Effects of the variation in α-phase volume fraction on the thermal stability of TiAl alloys with a lamellar microstructure

The thermal stability of two-phase ( + ) lamellar microstructure in Ti-Al-Mo PST (polysynthetically twinned that has single colony) crystals, containing C or Si, was investigated. In addition, the variation of -phase volume fraction in Ti-Al-Mo-(C,Si) systems was investigated at several temperatures. Ti-46Al-1.5Mo-0.2C and Ti-46Al-1.5Mo-1.0Si alloys did not recrystallized (stable in this paper) during heat treatments at various heating rates and temperatures. Moreover, the -phase volume fractions of Ti-46Al-1.5Mo-0.2C and Ti-46Al-1.5Mo-1.0Si alloys which were stable compositions, changed less than those of Ti-47Al and Ti-46Al-1.5Mo alloys which were unstable compositions. The instability of the latter alloys was caused by their relatively higher variation of -phase volume fraction during heating. Therefore, it is suggested that the variation of -phase volume fraction is an important factor in controlling the thermal stability of lamellar microstructure.     

The Ni3Al-Ni3Cr-Ni3Ru section of the Ni-Cr-Al-Ru system

An investigation is reported of the 75 at% nickel section of the Ni-Cr-Al-Ru system at 1523 and 1273 K. Constitutional data obtained by electron probe microanalysis, X-ray diffraction and microscopical examination are presented as partial isothermal sections. At 1523 K, the major part of the section consists of phase, while the aluminium-rich region contains a and+ region; the extent of the solid solution of chromium and ruthenium in totals ~ 4 at%. The ruthenium-rich corner of the section shows a two-phase region consisting of + ruthenium-rich solid solution. At 1273 K the,+ and + ruthenium regions increase in extent. The/ mismatch values in the equilibrated alloys studied lie in the range ~ –0.08 to –0.39%. Constitutional features of as-cast alloys are also reported.     

Mathematical modelling of long ocean waves with a discontinuous density gradient

A mathematical model for studying the propagation of long internal ocean waves of finite amplitude is proposed. The vertical structure of the pressure perturbation is investigated and reduced to a Sturm–Liouville eigenvalue problem. In the continuous stratification case, the pattern of this vertical structure depends on the choice of the characteristic scale of a varying stratification parameter, denoted by . As this parameter asymptotically approaches a critical value (i.e. _cri), the amplitudes of the solution's normal modes increase considerably. The internal waves break and produce an unstable interface, which degenerates into a turbulent mixed layer. These conditions correspond to the critical state of wave existence. When < _cri a three-layer discontinuous gradient model is proposed to resolve the problem. It consists in specifying one solution within a thin intermediary layer and two solutions on either side of this layer. The results show that the use of appropriately matching interfacial conditions allows to obtain generally matching solutions, even for small values of the nonconstant stratification parameter .     

Crystallization kinetics in glassy Ge20Se80−x In x alloys

Crystallization kinetics is studied in glassy Ge₂₀Se_80–xIn_x (0 x 20) using isothermal annealing at temperatures between the glass transition and melting. D.c. conductivity is taken as a parameter to estimate the extent of crystallization (). The activation energy of crystallization (E) and the order parameter (n) are calculated by fitting the values of in the Avrami equations of isothermal crystallization. The results indicate that E is highly composition-dependent, which is explained in terms of the stable phases in the Ge-Se-In system.     

Analysis of the effect of the decomposition of char-forming heat-insulating materials on the free discharge of a gas mixture

The article presents results of a numerical solution of a nonsteady problem on the free discharge of a mixture of gases from a hemispherical volume with allowance for thermal decomposition of heat-insulating materials.Notation V volume - S area - t - P p - T - u v - Q q, dimensional and dimensionless time, pressure, temperature, TIM decomposition rate, and heat flux - adiabatic exponent - R gas constant - density - H specific enthalpy - c specific heat - thermal conductivity - , , _s dimensionless complexes - coefficient expressing the radiative properties of the gas medium and the heat-transfer surface - Stefan-Boltzmann constant Indices 0 initial state and scale factors - s surface - coke - M TIM material - P pyrolysis front - A ablation front - v volatile degradation products - adiabatic conditions - c completion of discharge Translated from Inzhenerno-Fizicheskii Zhurnal, Vol. 54, No. 5, pp. 787–793, May, 1988.     

Kinetic interpretation ofα- andβ-Si3N4 formation from oxide-free high-purity silicon powder

A kinetic analysis of the isothermal nitridation of high-purity oxide-free silicon powder is described. The kinetic analysis suggests that the and polymorphs of Si₃N₄ are formed by separate and parallel reaction paths. This analysis provides for the decoupling and quantitative kinetic interpretation of- and-Si₃N₄ formation reactions. Consistent with existing microstructural and thermodynamic evidence, the-forming reaction is shown to obey a first-order rate law, whereas a phase-boundary controlled rate law describes the-forming reaction. A kinetic model employing these rate laws is developed and is used to predict the/ phase ratio as a function of isothermal reaction temperature and extent of reaction. The/ phase ratios so obtained are shown to be in good agreement with experimental observations made under a variety of reaction conditions.     

Laser surface melting of Ti-6Al-4V alloy

Surface hardening of Ti-6Al-4V alloy with laser surface melting (LSM) in a nitrogen atmosphere has been studied. In LSM, hardness increased almost three-fold in comparison to that of the substrate, the latter having a Vickers hardness of 350, by the formation of TiN in the range of 100m of melt depth. Hardness, then, decreased slowly and reached a minimum of 580 VHN at a maximum melt depth of 750m. -Ti was formed in the heat-affected zone (HAZ) with a VHN of 450. Ageing treatments were performed for all specimens at 450 °C and different ageing times (1–20h). Short ageing treatments increased the hardness in the melted zone as well as in the HAZ (1–3h). Long ageing treatments (7–20h) resulted in uniform hardness distribution in the melted zone.     

Tilted and Crossing Vortex Chains in Layered Superconductors

No Heading In presence of the Josephson vortex lattice in layered superconductors, small c-axis magnetic field penetrates in the form of vortex chains. In general, structure of a single chain is determined by the ratio of the London [] and Josephson [_J] lengths, = /_J. The chain is composed of tilted vortices at large s (tilted chain) and at small s it consists of crossing array of Josephson vortices and pancake-vortex stacks (crossing chain). We study chain structures at the intermediate s and found two types of phase transitions. For 0.6 the ground state is given by the crossing chain in a wide range of pancake separations a [2–3]_J. However, due to attractive coupling between deformed pancake stacks, the equilibrium separation can not exceed some maximum value depending on the in-plane field and . The first phase transition takes place with decreasing pancake-stack separation a at a = [1 – 2]_J, and rather wide range of the ratio , 0.4 0.65. With decreasing a, the crossing chain goes through intermediate strongly-deformed configurations and smoothly transforms into the tilted chain via the second-order phase transition. Another phase transition occurs at very small densities of pancake vortices, a [20 – 30]_J, and only when exceeds a certain critical value 0.5. In this case small c-axis field penetrates in the form of kinks. However, at very small concentration of kinks, the kinked chains are replaced with strongly deformed crossing chains via the first-order phase transition. This transition is accompanied by a very large jump in the pancake density.PACS numbers: 74.25.Qt, 74.25.Op, 74.20.De     

Investigations of the copper isotope effect in oxygen-deficient YBa2Cu3O7−δ

We present data on the copper isotope effect (⁶³Cu-⁶⁵Cu), C_u =-nT_c/nm_Cu, for two isotopic pairs of oxygen-deficient YBa₂Cu₃O_7–, where varies between 0.06 and 0.52. _Cu is below 0.01 at =0.06 (fully oxygenated), it takes values between –0.14 and –0.34 in the 60 K plateau. Larger negative values of _Cu are observed away from the plateau. The dependence of _Cu is similar to that of the pressure effect dnT_c/dP.     

Joining Ti-47Al-2Cr-2Nb with a Ti/(Cu,Ni)/Ti clad-laminated braze alloy

The joining of Ti-47Al-2Cr-2Nb using Ti-15Cu-15Ni (wt%) as braze alloy was investigated. Experiments were conducted at 980 and 1000°C for 10 min. The microstructure and the chemical composition of the interfaces were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), respectively. For both processing conditions the reaction between the -TiAl alloy and the braze alloy produced layered interfaces, which are essentially composed of ₂-Ti₃Al and of Ti-Ni-Cu-Al and Ti-Ni-Cu intermetallic compounds. Microhardness tests showed that all reaction layers are harder than either the or the (₂ + ) lamellar grains of the intermetallic alloy.     

Superplastic deformation of strongly textured Ti-6Al-4V

Changes in microstructure and texture during superplastic deformation of strongly textured Ti-6Al-4V bar have been determined in order to establish the cause of stress and strain anisotropy. The effect of strain on the microstructure of the alloy was to cause a progressive break-up, due to grain-boundary sliding, of an initially directional microstructure containing contiguous-phase. The texture of the-phase, however, changed very little with superplastic strain but that of the-phase was randomized. Shape changes predicted by permitted deformation modes in the-phase did not correlate with the observed shape changes, whereas the observed anisotropy could be explained by the break-up of the contiguous-phase. A model to account for this anisotropy is described briefly, together with a typical microstructure which should exhibit isotropic superplastic deformation.     

Effect of Intense Self-Irradiation on the Phase Composition of Metallic Plutonium

The crystal structure of film samples of "high-level" (based on ²³⁸Pu) and low-level (based on ²³⁹Pu) metallic plutonium during their prolonged (up to 343 days) storage (self-irradiation) at room temperature was studied by X-ray diffraction. In the samples of high-level plutonium, the -Pu and -Pu lattices coexist. In the period of 40-60 days, the other known crystal modifications of plutonium (-Pu, -Pu, -Pu, and -Pu) are also present. Low-level plutonium had only the -Pu lattice. A possible origin of this phenomenon is discussed.     

Pseudogap and Transport in HTS

Perpendicular transport is one of the key factors to HTS superconductivity, sampling the quasi-insulating blocking layer, separating the conducting CuO-planes, and driving the metal–insulator transition (MIT) that is induced by disorder and underdoping. Various measurements have been carried out to study the transport, the MIT, and the in-plane Fermi surface especially by surface methods via the blocking layer, and these depend sensitively on surface quality. ARXPS results on UHV cleaving show that at 300 K and 10^–10 Torr, a Bi hydroxide layer occurs in 30 min, followed by H₂O or C_y H_x OH chemisorption. Consequences of this result on STS, ARPES, perpendicular transport, Coulomb charging, and pseudogap are analyzed, yielding scenario for HTS superconductivity, where static and dynamic charge exchange via and with the blocking layer initiates plaques of preformed pairs of d-wave symmetry weakening the inplane Coulomb repulsion yielding by this plasmonic mechanism, finally, HTS. Consequences of this scenario on anisotropic transport with its strong Fermi velocity v_F anisotropy and its strong in-plane scattering rate (T) const. at (, 0) in k-space with pseudo gap kT^* _{_P}/3 and superconducting gap _S 3 kT_c maxima and the strongly decreasing rate (T) T at 0.4 (, ) with pseudo gap _{_p} (k) node and superconducting gap _s (k node are given.     

Elevated temperature deformation behaviour of multi-phase Ni-20 at % Al-30 at % Fe and its constituent phases

The mechanical behaviour of the multi-phase ( + /) alloy Ni-20 at % Al-30 at % Fe and alloys similar to its constituent and / phases, Ni-30 at % Al-20 at % Fe and Ni-12 at % Al-40 at % Fe, respectively, were investigated. When tested in tension at 300 K, the alloys exhibited 20%, 2% and 28% elongation, respectively. At elevated test temperatures (700, 900 and 1100 K), the multi-phase alloy exhibited increased ductility, reaching an elongation in excess of 70% at 1100 K without necking or fracture. Similarly, the alloy demonstrated increased ductility with increasing test temperatures. In contrast, the / alloy showed greatly reduced ductility with increasing temperature and was quite brittle both at 900 and 1100 K. Thus, whilst at room temperature the / phase improved the ductility of the + / aggregate, at elevated temperatures the phase alleviated the brittleness of the / phase, thereby preventing any embrittlement of the multi-phase alloy over the temperature range 300–1100 K. Also, whilst the phase improved the room-temperature strength of the multi-phase alloy, at elevated temperatures where the phase is known to be weak, the / phase improved the strength of the multi-phase alloy up to 900 K, beyond which the strength deteriorated due to disordering and lack of anomalous strengthening in the / component.     

Microstructural development in cast and aged Ni–Al–Cr-based alloys derived from the B2 type β-NiAl structure

The formation of intermetallic compounds consisting of nickel-rich B2-type NiAl (-phase) ductilized by two-phase A1 ()/L12 () regions provides the possibility of combining ductility and high-temperature performance. Similar microstructures can also form the basis of high-temperature shape memory alloys, due to martensitic transformation of the -phase to an L10-type product. One route by which –/ microstructures can be produced involves the use of chromium as a -stabilizer. However, microstructural development in such a case is complicated by the formation of -Cr precipitates.This paper examines microstructural development and stability in cast Ni-25 at % Al-14 at % Cr, Ni-29 at % Al-22 at % Cr and Ni-27 at % Al-8 at % Cr alloys, together with a more complex material, namely, Ni-20 at % Al-13 at % Co-9 at % Cr-4 at % Ti-1 at % Mo-1 at % V. Both the as-cast condition and samples aged at 850 and 1100 °C for 140 h are examined using transmission electron microscopy. The paper discusses the formation of L10 martensite, intradendritic ', interdendritic /' and -Cr precipitation.     

The effect of explosive loading on the microstructure of some metals and alloys

The effects of explosive pulses on the microstructure of Al-4.5% Cu duralumin, tough pitch copper, pure magnetic iron and 18 chromium 8 nickel stainless steel have been studied using transmission electron microscopy. An explosive loading assembly was designed to investigate the effect of both the flanks and the length of shock pulses on the material microstructure. In copper and duralumin it was found that the microhardness increased with the duration of the rarefaction flank. The size of the shock transformed martensite particles in stainless steel also increased with rarefaction time. Three wave interactions could be related to the microstructure of baratol-loaded iron and were attributed to the double shock front caused by the a to phase transformation. Twinning was found to occur when the reflected elastic wave interacted with the first part of the double shock front. The abrupt hardness increase caused by the interaction of the first reflected wave and the second transformation shock front was observed. In addition, a second more gradual hardness increase is attributed to the interaction between the low pressure and the high pressure rarefaction waves which caused a relatively slowly increasing rarefaction shock. The microstructure of shocked stainless steel showed that hexagonal plates and twins could occur in the same grain and that martensite particles were formed at the intersection of two twins, or of plates and twins. Both Kurdjumov-Sachs and Nishyama-Wassermann orientations were observed and sometimes occurred on the same fault band. The short rise and fall times in the pulse flanks made it possible to discuss formation mechanisms for twins and martensite particles in terms of the available formation times.     

Electrical conductivity,thermoelectric power and dielectric constant of NiWO4

The a.c. electrical conductivity ( _ac), thermoelectric power () and dielectric constant () of antiferromagnetic NiWO₄ are presented. _ac and have been measured in the temperature range 300 to 1000 K and in the temperature range 600 to 1000 K. Conductivity data are interpreted in the light of band theory of solids. The compound obeys the exponential law of conductivity = ₀ exp (–W/kT). Activation energy has been estimated as 0.75eV. The conductivity result is summarized in the following equation =2.86 exp (–0.75 eV/kT)^–1 cm^–1 in the intrinsic region. The material is p-type below 660 K and above 950 K, and is n-type between 660 and 950 K.     

Low-temperature synthesis,pyrolysis and crystallization of tantalum oxide gels

Tantalum oxide gels in the form of transparent monoliths and powders have been prepared from hydrolysis of tantalum pentaethoxide under controlled conditions using different mole ratios of Ta(OC₂H₅)₅C₂H₅OHH₂OHCl. Alcohol acts as the mutual solvent and HCl as the deflocculating agent. For a fixed alkoxide water HCl ratio, the time of gel formation increased with the alcohol to alkoxide molar ratio. Thermal evolution of the physical and structural changes in the gel has been monitored by differential thermal analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, and infrared spectroscopy. On heating to 400 °C, the amorphous gel crystallized into the low-temperature orthorhombic phase -Ta₂O₅, which transformed into the high-temperature tetragonal phase -Ta₂O₅ when further heated to 1450 °C. The volume fraction of the crystalline phase increased with the firing temperature. The -Ta₂O₅ converted back into the low-temperature phase, -Ta₂O₅, on slow cooling through the transformation temperature of 1360 °C, indicating a slow but reversible transformation.     

A nonlinear composite shell element with continuous interlaminar shear stresses

A numerical model for layered composite structures based on a geometrical nonlinear shell theory is presented. The kinematic is based on a multi-director theory, thus the in-plane displacements of each layer are described by independent director vectors. Using the isoparametric apporach a finite element formulation for quadrilaterals is developed. Continuity of the interlaminar shear stresses is obtained within the nonlinear solution process. Several examples are presented to illustrate the performance of the developed numerical model.List of symbols reference surface - convected coordinates of the shell middle surface - ⁱ coordinate in thickness direction - ⁱ h thickness of layer i - X_o position vector of the reference surface - ⁱX_o position vector of midsurface of layer i - t _k orthonormal basis system in the reference configuration - ⁱ a _k orthonormal basis system of layer i - ⁱW axial vector - R_o orthonormal tensor in the reference configuration - ⁱ R orthonormal tensor of layer i - ⁱ Cauchy stress tensor - ⁱ P First Piola-Kirchhoff stress tensor - ⁱ q vector of interlaminar stresses - ⁱ n, ⁱ m vector of stress resultants and stress couple resultants - v _x components of the normal vector of boundary - ⁱ N, ⁱ Q, ⁱ M stress resultants and stress couple resultants of First Piola-Kirchhoff tensor - stress resultants and stress couple resultants of Second Piola-Kirchhoff tensor - ⁱ , ⁱ , ⁱ strains of layer i - _K transformation matrix - u_o displacement vector of layer 1 - ⁱ local rotational degrees of freedom of layer i     

Dynamic Measurements of Thermal Transport Coefficients and Boundary Resistance. II.Model for 3He-Superfluid 4He Mixtures

This is the second of a three-part study of the ac response of liquid helium. We derive the temperature response function, T(), of a ³ He-superfluid ⁴ He mixture from the equations of superfluid hydrodynamics in the presence of two interfacial boundary resistances,R_b.Specifically, we consider the response T(), across a fluid layer of thickness,d, to an ac heat flux,Q(t) = Q_o exp(it).T() depends on the effective thermal conductivity, _eff , Griffin's diffusion coefficient, _o (i.e. the thermal diffusivity of ³ He impurities, D_iso in the low ³ He concentration limit) and the thermal boundary resistance, 2R_b. This analysis provides the basis for experiments to determine these parameters. Although past experiments to measure these properties have been carried out using dc and transient techniques, an ac technique offers significant noise reduction over these techniques. By sweeping the frequency, it is possible for an experimenter to clearly identify different components of the system response to the heat flux. For instance, if t is the slowest fluid thermal response time, conventional Kapitza boundary effects dominate at frequencies, 1. These calculations reveal an interesting analogy to the Piston Effect for near-critical classical fluids. In Part I of this work, we used normal liquid ⁴ He as a testing ground for developing models of ac heat transport. In Part III of this work, we will present results in which we apply this technique to measurements on dilute mixtures of ³ He in superfluid ⁴ He.