 Al Composites

The hot deformation behavior of(3 vol%SiC_p + 3 vol%Mg_2B_2O_(5w))/6061 Al(W_3P_3) hybrid composite and6 vol%SiCp/6061 Al(P_6) composite have been characterized in the temperature range of 300-450 ℃ and strain rate range of 0.0001-0.1 s~(-1) using isothermal constant true strain rate tests.The flow behavior and processing maps have been investigated using the corrected data to eliminate the effect of friction.Under the same deformation conditions,the compressive resistance of the singular composite remains superior to that of the hybrid composites.The processing map of W_3P_3 hybrid composite exhibits a single hot working domain at the temperature between 350 and 450 ℃ with strain rate between 0.0001 and 0.003 s~(-1)(domain A).Two hot working domains exist for P_6 composite:(i) 300-400 ℃/0.0001-0.003 s~(-1)(domain Bl);(ii) 380-450 ℃/0.01-0.1 s~(-1)(domain B2).The processing maps also reveal the flow instability of the two composites,which is associated with whiskers breakage,whisker/matrix interfacial debonding,SiCp/matrix interfacial decohesion,adiabatic shear bands or flow localization,and wedge cracking in the corresponding regions.The estimated apparent activation energies are about 224 kJ mol~(-1) in domain A for W3P3 hybrid composite,177 kJ mol~(-1) in domain Bl and 263 kJ mol~(-1) in domain B2 for P_6 composite,respectively.These values are higher than that for self-diffusion in Al(142 kJ mol~(-1)),suggesting that there is a significant contribution from the back stress caused by the presence of particles and/or whiskers in the matrix.The deformation mechanisms corresponding to domain Bl and domain B2 are dislocation climb controlled creep and cross-slip for P_6 composite,respectively.For W_3P_3 hybrid composite,the deformation mechanisms contain dislocation climb controlled creep and grain boundary sliding caused by DRX in domain A.     

Er、Zr微合金化5083铝合金的超塑性

针对5E83合金(Er、Zr微合金化5083合金),采用超塑性拉伸试验、扫描电镜(SEM)、电子背散射衍射(EBSD)和透射电镜(TEM),探究了Er、Zr微合金元素、晶粒尺寸、变形温度、应变速率对合金超塑性的影响。通过再结晶退火、空冷和水冷的搅拌摩擦加工(FSP),分别获得了晶粒尺寸为7.4、5.2、3.4μm的完全再结晶组织,作为初始状态进行超塑性拉伸。结果表明,初始晶粒尺寸越细小,超塑性伸长率越高。当晶粒尺寸>5μm时,超塑性变形过程晶粒粗化缓慢,细化初始晶粒可显著提高超塑性;而当晶粒尺寸<5μm时,超塑性变形过程晶粒粗化严重,进一步细化初始晶粒对超塑性的提高有限。不同变形温度、应变速率的超塑性拉伸结果显示在变形温度为450～540℃、应变速率为1.67×10^-4～1.67×10^-1 s^-1,超塑性伸长率随变形温度和应变速率的提高呈现先上升后下降再上升的趋势;变形温度为520℃、应变速率为1.67×10^-3 s^-1条件下,水冷FSP态合金获得最大伸长率330%...     

挤压态HAl61-4-3-1合金高温本构模型构建及其加工图

采用Gleeble-3500热模拟实验机在变形温度为600~800℃和应变速率为0.01~10 s^-1时对HAl61-4-3-1铝黄铜合金进行等温热压缩实验,对实验所获得真实应力-应变曲线进行摩擦修正,并以修正后的应力应变数据构建了考虑应变补偿的Arrhenius本构模型。其次,根据修正的应力应变数据构建了应变为0.3、0.6和0.9时HAl61-4-3-1合金的热加工图,并结合变形后微观组织确定了合金的失稳区和安全加工区域。结果表明:该合金在实验范围内的最佳工艺参数为:600~800℃&0.01~0.1 s^-1,660~740℃&0.1~10 s^-1和740~800℃&0.1~4 s^-1,其变形机制主要为动态再结晶和动态回复。     

Hot Deformation Behavior of an Ultra-High-Strength Fe–Ni–Co-Based Maraging Steel

Hot processing behavior of an ultra-high-strength Fe–Ni–Co-based maraging steel was studied in temperature range of 900–1200 °C and strain rate range of 0.001–10 s~(-1). Deformation processing parameters and optimum hot working window were characterized via flow stress analysis, constitutive equation construction, hot processing map calculation and microstructure evolution, respectively. Critical strain value for dynamic recrystallization was determined through theoretical mathematical differential method: the inflection point of θ–σ and -αθ/ασ-σ curves. It was found that the flow stress increased with the decrease in deformation temperature and increase in the strain rate. The power dissipation maps in the strain range of 0.1–0.6 were entirely similar with the tendency of contour lines which implied that strain had no strong effect on the dissipation maps. Nevertheless, the instability maps showed obvious strain sensitivity with increasing strain, which was ascribed to the flow localization and instability. The optimized hot processing window of the experimental steel was obtained as 1100–1200 °C/0.001–1 s~(-1) and 1000–1100 °C/0.001–0.1 s~(-1), with the efficiency range of 20–40%. Owing to high Mo content in the experimental steel, high dynamic activation energy, Q = 439.311 kJ mol~(-1), was achieved, indicating that dynamic recrystallization was difficult to occur in the hot deformation process, which was proved via microstructure analysis under different hot deformation conditions.     

Phase Evolution and Thermal Expansion Behavior of a γ′ Precipitated Ni-Based Superalloy by Synchrotron X-Ray Diffraction

The phase evolution and thermal expansion behavior in superalloy during heating play an essential role in controlling the size and distribution of precipitates, as well as optimizing thermomechanical properties. Synchrotron X-ray diffraction is able to go through the interior of sample and can be carried out with in situ environment, and thus, it can obtain more statistics information in real time comparing with traditional methods, such as electron and optical microscopies. In this study, in situ heating synchrotron X-ray diffraction was carried out to study the phase evolution in a typical γ′ phase precipitation strengthened Ni-based superalloy, Waspaloy, from 29 to 1050 °C. The γ′, γ, M₂₃C₆ and MC phases, including their lattice parameters, misfits, dissolution behavior and thermal expansion coefficients, were mainly investigated. The γ′ phase and M₂₃C₆ carbides appeared obvious dissolution during heating and re-precipitated when the temperature dropped to room temperature. Combining with the microscopy results, we can indicate that the dissolution of M₂₃C₆ leads to the growth of grain and γ′ phase cannot be completely dissolved for the short holding time above the solution temperature. Besides, the coefficients of thermal expansions of all the phases are calculated and fitted as polynomials.     

GH3128合金的高温流变行为与组织演变规律

通过对GH3128合金进行热模拟压缩试验,研究了该合金在变形温度950~1150 ℃、应变速率0.01~10 s^-1及应变量30%~70%条件下的流变特征。通过绘制合金流变应力曲线,并基于Arrhenius模型建立了GH3128合金的本构方程。在此基础上,获取了变形量30%~65%的材料加工图,并结合GH3128合金完全再结晶条件图,明确了合金在高温变形过程中组织演变同塑性变形参数之间关系。此外,通过对碳化物的金相分析,探明了合金在热变形过程中碳化物的演变规律。结果表明:GH3128合金热加工激活能约为305 kJ/mol,合理的加工区域为:变形温度1050~1100 ℃,应变速率0.1 s^-1左右。此时合金内碳化物基本回溶,组织再结晶充分,晶粒尺寸可控制在10 μm以下。     

马氏体TiAl合金的热变形行为

为研究马氏体TiAl合金的热变形行为,对Ti-42.1Al-8.3V合金进行1320 ℃油淬,得到马氏体,然后利用Gleeble-1500D热模拟试验机研究了马氏体在变形温度为1000~1150 ℃、应变速率为0.001~1 s^-1下的热变形行为。利用背散射电子成像(BSE)和背散射衍射(EBSD)研究了热变形参数对TiAl合金显微组织的影响,通过分析真应力-真应变曲线,结合双曲正弦方程建立了本构方程。结果表明,马氏体TiAl合金的流变应力曲线符合动态再结晶特征,峰值应力随着变形温度的降低和应变速率的增大而增大;通过计算得到n为2.175,变形激活能Q为595.79 kJ/mol,并构建了马氏体TiAl合金的本构方程;在热变形后,TiAl合金中近等边三角形排布的马氏体转变成α₂/γ片层结构。随着变形温度的升高和应变速率的减小,α₂/γ片层逐步被再结晶晶粒替代,最后在变形温度为1100 ℃、应变速率为0.001 s^-1条件下全部转化为等轴晶。另外,随着应变速率的降低和变形温度的升高,晶粒充分长大,逐渐粗化。