Diffusion behavior and reactions between Al and Ca in Mg alloys by diffusion couples

The diffusion behavior and reactions between Al and Ca in Mg alloys by diffusion couple method were investigated. Results demonstrate that Al_2Ca is the only phase existing in the diffusion reaction layers.The volume fraction of Al_2Ca in diffusion reaction layers increases linearly with temperature. The standard enthalpy of formation for intermetallic compounds was rationalized on the basis of the Miedema model. Al-Ca intermetallic compounds were preferable to form in the Mg-Al-Ca ternary system under the same conditions. Over the range of 350–400?C, the structure of Al_2Ca is more stable than that of Al_4Ca, Al_(14)Ca_(13) and Al_3Ca_8. The growth constants of the layer Ⅰ, layer Ⅱ and entire diffusion reaction layers were determined. The activation energies for the growth of the layer Ⅰ, layer Ⅱ and entire diffusion reaction layers were(80.74 ± 3.01) k J/mol,(93.45 ± 2.12) k J/mol and(83.52 ± 1.50) k J/mol, respectively.In layer Ⅰ and Ⅱ, Al has higher integrated interdiffusion coefficients D~(Int, layer)ithan Ca. The average effective interdiffusion coefficients D_(Al)~(eff) values are higher than D_(Ca)~(eff) in the layer Ⅰ and Ⅱ.     

Study on hot deformation behavior and microstructure evolution of cast-extruded AZ31B magnesium alloy and nanocomposite using processing map

The hot deformation behavior and microstructural evolution of cast-extruded AZ31B magnesium alloy and nanocomposite have been studied using processing-maps. Compression tests were conducted in the temperature range of 250–400 °C and strain rate range of 0.01–1.0 s⁻¹. The three-dimensional (3D) processing maps developed in this work, describe the variations of the efficiency of power dissipation and flow instability domains in the strain rate ($\dot{\epsilon }$) and temperature (T) space. The deformation mechanisms namely dynamic recrystallization (DRX), dynamic recovery (DRY) and instability regions were identified using processing maps. The deformation mechanisms were also correlated with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and optical microscopy (OM). The optimal region for hot working has been observed at a strain rate ($\dot{\epsilon }$) of 0.01 s⁻¹ and the temperature (T) of 400 °C for both magnesium alloy and nanocomposite. Few instability regimes have been identified in this study at higher strain rate ($\dot{\epsilon }$) and temperature (T). The stability domains have been identified in the lower strain rate regimes.     

Variation in fatigue properties of cast A359-SiC composites under total strain controlled conditions: Effects of porosity and inclusions

The effects of casting defects, such as inclusions and porosity on fatigue properties of permanent mold cast bars of A359-20 vol% SiC particle composites cast and heat treated under identical conditions, were studied under total strain control conditions. The fatigue fracture surfaces and the near fracture regions were observed using optical stereo-microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM) to identify the effects of microstructure and casting defects on fatigue properties of pairs of specimens tested under the same total strain that showed large scatter in fatigue life. It was found that the largest porosity size on the fracture surfaces of the fatigue specimens measured was around 700 μm, whereas the average dendrite arm spacing was 60–100 μm and the size of SiC particle clusters in the near fracture region was around 100 μm. Fracture surfaces of the composite bars showed that fatigue cracks frequently initiated from porosity present near the surface of the samples. Test specimens containing larger porosity size were observed to have lower fatigue life. However, some specimens with larger amounts of inclusions had a lower fatigue life than those with larger porosity size within the range observed in this study. The size and amount of inclusions, and the size and shape of the porosity near the surface seems to have the greatest influence in decreasing fatigue life. Fatigue strength, and fatigue ductility constants for permanent mold cast A359-20 vol% SiC composite were determined from the strain controlled fatigue data. They were as follows: fatigue strength exponent (b) is −0.1145, fatigue strength coefficient $({\sigma }_{\text{f}}^{\prime })$ is 558 MPa, fatigue ductility exponent (c) is −0.6066 and fatigue ductility coefficient (${\epsilon }_{\text{f}}^{\prime })$ is 0.0108.     

Formation of face-centered cubic titanium in laser surface re-melted commercially pure titanium plate

Micron-scale face-centered cubic titanium phase(named as δ phase) were noticed in the re-melted zone of laser surface re-melted commercially pure titanium plate.The morphology,sub-structure,orientation and distribution of δ phase were investigated by scanning electron microscopy,electron back-scattered diffraction and transmission electron microscopy.Three kind formation processes of δ phase were put forward based on the investigation.The first one is α'→δ transformation which takes place in single α'grains and leads to the orientation relationship {001}δ//{0001}α' 110 δ// 1120 α'.The second one is β→α'+ δ transformation which takes place at α'/α'interfaces and leads to the orientation relationship{001}δ//110β110 δ//111β.The third one is another kind of β→α'+ δ transformation that takes place at α'/α'interfaces and leads to the orientation relationship111δ//110β 110 δ// 111 β.It is believed that the transformations of δ phase are stress assistant ones and in the present investigation,the phase transformation stress of β→α'transformation acts as the assistant driving force for the formation of δ phase.