Effect of initial temper on the creep behavior of a Mg–Gd–Nd–Zr alloy

The effect of initial temper on the tensile creep behavior of a cast Mg–Gd–Nd–Zr alloy has been investigated. Specimens in unaged, underaged and peak-aged conditions exhibit a sigmoidal creep stage between the primary and steady-state creep stage, while the overaged specimens have no such creep stage. Transmission electron microscope observations revealed that sigmoidal creep stage was induced by the dynamic precipitation in the microstructure, and the rapid formation of β₁-phase and β-phase plates takes responsibility for the softening of material in this stage. Comparative evaluation of creep properties of the specimens showed that alloy in overaged condition had creep resistance superior to those in other conditions. Stress and temperature dependence of the steady-state creep rate were studied over a temperature range of 250–300 °C and stress range of 50–100 MPa, and a dislocation creep mechanism was proposed for the alloy.     

Steady state creep and creep recovery behaviours of pre-aging Al–Si alloys

The creep and creep recovery of pre-aging Al–1 wt.%Si and Al–1 wt.%Si–0.1 wt.%Zr–0.1 wt.%Ti alloys have been investigated at room temperature under different constant stresses. The aging temperature dependence of steady creep rate, _st, and the recovery strain rate, π, show that under the same test conditions first alloy yields creep or creep recovery rates much higher as compared with those of second alloy. The stress exponent n was found to change from 2.5 to 7.43 and 4.57 to 11.99 for two alloys, respectively, characterizing dislocation slipping mechanism. The activation energies of steady state creep of the two alloys were found to be 78.4 kJ/mol and 32.8 kJ/mol for Al–Si and Al–Si–Zr–Ti alloys, respectively. The microstructure of the samples studied was investigated by optical and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).     

High temperature creep of a hot-pressed β-sialon

The four-point bending creep properties of a hot-pressed β-sialon with Sm–melilite solid solution (denoted as M′) as intergranular phase have been studied in the temperature range 1250–1350°C in air. Creep rates plotted against stresses gave stress exponents of 1.45, 1.51 and 1.72 at 1250, 1300 and 1350°C, respectively, and Arrhenius plot between creep rate and temperature yielded a creep activation energy of 576 kJ mol⁻¹. Cavities were found to be mainly on the triple grain junctions. Diffusion coupled with grain boundary sliding and accompanied by the formation of wedge-shaped cavities was identified as the dominant creep mechanism.     

Effect of loading rate on the monotonic tensile behavior and tensile strength of an oxide–oxide ceramic composite at 1200 °C

The influence of loading rate on monotonic tensile behavior and tensile properties of an oxide–oxide ceramic composite was evaluated in laboratory air at 1200 °C. The composite consists of a porous alumina matrix reinforced with woven mullite/alumina (Nextel™720) fibers, has no interface between the fiber and matrix, and relies on the porous matrix for flaw tolerance. Tensile tests conducted at loading rates of 0.0025 and 25 MPa/s revealed a strong effect of rate on the stress–strain behavior as well as on the ultimate tensile strength (UTS), elastic modulus and failure strain. At 0.0025 MPa/s, increase in stress results in non-monotonic change in strain, with the rate of change of strain reversing its sign at stresses 25 MPa/s. Several samples were subjected to additional heat treatments prior to testing in order to determine whether this unusual stress–strain behavior was an artifact of incomplete processing of fibers in the as-received material. The unusual material response in the 0–30 MPa stress range was further investigated in creep tests conducted with the applied stresses ≤26 MPa. Negative creep (i.e. decrease in strain under constant stress) was observed. Porosity measurements indicate that a decrease in matrix porosity and matrix densification may be taking place in the N720/A composite exposed to 1200 °C at stresses <30 MPa for prolonged periods of time.     

Microstructure and creep properties of a cast intermetallic Ti–46Al–2W–0.5Si alloy for gas turbine applications

The microstructure and creep properties including minimum creep rate, time to 1% creep deformation and creep fracture time of a cast TiAl-based alloy with nominal chemical composition Ti–46Al–2W–0.5Si (at.%) were investigated. The creep specimens were prepared from investment-cast plate and two large turbine blades. Constant load creep tests were performed in air at applied stresses ranging from 150 to 400 MPa in the temperature range 973–1073 K. The microstructure of the specimens is characterised by optical, scanning and transmission electron microscopy before and after creep deformation. The minimum creep rate is found to depend strongly on the applied stress and temperature. The power law stress exponent of minimum creep rate is n = 7.3 and the apparent activation energy for creep is Q_a = 427 ± 14 kJ/mol. The initial microstructure of the creep specimen is unstable. The ₂(Ti₃Al)-phase transforms to γ(TiAl)-phase and needle-like B2-precipitates during long-term creep testing at all testing temperatures. At lower applied stresses, the creep specimens fail by the growth and coalescence of cavities and small cracks formed along the γ/₂ interfaces. At the highest applied stresses, the specimens fail by nucleation and propagation of cracks.     

Compressive creep behavior of as-cast and aging-treated Mg–5 wt% Sn alloys

The microstructure and compressive creep behaviors of as-cast and aging-treated Mg–5 wt% Sn alloys are investigated in this paper. The compressive creep resistance of aging-treated Mg–5 wt% Sn alloy is much better than that of as-cast alloy at the applied stresses from 25 MPa to 35 MPa and the temperatures from 423 K to 473 K, which is mainly due to the dispersive distribution of Mg₂Sn phase in the aging-treated Mg–5 wt% Sn alloy. The calculated average values of stress exponent n and activation energy Q_c suggest that dislocation cross slip and dislocation climb happen respectively in as-cast and aging-treated Mg–5 wt% Sn alloys during creep.     

The tensile and creep behavior of Mg–Zn Alloys with and without Y and Zr as ternary elements

Tensile–creep experiments were conducted in the temperature range 100–200 °C and stress range 20–83 MPa for a series of magnesium–zinc–yttrium (Mg-Zn-Y) and mangnesium-zinc–zirconium (Mg-Zn-Zr) alloys ranging from 0 to 5.4 wt% Zn, 0 to 3 wt% Y, and 0 to 0.6 wt.% Zr. The greatest tensile–creep resistance was exhibited by an Mg–4.1Zn–0.2Y alloy. The room-temperature yield strength increased with increasing Y content for Mg–1.6–2.0Zn alloys. The greatest tensile strength and elongation was exhibited by Mg–5.4Zn–0.6Zr. This alloy also exhibited the finest grain size and the poorest creep resistance. The measured creep exponents and activation energies suggested that the creep mechanisms were dependent on stress. For applied stresses greater than 40 MPa, the creep exponents were between 4 and 8. For applied stresses less than 40 MPa, the creep exponent was 2.2. The calculated activation energies (Qapp) were dependent on temperature where the Q _app values between 100 and 150 °C (65 kJ/mol) were half those between 150 and 200 °C for the same applied stress value (30 MPa). Deformation observations indicated that the grain boundaries were susceptible to cracking in both tension and tension-creep, where at low applied stresses grain boundary sliding was suggested where strain accommodation occurred through grain boundary cracking. Thus grain size and grain boundaries appeared to be important microstructural parameters affecting the mechanical behavior. Microstructural effects on the tensile properties and creep behavior are discussed in comparison to other Mg-based alloy systems.

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Impression creep behavior of Al–1.9%Ni–1.6%Mn–1%Mg alloy

In the present study, microstructure and creep behavior of an Al–1.9%Ni–1.6%Mn–1%Mg alloy were studied at temperature ranging from 493 to 513 K and under stresses between 420 and 530 MPa. The creep test was carried out by impression creep technique in which a flat ended cylindrical indenter was impressed on the specimens. The results showed that microstructure of the alloy is composed of primary α(Al) phase covered by a mantle of α(Al)+Ni₃Al intermetallic compound. Mn segregated into Al_xMn_yNi_z or Al₆Mn phases distributed inside the matrix phase. It was found that the stress exponent, n, decreases from 5.2 to 3.6 with increasing temperature. Creep activation energies between 115 kJ/mol and 151 kJ/mol were estimated for the alloy and it decreases with rising stress. According to the stress exponent and creep activation energies, the lattice and pipe diffusion- climb controlled dislocation creep were the dominant creep mechanism.     

Dislocation analysis of die-cast Mg–Al–Ca alloy after creep deformation

Tensile creep tests were combined with detailed transmission electron microscopy in order to characterize the dislocation movements during creep and to explain the creep properties of the Mg–Al–Ca AX52 die-cast alloy at 473 K and stresses from 15 to 70 MPa. TEM observations indicate that dislocations are generated within the primary α-Mg grain in the die-casting process, which consist of both the basal and non-basal segments. The basal segments of dislocations are able to bow out and glide on the basal planes under the influence of a stress, and the jogs follow the basal segments with the help of climb during creep. The creep mechanism for the alloy is deduced as dislocation climb due to the formation of sub-boundaries during creep, while the easy glide of the basal segments of dislocations is controlling the creep rates immediately after the stress application of creep tests.     

Hot deformation behavior of SiCp/AZ91 magnesium matrix composite fabricated by stir casting

The uniaxial compressive deformation behavior of a 10 vol.% SiC particulate reinforced AZ91 magnesium matrix composite (SiCp/AZ91) fabricated by stir casting is investigated at elevated temperature (250–400 °C). Peak stresses and flow stresses decrease as temperatures increase and strain rates decrease. The extent of dynamic recrystallization (DRX) becomes less as temperatures decrease at 250–350 °C or strain rates increase, and recrystallization occurs mainly within the intergranular regions rich of particles. Dynamic recrystallization accomplishes at 400 °C even at the strain rate of 1 s⁻¹. An analysis of the effective stress dependence on strain rate and temperature gives a stress exponent of n = 5 and a true activation energy of Q = 99 kJ/kJ. The value of Q is close to the value for grain boundary diffusion in Mg. It is concluded that the deformation mechanism of SiCp/AZ91 composite during hot compression is controlled by the dislocation climb.     

Shear Creep Deformation of the Super Alloy Single Crystal CMSX‐4 at High Temperatures and Low Stresses

In the present paper we investigate the shear creep behavior of the single crystal super alloy CMSX‐4 at temperatures between 950 and 1100 °C and shear stresses ranging from 80 to 155 MPa. A double shear creep test technique is used to study the shear creep behavior of four specific macroscopic crystallographic shear systems defined by a specific crystallographic shear plane and a specific crystallographic shear direction (systems investigated: {001}<110>, {100}<010>, {011}<01‐1>, and {111}<01‐1>). The shear creep behavior is analyzed in terms of the shape of individual creep curves and in terms of the stress and the temperature dependence of the secondary shear creep rate. Individual creep curves are generally characterized by a pronounced primary creep range where creep rates decrease by up to three orders of magnitude. A sharp creep rate minimum is not observed. The secondary creep range starts at shear stresses of the order of 0.02 and is followed by a secondary creep range which extends over shear strain ranges of the order of 0.1. No pronounced increase of shear creep rate in the later stages of creep is observed. Norton plots yield power law stress exponents ranging from 5.5 to 9.7. The temperature dependence of the secondary creep rate is of an Arrhenius type and apparent activation energies between 549 and 690 kJ/mol were found. There is a clear influence of crystallography on shear creep rates, which vary between different macroscopic crystallographic shear systems; this effect decreases with increasing temperature. The shear creep results obtained in the present study are discussed in the light of results from uniaxial testing and in the light of underlying microscopic deformation processes.     

Microstructure and mechanical properties of Mg–Zn–Ca alloy processed by equal channel angular pressing

An ultrafine-grained (UFG) Mg–5.12 wt.% Zn–0.32 wt.% Ca alloy with an average grain size of 0.7 μm was produced by subjecting the as-extruded alloy to equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) for 4 passes at 250 °C. The fine secondary phase restricted the dynamic recrystallized (DRXed) grain growth during the ECAP processing, resulting in a remarkable grain refinement. A new texture was formed in the ECAPed Mg alloy with the {0 0 0 2} plane inclined at an angle of 58° relative to the extrusion direction. The yield stress (YS) was decreased in the as-ECAPed alloy with finer grains, indicating that the texture softening effect was dominant over the strengthening from grain refinement. The ductility of the as-ECAPed alloy was increased to 18.2%. The grain refinement caused an obvious decrease in work hardening rate in the as-ECAPed alloy during tensile deformation at room temperature.     

Creep deformation of Alloys 617 and 276 at 750–950 °C

Alloys 617 and 276 were subjected to time-dependent deformation at elevated temperatures under sustained loading of different magnitudes. The results indicate that Alloy 617 did not exhibit strains exceeding 1 percent (%) in 1000 h at 750, 850 and 950 °C when loaded to 10% of its yield strength (YS) values at these temperatures. However, this alloy was not capable of sustaining higher stresses (0.25YS and 0.35YS) for 1000 h at 850 and 950 °C without excessive deformation. Interestingly, Alloy 617 showed insignificant steady-state creep rate at 750 °C irrespective of the applied stress levels. Alloy 276 almost met the maximum creep deformation criterion when tested at 51 MPa–750 °C. Severe creep deformation of both alloys at 950 °C could be attributed to the dissolution of carbides and intermetallic phases remaining after solution annealing or precipitated during quenching.     

On the creep and phase stability of advanced Ni-base single crystal superalloys

The present article examines microstructure stability and creep resistance of a 5th generation superalloy, which has Cr content at 4.6 wt%, 6.4 wt% Re and 5.0 wt% Ru, in comparison with that of a 4th generation superalloy (3.2 wt% Cr, 5.8 wt% Re and 3.6 wt% Ru). The aim is to elucidate the implication of increasing Cr, Re and Ru contents for future alloy developments. Experimental results have concluded that high Re + Ru content could promote formation of hexagonal δ phase at 900 °C; additional Cr and Re could enhance the precipitation of TCP phase at 1100 °C. Although an increase in lattice misfit between γ and γ′ in the 5th generation superalloy could strengthen the alloy against creep deformation under conditions at high temperatures (≥1000 °C) and low stresses (≤245 MPa) whilst the microstructural stability remained, the tendency to raft should be avoided during creep at lower temperatures and higher stresses.     

Effect of compressive stress aging on transformation strain and microstructure of Ni-rich TiNi alloy

The Ti–50.7%Ni (atom fraction) alloy rods were compressive stress aged at 400 °C, 450 °C and 500 °C for different time, their strain behaviors accompanied by temperature elevation were investigated, and their microstructures were observed. It is found that the compressive stress aged TiNi alloy rod displays an obvious contractive strain behavior in the stress direction as the temperature is elevated from approximately 55–75 °C. Compressive stress causes the parallel alignment of the aging precipitate Ti₃Ni₄ in the TiNi alloy, which controls the martensitic transformation (B19′ transformation) and its reverse transformation, leading to its contractive strain behavior accompanied by temperature elevation. The contractive strain of the TiNi alloy compressive stress aged at 400 °C for 100 h is increased with increasing compressive stress up to 140 MPa. Higher aging temperature and longer aging time lead to the coarsening of the precipitates and the enlarging of the inter-precipitate spacing, and therefore result in a decrease in the contractive strain.     

Short-term flexural creep deformation in synroc-C

The flexural creep behaviour of synroc-C in an inert atmosphere was studied at temperatures of 860°C, 900°C and 940°C under constant-load conditions in four-point bending. Applied stresses ranged from 100 to 160 MPa. Individual creep curves show primary and secondary creep but little or no tertiary creep stage. The log of the creep rate was found to increase linearly with log of the applied stress at each temperature over the entire stress range. Analysis of the creep data using the Norton power-law function revealed that the stress exponent decreased from 3.3 ± 0.6 for the 860°C and 900°C data to 2.0 ± 0.2 for the 940°C data, and an activation energy of 440 ± 40 kJ/mol was obtained over the entire temperature and stress range. Comparative analysis with the theta-projection equation was found to adequately represent the data yielding an activation energy of 464 kJ/mol while also showing a trend for the stress exponent to decrease with increasing temperature. Microstructural examination revealed extensive cavitation on the tensile surface of the creep specimens subjected to higher stresses at 900°C and 940°C. Dynamic high temperature X-ray diffraction analysis indicated little change in the phase assemblage apart from a slight reduction in the amount of the hollandite phase at higher temperatures which was attributed to a minor amount of oxidation. The possible creep damage mechanism was explored with reference to creep test results and microstructural modifications and the implications of the observations are discussed.     

Structure and mechanical properties of extruded Mg–Gd based alloy sheet

The Mg–8Gd–2Y–1Nd–0.3Zn–0.6Zr (wt.%) alloy sheet was prepared by hot extrusion technique, and the structure and mechanical properties of the extruded alloy were investigated. The results show that the alloy in different states is mainly composed of α-Mg solid solution and secondary phases of Mg₅RE and Mg₂₄RE₅ (RE = Gd, Y and Nd). At aging temperatures from 200 °C to 300 °C the alloy exhibits obvious age-hardening response. Great improvement of mechanical properties is observed in the peak-aged state alloy (aged at 200 °C for 60 h), the ultimate tensile strength (σ_b), tensile yield strength (σ_0.2) and elongation () are 376 MPa, 270 MPa and 14.2% at room temperature (RT), and 206 MPa, 153 MPa and 25.4% at 300 °C, respectively, the alloy exhibits high thermal stability.     

High-temperature creep behavior and microstructural evolution of an 18Cr9Ni3CuNbVN austenitic stainless steel

The creep properties of an 18Cr9Ni3CuNbVN austenitic stainless steel have been investigated at temperatures ranging from 923 to 1073 K and stresses from 120 to 250 MPa. The rupture lives ranged from 10 to 20,105 h. The stress dependence of the minimum creep rate obeyed a power law, with stress exponents ranging from 6 to 8.6. The activation energy was determined to be 460 to 485 kJ/mol/K. The microstructural evolution during the creep test was investigated. The V-rich Z-phase and metallic Cu precipitates began to precipitate in the middle of the creep deformation, resulting in an increase of the creep strength, while only Nb-based MX precipitates were present from the beginning of the high-temperature creep test.     

Creep Behavior of As-Cast Ti-48Al-2Cr Intermetallic Alloy for Aerospace and Automotive Applications

The creep properties of as-cast Ti-48Al-2Cr (at%) alloy which had been strengthen with addition of 2 at% Cr were investigated. Tensile creep experiments were performed in air at temperatures from 600-800°C and initial stresses ranging from 150 to 180 MPa. Stress exponent and activation energy were both measured. Data indicates that the alloy exhibits steady state creep behavior and the steady state creep rate is found to depend on the applied load and temperature. The measured power law stress exponent for steady state creep rate is found to be close to 3 and the apparent activation energy for creep is calculated to be 15.7 kJ/mol. The creep resistance of the present alloy was also compared with binary Ti-48Al (at%) to evaluate the effect of Cr addition on creep resistance of TiAl. It is concluded that addition of 2 at% of Cr does not have significant effect on the creep resistance of TiAl.