The effect of Fe on the crystallization behavior of Al–Mm–Ni–Fe amorphous alloys

The crystallization behavior and thermal stability of Al₈₆Mm₄Ni_10–x Fe _x alloys were investigated as a function of Fe content. Alloys, produced by a single roll melt-spinner at a circumferential speed of 52 m/s, revealed fully amorphous structures. The thermal stability of the present amorphous alloys increased with the increase of Fe content. The activation energy for crystallization of -Al increased as the Fe content increased. This increase of activation energy resulted in the simultaneous precipitation of -Al and intermetallic phase observed especially in Al₈₆Mm₄Ni₅Fe₅ and Al₈₆Mm₄Ni₂Fe₈ alloys. The glass transition was observed in DSC thermogram only after proper annealing treatment. The effect of alloy composition on the thermal stability could be explained in terms of the atomic structure of the amorphous alloy.     

Initial precipitation and coarsening of the γ phase in inverse Ni–Al alloys

Coalescence coarsening and Ostwald ripening as well as the kinetics of γ precipitation in the γ′ matrix of inverse Ni–Al alloys are investigated by phase field simulations. The ordering of the γ′ matrix during the initial phase transformation of inverse Ni–Al alloys is faster than clustering, and disordering of the γ precipitates is faster than dissolution. As the Al content increases from 20.2 to 20.8 at.% Al, the initial precipitation and growth of γ precipitates decelerates, and the volume fractions of γ precipitates decreases with higher Al content. The rate constants of steady-state coarsening decrease with decreasing volume fraction of γ precipitates, the particle size distributions (PSDs) are broader than the PSDs predicted by Lifshitz–Slyozov–Wagner theory at steady-state coarsening, and the PSD becomes broad with increasing volume fraction of γ precipitates. The simulated morphology and kinetics variation of the γ precipitates are similar to previous experimental results.     

Breakdown of protective scales during the oxidation of thin foils of Fe–20Cr–5Al alloys at high temperatures

Abstract

The oxidation behaviour of alumina-forming Fe–20Cr–5Al and similar alloys containing small concentrations of lanthanum or lanthanum plus molybdenum in air at 1,150°C has been studied, with emphasis on thin (0.05 mm) specimens, where the aluminium reservoir in the substrate is soon depleted to a very low value. Oxidation of these alloys involves establishment and growth of protective alumina scales. However, once the residual aluminium concentration in the alloy drops below a critical level, a layer of chromia is able to develop and grow at the alumina–alloy substrate interface. Eventually, breakaway oxidation occurs and iron-rich oxides form and engulf the specimen.

This paper presents some kinetics of oxidation of these alloys and discusses the growth and breakdown of the protective scales, drawing on the results of detailed examinations of the oxidized specimens using analytical scanning and transmission electron microscopy in cross section. It has been shown that lanthanum increases the time to the onset of breakaway oxidation, probably due to beneficial effects on the mechanical integrity of the scale. Molybdenum additions have been found to decrease significantly the rate at which breakaway oxides are able to penetrate and engulf the alloy substrate. Such additions stabilize the ferrite phase in the substrate at the alloy–scale interface, thereby maintaining a high rate of diffusion of chromium to the interface and facilitating establishment of a healing and partially protective chromium-rich oxide layer at the base of the breakaway oxide scale. In the absence of such additions, depletions of chromium in the substrate adjacent to the alloy/scale interface, arising from oxidation of chromium, enable the austenite phase to be stabilized. The relatively low rate of diffusion of chromium in this phase allows chromium-rich oxide to form as internal precipitates in the alloy rather than as a continuous, healing layer; hence, the breakaway oxide scale is able to penetrate and consume the substrate more rapidly than in the presence of molybdenum additions.     

Effect of Al addition on the grain refinement and mechanical properties of as-cast Mg–5Y–4Sm alloys

Journal of Materials Science - In recent years, the utilization of Al as a grain refiner in Mg–RE alloys has gained widespread attention because of its advantages such as low cost. In this...     

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     

Phase transitions in alloys of the Ni–Mo system

The structure of Ni–20 at.% Mo and Ni–25 at.% Mo alloys heat treated at different temperatures was studied by the method of transmission electron microscopy. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to detect the sign of the chemical interaction between Ni and Mo atoms at different temperatures. It is shown that at high temperatures the tendency toward phase separation takes place. The system of additional reflections at positions {1 ½ 0} on the electron diffraction patterns testifies that the precipitation of crystalline bcc Mo particles begins in the liquid solution. At 900 °C and below, the tendency toward ordering leads to the precipitation of the particles of the chemical compounds. A body-centered tetragonal phase Ni₄Mo (D1_a) is formed in the Ni–20 at.% Mo alloy. In the Ni–25 at.% Mo alloy, the formation of the Ni₃Mo (D0₂₂) chemical compound from the A1 solid solution has gone through the intervening stage of the Ni₄Mo (D1_a) and Ni₂Mo (Pt₂Mo) formation.     

Microstructure and mechanical property of high strength Mg–Sn–Zn–Al alloys

This paper aims to reveal the microstructure and mechanical properties of as-cast and hot-rolled Mg–Sn–Zn–Al based alloys. Three alloys, Mg–5Sn–2Zn (TZ52), Mg–5Sn–2Zn–2Al (TAZ522) and Mg–5Sn–5Al–1Zn–0.2Mn (TAZM5510) alloys were studied. The results revealed that the as-cast alloys showed fine dendritic structures. The TAZM5510 alloys exhibited moderate yield strength of 98?MPa with good elongation of ～15%, which was comparable to several commercially used Mg die-castings. Mechanical properties were significantly improved after multi-pass rolling. The TZ52 sheet showed a high yield strength of 277?MPa with excellent ductility exceeding 30%, and the TAZM5510 sheet exhibited the highest tensile strength of 386?MPa while keeping desirable elongation of 16.6%. These sheets are termed as strong and ductile Mg–Sn–Zn–Al wrought alloys.     

Effect of ultrasonic treatment on the mechanical behaviour of Al–Ni alloys

Applications of Al–Ni alloys are limited because their matrix is weaker than other binary aluminium alloys. Ultrasonic treatment (UST) is an effective tool for grain refinement that can strengthen the matrix phase. It not only reduces the grain size and porosity but also refines and uniformly distributes the secondary phase, which can influence the mechanical properties of Al–Ni alloys. Varying the amount of nickel (1, 2, 3, and 5?wt-%) in molten aluminium along with ultrasonication of the melt is investigated through grain-structure, mechanical properties, and fractography. Mechanical properties of the alloys subjected to UST are superior to respective as-cast alloys. UST also altered the fracture behaviour from dominant ductile fracture in as-cast alloys to dominant mixed mode fracture.     

Coarsening kinetics of coherent γ′ precipitates in ternary Ni–based alloys: the Ni–Al–Si system

Coarsening of coherent precipitates γ’ in alloys such as Ni-based alloys has been studied extensively not only for its practical significance in the design of engineering alloys but also in an effort to understand the phe omenon of coarsening. However, a complete understanding of the role of the multiple factors that can affect the coarsening kinetics in such systems i still lacking. Although some advances have been made through computer simulations, studying experimentally the influence o the volume fraction of the second phase and that of coherency strains on the kinetics of coarsening has been particularly challenging.

This paper will highlight some of the issues that are relevant to the study of coarsening in multi–component alloy systems. Recent results obtained for the kinetics of coarsening of γ’ precipitates in different alloys within the Ni-Al-Si system will be presented. Compositions of these alloys have been chosen so as to vary both the magnitude and the sign of coherency strains between the precipitate and the matrix. Some anomalies related to the composition dependence of the kinetics of coarsening will be highlighted. This paper will conclude with a discussion on the role of the volume fraction of the second phase and coherency strains in contributing to these anomalies and identify directions for future work.     

Thermal diffusivity of zirconium–niobium alloys at high temperatures

Experimental results are presented on the temperature-concentration dependences of thermal diffusivity, specific electrical resistivity, and thermal conductivity of zirconium-niobium alloys at high temperatures.     

Deformation and fracture in Al–Li-base alloys

Abstract

Aluminium–lithium-base alloys are of considerable interest because of their low density and high modulus. However, they have been shown to have low ductility and poor fracture toughness. This has been attributed to a variety of factors, including intense shear band formation, segregation to grain boundaries, and weakened grain boundaries due to precipitation and precipitate-free zones. The authors have investigated the deformation structures observed in binary and more complex commercial alloys. As would be expected, considering the microstructure of the alloys, extensive strain localization and shear band formation occurs in these alloys. However, it is shown that the commercial alloys are less sensitive to strain localization than the model binary alloy systems investigated. The stresss–train behaviour has been investigated. The alloys exhibit jerky flow, which is indicative of negative strain rate sensitivity, and strain rate change tests showed this to be the case. This is consistent with the deformation structures observed. The effect of weakened grain boundaries due to precipitation and precipitate-free zones has been studied by comparing the fracture characteristics of aged and unaged material. It is shown that the mode of failure is identical under appropriate conditions. It is concluded that segregation to grain boundaries is the major cause of the lower ductility and toughness of Al–Li alloys. This possibility has been investigated using in situ fracture surface analysis techniques. Results are presented on grain boundary segregation, and methods of reducing its influence on fracture behaviour are indicated.

MST/570     

Deformation-driven formation of equilibrium phases in the Cu–Ni alloys

The homogeneous coarse-grained (CG) Cu–Ni alloys with nickel concentrations of 9, 26, 42, and 77 wt% were produced from as-cast ingots by homogenization at 850 °C followed by quenching. The subsequent high-pressure torsion (5 torsions at 5 GPa) leads to the grain refinement (grain size about 100 nm) and to the decomposition of the supersaturated solid solution in the alloys containing 42 and 77 wt% Ni. The lattice spacing of the fine Cu-rich regions in the Cu–77 wt% Ni alloy was measured by the X-ray diffraction (XRD). They contain 28 ± 5 wt% Ni. The amount of the fine Ni-rich ferromagnetic regions in the paramagnetic Cu–42 wt% Ni alloy was estimated by comparing its magnetization with that of fully ferromagnetic Cu–77 wt% Ni alloy. According to the lever rule, these Ni-rich ferromagnetic regions contain about 88 wt% Ni. It means that the high-pressure torsion of the supersaturated Cu–Ni solid solutions produces phases which correspond to the equilibrium solubility limit at 200 ± 40 °C (Cu–77 wt% Ni alloy) and 270 ± 20 °C (Cu–42 wt% Ni alloy). To explain this phenomenon, the concept of the effective temperature proposed by Martin (Phys Rev B 30:1424, 1984) for the irradiation-driven decomposition of supersaturated solid solutions was employed. It follows from this concept that the deformation-driven decomposition of supersaturated Cu–Ni solid solutions proceeds at the mean effective temperature T _eff = 235 ± 30 °C. The elevated effective temperature for the high-pressure torsion-driven decomposition of a supersaturated solid solution has been observed for the first time. Previously, only the T _eff equal to the room temperature was observed in the Al–Zn alloys.     

Effect of mechanical coating with Ni and Ni–5% Al on the structure and electrochemical properties of the Mg–50% Ni alloy

The Mg–Ni metastable alloys (with amorphous or nanocrystalline structures) are promising candidates for anode application in nickel–metal hydride rechargeable batteries due to its large hydrogen absorbing capacity, low weight, availability, and relative low price. In spite of these interesting features, improvement on the cycle life performance must be achieved to allow its application in commercial products. In the present paper, the effect of mechanical coating of a Mg–50 at.% Ni alloy with Ni and Ni–5 at.% Al on the structure, powder morphology, and electrochemical properties is investigated. The coating additives, Mg–Ni alloy and resulting nanocomposites (i.e., Mg–Ni alloy + additive) were investigated by means of X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The Mg–Ni alloy and nanocomposites were submitted to galvanostatic cycles of charge and discharge to evaluate their electrode performances. The mechanical coating with Ni and Ni–5% Al increased the maximum discharge capacity of the Mg–Ni alloy from of 221 to 257 and 273 mA h g⁻¹, respectively. Improvement on the cycle life performance was also achieved by mechanical coating.     

Development of corrosion resistant magnesium alloys Part 1 Characterisation of splat quenched Mg–10Al and Mg–16Al alloys

Abstract

The surfaces and bulk of splat quenched Mg–10Al and Mg–16Al (wt-%) alloys were investigated. The surfaces were studied using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) , X-ray excited Auger electron spectroscopy (X-AES), Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) , scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) and the bulk using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), respectively. The solid solubility of Al in Mg was extended to at least 16 wt-%. The quantity of Al ions present on the surfaces of the alloys increased with Al content. Contrary to the suggested layered MgO/Mg–Al–oxide/alloy structure, the surfaces of the alloys consisted of an admixture of magnesium spinel (MgAl₂O₄) in periclase (MgO) and brucite (Mg(OH)₂) of non-uniform thickness varying between 10 and 50 nm, determined via RBS, X-AES, and depth profiling using XPS.

MST/1714a