Tensile Properties of Medium Mn Steel with a Bimodal UFG α + γ and Coarse δ-Ferrite Microstructure

While the tensile strength and elongation obtained for medium Mn steel would appear to make it a candidate material in applications which require formable ultra-high strength materials, many secondary aspects of the microstructure–properties relationships have not yet been given enough attention. In this contribution, the microstructural and tensile properties of medium Mn steel with a bimodal microstructure consisting of an ultra-fine grained ferrite + austenite constituent and coarse-grained delta-ferrite are therefore reviewed in detail. The tensile properties of ultra-fine-grained intercritically annealed medium Mn steel reveal a complex dependence on the intercritical annealing temperature. This dependence is related to the influence of the intercritical annealing temperature on the activation of the plasticity-enhancing mechanisms in the microstructure. The kinetics of deformation twinning and strain-induced transformation in the ultra-fine grained austenite play a prominent role in determining the strain hardening of medium Mn steel. While excellent strength–ductility combinations are obtained when deformation twinning and strain-induced transformation occur gradually and in sequence, large elongations are also observed when strain-induced transformation plasticity is not activated. In addition, the localization of plastic flow is observed to occur in samples after intercritical annealing at intermediate temperatures, suggesting that both strain hardening and strain rate sensitivity are influenced by the properties of the ultra-fine-grained austenite.     

Resolving the Martensitic Transformation in Q&P Steels In-Situ at Dynamic Strain Rates Using Synchrotron X-ray Diffraction

The dynamic deformation response of two quenching and partitioning (Q&P) steels was investigated using a high strain rate tension pressure bar and in-situ synchrotron radiography and diffraction. This allowed for concurrent measurements of the martensitic transformation, the elastic strains/stresses on the martensite and ferrite, and the bulk mechanical behavior. The steel with the greater fraction of ferrite exhibited greater ductility and lower strength, suggesting that dislocation slip in ferrite enhanced the deformability. Meanwhile, the kinetics of the martensitic transformation appeared similar for both steels, although the steel with a greater ferrite fraction retained more austenite in the neck after fracture.

     

Mechanical properties distributions of PM parts

Abstract

The final mechanical properties of PM parts are strongly affected by the processing parameters: processing controls porosity, composition, and microstructure. Variations within the processing sequence lead to significant property variations. Variations in strength values are often accounted for by the publication of typical values and minimum values. Other mechanical properties, important for critical applications, such as toughness, are even more sensitive to processing. This paper discusses the use of Weibull statistics to analyse the properties of PM parts and suggest new ways to determine property variability for design application. Examples of different properties and materials are used to illustrate the variation. The effects of processing parameters in controlling the variability are discussed. Weibull parameters are suggested as being more suitable for designers than the current system.     

Tensile Properties and Fracture Behavior of ATI 718Plus Alloy at Room and Elevated Temperatures

The effect of temperature over the range of ambient to 704 °C and strain rate from 10⁻⁴ to 10⁻² s⁻¹ on the tensile properties and fracture behavior of ATI 718Plus was investigated. The results showed that with increase in temperature at a strain rate 10⁻⁴ s⁻¹, there is a small reduction in the yield strength, but a large drop in ductility at 704 °C. This reduction was accompanied by a change in fracture mode from ductile transgranular to brittle intergranular cracking. Detailed analysis of the microstructure and microchemistry of the areas around the crack using electron microscopy showed that the driving mechanism behind the failure at elevated temperatures and slow strain rates is oxygen-induced intergranular cracking, a dynamic embrittlement mechanism. In addition, the results suggest that the δ precipitates on the grain boundaries tend to oxidize and may facilitate the oxygen-induced intergranular cracking. Finally, an increase in strain rate at 704 °C caused a small increase in the yield strength and a huge increase in ductility. This increase in ductility was accompanied by a change in fracture mode from brittle-to-ductile failure. Possible mechanisms for the deformation, failure mechanisms, and strain rate dependence are discussed.

     

航空用新型低成本钛合金显微组织与损伤容限性能关系研究

利用扫描电镜对某新型航空用Ti—A1-Mo—Cr—Zr系低成本钛合金的双态组织、片层组织及网篮组织3种典型显微组织特征和裂纹扩展过程进行了观察和分析,并对具有不同类型显微组织的合金进行了拉伸、断裂性能和疲劳性能的检测。结果表明：该新型Ti—A1-Mo—Cr—Zr系高性能低成本钛合金在不同显微组织下均具有良好的强度-塑性-韧性-疲劳性能的匹配。其中,双态组织的该合金具有最高的强度和塑性,但损伤容限性能较低（断裂韧性稍低,疲劳裂纹扩展速率高）;网篮组织的该合金具有良好的断裂韧性和疲劳强度,疲劳裂纹扩展速率与双态组织的水平相当;片层组织的该合金具有最为优异的损伤容限性能（最低的疲劳裂纹扩展速率和最高的断裂韧性）,但疲劳极限、强度和塑性稍低于双态组织和网篮组织的该合金。     

The effect of thermal exposure on the mechanical properties of the directionally solidified superalloy TRW-NASA VIA

The nickel-base superalloy TRW-NASA VIA was studied in the directionally solidified (DS) condition utilizing metallographic and residue analysis techniques in conjunction with mechanical property tests to determine the effect of thermal exposure on the microstructure and mechanical properties. Exposure conditions of 1000 h at temperatures from 1500 to 1900°F (816 to 1038°C) were investigated. Four minor phases (two varieties of MC, MgC and M₃B₂) plus gamma-prime were identified in the gamma matrix of the DS material. Significant variations were observed to occur in the mechanical properties with thermal exposure. Microstructural evaluation indicated that as in the equiaxed condition these variations were due principally to gamma-prime agglomeration or ripening. Comparison of the findings from the DS and the equiaxed process conditions indicated several factors which contributed to the property enhancement observed in the DS condition. These included the virtual elimination of the transverse grain boundaries by the DS process which improved the 1400 (760°C) and 1800°F (982°C) properties, the heterogeneous distribution of the blocky and the spherical-like gamma-prime which primarily improved the room temperature and the 1400°F (760°C) strength properties, the generally larger gamma-prime size as well as the intragranular columnar form which improved the ductility properties and the longitudinal grain boundaries containing the stabilized Hf enriched MC and the MgC carbides which in conjunction with the intergranular gamma-prime formation also improved the ductility properties.     

The Ductility Variation of High-Pressure Die-Cast AE44 Alloy: The Role of Inhomogeneous Microstructure

In the study, the through-thickness microstructure and its effects on the ductility and strain heterogeneity in high-pressure die-cast AE44 alloy were investigated. The results show that the studied alloy had a gradient microstructure, where two fine-grained skins sandwiched a core with coarse externally solidified crystals (ESCs) embedded in fine grains. In the core, where porosity concentrated, the ultra-coarse ESCs with sizes up to 600 μm were observed. A great amount of Al₁₁RE₃ phase, as the predominant intermetallic phase, was distributed in homogeneously through the thickness. High-resolution digital image correlation (DIC) measurement coupled with electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) was employed to reveal the deformation inhomogeneity and its root cause. It was found that considerable strain localization mainly appeared in the ultra-coarse ESCs with soft orientation for basal slip and the regions where porosity appeared. Unlike the yield strengths and ultimate tensile strengths, the elongations showed a significant variation. Not only defects but also the ultra-coarse ESCs were the primary factors responsible for the variation in ductility.

     

Effect of antimony on the creep fracture of stainless steel

Stainless steel samples doped with various contents of Sb were crept under the same conditions. With respect to the base material, a low content of Sb (0.1 wt pct or 0.2 wt pct) is found to improve creep strength and creep ductility of the alloys whereas the addition of 1 wt pct Sb decreases the mechanical properties. The microstructure of the samples was examined quantitatively by scanning electron microscopy. The improvement of mechanical properties is attributed to a reduction of the nucleation rate and of the growth rate of cavities. In order to predict the strain to fracture, a criterion on the fraction of grain boundary area cavitated is proposed.     

The relationship of microstructure to monotonic and cyclic straining of two age hardening aluminum alloys

The effect of microstructure on the monotonic and low cycle fatigue properties of a high purity, large grain, ternary aluminum-zinc, magnesium (Al-Zn-Mg) alloy and a high strength 7050 aluminum alloy was investigated. The best combination of fatigue life, strength, and ductility for the ternary alloy resulted when aged to produce a microstructure containing predominately η′ having a Guinier radius of approximately 65å and a small amount of incoherent η (MgZn₂). Superior fatigue life, strength, and ductility were found when the 7050 alloy was aged to produce the maximum number of partially coherent η′ precipitates having a Guinier radius of approximately 35å. Aging the 7050 alloy to produce particles larger than 50å gave a microstructure that had lower fatigue properties at the low plastic strain amplitudes, δε_p/2 <1.0 pct. The empirical CoffinManson relationship was found to hold for a given deformation process, however changes in deformation character resulted in changes in the Coffin-Manson parameters.     

改善7A04铝合金韧性的深冷处理研究

在常规热处理的基础上引进深冷技术,结合金相组织、断口形貌分析和力学性能的测试,研究了深冷处理对7A04铝合金组织和性能的影响。结果表明：7A04铝合金经深冷处理后,其第二相在晶内弥散分布,数量较多且细小,晶界为无析出带;采用480℃／80min＋深冷＋120℃／16h工艺处理后,7A04铝合金的强度下降,冲击韧性和延伸率大大提高。     

The effect of microstructure on the deformation modes and mechanical properties of Ti-6Al-2Nb-1Ta-0.8Mo: Part I. Widmanstätten structures

An alpha + beta Ti-6Al-2Nb-lTa-0.8Mo alloy with an initial Widmanstätten structure was thermally treated to produce a wide range of microstructures. The effects of individual microstructural parameters on deformation behavior and mechanical properties were investigated. The results show that the Widmanstätten colony boundaries are major barriers to slip. However, the slip distance can be decreased to a distance equal to the thickness of acicular alpha by transforming the beta phase in the Widmanstätten structure to martensite by quenching from 950°C. The decrease in slip distance is accompanied by a 25 pct increase in yield strength with no loss in ductility. A large decrease in ductility occurs after excursions above the beta-transus. The development of both equiaxed beta grains during heating in the beta phase field and continuous grain boundary alpha during cooling in the alpha + beta phase field leads to strain localization along prior beta grain boundaries.     

轿车螺旋悬挂弹簧用钢的研究开发

从冶金生产工艺、微观组织、拉伸和冲击断裂行为、疲劳断裂机制及弹减抗力等方面对引进轿车中应用较多的螺旋悬挂弹和钢50CrV4进行了研究。研究结果表明，随着回火温度升高，试验钢的强度和硬度降低、塑性和韧性增加；对试验钢断裂行为的分析表明其对应力状态和应变速率敏感，在中温回火后具有较高的抵抗动态变形和断裂的能力；试验钢对表面缺陷和表层硬性夹杂物敏感；中温回火后由于具有细小的微观组织和碳化物，因而具有较好的弹减抗力。通过改进冶金生产工艺、热处理和弹簧加工工艺生产的螺旋悬挂弹簧满足引进轿车的要求，已批量生产。     

Controlling Properties of HSLA Line Pipe Steels for Oil and Gas Applications

DANIELI has recently implemented its Coil Quality Estimator (DANIELI-CQETM) system to the Hot Strip Mill of United Metallurgical Company (OMK) at Vyksa,Russia.This system is developed for the purpose of real time assessment and control of mechanical properties for hot rolled coils.Mechanical properties such as strength,toughness,ductility and hardness are predicted over the entire length of a strip while it is processed.The property estimation is based on the final microstructure as predicted from a group of interconnected physically based metallurgical models,supplemented by Artificial Neural Network.The CQE system is used for prediction and control of properties of HSLA line pipe grades steel and other grades.The system performance,is judged by accuracy and reliability of prediction,has been compared with the physical material testing data from the plant.The results are found to be excellent.CQE is found useful for generation of test certificate of coil,quality assurance,process control,product development,and customer claim assessment.It is used for resource optimization for production,and other operational improvements such as reduction of downgrades.The present paper shares the results of CQE performance for prediction of HSLA line pipe grade steels.     

Enhancement in Strain Hardening on Boron Addition in As-Cast Ti–6Al–4V Alloy

It has been previously reported that the addition of boron to Ti–6Al–4V results in significant refinement of the as-cast microstructure and enhancement in the strain hardening. However, the mechanism for the latter effect has not been adequately studied. The aim of this study was to understand the reasons for the enhancement in room temperature strain hardening on addition of boron to as cast Ti–6Al–4V alloy. A study was conducted on slip transmission using SEM, TEM, optical profilometry and four point probe resistivity measurements on un-deformed and deformed samples of Ti–6Al–4V–xB with five levels of boron. Optical profilometry was used to quantify the magnitude of offsets on slip traces which in turn provided information about the extent of planar or multiple slip. Studies on deformed samples reveal that while lath boundaries appear to easily permit dislocation slip transmission, colony boundaries are potent barriers to slip. From TEM studies it was also observed that while alloys containing lower boron underwent planar slip, deformation was more homogeneous in higher boron alloys due to multiple slip resulting from large number of colony boundaries. Multiple slip is also proposed to be the prime cause of the enhanced strain hardening.     

Grain Refinement in a Low Carbon Steel Through Multidirectional Forging

 Grain refinement is one of the successful and low-cost methods to develop metals having excellent combination of strength and ductility. Low carbon steel was deformed by using multidirectional forging (MDF) technique at room temperature. The influence of strain amount and annealing process on the microstructure and mechanical properties of investigated steel was studied. The grain refinement mechanism was studied by the microstructure observation. The results showed that the grain refinement was attained by multidirectional forging technique. The initial coarser grains of average 38 μm size fragmented into very fine ferrite with grain sizes of about 1.2 μm. After MDF, the strength properties improved significantly, although uniform elongation and elongation decreased with increasing strain.     

Importance of slip mode for dispersion-hardened β-titanium alloys

The mechanical properties of Ti-7 Mo-7 Al and Ti-7 Mo-16 Al (in at. pct) were correlated to the microstructure. The mechanical properties of the alloy with low aluminum content, consisting of α+ β phases, were dependent on the size of the α particles. Although the α phase is softer than the β phase, the small α particles, upon plastic deformation of the alloy, functioned as typical hard agents in a dispersion-hardened system and the volume fraction of the particles controlled the macroscopic ductility. A rapid strain-hardening behavior of the small α particles seemed to be responsible for this effect. Large α particles behaved like soft, incoherent particles, the volume fraction having little effect on the inherent ductility of the alloy. The two phase (β+ Ti₃Al) microstructure of the alloy with high aluminum content resulting from high temperature aging to 900°C exhibited a yield stress of 130 ksi and an elongation to fracture of 5 pct. The ductility of this microstructure was controlled by the volume fraction of the Ti₃Al particles inducing homogeneous slip. The favorable ductility properties of the microstructures with low Ti₃Al volume fraction were lost if the slip mode was changed from homogeneous slip to planar slip. Formerly Staff Member, Materials Research Center, Allied Chemical Corp., Morristown, N. J.     

低碳中锰热轧TRIP钢退火工艺及组织演变

研究了第三代高强度高塑性TRIP钢的退火工艺对性能的影响和组织演变规律.热轧后形成的原始马氏体与临界退火时形成的残余奥氏体使TRIP钢具有良好的强度和塑性.结果表明:实验用钢可获得1000MPa以上的抗拉强度和30%以上的断后延伸率,且强塑积>30 Gpa·%;退火温度和保温时间对钢的力学性能具有显著影响,热轧TRIP钢临界退火温度为630℃,保温时间18 h时,实验用钢能获得最佳的综合力学性能.      

Development of Duplex Stainless Steels by Field-Assisted Hot Pressing: Influence of the Particle Size and Morphology of the Powders on the Final Mechanical Properties

The feasibility of processing duplex stainless steels with promising properties using a powder metallurgical route, including the consolidation by field-assisted hot pressing, is assessed in this investigation. The influence of the particle size and morphology of the raw austenitic and ferritic powders on the final microstructure and properties is also evaluated for an austenitic content of 60 wt pct. In addition, the properties of a new microconstituent generated between the initial constituents are analyzed. The maximum sintered density (98.9 pct) and the best mechanical behavior, in terms of elastic modulus, nanohardness, yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, and ductility, are reached by the duplex stainless steel processed with austenitic and ferritic gas atomized stainless steel powders.

     

Microstructural effects on the tensile properties and deformation behavior of a Ti-48Al gamma titanium aluminide

The effects of microstructure on the tensile properties and deformation behavior of a binary Ti-48Al gamma titanium aluminide were studied. Tensile-mechanical properties of samples with microstructures ranging from near γ to duplex to fine grained, near- and fully-lamellar were determined at a range of temperatures, and the deformation structures in these characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Microstructure was observed to exert a strong influence on the tensile properties, with the grain size and lamellar volume fraction playing connected, but complex, roles. Acoustic emission response monitored during the tensile test revealed spikes whose amplitude and frequency increased with an increase in the volume fraction of lamellar grains in the microstructure. Analysis of failed samples suggested that microcracking was the main factor responsible for the spikes, with twinning providing a minor contribution in the near-lamellar materials. The most important factor that controls ductility of these alloys is grain size. The ductility, yield stress, and work-hardening rate of the binary Ti-48Al alloy exhibit maximum values between 0.50 and 0.60 volume fraction of the lamellar constituent. The high work-hardening rate, which is associated with the low mobility of dislocations, is the likely cause of low ductility of these alloys. In the near-γ and duplex structures, slip by motion of 1/2<110] unit dislocations and twinning are the prevalent deformation modes at room temperature (RT), whereas twinning is more common in the near- and fully-lamellar structures. The occurrence of twinning is largely dictated by the Schmid factor. The 1/2<110] unit dislocations are prevalent even for grain orientations for which the Schmid factor is higher for <101] superdislocations, though the latter are observed in favorably oriented grains. The activity of both of these systems is responsible for the higher ductility at ambient temperatures compared with Al-rich single-phase γ alloys. A higher twin density is observed in lamellar grains, but their propagation depends on the orientation and geometry of the individual γ lamellae. The increase in ductility at high temperatures correlates with increased activity of 1/2<110] dislocations (including their climb motion) and twin thickening. The role of microstructural variables on strength, ductility, and fracture are discussed. This article is based on a presentation made in the symposium entitled “Fundamentals of Structural Intermetallics,” presented at the 2002 TMS Annual Meeting, February 21–27, 2002, in Seattle, Washington, under the auspices of the ASM and TMS Joint Committee on Mechanical Behavior of Materials.     

Chemistry and Properties of Medium-Mn Two-Stage TRIP Steels

Eight medium manganese steels ranging from 10 to 15 wt pct Mn have been produced with varying levels of aluminum, silicon, and carbon to create steels with varying TRIP (transformation-induced plasticity) character. Alloy chemistries were formulated to produce a range of intrinsic stacking fault energies (ISFE) from − 2.2 to 13.3 mJ/m² when calculated at room temperature for an austenitic microstructure having the nominal alloy composition. Two-stage TRIP behavior was documented when the ISFE of the γ-austenite phase was 10.5 mJ/m² or less, whereas an ISFE of 11.9 mJ/m² or greater exhibited TWIP (twin-induced plasticity) with single-stage TRIP to form α-martensite. Properties were measured in both hot band (hot rolled) and batch annealed (hot rolled, cold rolled, and annealed) conditions. Hot band properties were influenced by the Si/Al ratio and this dependence was related to incomplete recovery during hot working for alloys with Si/Al ratios greater than one. Batch annealing was conducted at 873 K (600 °C) for 20 hours to produce ultrafine-grained microstructures with mean free slip distances less than 1 μm. Batch-annealed materials were found to exhibit a Hall–Petch dependence of the yield strength upon the mean free slip distance measured in the polyphase microstructure. Ultimate tensile strengths ranged from 1450 to 1060 MPa with total elongations of 27 to 43 pct. Tensile ductility was shown to be proportional to the sum of the products of volume fraction transformed times the volume change associated for each martensitic transformation. An empirical relationship based upon the nominal chemistry was derived for the ultimate tensile strength and elongation to failure for these batch-annealed steels. Two additional alloys were produced based upon the developed understanding of these two-stage TRIP steels and tensile strengths of 1150 MPa with 58 pct total elongation and 1400 MPa and 32 pct ductility were achieved.