Microstructure and mechanical properties of ductile Ni3AI-type compound in Fe-(Ni,Mn)-AI-C systems rapidly quenched from melts

By the rapid quenching technique, nonequilibrium Ni₃Al-type compounds with high strength and hardness as well as large elongation have been found in Fe-Ni-Al-C and Fe-Mn-Al-C systems. This formation region is limited to about 7 to 55 wt pct Ni, 3 to 9 wt pct Al and 0.8 to 2.4 wt pct C for Fe-Ni-Al-C and to about 7 to 65 wt pct Mn, 3 to 9 wt pct Al and 0.8 to 2.4 wt pct C for Fe-Mn-Al-C. The Ni₃Al-type compound has fine grains of about 1 to 10 μm in diam. Their Vickers hardness and yield strength increase with increase in the amounts of carbon, aluminum or nickel and the highest values attain about 665 DPN and 1690 MPa for Fe-Ni-Al-C and 600 DPN and 1740 MPa for Fe-Mn-Al-C. Elongation increases with decrease in carbon or aluminum and attains about 11 pct for Fe-20 wt pct Ni-6 wt pct Al-1.2 wt pct C and 28 pct for Fe-20 wt pct Mn-8 wt pct Al-1.6 wt pct C. The good strength and ductility of the Ni₃Al-type compounds remain unchanged on tempering for 1 h until heated to about 750 K. Further, it has been found that the addition of chromium, molybdenum or cobalt is effective for the improvement of mechanical properties and thermal stability of the compounds. Thus, the use of materials containing Ni₃Al-type compounds may be attractive for fine gage high-strength wire or plate applications. Formerly Graduate Student of Tohoku University.     

Effect of processing and heat treatment on behavior of Cu-Cr-Zr alloys to railway contact wire

A new series of Cu-Cr-Zr alloys to be used as railway contact wire, Cu-0.26 wt pct Cr-0.15 wt pct Zr, Cu-0.13 wt pct Cr-0.41 wt pct Zr, and Cu-0.34 wt pct Cr-0.41 wt pct Zr, were studied. The results indicated that processing and aging treatment had an effect on the microstructure, tensile strength, and electrical conductivity behavior of the Cu-Cr-Zr alloys. Process I (solution treatment + cold work + aging) was superior to process II (cold work + solution treatment + aging), because precipitation can occur heterogeneously at the dislocations and subcells. An appropriate processing and aging treatment may improve the properties of the alloys due to the formation of fine, dispersive, and coherent precipitates within the matrix. It is demonstrated that the best combination of tensile strength and electrical conducitivity, on the order of 599 MPa and 82 pct IACS (International Annealed Copper Standard), respectively, can be obtained in alloy Cu-0.34 wt pct Cr-0.41 wt pct Zr in the solution-heat-treated, cold-worked, and aged condition. The mechanism of tensile and conductive properties of Cu-Cr-Zr alloy is also discussed.     

The solubility and solution behavior of antimony and tin in α-lron and the effects of nickel and chromium additions

The solid solubilities of Sn and Sb in α-Fe have been determined by means of lattice parameter measurements. The Sb solubility ranges from a maximum of 11 wt pct (5.4 at. pct) at 1000°C down to 5.3 wt pct (2.5 at. pet) at 600°C; the Sn solubility ranges from a maximum of 17.7 wt pct (9.2 at. pet) at 900°C to 6.5 wt pct (3.2 at. pet) at 600°C. These solubilities are remarkably large in view of the large sizes of the Sb and Sn atoms in relation to the Fe atom. It was not possible to rationalize the variation of the α-phase lattice parameter with Sb or Sn content from the point of view of atomic diameter or atomic volume. The addition of 1 wt pct Ni lowers the Sb solubility at 600°C from 5.3 to 3.5 wt pct (2.5 to 1.6 at. pet); the effect of Cr on the Sb solubility appears to be small. The addition of 1 wt pct Ni or 1 wt pct Cr lowers the Sn solubility from 6.5 to 5.2 wt pct (3.2 to 2.5 at. pet). It was found that a substantial amount of Ni substitutes for Fe in both the FeSb phase and the Fe₅Sn₃ phase. Formerly Research Fellow, Department of Metallurgy and Materials Science and LRSM, University of Pennsylvania     

Replacement of Ni by Mn in High-Ni-Containing Austenitic Cast Steels used for Turbo-Charger Application

High-temperature tensile properties of austenitic cast steels fabricated by replacing Ni by Mn in a 20 wt pct Ni-containing steel were investigated. In a steel where 8 wt pct Ni was replaced by 9.2 wt pct of Mn, 17.4 and 9.8 pct of ferrite existed in equilibrium phase diagrams and actual microstructures, respectively, because a role of Mn as an austenite stabilizer decreased, and led to deterioration of high-temperature properties. When 2 to 6 wt pct Ni was replaced by 2.3 to 6.9 wt pct Mn, high-temperature properties were comparable to those of the 20 wt pct Ni-containing steel because ferrites were absent, which indicated the successful replacement of 6 wt pct Ni by Mn, with cost reduction of 27 pct.     

The Solid Solution and Grain Boundary Hardening due to Mg in an Aluminum Alloy System at Room and Elevated Temperatures

Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A - The solid solution and grain boundary hardening due to Mg in Al-1.5wt pct Mn-0.5wt pct Cu system with 0.1 to 2.1 wt pct Mg has been studied at...     

Effect of Zn Content on the Microstructure and Properties of Super-High Strength Al-Zn-Mg-Cu Alloys

The microstructure and properties of three different Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys with high Zn content (9 wt pct, 10 wt pct, and 11 wt pct, marked as 9Zn, 10Zn, and 11Zn, respectively) were investigated. The strength of alloys increases as the Zn content increases from 9 wt pct to 10 wt pct, while it does not increase any more as the Zn content increases continuously from 10 wt pct to 11 wt pct. The stress-corrosion cracking (SCC) resistance decreases as the Zn content increases from 9 wt pct to 10 wt pct, while it changes unobviously as the Zn content increases continuously from 10 wt pct to 11 wt pct. The elongation and fracture toughness of alloys decrease as the Zn content increases in these Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys. The Zn content has little effect on the precipitation reaction of Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys that contain the mixture of GP zones, and η′ are the main Matrix Precipitates (MPt) in the peak-aging state, and the mixture of η′ and η are the main MPt in the over-aging state. The amount of MPt and coarse T (AlZnMgCu) phases are shown to increase with the increasing Zn content in Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys. The coarse T phases hardly dissolve into the matrix and are the source for the crack initiation, which may be the responsibility for the negative effect on the properties of high Zn content Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys.     

Dynamic recrystallization during creep in a 45 Pct Ni-35 pct Fe-20 pct Cr alloy system

A combined 3.5 wt pct Mo + 1.2 wt pct Ti imparted dynamic recrystallization in a 35 wt pct Fe-45 wt pct Ni-20 wt pct Cr alloy system during creep at 700 °C, whereas 3.5 wt pct Mo addition alone did not initiate recrystallization. Dynamic recrystallization substantially increased the creep elongation and produced a high ductile fracture topography in the present alloy system. A subgrain coalescence nucleation mechanism for dynamic recrystallization mechanism was operative during creep. The critical initiation strain requirements are also discussed.     

Mechanical behavior of cast single phase alloys solidified from undercooled melts

Several ingots (0.0254 m in diam × 0.10 m long) of nickel-30 wt pct copper, nickel-10 wt pct cobalt and iron-25 wt pct nickel were solidified with various undercoolings up to about 200 K, prior to nucleation of the solid. The materials were mechanically tested in the ascast condition. In nickel-30 wt pct copper and iron-25 wt pct nickel alloys the 0.2 pct offset yield strength, ductility and fatigue strength increased with undercooling. A linear relationship was established between 0.2 pct offset yield strength and the square root of secondary dendrite arm spacing in dendritic alloys (undercooled less than 170 K) or that of grain diameter in nondendritic alloys (undercooled more than 170 K). In iron-25 wt pct nickel limited testing indicated improvements in Charpy V-notch impact strength and in fracture toughness with undercooling. No improvement of tensile properties with undercooling was observed in nickel-10 wt pct cobalt, an alloy which solidified normally with very low microsegregation.     

Role of Mo and W during sensitization of superaustenitic stainless steel—crystallography and composition of precipitates

This study concerns the crystallographic identification and compositions of precipitates formed in superaustenitic stainless steel. Three experimental alloys, all containing 24 wt pct Cr, 22 wt pct Ni, and 0.5 wt pct N but with varying amounts of Mo and W, were investigated after sensitization heat treatment (aging) at 900 °C. The contents of Mo and W in the three alloys were 7 wt pct Mo, (6 wt pct Mo + 2 wt pct W) and (5 wt pct Mo + 5 wt pct W), respectively. While σ and x were the main secondary phases found in the W-free alloy, replacement of Mo by W was found to promote the formation of Laves-related phases with high Mo + W content. The complex crystallographic nature of Laves-related precipitates was exemplified through the formation of intergrowing C14 Laves, μ, and C phases, all with closely related crystal structures. There was no difference in chemical composition between the three phases. Prolonged aging resulted in intragranular precipitation of different intermetallic phases, as well as formation of nitrogen bearing phases, π and Cr₂N, adjacent to previously formed intermetallic precipitates. The content of Mo + W was found to decrease with increasing aging time for all secondary phases.     

Effect of Cooling Rate and Chemical Composition on Microstructure and Properties of Naturally Cooled Vanadium-Microalloyed Steels

Samples from two V-microalloyed steels (0.05 wt pct V) having different C and N levels, namely high-C low-N steel, HCLN (0.22 wt pct C, 0.007 wt pct N) and low-C high-N steel, LCHN (0.06 wt pct C, 0.013 wt pct N) were naturally cooled from 1373 K (1100 °C) to room temperature over a range of cooling rates (0.07 to 3.33 K/s). Samples from a plain C-Mn steel (0.06 wt pct C, 0.007 wt pct N) were also subjected to the same heat treatment for comparison. The effect of cooling rate and steel composition on microstructures, precipitates, and tensile properties has been investigated. Due to the presence of large fraction of harder constituents, like pearlite and bainite, HCLN steel showed higher strength and lower ductility than LCHN steel. LCHN steel, on the other hand, showed good combination of strength and ductility due to its predominantly ferrite matrix with precipitation strengthening. The V-precipitate size was more refined and the precipitate density was higher in HCLN steel than that in LCHN steel. This observation confirms the importance of C content in V-microalloyed steel in terms of precipitation strengthening. An intermediate cooling rate (~1.4 K/s) has been found to be the optimum choice in order to maximize the precipitation strengthening in V-containing steels.     

The rates of desulfurization of liquid iron by solid CaO and CaO-saturated liquid iron oxide at 1600‡c

The rates of desulfurization of Fe-O-S melts by CaO crucibles and by CaO-saturated liquid iron oxide have been measured at 1600 ‡C. It was found that irons containing 1.62 wt pct and 0.64 wt pct sulfur and 0.070 wt pct oxygen are desulfurized by a reaction with the containing CaO crucible which does not involve the formation of a CaS product layer. The rate of desulfurization reaction is controlled by diffusion of sulfur in the iron melt, and a value of 6.7 ±1.7 × 10^-5 cm² per second was obtained for the diffusion coefficient of sulfur in liquid iron. Iron containing 0.088 wt pct sulfur and 0.070 wt pct oxygen is not desulfurized by solid CaO. The rate of desulfurization of liquid iron containing 0.088 wt pct sulfur and 0.070 wt pct oxygen by CaO-saturated liquid iron oxide is significantly greater than that calculated on the assumption of diffusion control in the metal phase, and evidence is presented in support of speculation that the reaction rate is enhanced by Marangoni turbulence at the slag-metal interface. The addition of 4 wt pct CaF₂ to the CaO-saturated liquid iron oxide has no influence on the rate of desulfurization of the melt. A. Saelim formerly Lecturer, Faculty of Engineering, Prince of Songkla University, Thailand     

An investigation of the high-temperature and solidification microstructures of PH 13-8 Mo stainless steel

Differential thermal analysis (DTA), high-temperature water-quench (WQ) experiments, and optical and electron microscopy were used to establish the near-solidus and solidification microstructures in PH 13-8 Mo. On heating at a rate of 0. 33 °C/s, this alloy begins to transform from austenite to δ-ferrite at ≈1350 °C. Transformation is complete by ≈1435 °C. The solidus is reached at ≈1447 °C, and the liquidus is ≈1493 °C. On cooling from the liquid state at a rate of 0. 33 °C/s, solidification is completed as δ-ferrite with subsequent transformation to austenite beginning in the solid state at ≈1364 °C. Insufficient time at temperature is available for complete transformation and the resulting room-temperature microstructure consists of matrix martensite (derived from the shear decomposition of the austenite) and residual δ-ferrite. The residual δ-ferrite in the DTA sample is enriched in Cr (≈16 wt pct), Mo (≈4 wt pct), and Al (≈1. 5 wt pct) and depleted in Ni (≈4 wt pct) relative to the martensite (≈12. 5 wt pct Cr, ≈2 wt pct Mo, ≈1 wt pct Al, ≈9 wt pct Ni). Solid-state transformation of δσ γ was found to be quench-rate sensitive with large grain, fully ferritic microstructures undergoing a massive transformation as a result of water quenching, while a diffusionally controlled Widmanstätten structure was produced in air-cooled samples.     

Ductility and impact resistance of powder-metallurgical molybdenum-rhenium alloys

Mo-Re alloys containing between 5 and 47.5 wt pct Re were fabricated from Mo and Mo-Re powders by sintering and hot radial forging. The mechanical properties of as-forged, stress-relieved, and recrystallized specimens were examined. Up to a concentration of 41 wt pct Re, the Charpy ductile-to-brittle transition temperature decreased monotonically with increasing rhenium concentration. Consistent with this, bend angles for fracture at T=−100 °C increased monotonically with increasing rhenium concentration. Between 10 and 41 wt pct rhenium, the room-temperature tensile ductility of recrystallized Mo-Re remained nearly constant with values on the order of 35 to 45 pct. This result differs from the low ductility values observed previously by Lundberg (1997) for compositions on either side of Mo-13 wt pct Re.     

The microstructural,mechanical, and fracture properties of austenitic stainless steel alloyed with gallium

The mechanical and fracture properties of austenitic stainless steels (SSs) alloyed with gallium require assessment in order to determine the likelihood of premature storage-container failure following Ga uptake. AISI 304 L SS was cast with 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 wt pct Ga. Increased Ga concentration promoted duplex microstructure formation with the ferritic phase having a nearly identical composition to the austenitic phase. Room-temperature tests indicated that small additions of Ga (less than 3 wt pct) were beneficial to the mechanical behavior of 304 L SS but that 12 wt pct Ga resulted in a 95 pct loss in ductility. Small additions of Ga are beneficial to the cracking resistance of stainless steel. Elastic-plastic fracture mechanics analysis indicated that 3 wt pct Ga alloys showed the greatest resistance to crack initiation and propagation as measured by fatigue crack growth rate, fracture toughness, and tearing modulus. The 12 wt pct Ga alloys were least resistant to crack initiation and propagation and these alloys primarily failed by transgranular cleavage. It is hypothesized that Ga metal embrittlement is partially responsible for increased embrittlement.     

Outstanding Tensile Ductility in High Iron-Containing Al-Si-Cu Alloys

Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A - Cast Al(5.5 to 6.3 wt pct)Si-(3.1 to 3.7 wt pct)Cu alloys containing 0.6 and 1.2 wt pct Fe were processed by spray forming, rotary swaging, and...     

X-ray diffraction and resistivity studies of titanium-molybdenum alloys

The phase transformation behavior of the metastable beta phase in hydrogen charged Ti-Mo alloys was investigated using electrical resistivity and X-ray diffraction techniques. Hydrogen charging was found to have little effect on athermal omega phase formation in a highly susceptible alloy (16 wt pct Mo) but suppressed athermal omega in alloys with compositions near the critical composition for the transition to diffuse (incommensurate) type omega (∼20 wt pct Mo). No evidence was found for a hydrogen induced omega phase in a concentrated alloy (30 wt pct Mo). The incipient stages of the beta + beta’ phase separation in Ti-30 wt pct Mo were detected after aging slightly below the beta transus.     

X-ray diffraction and resistivity studies of titanium-molybdenum alloys

The phase transformation behavior of the metastable beta phase in hydrogen charged Ti-Mo alloys was investigated using electrical resistivity and X-ray diffraction techniques. Hydrogen charging was found to have little effect on athermal omega phase formation in a highly susceptible alloy (16 wt pct Mo) but suppressed athermal omega in alloys with compositions near the critical composition for the transition to diffuse (incommensurate) type omega (∼20 wt pct Mo). No evidence was found for a hydrogen induced omega phase in a concentrated alloy (30 wt pct Mo). The incipient stages of the beta + beta’ phase separation in Ti-30 wt pct Mo were detected after aging slightly below the beta transus.     

Solid solutions in sputter-deposits of iron with 0 to 5 Wt Pct C

Supersaturated iron-carbon solid solutions containing 0.06, 0.18, 0.66, 2, 3, and 5 wt pct C were produced by sputter-deposition at 6° to 21°C. Homogeneous deposits of the same carbon composition as the multiphase source materials were produced by high rate (up to 0.0004 in. per hr) sputtering techniques and were 0.005 to 0.027 in. thick. The microhardnesses of the deposits were higher than the hardnesses of martensite with the same carbon content. The hardness increased rapidly from 680 Dph for 0.06 wt pct C content to an unusually high maximum of 1240 Dph at 2 wt pct C and then decreased slowly to 920 Dph at 5 wt pct C. The 0.06, 0.18, and 0.66 wt pct C deposits were bcc, and the 2 and 3 wt pct C deposits were bct. The tetragonality of the 5 wt pct C deposit was detected only after tempering at 150°C. Lattice parameterc/a ratios for the tetragonal deposits were lower than expected from extrapolated martensite data, and they corresponded to the equationc/a=1.06+0.019 (wt pct C). Nevertheless, thec/a ratio of 1.10 for 5 wt pct C deposit was higher than previously observed for martensite. No evidence of a martensitic transformation was found in the microstructures, which typically consisted of 0.5 to 1.0 μ diam columnar grains. Hardness data from tempered eposit samples and the lack of tetragonality of the low carbon deposits indicated that autotempering occurred during sputter-deposition.     

Effect of phosphorus on the microstructure and stress rupture properties in an Fe-Ni-Cr base superalloy

This article describes the effect of phosphorus on the microstructure and stress rupture property at 650 °C in an Fe-Ni-Cr base superalloy. The results showed that phosphorus markedly improved the intergranular precipitation in the range of 0.0005 to 0.016 wt pct, which facilitated M₂₃C₆ and M₃B₂ precipitation but inhibited the formation of MC carbide. A too high phosphorus addition (0.051 wt pct P) resulted in an excessive precipitation at grain boundaries, while a too low phosphorus content (0.0005 wt pct P) led to many precipitate-free grain boundaries. Phosphorus also enlarged the size of the γ′ particles and lowered its stability, that η-Ni₃Ti preferred to form in the alloy with 0.051 wt pct P. Due to the improvement of the microstructure, appropriate amount of P content significantly prolonged the rupture life of the alloys in the range of 0.0005 to 0.016 wt pct. The peak value was 660 hours at 0.016 wt pct, more than 4 times that of the alloy with 0.0005 wt pct phosphorus, but phosphorus reduced the fracture elongation. The mechanism by which phosphorus influenced the alloy is discussed.     

Influence of chromium and impurities on the grain- refining behavior of aluminum

The grain-refining behavior of high purity aluminum (HPA1) and commercial purity aluminum (CPA1) containing Fe and Si as impurities (<0.2 wt pct each) has been studied with and without the presence of Cr in small and large quantities (0.2 and 2 wt pct). The Al-5Ti-lB master alloy ingot (0.2 wt pct) was used as a grain refiner. The emphasis was on the influence of individual elements and their interactions with the other elements on the grain-refining behavior of Al. Good grain refinement with insignificant fading in CPA1 was observed in comparison to HPA1. Similar results were obtained with a small concentration of Cr in HPA1 in HPA1-0.2 wt pct Cr alloy. The CPA1 and HPA1-0.2 wt pct Cr alloy have given the best grain-refining results among all the cases studied. A combination of small quantities of Fe, Si, and Cr (CPA1-0.2 wt pct Cr) has shown early and significant fading. A large concentration of Cr (2 wt pct) has shown a poisoning effect irrespective of the presence or absence of impurities such as Fe and Si in Al. Thus, Cr was found to be beneficial for grain refinement at smaller concentrations in the absence of impurities. But at higher concentrations of Cr, it had an adverse effect,i.e., led to coarser grain sizes both in the presence and absence of impurities.