Annealing effects on the microstructure and properties of bulk high-entropy CoCrFeNiTi0.5 alloy casting ingot

Most previous researches focused on small casting ingots prepared by arc melting, when studying high-entropy alloys. Large sized ingots were also necessary in exploring the existence of volume effects in the multi-principal element alloys. During the experiments, a large sized CoCrFeNiTi_0.5 alloy casting ingot was prepared by a medium frequency induction melting furnace. A slight volume effect occurred, reflecting mainly in the growth of crystalline grains and the increase of alloy hardness in the ingot. To investigate the effect of annealing temperature on microstructure and properties of CoCrFeNiTi_0.5 alloy, several samples taken from the ingot were annealed at 600 °C, 700 °C, 800 °C and 1000 °C respectively for 6 h. Almost no effects were found to the crystalline structure and elemental distribution when the samples were annealed below 1000 °C. The crystalline structure of CoCrFeNiTi_0.5 alloy was composed of one principal face-centered cubic (FCC) solid-solution matrix and a few intermetallic phases in the form of interdentrite. Dendrite contained approximately equivalent amount of Co, Cr, Fe, Ni and a smaller amount of Ti. When annealed below 1000 °C, the interdendrite stayed in (Ni, Ti)-rich phase, (Fe, Cr)-rich phase and (Co, Ti)-rich phase. After 1000 °C annealing, (Co, Ti)-rich phase disappeared, while (Ni, Ti)-rich phase and (Fe, Cr)-rich phase grew. The microhardness of the as-cast CoCrFeNiTi_0.5 alloy was 616.80 HV and the macrohardness was 52 HRC. The hardness of the samples stayed generally unchanged after annealing. This indicated a high microstructure stability and excellent resistance to temper softening that the CoCrFeNiTi_0.5 alloy exhibited.     

Microstructure control in two-phase Al–21Ti–23Cr alloy

To improve the mechanical properties of the Al–21Ti–23Cr two-phase alloy consisting of L1₂ matrix and 20 vol% Cr₂Al as a second phase, microstructure control was conducted through the aging treatment as a thermal process and the addition of V and Zr as conventional alloying. It was found that TiAlCr was precipitated as a third phase in the L1₂ matrix by the aging treatment at 800 and 1000°C, and its size was smaller at 800°C than at 1000°C. The yield strength of the aged alloy increased rapidly only at 800°C although the third phase was precipitated at both 800 and 1000°C. In the V-added two-phase alloys, the yield strength and the strain increased simultaneously when V was added up to 3 at%, which is attributable to the improvement in the ductility of Cr₂Al. Microstructure control conducted in this study suggests the possibility of improving the mechanical properties of L1₂ (Al,Cr)₃Ti-based two-phase alloy by precipitating the fine third phase in the L1₂ matrix and enhancing the ductility of the second phase.     

Deformation behaviour of intermetallic NiAl–Ta alloys with strengthening Laves phase for high-temperature applications IV. Effects of processing

The properties of the intermetallic NiAl–Ta–Cr alloy IP75 with strengthening Laves phase were studied as a function of alloy processing procedure: investment casting, hot extrusion of cast material, hot isostatic pressing (HIP), powder injection moulding (PIM) of pre-alloyed powder, and isothermal forging of HIPped material. Powder-metallurgically processed materials show finer microstructures and correspondingly reduced brittle-to-ductile transition temperatures (BDTT), lower yield stresses at all temperatures and lower creep resistances at high temperatures than cast materials. The lowest BDTT was obtained for isothermally forged material, whereas the highest yield stress was observed for remelted cast material. The effects of processing on the mechanical behaviour can be used for adjusting the property spectrum to specific applications. IP75, which is attractive for high-temperature applications because of high strength at temperatures above 1000 °C in combination with tolerable brittleness at room temperature as well as high corrosion and thermo-shock resistance, is the subject of an ongoing development aiming at applications in stationary gas turbines.     

Effect of matrix microstructure on precipitation of Laves phase in Fe–10Cr–1.4W(–Co) alloys

Ferritic heat-resistant steels involving intermetallic Laves phase have drawn a growing interest for the enhancement of creep strength, while the brittleness of Laves phase may lower the toughness of the alloy. We believe it is possible to modify the morphology of Laves phase precipitates by controlling the α-Fe matrix microstructure. In order to make clear the influence of matrix microstructures on age-hardening, the precipitation behavior of Laves phase was investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The matrix of the Fe–10Cr–1.4W–4.5Co (at%) alloy is controlled by heat treatments so as to provide three types of microstructures; ferrite, ferrite+martensite, and martensite. Alloys with ferrite and ferrite+martensite matrices show age-hardening behavior comprised of two hardness peaks. At around the first hardness peak, it is revealed by TEM observation that fine particles precipitate coherently within the ferrite matrix. In the martensite matrix, most of R-phase and Laves phase precipitates exist on laths and dislocations.     

The superior thermal stability and tensile properties of hot rolled W-HfC alloys

Herein, a W-0.5wt%HfC (WHC05) alloy is fabricated by conventional sintering and multi-step hot-rolling. The high-temperature stability and tensile properties at different temperatures, ranging from room temperature to 600 °C, are studied to demonstrate the influence of HfC addition. The results reveal that the WHC05 alloy has a higher recrystallization temperature (1400 °C–1500 °C) than the previously reported as-rolled pure W (1200 °C) and as-rolled W-0.5wt%ZrC (WZC05 ~ 1300 °C) alloy. Moreover, after recovery and recrystallization (annealing at 1600 °C), the WHC05 alloy maintained a high ultimate tensile strength of ~300 MPa and exhibited a desirable increase in total elongation (>35%), which is ~1.6 times higher than the recrystallized WZC05 at 500 °C. The superior thermal stability and excellent high-temperature mechanical properties can be ascribed to the unique microstructure and uniform dispersion of nano-sized HfC particles in W matrix. The influence of annealing temperature on grain structure, grain orientation and distribution of nano-sized HfC particles has been studied to unveil the possible mechanism of enhanced thermal stability and superior mechanical properties.     

Formation of NiAl Intermetallic Compound by Cold Spraying of Ball-Milled Ni/Al Alloy Powder Through Postannealing Treatment

Ni/Al alloy powders were synthesized by ball milling of nickel-aluminum powder mixture with a Ni/Al atomic ratio of 1:1. Ni/Al alloy coating was deposited by cold spraying using N₂ as accelerating gas. NiAl intermetallic compound was evolved in situ through postspray annealing treatment of cold-sprayed Ni/Al alloy coating. The effect of annealing temperature on the phase transformation behavior from Ni/Al mechanical alloy to intermetallics was investigated. The microstructure of the mechanically alloying Ni/Al powder and NiAl coatings was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction analysis. The results show that a dense Ni/Al alloy coating can be successfully deposited by cold spraying using the mechanically alloyed powder as feedstocks. The as-sprayed alloy coating exhibited a laminated microstructure retained from the mechanically alloying powder. The annealing of the subsequent Ni/Al alloy coating at a temperature higher than 850 °C leads to complete transformation from Ni/Al alloy to NiAl intermetallic compound.     

Constitutional and microstructural investigation of the pseudobinary NiAl–W system

Pseudobinary NiAl–W section in the range 0.7–1.8 at% was characterised regarding solidification microstructure and constitution. The existence of eutectic reaction was confirmed and occurs at temperature of 1664 ± 2 °C and the composition of 1.5 at% W. As-cast microstructures indicated that the NiAl–W system is an anomalous eutectic with skewed coupled zone and that the NiAl phase is a preferential phase for eutectic nucleation. Directionally solidified alloy containing 1.5 at% W exhibited entirely eutectic structure characterised by eutectic cells with the average value of 500 μm, interfibre spacing 3.5 μm, fibre diameter 300 nm, and volume fraction of the W phase 1.4%. The solubility of W in the intermetallic phase is <0.04 at% and the solubility of Ni and Al in the W phase is negligible. Crystallographic orientation between the constituent phases was established to be cube on cube. Based on the results obtained by DTA, microstructural and compositional analysis, a new isoplethal section NiAl–W of the ternary Al–Ni–W system has been proposed.     

退火温度对Ti-Ni-Cr低温超弹性合金组织和拉伸性能的影响

用光学显微镜和拉伸试验研究了退火温度(Ta)对Ti-50.8Ni-0.3Cr合金显微组织和拉伸行为的影响。结果表明,合金原始态为拉拔纤维组织,退火时发生回复与再结晶。Ta=350～500℃时,为回复阶段,组织呈纤维状。Ta=550～590℃时,为再结晶阶段,纤维组织逐渐变成无畸变等轴晶粒,再结晶温度在570℃左右。Ta=600～800℃时,为晶粒长大阶段,显微组织呈粗大不均匀等轴晶。Ta对合金在低温(8℃)下的拉伸行为有显著影响,随Ta升高,应力诱发马氏体相变临界应力先降低后升高;350～500℃退火态合金的加工硬化能力和抗拉强度大于550～700℃退火态合金,而后者的延伸率则显著大于前者。当Ta大于650℃后合金的延伸率因晶粒粗化而减小。     

Static Recrystallization of Cold Rolled Intermetallic Fe17Al4Cr0.3Zr Alloy

The final microstructure of cold rolled intermetallic disordered alloy Fe17Al4Cr0.3Zr was rebuilt during the annealing at moderate temperatures in the range of 800 to 900?°C. The time necessary to obtain recrystallized structure was determined at several annealing temperatures to optimize the processing technology of the plates. The phases present in the material during this process were identified. The grain growth (grain boundary movement) during static recrystallization (SRX) is connected with the interaction with an array of the Laves phase ??₁(Fe,Al)₂Zr and ZrC particles. The Avrami-based phenomenological model describing kinetics of SRX was developed. The activation energy for recrystallization was estimated.     

LAVES PHASE ALLOYS FOR HIGH TEMPERATURE APPLICATIONS

１　ＩＮＴＲＯＤＣＴＩＯＮＴｈｅｌａｒｇｅｓｔｇｒｏｕｐｏｆｉｎｔｅｒｍｅｔａｌｌｉｃｓｉｓｆｏｒｍｅｄｂｙｔｈｅＬａｖｅｓｐｈａｓｅｓ,ｗｈｉｃｈｃｒｙｓｔａｌｌｉｓｅｗｉｔｈｔｈｅｈｅｘａｇｏｎａｌＣ１４ｓｔｒｕｃｔｕｒｅ,ｔｈｅｃｕｂｉｃＣ１５ｓｔｒｕｃｔｕｒｅｏｒｔｈｅｄｉｈｅｘａｇｏｎａｌＣ３６ｓｔｒｕｃｔｕｒｅ［１］．ＶａｒｉｏｕｓＬａｖｅｓｐｈａｓｅｓｈａｖｅａｔｔｒａｃｔｅｄｉｎｔｅｒｅｓｔａｌｒｅａｄｙｉｎｔｈｅｐａｓｔｆｏｒａｐｐｌｉｃａｔｉｏｎｓａｓｓｕｐｅｒｃｏｎｄｕ…     

Precipitation and hardening behaviour of the Fe20Co18W alloy aged at 800 °C

The hardness and the microstructure evolution are studied in the Fe20Co18W (mass %) alloy aged at 800 °C after a solution treatment at 1380 °C. The hardness strongly increases at the onset of the annealing treatment then decreases. The precipitation sequence is characterized using X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. Several phases are identified during the annealing: nanometric W rich clusters, FeCoW ordered domains, nanometric plate shaped precipitates of Laves phase then micrometric Laves phase precipitates. The specific effect of Co addition on mechanical properties of FeCoW alloys is likely due to the formation of the FeCoW ordered compound at the beginning of aging and to the larger stability domain of the Laves phase in these alloys.     

Microstructures of Ti–Ni–Fe wire after severe cold-drawing and annealing

The microstructures and mechanical properties of Ti–47 at%Ni–3 at%Fe shape memory alloy wire under the condition of severe cold-drawing at room temperature and different postdeformation annealing processes were intensively investigated using transmission electron microscope(TEM),X-ray diffraction(XRD),Vickers microhardness tester and electron tensile tester.It is indicated that the structure of the alloy evolves into a predominant amorphous structure with a trace of nanocrystalline B2 phase after the cold-drawing of 76%areal reduction.Postdeformation annealing process exerted significant influence on the microstructure and mechanical properties.Crystallization occurs when the cold-drawn wire was annealed at 300℃ for 30 min.The ultimate tensile strength and ductility as well as the superelasticity of the wire are improved significantly by cold-drawing plus postdeformation annealing.     

Influence Of High Temperature Heat Treatment On Microstructure And Microhardness Of (Ds)Nial--Cr(Mo)—Hf Eutectic Alloy

采用高温度梯度定向凝固装置制备NiAl-28Cr-5Mo-1Hf(原子分数，％，下同)共晶合金，研究了高温热处理对合金显微组织和显微硬度的影响。结果表明，热处理后，NiAl和Cr(Mo)的层片状组织形貌基本没有变化，而合金中分布于胞界的半连续的Heusler(Ni2AlHf)相部分或大部分消失，并以弥散的Heusler颗粒形式在NiAl基体中重新析出。此外，Cr(Mo)相中的NiAl微粒粗化，在Cr(Mo)相中出现了位错线。定向凝固NiAl-28Cr-5Mo-1Hf合金的显微硬度明显高于NiAl-28Cr-6Mo合金，热处理后，合金的硬度值基本保持不变。     

Microstructure and mechanical behavior of NiAl-based alloy prepared by powder metallurgical route

Rapidly solidified NiAl–28Cr–6Mo–B–Dy prealloyed powder doped with Nb powder was consolidated by hot pressing under 1250 °C for 30 min at 30 MPa. The consolidated material exhibited a different microstructure from the original powder, i.e. the NiAl and Cr(Mo) plates in the eutectic cell tend to break down into short platelets or even particles during hot pressing process. The mechanical behaviors at room temperature and at high temperature of consolidated sample from powder alloy were evaluated by three-point bending technique, tensile test and compressive test. The results showed that the hot pressing alloy possessed a reasonable combination of room temperature ductility and toughness, and elevated temperature strength.     

（V30Ti35Cr25Fe10）97．5Si2．5合金的结构与吸放氢性能

采用XRD，SEM和PCT测试研究了（V30Ti35Cr25Fe10）97.5Si2.5（at％）合金的组织结构与吸放氢性能。结果表明：合金由BCC相和C14 Laves相组成，BCC相含量为75％，晶胞参数为α=0．3021nm，Laves相含量为25％，晶胞参数为α=0．4920nm和c=0．7996nm。由于含有大量的Laves相，合金具有良好的活化性能，室温下不需孕育期就可以快速吸氢，5min内达到吸氢饱和状态，饱和吸氢量达到2．98％（质量分数，下同）。在一定氢压下，合金的容量可由合金中BCC相和Laves相的容量按组分的含量进行线性组合而成。     

Effects of annealing at 800 and 1000 °C on phase precipitates and hardness of Al7Cr20FexNi73−x alloys

The effects of Fe content on the microstructure, phase constituents and microhardness of the as-cast, 800 °C- or 1000 °C-annealed Al₇Cr₂₀Fe_xNi_73?x (x=13?66) alloys were investigated. Not all these alloys are composed of the single FCC phase. The BCC and B2 phases are found. It is confirmed that the BCC phase in the Al₇Cr₂₀Fe₆₆Ni₇ alloy is transformed from the FCC phase at about 900 °C during cooling. While in the 800 °C-annealed Al₇Cr₂₀Fe₆₀Ni₁₃ alloy, the FCC phase is stable and the hardness decreases. After annealing at 1000 °C, for the precipitation of the B2 particles, the Al content in the FCC phase decreases, which results in decreasing of the alloy hardness. Moreover, after annealing at 800 °C, a small amount of Al-rich B2 particles precipitate at the phase boundary and some nanocrystal BCC phase precipitates in the FCC matrix, which increases the hardness of the Al₇Cr₂₀Fe_xNi_73?x (x=41?49) alloys. These results will help to the composition design and processing design of the Al?Cr?Fe?Ni based high-entropy alloys.     

Effects of solution treatment on microstructure and tensile properties of as-cast alloy 625

Effects of solution treatment between 1050 and 1250 °C on microstructure and tensile properties of as-cast alloy 625 were investigated. The microstructure and solidification characteristics of the alloy were studied by SEM, EDS, EPMA and DTA. The results showed that the solidification sequence of the alloy should be written as L→L+γ→ L+γ+MC→L+γ+MC+γ/Laves→γ+MC+γ/Laves. After solution treatment at 1225 and 1250 °C, incipient melting of Laves phase was observed. The ultimate tensile strength decreased monotonically with the increase of solution treatment temperature, and the yield strength had no significant variation. The elongation increased slightly at first and then reached a minimum value at 1250 °C. The fracture mechanism changed from transgranular mode to intergranular mode after solution at 1250 °C for the reason that numerous Laves phases melted at grain boundaries and microcracks nucleated in the molten pool. The suitable solution treatment temperature of this alloy was 1200 °C.     

Precipitation of Cr-rich phases in rapidly solidified Ni–20Al–8Cr (at.%) powders

The evolution of the microstructure in rapidly solidified Ni–20.9Al–8Cr–0.49B (at.%) powders after different continuous and isothermal heat treatments at temperatures up to 1100 °C has been studied by electron microscopy and microanalysis. Powders in the rapidly solidified condition have a dendritic microstructure consisting of Ni₃Al dendrites and a NiAl phase in the interdendritic regions. Chromium is in solid solution in both phases. This microstructure is stable when heating at 10 K min⁻¹ up to 750 °C. When the powders are heated up to 950 °C, partial dissolution of the NiAl phase and the precipitation of very small chromium-rich particles take place.The microstructure of the powders after annealing at temperatures between 750 and 1100 °C for different times is characterised by the dissolution of the β-NiAl phase and the simultaneous precipitation of various Cr-rich phases. α-Chromium, the metastable X-phase, and dark polygonal Cr₅B₃ precipitates have been identified.The segregation of chromium and boron in the form of borides removes these elements from the intermetallic matrix, so the content of both elements should be optimised to preserve their beneficial influence on the ductility of the γ′-Ni₃Al phase.     

退火温度对挤压态细晶钨合金性能及组织演变的影响

采用稀土微合金化和液相强化烧结技术制备细晶93W-4.9Ni-2.1Fe+0.03%Y合金。研究在快速热挤压形变强化后,时效热处理对挤压态细晶93W-4.9Ni-2.1Fe+0.03%Y合金显微硬度和组织演变的影响,并与相应条件的传统钨合金进行对比。结果表明,随着退火温度的升高,2种钨合金钨相的显微硬度大大降低。EDS分析表明,随着退火温度的升高,钨合金粘结相中钨含量逐渐增加,其中细晶钨合金经过1200 ℃退火处理后,粘结相钨含量高达26.11%,而传统钨合金在1350 ℃退火处理后含量最高,达到28.14%。显微组织观察表明,退火有利于降低W-W连接度和细化钨颗粒;与传统钨合金相比,高温退火后,细晶钨合金的粘结相体积比更高且分布更为均匀     

Matrix Transformation in Boron Containing High-Temperature Co–Re–Cr Alloys

An addition of boron largely increases the ductility in polycrystalline high-temperature Co–Re alloys. Therefore, the effect of boron on the alloy structural characteristics is of high importance for the stability of the matrix at operational temperatures. Volume fractions of ε (hexagonal close-packed—hcp), γ (face-centered cubic—fcc) and σ (Cr₂Re₃ type) phases were measured at ambient and high temperatures (up to 1500 °C) for a boron-containing Co–17Re–23Cr alloy using neutron diffraction. The matrix phase undergoes an allotropic transformation from ε to γ structure at high temperatures, similar to pure cobalt and to the previously investigated, more complex Co–17Re–23Cr–1.2Ta–2.6C alloy. It was determined in this study that the transformation temperature depends on the boron content (0–1000 wt. ppm). Nevertheless, the transformation temperature did not change monotonically with the increase in the boron content but reached a minimum at approximately 200 ppm of boron. A probable reason is the interplay between the amount of boron in the matrix and the amount of σ phase, which binds hcp-stabilizing elements (Cr and Re). Moreover, borides were identified in alloys with high boron content.