Other applications of superalloys

Abstract

It is the intention in this paper to put into context the development of high-temperature alloys to their present position in non-gas-turbine applications, and to identify new alloy systems capable of improving performance in hostile industrial environments. The rise of superalloys from ferritic steels to the current γ′-hardened nickel-base materials, the best of which experience strength limitations above l000°C, is traced. Desired increases in temperature capability are possible with oxide dispersion strengthened powder alloys, which were originally developed for gas turbine usage and are now being produced on a large tonnage basis by the mechanical alloying (MA) process. The MA technique and commercial alloys are described and examples given of the replacement of more conventional materials by fabricated MA components in a diversity of industries. MA alloys exhibit combinations of strength and corrosion resistance capable of meeting many industrial demands for economic improvements to processing capabilities and efficiencies.

MST/525     

State of the Art: Applications of Mechanically Alloyed Nanomaterials—A Review

Nanostructured materials as a new class of engineering materials with enhanced properties and structural length scale between 1 and 100 nm can be produced by a variety of different methods. Mechanical alloying (MA) technique is one of the processes to produce nanomaterials. This process involving milling of constituent powder in high-energy ball mills goes extensive mechanical deformation due to ball-powder-ball and ball-powder-container collisions that occur during MA. The development of strong oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) alloys has been the prime goal of Benjamin's group, which invented the MA technique. But, the possibility of synthesizing a variety of materials has made MA an exciting field to work in for many investigators. Mechanically alloyed nickel-based, iron-based superalloys, and aluminum-based alloys are in commercial production. The ODS Al-base alloys made by MA are found to be much superior to the traditional alloys in term of strength and hardness value even at high temperature. The mechanical alloying process attracts the attention of a large group of researchers and technologists basically because of its potential to produce a variety of materials in the simplest possible way. MA definitely has a bright future as a solid-state processing route.     

Review of principles and methods of severe plastic deformation for producing ultrafine-grained tubes

Severe plastic deformation (SPD) is known to be the best method for producing bulk ultrafine-grained and nanostructured materials with excellent properties. Different SPD methods were developed that are suitable for sheet and bulk solid materials. During the past decade, efforts have been made to create effective SPD processes suitable for producing cylindrical tubes. In this paper, we review SPD processes intended to produce ultrafine-grained and nanostructured tubes, and their effects on material properties. The paper will focus on introduction of the tube SPD processes, and then comparison of them based on their advantages and disadvantages from the viewpoints of processing and properties.     

Development of nanocrystalline Fe–Co alloys using mechanical alloying

Abstract

Nanostructured alloys have considerable potential as soft magnetic materials. In these materials a small magnetic anisotropy is desired, which necessitates the choice of cubic crystalline phases of Fe, Co, Ni, etc. In the present work, Fe–50 at.-%Co alloys were prepared using mechanical alloying (MA) in a planetary ball mill under a controlled environment. The influence of milling parameters on the crystallinity and crystal size in the alloys was studied. The particle size and morphology were also investigated using SEM. In addition, a thermal treatment was employed for partial sintering of some of the MA powders. The crystal size in both MA powders and compacted samples was measured using X-ray diffraction. It was shown that the crystal size could be reduced to less than 15 nm in these alloys. The nanocrystalline material obtained was also evaluated for magnetic behaviour.     

Microstructure and tensile properties of squeeze cast Al–Zn–Mg–Cu alloy

Abstract

It is well known that wrought aluminium alloys have tensile properties superior to those of the cast products. Wrought grade alloys cannot usually be produced by conventional casting processes to attain the same level of tensile properties. However, progress in casting methods in recent years has made it possible to produce wrought alloys by means of squeeze casting techniques. In the present study an Al–Zn–Mg–Cu alloy has been produced by squeeze casting. Tensile properties close to those of wrought products have been achieved by controlling the microstructure, pressure, and other processing parameters.     

Structure of nanocomposites of Al-Fe alloys prepared by mechanical alloying and rapid solidification processing

Structures of Al-based nanocomposites of Al-Fe alloys prepared by mechanical alloying (MA) and subsequent annealing are compared with those obtained by rapid solidification processing (RSP). MA produced only supersaturated solid solution of Fe in Al up to 10 at.% Fe, while for higher Fe content up to 20 at.% the nonequilibrium intermetallic Al₅Fe₂ appeared. Subsequent annealing at 673 K resulted in more Al₅Fe₂ formation with very little coarsening. The equilibrium intermetallics, Al₃Fe (Al₁₃Fe₄), was not observed even at this temperature. In contrast, ribbons of similar composition produced by RSP formed fine cellular or dendritic structure with nanosized dispersoids of possibly a nano-quasicrystalline phase and amorphous phase along with α-Al depending on the Fe content in the alloys. This difference in the product structure can be attributed to the difference in alloying mechanisms in MA and RSP.     

The new trends in fabrication of bulk nanostructured materials by SPD processing

During the past decade, fabrication of bulk nanostructured metals and alloys using severe plastic deformation (SPD) has been evolving as a rapidly advancing direction of nanomaterials science and technology aimed at developing materials with new mechanical and functional properties for advanced applications. The principle of these developments is based on grain refinement down to the nanoscale level via various SPD techniques. This paper is focused on investigation and development of new SPD processing routes enabling fabrication of fully dense bulk nanostructured metals and alloys with a grain size of 40–50 nm and smaller, namely, SPD-consolidation of powders, including nanostructured ones, as well as SPD-induced nanocrystallization of amorphous alloys. We also consider microstructural features of SPD-processed materials that are responsible for enhancement of their properties.     

Comparison of Fe-Ni based alloys prepared by ball milling and rapid solidification

Mechanical alloying (MA) and rapid solidification (RS) are two important routes to obtain amorphous alloys. An Fe-Ni based metal-metalloid alloy (Fe₅₀Ni₃₀P₁₄Si₆) prepared by these two different processing routes was studied by differential scanning calorimetry, scanning electron microscopy with microanalysis, inductive coupled plasma, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission Mössbauer spectroscopy (TMS). The results were compared with that obtained from other Fe-Ni based alloys of similar compositions. The structural analyses show that the materials obtained by mechanical alloying are not completely disordered after 40 h of milling whereas fully amorphous alloys were obtained by rapid solidification. TMS analyses show that, independent of the composition, after milling for 40 h, about 7% of the Fe remains unreacted. Furthermore, the thermal stability of mechanically alloyed samples is lower than that of the analogous material prepared by rapid solidification. In the MA alloys, a broad exothermic process associated to structural relaxation begins at low temperature. XRD patterns of crystallized alloys indicate that the crystallization products are bcc(Fe,Ni), fcc(Ni,Fe), and (Fe,Ni)-phosphides and -silicides.     

Materials and Process Design through Mechanochemical Routes

Mechanochemical Processing (MCP) is the term applied to the powder metallurgy process in which chemical reactions and phase transformations take place due to the application of mechanical energy. Mechanical alloying (MA) is a powder-processing technique involving deformation, cold welding, fracturing, and rewelding of powder particles in a ball mill. The technique of MCP has had a long history and the materials produced this way have already found a number of potential technological applications, e.g., in areas such as hydrogen storage materials, heaters, gas absorbers, fertilizers, catalysts, cosmetics, and waste management. Mechanical alloying has become an established commercial technique to produce oxide dispersion strengthened nickel- and iron-based superalloys. The present paper briefly discusses the basic mechanisms of formation of phases by the techniques of MA and MCP; the variety of possible technological applications of mechanically alloyed or mechanochemically processed products are highlighted. The main focus of this paper is on exploring the feasibility of these processing techniques to produce novel advanced materials and their comparison with competing technologies.     

Non-equilibrium synthesis of new materials

Over the last few decades it has become apparent that metallic materials produced by conventional casting processes have reached their limit. Some improvements have been obtained by rapidly cooling bulk alloys but major increases have required the development of rapid solidification processes. However, more radical approaches, such as mechanical alloying (MA) and physical vapour deposition (PVD), are also being explored and these are the subject of this paper. This paper describes the physical basis behind the development of MA and PVD in the Structural Materials Centre and presents the results of some materials development programmes on aluminium, magnesium and titanium based materials.     

Development of microstructures of high grain aspect ratio during zone annealing of oxide dispersion strengthened superalloys

Abstract

Two extruded bars of the nickel base mechanically alloyed materials MA 6000 and MA 760 have been zone recrystallised in a calibrated gradient furnace. Selected area channelling patterns in the scanning electron microscope have been employed to study the crystallographic texture of the grains of large aspect ratio produced by zone annealing, and microbeam electron diffraction has enabled the orientations of the submicrometre sized equiaxed grains in the material behind the (secondary) recrystallisation front to be studied. In both alloys a curved secondary recrystallisation interface is observed, with the surface recrystallising at a lower temperature than the interior. This is considered to result indirectly from the strain gradients occurring during extrusion. A <110> texture is present, and reasons for this are discussed. In MA 6000 progressive grain rotation towards <110> has been measured behind the recrystallisation interface, although this is not observed in MA 760 as it transforms at a lower temperature. Quenching experiments have shown that nucleation of secondary recrystallisation occurs at temperatures higher than that at which the recrystallisation interface grows at the zoning speed employed. It is suggested that the microstructure develops via the thermally activated unpinning of interfaces which have mobility advantages.

MST/1948     

Stability of ultra-fine and nano-grains after severe plastic deformation: a critical review

In this critical note, the thermal stability behavior of ultra-fine grained (UFG) and nano-structured (NS) metals and alloys produced through severe plastic deformation (SPD) techniques is reviewed. For this case, the common engineering metals with body-centered cubic (BCC), face-centered cubic (FCC), and hexagonal close-packed (HCP) crystal structures such as aluminum, copper, nickel, magnesium, steel, titanium, and their relating alloys were assessed. Microstructural evolution in these severely deformed materials following post-processing annealing treatment was investigated for various times and temperatures below the recrystallization point. The microstructure development reported in the literature was studied in terms of the stable grain structures correlated with different levels of plastic straining. The stacking fault energy (SFE) is noted to be a key issue which has a critical influence in predicting the coalescence or coarsening behavior of ultra-fine and nanoscale grains after SPD treatment by controlling the cross-slip phenomenon for screw dislocations.

Graphical Abstract

     

Phase evolution in mechanical alloying and spark plasma sintering of AlxCoCrCuFeNi HEAs

ABSTRACT

Al_xCoCrCuFeNi high-entropy alloys were synthesised through mechanical alloying and spark plasma sintering. Different alloys were produced by varying the aluminium content (x?=?0.5, 1.5, 2.5 and 4). The influences of the milling duration on the evolution of microstructure, constituent phases and morphology were studied. Increasing milling time resulted in grain refinement and higher solid solution homogenisation characterised by a high internal strain. As a consequence of aluminium addition, the microstructure of materials evolved from face centered cubic (FCC) and body centered cubic (BCC) phases to FCC, BCC and ordered BCC phases. Both mechanical alloying and SPS conditions as well as aluminium content led to grain refinement and variations of mechanical properties. In particular, hardness increased with increasing aluminium content. The aluminium percentage and the evolution of consequent phases are responsible for the microstructural stability at high temperatures. In addition, with Al content increase, the further synergy of strength and ductility along with a more pronounced strain hardening was obtained.     

Texture development in high strength aluminium alloys

Abstract

Texture development during the thermomechanical processing of high strength aluminium alloys is reviewed. The alloys dealt with include both conventional heat treatable alloys, and unconventional materials such as rapidly quenched alloys and metal-matrix composites. The processing routes considered include hot and cold rolling, extrusion, forging, recrystallisation, and superplastic deformation. The information is presented as (111) pole figures and orientation distribution functions, in order to illustrate the much greater degree of detailed information that can be extracted from the latter method of analysis. The implications of texture development are considered by examining the effects that texture can have on tensile property anisotropy and fatigue and fracture behaviour.

MST/1292     

深度塑性变形法的研究现状和前景

深度塑性变形加工与传统变形方法相比具有很大的优点,可得到超细晶金属和合金,其微观组织结构和性能也发生很大的变化.通过介绍累积轧合法、等通道角挤压法和高压扭转法等3种目前最主要的深度塑性变形方法,分析了深度塑性变形法的特点和现状,并对其未来进行了展望.     

Semisolid processing of metallic materials

Abstract

Semisolid processing involves forming metallic alloys between the solidus and the liquidus. For the process to operate, the microstructure must consist of solid spheroids in the liquid matrix, rather than dendrites. The material then flows when it is sheared but thickens again when allowed to stand, i.e. it behaves thixotropically. This type of behaviour was first discovered by Flemings and co-workers in the 1970s and is utilised in a family of processes, some now applied commercially. Here, the current status of semisolid processing, both technologically and from a research point of view, will be reviewed.     

Paradoxes of Severe Plastic Deformation

Severe plastic deformation (SPD) can lead to emergence of microstructural features and properties in materials which are fundamentally different from the ones well known for conventional cold deformation. In particular, the instances of unusual phase transformations resulting in development of highly metastable states associated with formation of supersaturated solid solutions, disordering or amorphization and their further decomposition during heating, high thermal stability of the SPD‐produced nanostructures, and the paradox of strength and ductility in some SPD‐processed metals and alloys are discussed.     

Surface treatments for controlling corrosion rate of biodegradable Mg and Mg-based alloy implants

Abstract

Due to their excellent biodegradability characteristics, Mg and Mg-based alloys have become an emerging material in biomedical implants, notably for repair of bone as well as coronary arterial stents. However, the main problem with Mg-based alloys is their rapid corrosion in aggressive environments such as human bodily fluids. Previously, many approaches such as control of alloying materials, composition and surface treatments, have been attempted to regulate the corrosion rate. This article presents a comprehensive review of recent research focusing on surface treatment techniques utilised to control the corrosion rate and surface integrity of Mg-based alloys in both in vitro and in vivo environments. Surface treatments generally involve the controlled deposition of thin film coatings using various coating processes, and mechanical surfacing such as machining, deep rolling or low plasticity burnishing. The aim is to either make a protective thin layer of a material or to change the micro-structure and mechanical properties at the surface and sub-surface levels, which will prevent rapid corrosion and thus delay the degradation of the alloys. We have organised the review of past works on coatings by categorising the coatings into two classes—conversion and deposition coatings—while works on mechanical treatments are reviewed based on the tool-based processes which affect the sub-surface microstructure and mechanical properties of the material. Various types of coatings and their processing techniques under two classes of coating and mechanical treatment approaches have been analysed and discussed to investigate their impact on the corrosion performance, biomechanical integrity, biocompatibility and cell viability. Potential challenges and future directions in designing and developing the improved biodegradable Mg/Mg-based alloy implants were addressed and discussed. The literature reveals that no solutions are yet complete and hence new and innovative approaches are required to leverage the benefit of Mg-based alloys. Hybrid treatments combining innovative biomimetic coating and mechanical processing would be regarded as a potentially promising way to tackle the corrosion problem. Synergetic cutting-burnishing integrated with cryogenic cooling may be another encouraging approach in this regard. More studies focusing on rigorous testing, evaluation and characterisation are needed to assess the efficacy of the methods.     

Effect of sintering parameters on microstructure,mechanical properties and electrochemical behavior of Nb–Zr alloy for biomedical applications

Despite the importance of Nb–Zr alloys as candidate materials for biomedical applications, little attention has been given to their processing and the development of new or improved structures. Here, we explore the viability of synthesizing a nano/sub-micron grain structured Nb–Zr alloy through the use of mechanical alloying (MA) and spark-plasma sintering (SPS). The sintered samples were characterized through measurements of densification, Vickers hardness (HV), X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The effect of the SPS parameters on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the sintered alloys was also investigated. Moreover, electrochemical corrosion analyses were performed by a means of a conventional three-electrode cell to assess the corrosion resistance of the developed alloys in Simulated Body Fluids (SBF) medium. A nano/sub-micron grain structured Nb–Zr alloy with an average grain size of between 100 and 300 nm was produced using the MA-SPS techniques. A maximum hardness and relative density of 584 HV and 97.9% were achieved, respectively. Moreover, the nano/sub-micron grain structured Nb–Zr alloy exhibited higher corrosion resistance in SBF medium, which makes this alloy is a promising candidate for use in biomedical applications.     

A review of advances in processing and metallurgy of titanium alloys

Abstract

Titanium and its alloys exhibit excellent mechanical properties, unrivalled corrosion resistance and outstanding biocompatibility; however, annual global titanium production is dwarfed by commodity metals. This is in part due to the current primary production method (Kroll process), which requires a complex and discontinuous reduction route in addition to several costly downstream processing steps to convert titanium sponge to usable product forms. Alternative extraction processes are reviewed in the present paper with emphasis on the electrochemical reduction routes, such as the Fray–Farthing–Chen (FFC) Cambridge process. Improvements in thermomechanical processing including the use of modelling are briefly examined. Alloy development is also discussed with particular regard to superelastic and shape memory alloys.