Change in grain size and flow strength in P/M Rene 95 under isothermal forging conditions

The changes in microstructure induced by plastic deformation in hot isostatically pressed (HIPed) P/M Rene 95 under isothermal conditions are discussed. Results of the constant true strain rate compression tests are presented for initially fine (7 μm) and coarse (50 μm) grained compacts deformed at temperatures of 1050 °C, 1075 °C and 1100 °C and at strain rates in the range from 10⁻⁴ s⁻¹ to 1 s⁻¹. Under these test conditions, both the fine and coarse-grained compacts recrystallize and their grain size are refined during flow. This grain refinement gives rise to softening in both materials. Ultimately, their microstructures transform into the same equiaxed fine-grained microduplex structure at which point their flow strength becomes identical. Continued deformation at that point produces no further change in grain size or flow strength. Under this steady state regime of deformation, the microduplex grain size and flow strength are independent of the original microstructure but are conditioned by the strain rate at a given temperature. The steady state grain size increases whereas the steady flow strength decreases with a decrease in strain rate and/or an increase in temperature.     

Sinter forging of zirconia toughened alumina

Sinter forging experiments have been carried out on powder compacts of zirconia toughened alumina (ZTA) Ceramics Alumina-15 wt% zirconia was prepared by a gel precipitation method and calcined at temperatures of 900 or 1100°C. Full densification of ZTA ceramics was obtained within 15 min at 1400°C and 40 MPa. A homogeneous microstructure can be observed with an alumina grain size of 0.7 m and a zirconia grain size of 0.2 m. Almost no textural evolution occurred in the microstructure. During sinter forging the densification behaviour of the compacts was improved by an effective shear strain, for which values of more than 100% could be obtained. As a result of the shear deformation the densification of ZTA in the alumina phase stage shifted to lower temperature. During pressureless sintering the to alumina transformation temperature was dependent of the preceding calcination temperature, while during sinter forging this phase transformation was independent of calcination temperature and took place at a lower temperature.     

Deformation of Cu–P alloys at high temperatures

Abstract

The deformation behaviour of Cu–P alloys has been investigated by torsion and tensile testing over a range of strain rates and temperatures. The torsion flow curves are interpreted in terms of dynamic softening processes, and the curves obtained during interrupted testing are used to examine static-restoration behaviour. Constitutive equations relating flow strength to strain rate and temperature are deduced, with allowance made for the effect of deformation heating, and implications of the equation constants are discussed. It is shown from tensile results that a state of superplasticity can be achieved in alloys containing 3·8 and 6·8 wt-%P. Superplasticity can occur only if the small α grain size is stable and if the temperature and strain rate fall within certain limits. The activation energy associated with superplastic flow has been determined.

MST/52     

Microstructural development and superplasticity in Al–Li 8090 alloy

Abstract

The mechanical behaviour of an Al–Li–Mg–Cu–Zr 8090 alloy at a temperature of 515°C and strain rates in the range 10^?4?10^?2s^?1 was measured by tensile testing. The greatest strain rate sensitivity was measured in the middle of that strain rate range, and did not change significantly with strain. Large abrupt changes in strain rate during testing showed that the strain rate history had a significant effect, especially slow prestraining which gave a relative increase in flow stress and a reduction in rate sensitivity compared with testing at a constant rate to the same strain. The evolution of grain size was measured, and there was evidence that this aspect of the material microstructure could be used to explain the observed behaviour. This view was reinforced by the ability of a transition model of superplasticity, together with a simple model of the evolution of grain size distribution, to reproduce the essential features observed in testing with large changes in strain rate.

MST/3351     

Warm multiaxial forging of AISI 1016 steel

In this work, the microstructural evolution in AISI 1016 steel processed by using warm multiaxial forging technique is studied. With increase in multiaxial forging strain, a finer substructure evolved. Structural evolution in pearlite phase is addressed in detail considering the strain paths and strain rate. Pearlitic cementite fragmented into ultrafine particles of about 100–300 nm size. Warm multiaxial forging process also dispersed the ultrafine cementite particles into the ferrite matrix. Based on the grain boundary characterization and textural evolution, mechanism of ferrite grain refinement is explained. Up to six strain steps, crystallographic slip is the dominant mode of deformation and grain subdivision and recovery is the mechanism for ferrite grain refinement. At nine strain steps, dominant deformation mechanism appears to be grain boundary sliding and random grain rotation. After nine strain steps, initial grains of average 17 μm size reduced to submicron sized grains with the fraction of high angle grain boundaries exceeding 0.7. Double-n behavior is observed during tensile testing of some multiaxially forged steels. Tensile strength and hardness values of multiaxially forged steel increased by more than 100% after eighteen warm multiaxial forging strain steps, whereas ductility reduced by only about 30%.     

Microstructural,physical, and mechanical characteristics of bulk nanocrystalline copper synthesised using powder metallurgy

Abstract

In the present study, elemental Cu powder was mechanically milled to reduce the grain (crystalline) size to the nanorange (< 100 nm). The powder was consolidated by die cold compaction. Omitting the sintering process, the powder compacts of 10 h mechanically milled powder and elemental powder without mechanical milling (0 h mechanically milled) were hot extruded at different temperatures to maintain a crystallite size within the nanoregime. Characterisation revealed that samples with relatively lower grain size (63 nm/10 h mechanically milled) exhibited reduced density and ductility, similar dimensional stability, and significantly enhanced hardness, 0.2% yield strength, and ultimate tensile strength. Particular emphasis was placed on correlating the properties of the samples with their microstructural features.     

纳米Cu粉末的SPS烧结与晶粒长大行为的研究

为了研究金属材料在放电等离子烧结(SPS)过程中晶粒的长大行为和激活能的变化情况,利用SEM、FESEM、TEM等技术分析测定了纳米Cu粉坯体在SPS过程中组织形貌和晶粒尺寸的变化情况.研究表明:特定的工艺和烧结制度下,应用SPS技术可以得到均匀、致密的组织;脉冲电流的作用使晶粒表面大大活化,晶粒长大激活能大大降低,材料在迅速烧结的同时,晶粒也迅速长大.     

Micrometer size grains of hot isostatically pressed alumina and its characterization

Alumina samples were prepared from two different particle size powders. Finer particle compacts when heated along with coarser particle compacts at same processing temperatures produce bigger grain microstructures due to higher grain growth. An unconventional method of etching by molten V₂O₅ was adopted to look at the microstructure for accuracy in reported data. On an average starting with finer particles give microstructure with a grain size of 5.5 μm and starting with coarser particles, give microstructure with 2.2 μm average grain size. The flexural strength is around 400 MPa for alumina samples prepared from finer powder in comparison with about 550 MPa for alumina samples prepared from coarser powder. The Vickers hardness in 5.5 μm grain microstructure is around 20 GPa in comparison to about 18 GPa in microstructure with smaller grains of 2.2 μm size.     

The evaluation of hot-working characteristics of cobalt-based implant alloys

The hot-working characteristics of wrought Co-Ni-Cr-Mo implant alloy during ingot-to-billet conversion were evaluated using a Gleeble-2000A simulator. The hot tensile test at 700–1 320 °C was used to determine the optimum hot-working parameters at a strain rate equivalent to that of conventional press forging to ensure acceptable hot workability. Hot ductility and deformation resistance as a function of temperature can be clearly established. The fracture surfaces of the tensile specimens were examined to correlate them with the hot tensile ductility values at various temperatures. The poor ductility at temperatures above 1300 °C was attributed to the incipient melting of grain boundaries. The effect of temperature and strain rate on the flow-stress behaviour and microstructures were investigated by uniaxial compression testing in the temperature range 900–1200 °C and strain rate, , range of 0.01–10s^–1. The strain-hardening and steady-state behaviour were described from the measured true stress-true strain curves.     

Effect of deviatoric plastic strain on the mechanical behaviour of composite powder compacts with large amount of hard phase

The effect of increasing amounts of deviatoric plastic strain on the mechanical behaviour of powder composite compacts is investigated. The study focuses on a highly charged composite of soft Aluminium particles with hard Nickel based super-alloy particles. Three mechanical tests, imposing different stress states, are carried out at various temperatures on powder compacts that have been submitted to increasing amount of deviatoric plastic strain. These tests are used to gather information on the alterations that such deviatoric strains cause on the powder compact mechanical response. It is shown that the ductility and the yield stress of the powder compacts increase with increasing amounts of cumulated plastic strain. The particulate nature of the compact fades, but some aspects of the mechanical behaviour (macroscopic rate dependence in particular) are still characteristic of the original particulate material even after significant amount of accumulated deviatoric strain. Microstructural observations are carried out to provide a reasonable scenario for the mechanisms responsible of the alterations that deviatoric strains bring.     

Superplasticity and production of mechanically milled Ti–6Al–4V–0.5B

Abstract

Superplastic forming of conventional titanium alloy sheet is limited commercially by the relatively long cycle times imposed by the high temperatures and slow strain rates required. In order to minimise cycle times material with a fine grain size is required to allow either, an increase in the forming rate or a reduction in the deformation temperature. This study details the manufacture of Ti–6Al–4V–0.5B powder with a nanocrystalline grain size, which was produced by mechanical milling. The material was consolidated by hot isostatic pressing at a range of temperatures during which ～2.5 vol.-%TiB was formed by an in situ reaction between the titanium and boron. The TiB particles limited the growth of the grain size in the titanium from the nanocrystalline structure in the powder to sizes in the range 600 nm–4 µm after consolidation. The consolidated material was hot tensile tested at a range of temperatures and strain rates. A superplastic elongation of 310%was achieved when testing at 900°C at a strain rate of 6×10^-2 s^-1 compared with 220% for conventional Ti–6Al–4V sheet. However, extensive cavitation, induced by the presence of argon, occurred during high temperature deformation and limited the superplastic extensions achieved.     

Analysis of high flow stress and microstructural evolution of TC6 titanium alloy during isothermal forging

Abstract

Elevated temperature true stress – strain curves have been determined for the isothermal deformation of a TC6 titanium alloy using hot compression testing in the deformation temperature range 800 – 1040°C, strain rate range 0.001 – 50 s^-1 and reduction in height of 30 – 50%. The experimental results show that the flow stress of TC6 titanium alloy is strongly dependent on process parameters, especially on the deformation temperature and strain rate. The peak stress and steady stress of such an alloy have the same characterisation, which increases with higher strain rate and lower deformation temperature. During isothermal forging, microstructural characterisation, including volume fraction, grain size, and grain pattern of prior α phase, varies with different temperatures, height reductions, and strain rates.     

Nano-grain evolution in austenitic stainless steel during multi-directional forging

Nano-grain evolution in an austenitic stainless steel (SUS 316) during multidirectional forging (MDF) was investigated at temperatures of 77 K and 300 K. The flow stress during MDF and the room-temperature hardness increased significantly with increasing cumulative strain. The initial grains were subdivided by mechanical twinning and martensitic transformation. The formation of packets, which are composed of lamellar-structured mechanical twins with a spacing of 10-300 nm, enhanced grain fragmentation. The packet size ranged from 40 nm to 100 nm depending on the MDF temperature and the cumulative strain. Tensile tests at ambient temperatures revealed a maximum proof strength of 2.1 GPa. While the proof strength increased with cumulative strain, the plastic strain at fracture was approximately 10% independent of the cumulative strain over ∑Δ? = 2.4.     

Improvement of mechanical properties of zirconia-toughened alumina by sinter forging

ZTA powder with a composition of 85 wt% alumina/15 wt% zirconia was prepared by a gel precipitation method. Sinter forging was performed with this powder to enhance the mechanical properties of ZTA materials. The influence of processing flaws on mechanical properties of sinter forged materials and pressureless sintered materials was investigated. Sinter forging at 40 MPa effectively decreases process flaw sizes resulting in a homogeneous microstructure and improves the grain boundary structure because of large shear applied in this process. Sinter forging resulted in an increase in strength and toughness by a factor of 1.5–2 when compared with pressureless sintered compacts. The fracture energy is enhanced by a factor of two. The predominate mechanism for improvement of mechanical properties of these sinter-forged ZTA materials is grain boundary strengthening.     

Mechanical properties and microstructures of Al-1%Si thin film metallizations

The microstructures and mechanical properties of Al-1%Si thin film metallizations annealed at temperatures ranging from 250 to 500 °C and then chemically removed from their substrates were evaluated at room temperature. Transmission electron microscopy revealed significant grain growth throughout the temperature range studied. The calculated activation energy for grain growth agrees well with previously reported values for the activation energy for aluminum self-diffusion along grain boundaries. The mechanical properties were evaluated under biaxial stress conditions using a testing device that provided reproducible stress-strain diagrams. Increasing grain size leads to an overall decrease in the tensile strength and plastic flow stress at a given strain. Details of the sample preparation, testing equipment and experimental procedure are presented, and the results are discussed in terms of microstructure-property relationships.     

Effect of welding parameters on diffusion bonding of type 304 stainless steel–copper bimetal

Abstract

Stainless steel AISI type 304 and electrolytic cold rolled copper were joined by diffusion bonding at temperatures ranging from 650 to 950°C, for times from 5 to 45 min, and at pressures from 2 to 12 MPa. After bonding the microstructure of the interface was investigated, including the grain size, and shear and tensile strengths of the bonded specimens were determined. From the results, it was seen that the bond shear strength was dependent on interface grain boundary migration and on grain growth during the bonding process. In addition, attempts were made to find a relationship between grain size and shear strength in the bonding area. Taking into account the results of shear testing and microstructural observation, for a sound bond, optimum bonding conditions were obtained at temperatures of 800–850°C for 15–20 min at 4–6.5 MPa. The fracture behaviour of the diffusion bonded joint was investigated by means of shear and tensile testing under different bonding conditions. It was found that both shear and tensile strengths of the bonds were sensitive to the bonding conditions, and the intermetallic phases did not affect these parameters. Furthermore, the value of shear strength of the bond surface determined by shear testing was higher than the shear strength of the fracture surface determined by tensile testing.     

Experimental Investigation and Numerical Simulation of the Grain Size Evolution during Isothermal Forging of a TC6 Alloy

Hot compression was conducted at a Thermecmaster-Z simulator, at deformation temperatures of 800～1040℃, with strain rates of 0.001～50 s-1 and height reduction of 50%. Grain size of the prior α phase was measured with a Leica LABOR-LUX12MFS/ST microscope to which QUANTIMET 500 software for image analysis for quantitative metallography was linked. According to the present experimental data, a constitutive relationship for a TC6 alloy and a model for grain size of the prior α phase were established based on the Arrhenius' equation and the Yada's equation,respectively. By finite element (FE) simulation, deformation distribution was determined for isothermal forging of a TC6 aerofoil blade at temperatures of 860～940℃ and hammer velocities of 9～3000.0 mm/min. Meanwhile, the grain size of the prior α phase is simulated during isothermal forging of the TC6 aerofoil blade, by combining FE outputs with the present grain size model. The present results illustrate the grain size and its distribution in the prior α phase during the isothermal forging of the TC6 aerofoil blade. The simulated results show that the height reduction, deformation temperature, and hammer velocity have significant effects on distribution of the equivalent strain and the grain size of the prior α phase.     

Creep model of ice for monotonically increasing stress

A numerical integration method of predicting the strain path corresponding to a given stress history, and hence the stress-strain relation, has been developed for polycrystalline materials like ice at high homologous temperatures. The method is based on a generalized creep equation incorporating the grain size effect and predicts strain in terms of elastic, delayed-elastic, and viscous or permanent strains. The theory has been tested successfully during strength tests of ice in the temperature range of ?5 to ?30°C. The monotonous increase in strain rate observed during testing under conditions of constant cross-head displacement rate can now be explained analytically.     

High temperature,high strain forging behaviour of binary Al–2Li alloy

Abstract

This investigation has demonstrated the utility of coupled computer simulation and constant strain rate, isothermal compression of double cone wedge tests within the dynamic recrystallisation regime, for predicting the influence of strain, strain rate and temperature on the high temperature, high strain forging behaviour of an annealed binary Al–2 wt-%Li alloy. Initially, experimentally determined true stress–true strain compression data were used to simulate isothermal forging of double cone compression specimens. At intermediate temperatures (673–773 K) and strain rates (0.01–0.001 s^-1), simulations predicted large gradients in strain across the specimen, the microstructural features in this case corresponding to both dynamic recovery and dynamic recrystallisation (DRX) within the specimen. At higher temperatures (773–823 K) and lower strain rates (0.0005–0.001 s^-1), simulations predicted a uniform strain distribution over the cross-section of the specimen, the microstructural observations correlating to DRX at lower strains and dynamic grain growth at high strain levels. Two models, one statistical, and the other phenomenological, were utilised to predict the grain size variation in the specimen as a function of strain. Both models showed excellent correlation with the experimentally measured grain size data.