Nucleation of the lamellar decomposition in a Ti–44Al–4Nb–4Zr alloy

The onset of the lamellar decomposition (α⇒α₂+γ) in a titanium aluminide alloy containing Nb and Zr has been studied by transmission electron microscopy. Samples water-quenched from the solution-treatment temperature of 1350 °C show fault-like features resembling those reported previously as the precursors for the formation of the γ lamellae. High-resolution lattice images obtained from such features have revealed that the “faults” are actually embryonic γ lamellae, just a few atomic layers in thickness, which clearly exhibit the ordered L1₀ structure. This implies that the γ phase is formed directly, rather than via some intermediate disordered face-centred-cubic phase as suggested previously. Moreover, the character and configuration of the interfacial defects is consistent with this occurring in a diffusive-displacive manner with short-range fluxes across the risers of mobile perfect interfacial disconnections.     

Structure and Properties of Coatings in the Cr–B–C–N System Obtained Using a CrB2 Cathode by the Method of Pulsed Cathode-Arc Evaporation P-CAE in Ar,N2, and C2H4 Media

Protection of Metals and Physical Chemistry of Surfaces - The technology of pulsed cathode-arc evaporation (P-CAE) has been successfully applied for coating deposition in the...     

Degradation behavior of stainless steel in PbO–CaO–SiO2 slag in the presence of sulphur

Five stainless steel grades are subjected to PbO–CaO–SiO₂–S slag at 1200 °C. The degradation phenomena are identified as liquid slag and liquid metal corrosion, oxidation and sulphidation. The relation between sulphidation and steel and slag composition is discussed. For the slag with the lowest PbO/SiO₂ ratio, sulphidation is mainly recognized through (Fe, Cr)_xS_1?x at the surface and in the subsurface of the steel, especially for the steel grades with the lowest Cr content. For the slag with the highest PbO/SiO₂ ratio, sulphidation is mostly pronounced in the steel grades with the highest Ni content through the formation of a liquid (Ni, Pb, S) phase.     

Interface reaction in the B4C/(Cu–Si) system

The instability of boron carbide in contact with liquid copper triggers the interaction between B₄C and the melt. In a silicon-free melt, this interaction leads to the dissolution of boron in the liquid Cu with a concomitant release of free carbon. The compositions of the substrate and of the melt are adjusted according to the equilibrium requirements in the three-phase (B₄C–graphite–liquid solution saturated with carbon) system. In the course of the interaction between boron carbide and the Cu–Si melt containing less than 13 at.%Si, no silicon carbide is formed and the liquid does not wet the substrate. For a silicon content higher than 13 at.%, the presence of graphite particle agglomerates within a crater, which is formed as a result of the initial decomposition of boron carbide, offers appropriate sites for the nucleation and subsequent growth of SiC particles. The interaction between the Si-containing melt and the B₄C substrate leads to an enrichment of the melt with boron released from the substrate. In the vicinity of the triple line, the composition of the near-surface substrate layer is shifted to higher boron content and the conditions for wetting the substrate are met.     

Diffusion in the Ti–Al system

Many properties of industrial Ti–Al alloys, such as high-temperature stability of the lamellar structure and creep resistance, are determined by diffusion rates in the phases and along the interfaces. The knowledge of diffusion characteristics and fundamental understanding of diffusion mechanisms are of great importance to the research and design of industrial Ti–Al alloys. This paper gives an overview of recent progress in experimental and theoretical studies of diffusion behavior in the phases of the Ti–Al system. The experimental methods used in modern diffusion measurements are briefly described, and recent experimental results for Ti and Al diffusion in α-Ti(Al), β-Ti(Al), and intermetallic phases α₂-Ti₃Al and γ-TiAl, are summarized. The results for interdiffusion and impurity diffusion in these phases are also discussed in detail. The second part of the paper provides an overview of current understanding of point defects and diffusion mechanisms in Ti₃Al and TiAl. A statistical model of point-defect disorder in ordered compounds is presented and applied to Ti₃Al and TiAl using input data generated with embedded-atom potentials. Possible atomic mechanisms of diffusion in these compounds are analyzed in detail, and methods of diffusion calculations under different mechanisms are reviewed. The relative importance of different mechanisms in Ti₃Al and TiAl is evaluated by comparing their estimated activation energies. Prospective topics of further experimental and theoretical research in this area are outlined.     

A positron study of the defect structures in the D03 and B2 phases in the Fe–Al system

The positron annihilation technique was used to identify the nature of the vacancy-type defects in the D0₃ and B2 phases of the Fe–Al system. Seven alloys with Al concentrations in the range 22.7–48 at.% Al and with different thermal treatments were examined. Positron lifetime calculations for the expected defects in the two phases were also performed in order to facilitate the defect identification. In the B2 phase, two types of defects were identified: a thermal complex formed by a Fe-divacancy and an Al antisite, and a Fe-vacancy. No constitutional vacancies were found in the D0₃ phase.     

Phase equilibria in the system Al–Co–Si

The Al–Co–Si system was studied for three isothermal sections at 600 °C (equilibria with Si), 800 °C (alloys up to 50 at.% Co) and 900 °C (alloys with more than 50 at.% Co). A total number of seven ternary compounds were characterized in the ternary system and the homogeneity ranges of the various ternary solid solutions of binary Co–Al and Co–Si compounds were studied. X-ray powder diffraction and optical microscopy was used for initial sample characterization and electron probe microanalysis of the annealed samples was used to determine the phase compositions within the ternary system. Lattice parameters have been determined for all ternary compounds and the change of lattice parameters with the composition is given for the solid solution phases.     

Crystal structure and thermoelectric properties of chimney–ladder compounds in the Ru2Si3–Mn4Si7 pseudobinary system

Phase relationships of manganese-substituted ruthenium sesquisilicide alloys have been investigated by using X-ray powder diffraction and scanning and transmission electron microscopy. A series of chimney–ladder phases Ru_1?xMn_xSi_y (0.14 ? x ? 0.97, 1.584 ? y ? 1.741) are formed over a wide compositional range between Ru₂Si₃ and Mn₄Si₇. The compositions of these chimney–ladder compounds deviate slightly from the composition line connecting Ru₂Si₃ and Mn₄Si₇, which corresponds to the ideal composition line satisfying VEC (valence electron counting) = 14 rule. The occurrence of this compositional deviation is discussed in terms of the VEC rule and the atomic packing. The thermoelectric properties of the directionally solidified Ru_1?xMn_xSi_y alloys (0.55 ? x ? 0.90) have also been investigated as a function of the Mn content and temperature. The dimensionless figure of merit (ZT) for those alloys with a high Mn content (x ? 0.75) increased with the increase in Mn content. The ZT value for a crystal with x = 0.90 was as high as 0.76 at 874 K.     

Fatigue in Ti–6Al–4V–B alloys

The addition of small amounts of B to Ti–6Al–4V alloy reduces the as-cast grain size by an order of magnitude and introduces TiB phase into the microstructure. The effects of these microstructural modifications on both the high cycle fatigue and cyclic stress–strain response were investigated. Experimental results show that B addition markedly enhances the fatigue strength of the alloy; however, the influence of prior-β grain size was found to be only marginal. The presence of TiB particles in the matrix appears to be beneficial with the addition of 0.55 wt.% B to Ti–6Al–4V enhancing the fatigue strength by more than 50%. Strain-controlled fatigue experiments reveal softening in the cyclic stress–strain response, which increases with the B content in the alloy. Transmission electron microscopy of the fatigued specimens indicates that generation of dislocations during cyclic loading and creation of twins due to strain incompatibility between the matrix and the TiB phase are possible reasons for the observed softening.     

Rhenium distribution in the matrix and near the particle–matrix interface in a model Ni–Al–Ta–Re superalloy

The distribution of Ni, Al, Ta, and Re in a model Ni-base superalloy is investigated in the as-heat treated alloy by energy dispersive X-ray analysis and three-dimensional atom probe. Re was found to partition mainly to the γ phase in which it forms clusters with sizes of about 1 nm and mutual average distances of 20 nm.     

Effect of the magnesium content on the mechanochemical behavior in ternary system Mg–B2O3–C

The influence of Mg content in Mg–B₂O₃–C mixture on the MgO–B₄C composite formation and mechanism of reactions during ball milling process was investigated. In keeping with this aim, a mixture of boron oxide powder along with different amounts of Mg (4–10 mol) and C (1–3 mol) was activated in a ball mill. Thermodynamic calculations and differential thermal analysis (DTA) results revealed that Mg value played a main role, thereby; overall reaction enthalpy and adiabatic temperature (T_ad) changed by variation of magnesium content. T_ad enhanced with the increase in the Mg content and found maximum value (2852 °C) at stoichiometric ratio (Mg = 6 mol). DTA results showed that increasing the activation time to 5.5 h could decrease the temperature of combustion reaction to 530°C before magnesium melting. According to experimental findings, in the mixture of powder with 4 mol Mg, magnesiothermic reaction occurred in MSR mode and no carbothermal reaction took place. However, when the Mg content reached within a range of 9/2–6 mol, the magnesiothermic reaction occurred in MSR mode and activated the carbothermal reaction. Further enhancement in Mg content (10 mol Mg), as a diluent agent, led to MSR magnesiothermic reaction and no carbothermal reduction occurred.     

The Study of the Oxidation of a Ti–45Al–2Nb–2Mn–0.2B Alloy in the Investment Casting Using an Yttria Face Coat Mould

Investment casting is an economical method to manufacture near net-shape metal components. Due to the very high thermal and chemical inertness, yttria has been widely used as the mould face coat material for the investment casting of titanium alloy for many years. An investigation was undertaken to study the oxidation behaviour of TiAl alloy during casting in a mould using pure yttria as the face coat. This research shows that the TiAl alloy was still oxidized in the mould during casting when using yttria as the face coat. During high temperature casting, the yttria in the face coat was dissolved by high temperature molten metal flow. The oxygen from the yttria face coat diffused into TiAl and interacts with TiAl to form different microstructure and phases (e.g. precipitates such as oxygen enriched Ti₃Al and Al₂O₃ phases). Meanwhile, the dissolved yttrium was then re-precipitated at the metal interfacial area as yttria inclusions after metal cool down.     

Effect of predeformation on globularization of Ti–5Al–2Sn–2Zr–4Mo–4Cr during annealing

The microstructure evolution during annealing of Ti–5Al–2Sn–2Zr–4Mo–4Cr alloy was investigated. The results show that for the alloy compressed at 810 °C and 1.0 s^?1 deformation amount (height reduction) 20% and 50% and annealed at 810 °C, thermal grooving by penetration of β phase is sufficient during the first 20 min annealing, resulting in a sharp increase in globularization fraction. The globularization fraction continuously increases with the increase of annealing time, and a height reduction of 50% leads to a near globular microstructure after annealing for 4 h. For the alloy with deformation amount of 50% by compressing at 810 °C, 0.01 s^?1 and then annealed at 810 °C, thermal grooving is limited during the first 20 min of annealing and large quantities of high-angle grain boundaries (HABs) remain. With long time annealing, the chain-like α grains are developed due to the HABs, termination migration and Ostwald ripening. The present results suggest that a higher strain rate and a larger height reduction are necessary before annealing to achieve a globular microstructure of Ti–5Al–2Sn–2Zr–4Mo–4Cr.     

Bulk ferromagnetic glasses in the Fe–Ni–P–B System

The ferromagnetic metallic glass Fe₄₀Ni₄₀P₁₄B₆, available only as 30–50 μm thick ribbons, has been extensively studied over the last three decades. We used a flux-melting and water-quenching technique to prepare bulk glassy Fe₄₀Ni₄₀P₁₄B₆ alloys in the form of 2-mm diameter spheres and 1-mm diameter rods. The Curie temperature for the bulk glasses is higher than the average value of Curie temperatures reported for the rapidly quenched ribbons. The glass-transition temperature and the crystallization temperature of the bulk glasses are lower and higher, respectively, than the average values reported for rapidly quenched ribbons, making the supercooled-liquid region as wide as 42 K. The bulk glasses crystallize by a homogeneous nucleation followed by a growth at a constant rate. The nucleation rate in the bulk glasses is four orders of magnitude lower than in the rapidly quenched ribbons, suggesting that the previous thickness limitation was due to impurities in the melt (heterogeneous nucleation).     

Liquid–solid equilibria in the quasicrystalline regions of the Al–Pd–Mn phase diagram

Phase equilibria were investigated in the Al–Pd–Mn phase diagram in the region where quasicrystals and approximant phases form. With respect to previous thermodynamic studies, the extents of the liquidus phase fields of several approximant phases are either established or precisely determined. In particular, compositional profiles across interfaces show the ternary character of the T(AlPdMn) and ξ′ phases which are close to the binary Al–Mn and Al–Pd limits respectively. It is pointed out that the relative stability of some of the phases involves very small energy differences leading to very long transformation times and the solidification of metastable phases.     

Experimental Investigation of the Ti–V Side in the Ti–V–Sn Ternary System

Phase relations in the Ti–V–Sn system are of great importance for design of aerospace titanium alloys. However, reported Ti–V–Sn ternary phase diagrams present great differences. The isothermal section of the Ti–V side in the Ti–V–Sn system at 1073, 1173, and 1273 K was established using equilibria alloys. There are 11 two-phase equilibria and 3 three-phase equilibria, 9 two-phase equilibria and 3 three-phase equilibria, and 9 two-phase equilibria and 3 three-phase equilibria in the isothermal section at 1073, 1173, and 1273 K, respectively. In addition, remarkable ternary solubility in some binary compounds was detected, e.g., up to 21.18 and 22.23 at.% V in Ti₃Sn and Ti₂Sn, respectively, at 1273 K.     

High pressure experiments on the Mg2Ni and Mg2NiH4–H systems

Electrical resistance of the Mg₂Ni and Mg₂NiH₄ powders was measured under compressing up to 6 gigapascals (GPa), using the four-point probe method at 20°C. Effects induced by the high-pressure treatment and heating at 400°C with or without hydrogen source LiAlH₄ were also studied. The structure and hydrogenation properties of the samples recovered after quenching from high pressure and high temperature were investigated employing the techniques of X-ray diffraction and thermal analyses such as differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis. Decreased absorption/desorption temperatures were observed for the treated samples owing to the changes of microstructure and kinetic factor.