Tensile creep of directionally solidified NiAl–9Mo in situ composites

Well-aligned Mo fiber-reinforced NiAl in situ composites were produced by specially controlled directional solidification. The creep behavior parallel to the growth direction was studied in static tensile tests at temperatures between 900 °C and 1200 °C. A steady-state creep rate of 10^?6 s^?1 was measured at 1100 °C under an initial applied tensile stress of 150 MPa. Compared to binary NiAl and previously investigated NiAl–Mo eutectics with irregularly oriented Mo fibers, this value demonstrates a remarkably improved creep resistance in NiAl–Mo with well-aligned unidirectional Mo fibers. A high-resolution transmission electron microscope investigation of the NiAl/Mo interface revealed a clean semi-coherent boundary between NiAl and Mo, which enabled an effective load transfer from the NiAl matrix to the Mo fibers, and thus leads to the remarkably increased creep strength. The stress exponent, n, was found to be between 3.5 and 5, dependent on temperature. The activation energy for creep, Q_c, was measured to be 291 ± 19 kJ mol^–1, which is close to the value for self-diffusion in binary NiAl. Transmission electron microscopy observations substantiated that creep occurred by dislocation climb in the NiAl matrix. The Mo fiber was found to behave in a quasi-rigid manner during creep. A creep model for fiber-reinforced metal matrix composites was applied for an in-depth understanding of the mechanical behavior of the individual components and their contribution to the creep strength of the composite.     

Phase-specific elastic/plastic interface interactions in layered NiAl–Cr(Mo) structures

The depth-dependent, as-grown and deformation-induced strain and dislocations partitioned through the interfaces in a two-phase layered NiAl–Cr(Mo) structure are directly measured at the mesoscale using 3-D X-ray microdiffraction. It is demonstrated that in the as-grown, undeformed state, neighboring submicron Cr solid solution and NiAl eutectic lamellae (doped with ～3% Mo) form a heterointerface with 180° rotation around a 〈1 1 2〉 pole. It is shown that the mechanical response to the indentation of a layered composite with alternating Cr(Mo)–NiAl lamellae is distinct from the response of single-phase materials. In the center of the indent, after the load is released, the NiAl lamellae are under compressive forward stresses (with the same sign as the indentation-induced compression) while Cr solid solution lamellae are under tensile back stresses (with opposite sign from the indentation load). The depth-dependent alternation of compressive/tensile residual strains in the neighboring Cr solid solution and NiAl lamellae is understood in the framework of the Mughrabi’s composite model considering two types of structure elements: harder and softer regions. Under indentation, both kinds of lamellae are assumed to deform compatibly. After the load is released, residual forward stresses are formed in the harder lamellae, and back stresses are formed in the mechanically softer lamellae. Line-broadening analysis of the intensity distribution along the diffraction vector reveals a 15-times increase in dislocation density in the near-surface zone in the center of the indent. Such a large increase is typical for severe deformation.     

Modification of NiAl–Cr(Mo)–0.15Hf alloy by Sc addition

The effect of Sc addition on the microstructure and room temperature compressive properties of NiAl–28Cr–5.85Mo–0.15 (at pct) Hf?x (wt pct) Sc (x = 0,0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3) alloys was investigated. The results show that appropriate Sc addition (no more than 0.10 wt pct) leads to the refinement of interlamellar and intercellular spacings of the eutectic NiAl/Cr(Mo) cell, and the improvement of the compressive ductility and ultimate compressive strength at room temperature. When the addition of Sc is more than 0.10 wt pct, the typical NiAl/Cr(Mo) cell structure becomes broken. With the fragment of Cr(Mo) rods embedded in NiAl matrix instead of the alternating NiAl and Cr(Mo) plates, which damages the compressive properties. In addition, when the Sc addition content increases to 0.20 wt pct, Sc-containing phase is found and tentatively identified as ScO.     

Measurement of scratch-induced residual stress within SiC grains in ZrB2–SiC composite using micro-Raman spectroscopy

An analytical framework for determination of scratch-induced residual stress within SiC grains of ZrB₂–SiC composite is developed. Using a “secular equation” that relates strain to Raman-peak shift for zinc-blende structures and the concept of sliding blister field model for scratch-induced residual stress, explicit expressions are derived for residual stress calculation in terms of phonon deformation potentials and Raman peak shift. It is determined that, in the as-processed composite, thermal expansion coefficient mismatch between ZrB₂ and SiC induces compressive residual stress of 1.731 GPa within the SiC grains and a tensile tangential stress of 1.126 GPa at the ZrB₂–SiC interfaces. With increasing scratch loads, the residual stress within the SiC grains becomes tensile and increases in magnitude with scratch load. At a scratch load of 250 mN, the calculated residual stress in SiC was 2.6 GPa. Despite this high value, no fracture was observed in SiC grains, which has been rationalized based on fracture strength calculations from Griffith theory.     

Effects of boron on the microstructure and thermal stability of directionally solidified NiAl–Mo eutectic

Microalloying with 0.01 at.% B decreases the range of growth speeds over which a well-aligned fibrous eutectic microstructure can be obtained in directionally solidified NiAl–Mo. Compared to the undoped alloy, the size/spacing of the Mo fibers is larger, and the fiber density smaller, in the B-doped alloy. Annealing at 1400 °C coarsens the fibers by a mechanism involving fault migration and annihilation driven by diffusion along the fiber–matrix interface. The coarsening kinetics, given by the decrease in Mo fiber density with time, is exponential, and microalloying with B decreases the coarsening rate.     

Load partitioning between ferrite and cementite during elasto-plastic deformation of an ultrahigh-carbon steel

An ultrahigh-carbon steel was heat-treated to form an in situ composite consisting of a fine-grained ferritic matrix with 34 vol.% submicron spheroidized cementite particles. Volume-averaged lattice elastic strains for various crystallographic planes of the α-Fe and Fe₃C phases were measured by synchrotron X-ray diffraction for a range of uniaxial tensile stresses up to 1 GPa. In the elastic range of steel deformation, no load transfer occurs between matrix and particles because both phases have nearly equivalent elastic properties. In the steel plastic range after Lüders band propagation, marked load transfer takes place from the ductile α-Fe matrix to the elastic Fe₃C particles. Reasonable agreement is achieved between phase lattice strains as experimentally measured and as computed using finite-element modeling.     

Analysis of residual thermal stresses in MoSi2 based laminated composites

The residual thermal stresses of MoSi₂-SiC_p + refractory metal foil laminated composites are estimated, in this paper, by both finite element methods (FEMs) as well as analytical expressions. It is observed in the present study that the refractory metal foils are found to possess compressive stresses, while the MoSi₂-SiC_p matrix layer is under tensile stresses. The Nb foil reinforced laminated composite is found to possess the lowest residual stresses owing to a lower thermal expansion mismatch between MoSi₂-SiC_p matrix and the Nb foil as compared to the Mo and Ta foils.     

Temperature dependent tensile and fracture behaviors of Mo–10 wt.% Cu composite

Uniaxial tension tests are carried out for the Mo–10 wt.% Cu (Mo–10Cu) composite under a scanning electron microscope (SEM) at a temperature range from 25 °C to 725 °C. The stress–strain curves are obtained with both the tensile strength and the fracture strain peaked at 500 °C. Further raise of temperature would reduce the tensile strength and the fracture strain. In-situ SEM observations reveal the microstructure characteristics for Mo–10Cu composite at different temperatures. The fracture is of brittle inter-granular type when uni-axially tensioned at room temperature. As the temperature increases, formation of slip bands and linkage of micro-voids via plastic shear are observed. The fracture is characterized by mixed inter-granular fracture and plastic shear. The fracture is of predominantly plastic shear when uni-axially tensioned at 500 °C. Under uniaxial tension at temperatures higher than 650 °C, Mo–10Cu composite embrittles due to the insolubility of molybdenum and copper, and the activated grain boundary diffusion of Cu. These results are of importance for the basic understanding of the microstructure–mechanical properties relationship, as well as for the evaluation of Mo–Cu composites in practical applications.     

Microstructure and high-temperature mechanical behavior of the NiAl–27 at.% Cr intermetallic composite

A NiAl–27 at.% Cr composite material was prepared by a powder metallurgical route, involving argon atomization and consolidation by hot isostatic pressing at 1350°C for 4 h at 400 MPa. The consolidated material exhibited a fine-grained microstructure consisting of a fine dispersion of Cr particles of about 1.7 μm in a NiAl matrix. The mechanical behavior at temperatures ranging from 650 to 1100°C was investigated by tensile-strain-rate-change tests. Analysis of the strain–stress data with both power law creep and Garofalo’s hyperbolic sine relation shows the transition to a low stress exponent creep regime with decreasing stress and/or increasing testing temperature. The measured activation energy for deformation of 300 kJ/mol is consistent with the activation energy for Ni self-diffusion in Ni–50Al. Experiments with coarse grain sizes established that the creep rate is independent of grain size which suggests that the deformation mechanisms must be associated with the motion of lattice dislocations.     

Load partitioning between single bulk grains in a two-phase duplex stainless steel during tensile loading

The lattice strain tensor evolution for single bulk grains of austenite and ferrite in a duplex stainless steel during tensile loading to 0.02 applied strain has been investigated using in situ high-energy X-ray measurements and finite-element modeling. Single-grain X-ray diffraction lattice strain data for the eight austenite and seven ferrite grains measured show a large variation of residual lattice strains, which evolves upon deformation to the point where some grains with comparable crystallographic orientations have lattice strains different by 1.5 × 10^?3, corresponding to a stress of ～300 MPa. The finite-element simulations of the 15 measured grains in three different spatial arrangements confirmed the complex deformation constraint and importance of local grain environment.     

Mechanical properties and hardening mechanism of Fe–Al–Ni single crystals containing NiAl precipitates

The microstructures and mechanical properties of Fe–23.0 Al–6.0 Ni (at.%) single crystals containing NiAl precipitates were investigated and the hardening mechanism due to the precipitates was discussed, focusing on the activated slip systems. When these alloys were slowly cooled to room temperature after homogenization at 1373 K, the NiAl phase with the B2 structure precipitated in the body-centered cubic (bcc) Fe–Al matrix, satisfying the cube-on-cube relationship with a small misfit strain. The single crystals containing the NiAl precipitates exhibited a high yield stress above 1 GPa at room temperature. In addition, the activated slip system and deformation behavior depended strongly on the loading axis. For instance, 〈1 1 1〉 slip, which is the primary slip for the bcc matrix, occurred at 〈1 4 9〉 and 〈0 0 1〉 orientations and the NiAl precipitates were sheared by the slip. A critical resolved shear stress of 〈1 1 1〉 slip in the NiAl phase was known to be extremely high, which led to strong precipitation hardening. On the other hand, at 〈5 5 7〉 and 〈0 1 1〉 orientations, 〈0 0 1〉 slip, which is the primary slip system for the NiAl precipitates, forcibly sheared the bcc Fe–Al matrix, also leading to strong hardening. Thus, in the Fe–Al–Ni alloys, the difference in the primary slip system between the bcc Fe–Al matrix and the NiAl precipitates resulted in extreme hardening. This hardening mechanism caused by the NiAl precipitates effectively increased the yield stress even at high temperatures. In fact, the crystals exhibited a high yield stress at ～1 GPa up to 823 K.     

Shape memory properties of Ti–Nb–Mo biomedical alloys

Mo is added to Ti–Nb alloys in order to enhance their superelasticity. The shape memory properties of Ti–(12–28)Nb–(0–4)Mo alloys are investigated in this paper. The Ti–27Nb, Ti–24Nb–1Mo, Ti–21Nb–2Mo and Ti–18Nb–3Mo alloys exhibit the most stable superelasticity with a narrow stress hysteresis among Ti–Nb–Mo alloys with Mo contents of 0, 1, 2 and 3 at.%, respectively. The ternary alloys reveal better superelasticity due to a higher critical stress for slip deformation and a larger transformation strain. A Ti–15Nb–4Mo alloy heat-treated at 973 K undergoes (2 1 1)〈1 1 1〉-type twinning during tensile testing. Twinning is suppressed in the alloy heat-treated at 923 K due to the precipitation of the α phase, allowing the alloy to deform via a martensitic transformation process. The Ti–15Nb–4Mo alloy exhibits stable superelasticity with a critical stress for slip deformation of 582 MPa and a total recovery strain of 3.5%.     

Load partitioning during compressive loading of a Mg/MgB2 composite

A composite, consisting of 68 vol.% superconducting continuous MgB₂ fibers aligned within a ductile Mg matrix, was loaded in uniaxial compression and the volume-averaged lattice strains in the matrix and fiber were measured in situ by synchrotron X-ray diffraction as a function of applied stress. In the elastic range of the composite, both phases exhibit the same strain, indicating that the matrix is transferring load to the fibers according to a simple iso-strain model. In the plastic range of the composite, the matrix is carrying proportionally less load. Plastic load transfer from matrix to fibers is complex due to presence in the fibers of a stiff WB₄ core and of cracks produced during the in situ synthesis of the MgB₂ fibers from B fibers. Also, load transfer behavior was observed to be different in bulk and near-surface regions, indicating that surface measurements are prone to error.     

Strain rate sensitivity of a high strain rate superplastic TiNp/2014 Al composite

The effects of deformation temperature and strain in hot rolling deformation on strain rate sensitivity of the TiN_p/2014 Al composite were studied by tensile tests conducted out at 773, 798, 818 and 838 K with the strain rates from 1.7 ×10^?3 to 1.7 × 10⁰ s^?1. It is shown that the curves of m value of the TiN_p/2014Al composite deformed at different temperatures can be divided into two stages with the variation of strain rate, and the critical strain rates are 10^?1 s^?1. The optimum deformation temperature of the TiN_p/2014 Al composite is near incipient melting temperature of 816 K and the optimum strain rate is a little higher than the critical strain rate. The effect of deformation temperature on strain rate sensitivity is relative to liquid phase helper accommodation. The effect of strain in hot rolling deformation on strain rate sensitivity attributes to change of microstructure and deformation mechanism.     

Microstructure and mechanical behavior of NiAl-based alloy prepared by powder metallurgical route

Rapidly solidified NiAl–28Cr–6Mo–B–Dy prealloyed powder doped with Nb powder was consolidated by hot pressing under 1250 °C for 30 min at 30 MPa. The consolidated material exhibited a different microstructure from the original powder, i.e. the NiAl and Cr(Mo) plates in the eutectic cell tend to break down into short platelets or even particles during hot pressing process. The mechanical behaviors at room temperature and at high temperature of consolidated sample from powder alloy were evaluated by three-point bending technique, tensile test and compressive test. The results showed that the hot pressing alloy possessed a reasonable combination of room temperature ductility and toughness, and elevated temperature strength.     

Tensile creep of Mo–Si–B alloys

Multiphase Mo–Si–B alloys containing a Mo solid solution matrix and brittle Mo₃Si and Mo₅SiB₂ (T2) intermetallic phases are candidates for ultra-high-temperature applications_. The elevated temperature uniaxial tensile response at a nominal strain rate of 10^?4 s^–1 and the tensile creep response at constant load between 1000 °C and 1300 °C of a (i) single phase solid solution (Mo–3.0Si–1.3B in at.%), (ii) two-phase alloy containing ～35 vol.% T2 phase (Mo–6Si–8B in at.%) and (iii) three-phase alloy with ～50 vol.% T2 + Mo₃Si phases (Mo–8.6Si–8.7B in at.%) were evaluated. The results confirm that Si in solid solution significantly enhances both the yield strength and the creep resistance of these materials. A Larson–Miller plot of the creep data showed improved creep resistance of the two- and three-phase alloys in comparison with Ni-based superalloys. The extent of Si dissolved in the solid solution phase varied in these three alloys and Si appeared to segregate to dislocations and grain boundaries. A stress exponent of ～5 for the solid solution alloy and ～7 at 1200 °C for the two multiphase alloys suggested dislocation climb to be the controlling mechanism. Grain boundary precipitation of the T2 phase during creep deformation was observed and the precipitation kinetics appear to be affected by the test temperature and applied stress.     

The effect of Ti-addition on plastic deformation and fracture behavior of directionally solidified NiAl/Cr(Mo) eutectic alloys

To improve the high-temperature strength of NiAl/Cr(Mo) eutectic alloys, the effect of Ti-addition on microstructure and mechanical properties was examined. Three directionally solidified (DS) alloys with the composition of Ni–(33 − x)Al–31Cr–3Mo–xTi (x = 0, 3 and 5 at.%, respectively), denoted 0Ti-, 3Ti- and 5Ti-alloys hereafter, were prepared. Temperature dependence of the yield stress and the room temperature fracture toughness of these DS alloys was examined. The aligned lamellae with B2-NiAl and A2-Cr(Mo) were formed in 0Ti-alloy, but the formation of lamellar structure was hindered by the Ti-addition. Cellular microstructures containing short plate shapes of Cr(Mo) phases were obtained in 3Ti- and 5Ti-alloys. In 5Ti-alloy, the precipitation of the L2₁-Ni₂AlTi was confirmed in NiAl matrix phase after the DS treatment. The Ti-addition induced a significant increase in high-temperature strength accompanied by a large deterioration of room temperature fracture toughness. The fracture toughness of 5Ti-alloy showed the low value of about 4 MPa m^1/2 because of the disturbance of microstructure.     

Cyclic deformation behavior of a Ti–26 at.% Nb alloy

The effect of cyclic deformation on superelasticity was investigated in a Ti–26 at.% Nb alloy. Loading and unloading tensile tests with a constant maximum applied strain of 2.5% were carried out until the 500th cycle. The critical stress for inducing the martensitic transformation and superelastic strain decreased, while the accumulated residual strain increased with increasing number of cycles. The increase in the residual strain during cyclic deformation was due mainly to α′′ martensite phase stabilization. Both the residual strain and the residual α′′ martensite phase increased with increasing number of cycles. The stability of superelasticity was improved, i.e. the residual strain decreased and the superelastic strain increased, by intermediate-temperature annealing and/or aging. The specimen annealed at 873 K for 0.6 ks followed by aging at 573 K for 3.6 ks exhibited the most stabilized superelasticity, owing to the combination effect of work hardening and fine ω-phase precipitation.     

Effects of pre-strain on the compressive stress–strain response of Mo-alloy single-crystal micropillars

A NiAl–Mo eutectic was directionally solidified to produce composites with well-aligned single-crystal Mo-alloy fibers embedded in a NiAl matrix. They were pre-strained by compressing along the fiber axis and then the matrix was etched away to expose free-standing micropillars having different sizes (360–1400 nm) and different amounts of pre-strain (0–11%). Compression testing of the pillars revealed a variety of behaviors. At one extreme were the as-grown pillars (0% pre-strain) which behaved like dislocation-free materials, with yield stresses approaching the theoretical strength, independent of pillar size. At the other extreme were pillars pre-strained 11% which behaved like the bulk, with reproducible stress–strain curves, relatively low yield strengths, stable work-hardening and no size dependence. At intermediate pre-strains (4–8%), the stress–strain curves were stochastic and exhibited considerable scatter in strength. This scatter decreased with increasing pre-strain and pillar size, suggesting a transition from discrete to collective dislocation behavior.     

Shape memory behavior of high strength NiTiHfPd polycrystalline alloys

Systematic characterization of the shape memory properties of a quaternary Ni_45.3–Ti_29.7–Hf₂₀–Pd₅ (at.%) polycrystalline alloy was performed in compression after selected aging treatments. Precipitation characteristics were revealed by transmission electron microscopy. The effects of aging temperature and time on transformation temperatures, recoverable and residual strains, and temperature and stress hystereses were determined by differential scanning calorimetry, constant-load thermal cycling experiments and isothermal strain cycling (superelasticity) tests. The crystal structure and lattice parameters of the transforming phases were determined from X-ray diffraction analysis. It was revealed that precipitation hardening significantly improved the shape memory properties of the NiTiHfPd alloy. Under optimum aging conditions, shape memory strains of up to 4% under 1 GPa were possible, and superelasticity experiments resulted in full strain recovery without any plastic deformation, even at stress levels as high as 2 GPa. The NiTiHfPd polycrystalline alloy exhibited very high damping capacity/absorbed energy (30–34 J cm^?3) and work output (30–35 J cm^?3), which were attributed to the ability to operate at high stress levels without significant plastic deformation and to a high mechanical hysteresis (>900 MPa) at temperatures ranging from 20 °C to 80 °C.