Modification of hypoeutectic Al-Si alloys

Modification of the Al-Si eutectic microstructure has been studied by using the entrained droplet technique in a range of hypoeutectic Al-Si alloys doped with different levels of phosphorus and sodium. Differential scanning calorimetry has been used to investigate the kinetics of silicon nucleation during eutectic solidification, and transmission and scanning transmission electron microscopy has been used to investigate the eutectic microstructure and microchemistry. The Al-Si eutectic microstructure can be modified from coarse-faceted silicon particles nucleating at low undercooling to clusters of fine-scale silicon particles nucleating at high undercooling by either increasing alloy purity, adding sodium, or increasing cooling rate during solidification. The unmodified coarse silicon particles are heterogeneously nucleated on pre-existing AIP particles. Increasing alloy purity removes phosphorus and prevents the formation of AIP; adding sodium leads to the formation of Na₃P in preference to AIP; and increasing cooling rate allows insufficient time for the precipitation of AIP from low levels of dissolved phosphorus. At a cooling rate of 10 K min^–1, the transition from an unmodified to a modified Al-Si eutectic microstructure takes place when phosphorus levels fall below 0.25–2 p.p.m., and when sodium levels increase to 80–850 p.p.m.     

Effect of microstructure on the mechanical properties and fracture of commercial hypoeutectic Al-Si alloy modified with Na, Sb and Sr

The microstructure, hardness, tensile properties and fracture have been studied for the non-modified and modified aluminium (Al) silicon (Si) commercial hypoeutectic alloy. Three modifiers were used being sodium (Na), antimony (Sb) and strontium (Sr). The Sb-modified structure revealed small plate-like Si morphology. The Na and Sr-modified structures exhibited fibrous Si. A slight increase in the hardness values (HV) due to modification was observed. A general increase in the tensile properties was observed due to modification. The tensile properties of the sand mould Sr-modified alloy were significantly higher than those of the Na-modified alloy by 12.7% in proof stress, 16.3% in ductility and 33.3% in toughness. For the metal mould ingots the increase in tensile properties of Sr-modified alloy were respectively: 16.7%, 32.5% and 41.7% compared to a Na-modified alloy. Optical fractography on longitudinal sections near the fracture surfaces of the modified alloys revealed that the crack propagates in the eutectic thus, circumventing the Al-dendrites. The dimple and smooth ripple patterns observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) on the fracture surface of the Na and Sr-modified alloys suggest a transgranular type of fracture across the grains of the eutectic matrix.     

Microstructure and mechanical properties of FexCoCrNiMn high-entropy alloys

The microstructure and tensile properties of Fe_xCoCrNiMn high-entropy alloys (HEAs) were investigated. It was found that the Fe_xCoCrNiMn HEA has a single face-centered cubic (fcc) structure in a wide range of Fe content. Further increasing the Fe content endowed the Fe_xCoCrNiMn alloys with an fcc/body-centered cubic (bcc) dual-phase structure. The yield strength of the Fe_xCoCrNiMn HEAs slightly decreased with the increase of Fe content. An excellent combination of strength and ductility was achieved in the Fe_xCoCrNiMn HEA with higher Fe content, which can be attributed to the outstanding deformation coordination capability of the fcc/bcc dual phase structure.     

Effect of silicon content on microstructure and electrochemical behavior of hypoeutectic Al-Si alloys

The correlation of mechanical properties and corrosion behavior with microstructure parameters can be very useful for planning solidification conditions in order to achieve a desired level of final properties. The present study aims to investigate the influence of silicon content on the microstructural pattern, i.e., dendrite spacings and distribution of interdendritic phases on the corrosion behavior of Al-Si alloys castings. The corrosion resistance was analyzed by both the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique and Tafel's plots carried out in a 0.5 M NaCl test solution at 25 °C. The increase on silicon content has provided a dendritic refinement and a more extensive redistribution of the eutectic mixture which has provoked a decrease on the corrosion resistance.     

Microstructure and mechanical properties of hot rolled TiNbSn alloys

Titanium alloys with lower elastic modulus and free from toxic elements such as Al and V have been studied for biomedical matters. Ti–Nb–Sn alloys showed up as presenting great potential for the aforementioned purpose. The current study got Ti–35Nb-XSn alloys (x = 2.5; 5.0; 7.5) by applying the following techniques: arc melting, homogenizing and cooling in furnace, homogenizing and water quenched, hot rolling and water quenched. According to each step of the study, the microstructures were featured by means of optical microscopy, by applying a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis as well as X-ray diffraction. The mechanical properties were gotten by means of: Vickers microhardness, tensile and ultrasonic tests. Their ratio between tensile strength and elastic modulus as well as the ductility were compared to other biomedical alloys already available in the literature. The mechanical behavior of the Ti–Nb alloys directly depends on the Sn rates that constitutes the phases as well as on the thermomechanical background to which the alloy was submitted to. The hot rolled Ti–35Nb–2.5Sn alloy showed high ratio between strength and elastic modulus as well as high ductility, just as high as those of some cold rolled Ti alloys.     

Microstructure features affecting mechanical properties and corrosion behavior of a hypoeutectic Al–Ni alloy

The aim of this article is to analyze the influence of microstructural parameters on the mechanical properties and corrosion behavior of a hypoeutectic Al–Ni alloy. Experimental results include secondary dendrite arm spacing, corrosion potential, current density, pitting potential, ultimate tensile strength and yield strength. It was found that cooling rates during solidification of about 0.6 °C/s and 8 °C/s can provide secondary dendritic spacings of 7 μm and 16 μm, respectively. Although the microstructure having their phases finely and homogeneously distributed was shown to induce better mechanical properties and higher pitting potential, its general corrosion resistance decreased when compared with the corresponding results of the coarser microstructure.     

Microstructure and mechanical properties of rapidly solidified Al-Si-Fe-X base alloys

The effects of Ti and V additions on microstructure and mechanical properties of rapidly solidified Al-20w/oSi-5w/oFe alloy were investigated, respectively. The hypereutectic Al-Si-Fe base alloys were gas-atomized and hot-extruded to make the consolidated bars. The addition of 2w/oTi increased wear resistance and mechanical properties such as tensile strength, hardness and elongation. Based on TEM analyses, it can be concluded that the improved properties in the Al-Si-Fe alloys containing Ti were caused by the formation of DO₂₂-(Al,Si)₃ Ti phase finely dispersed in the matrix. On the contrary, V addition was less effective than Ti, in that V could not decompose as the expected Al₁₀V phase with a large v/o of precipitates; V was mostly solid-solutionized in the other unknown phase.     

石墨烯增强镁合金塑性加工的组织和力学性能

为获得优异力学性能的复合材料,选用石墨烯作为增强体.本文采用粉末冶金方法,经高能球磨法、冷压、烧结、热压和热挤压制备了AZ31镁合金及石墨烯(GNPs)增强AZ31镁基复合材料棒状试样,通过光学显微镜(OM)、扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、X射线衍射(XRD)和室温拉伸、压缩表征了该材料的组织和力学性能.结果表明:制备的复合材料及基体中生成了Mg_(17)Al_(12)和MgO,加入GNPs后复合材料的屈服强度与维氏硬度都优于基体材料;加入GNPs质量分数为0.5%和1.0%的GNPs复合材料分别比基体屈服强度增加13.2%和14.2%(258和259 MPa),显微维氏硬度分别增加11.4%和14.3%(78和80 HV),主要的强化机制为载荷转移强化、奥罗万强化、热错配强化,但材料的拉伸延伸率分别降低到3.9%和4.3%,比基体分别降低了38%和32%,材料的致密度分别为99.6%、98.5%、97.8%,随着GNPs的增加,致密度降低;GNPs的加入未改变材料的断裂方式,材料的断裂方式均主要为脆性断裂;GNPs的添加使复合材料的基面{0002}织构弱化,从而降低材料的屈服不对称性.     

Microstructure and mechanical properties of Fe3Al alloys with chromium

Alloys based on Fe₃Al have an equilibrium DO₃ structure at low temperatures and transform to a B2 structure above about 550°C. The influence of different rates of quenching from the B2 region to room temperature and of subsequent heat treatments on the microstructure and mechanical properties of powder metallurgy (P/M) alloys with two different chromium contents have been examined. Optimizing the processing to maximize the amount of B2 order, without eliminating dislocations that enhance both strength and ductility, yields room-temperature ductility approaching 20%, although the fracture mode is primarily brittle cleavage. The B2 structure generally has lower flow stress than the DO₃ structure because of its lower strain-hardening rate, although B2 order actually has higher yield strength when the structure is free of dislocations. Increasing the chromium content from 2% to 5% has little effect on ductility, although the 2% Cr alloys generally have higher yield strengths and larger order parameters.     

Microstructure and mechanical properties of RSP/M Al-Fe-V-Si and Al-Fe-Ce alloys

Two aluminium alloys with nominal compositions of Al-8Fe-4Ce and Al-8Fe-1V-2Si (all compositions in wt%) were rapidly solidified by ultrasonic gas atomization. The atomized powders with an average particle size (d₅₀) of 30 m were vacuum hot pressed and subsequently hot extruded. The P/M extrusion exhibited similar microstructure and elevated temperature tensile properties. The tensile and stress rupture samples of both the alloys exhibited ductile dimple failure. However, the Al-Fe-V-Si extrusion samples exhibited significantly better creep and stress rupture properties. The Al-Fe-Ce alloy was found to be more susceptible to cavitation at elevated temperatures which resulted in poor stress rupture properties.     

High damping properties of Mg–Si binary hypoeutectic alloys

The damping properties of as-cast Mg–Si hypoeutectic alloys with Si contents of 0.25, 0.5, 1 wt.% were investigated by Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA), respectively. The results show that the Si content has an interesting influence on the damping properties due to the primary cyrstallized Mg₂Si. The damping capacities of high damping Mg–Si hypoeutectic alloys are strain amplitude strongly dependent while the strain amplitude weakly dependent part hardly appears due to very few Si dissolved in matrix. In addition, the damping measurement of Mg–0.5 wt.% Si alloy with increasing temperature was carried out and the grain boundary peak is detected.     

Microstructure and mechanical properties of laser metal deposited AlSi10Mg alloys

Thin-walled specimens with more than 150 layers were deposited by laser metal deposition without cracks and concaving deformation. The microstructure in each layer could be divided into three zones according to the morphology. The homogeneity deteriorated with the rising of the input. The tensile strength dropped 29.7% when the porosity increased from 0.53% to 1.88%. Controlling the oxygen under 0.5% and optimising the heat input, the as-built tensile strength reached 360?MPa. The fracture elongation was enhanced from 3.9% to 12.7% when the heat input was increased from 480 to 1200?W. The decrease of the secondary dendrite arm spacing and the change of fracture mechanism is the main reason leading to the strengthening of the mechanical properties.     

Microstructure and mechanical properties of spray deposited and extruded 7000 series aluminium alloys

Abstract

The microstructure and mechanical properties of spray deposited 7000 series aluminium alloys were investigated. The 7000 type alloys were produced by the spray atomisation deposition method. These alloys were hot extruded and subsequently heat treated in the T6 and T7 temper conditions. Microstructural characterisation of the alloys was carried out by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). TEM studies revealed the presence of η′ and η(MgZn₂) hardening precipitates in both temper conditions. The mechanical properties were assessed through tensile and notched tensile tests using an Instron machine. It was observed that the 0.2% proof stress of these alloys after T7 temper decreased with increased elongation to fracture values.     

Microstructure and mechanical properties of CoCrNi-Mo medium entropy alloys:Experiments and first-principle calculations

The effect of Mo additions on the microstructures and mechanical properties of CoCrNi alloys was investigated,meanwhile,ab initio calculations are performed to quantitatively evaluate the lattice distortion and stacking fault energy(SFE).The yield strength,ultimate tensile strength,and elongation of(CoCrNi)₉₇Mo₃alloy are 475 MPa,983 MPa and 69%,respectively.The yield strength is increased by~30%and high ductility is maintained,in comparison with CoCrNi alloy.Besides the nano-twins and dislocations,the higher density of stacking faults is induced during the tensile deformation for(CoCrNi)₉₇Mo₃alloy.Ab initio calculation results indicate the mean square atomic displacement(MSAD)and SFE value of(CoCrNi)₉₇Mo₃alloy is 42.6 pm²and-40.4 mJ/m²at 0 K,respectively.The relationship between mechanical properties and MSAD,SFE for various multiple principal element alloys is discussed.     

Microstructure and mechanical properties of a rapid solidified boron- modified duplex stainless steel

Two duplex stainless steels 2205 and 2205 with 2.5?wt-% B addition prepared by a fast solidification technique were investigated. The samples were arc melted and cast in a cylindrical mould with varying diameters in a single cavity that provided different cooling rates. The hardness increased in both cases for smaller diameters, however, there was a different profile from the surface to the centre in case of 2205 with 2.5?wt-% B. The microstructural investigation indicated that boron addition led to the formation of hard borides and grain refinement. Different boride morphologies that varied with the cooling rates were identified. The compression strength at room temperature improved by a factor of 3.5 with boron addition without considerably decreasing the ductility.     

Microstructure and mechanical properties of Al-CuAl2 eutectic alloys solidified over a heat pipe

Microstructural studies and mechanical properties of Al-CuAl₂ eutectic alloys solidified over a heat pipe have been presented and discussed. The role of thermal undercooling produced by solidification over a heat pipe in controlling the microstructure has been highlighted. Tensile specimens fabricated from aligned cellular Al-CuAl₂ eutectic regions are shown to have maximum strength at intermediate temperatures of 450 to 500 K. Variations in the relative plasticity of two constituent phases of the eutectic are held responsible for the temperature dependence of strength.