Microstructure and hardness of Mg-based composites reinforced with Mg<Subscript>2</Subscript>Si particles

Magnesium powders were mechanically alloyed with SiO₂ powder particles having different particle sizes using high-energy ball milling techniques under Ar atmosphere for 1 h. The powders were consolidated with cold pressing under 560 MPa. They were then sintered at 550°C for 45 min under Ar atmosphere. The composites obtained on the Mg-SiO₂ system were investigated using the Archimedes principle, a differential scanning calorimeter, X-ray diffraction, optic microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. For the mechanically alloyed powders, the solid-state reaction of the synthesis of Mg₂Si and MgO progressed further during sintering of the materials. The results showed that the strengthening mechanisms were dependent on dispersion hardening of fine Mg₂Si and MgO particulates dispersed homogeneously in the matrix.     

Pressure-composition-isotherm behavior of nano-/amorphous Mg<Subscript>2</Subscript>NiH<Subscript>x</Subscript>

It has recently been shown that the hydriding properties of the nanocrystalline metal hydrides are far superior to those of the polycrystalline ones. Especially in the case of the Mg-based hydrogen storage alloys, nanostructural modifications have been studied for the purpose of improving their hydrogenation kinetics. In previous studies, I reported on the successful fabrication of Mg₂NiH_x from Mg and Ni chips with hydrogen induced mechanical alloying (HIMA). Observation of the microstructure showed that the synthesized particles (processed with a 66:1 ball to chips mass ratio and 96 hr HIMA) are composed of amorphous and nanocrystalline composite phases with a grain size of less than 10 nm. The aim of the present work was to examine the hydriding/dehydriding behavior of nanocrystalline metal hydrides using a Sieverts type automatic pressure-composition-isotherm (PCI) apparatus at 393, 423, 453, 483, 513 and 543 K. The specimen was characterized by X-ray diffraction after PCI measurement. The influence of hydrogenation behavior on the phase transition of nano-/amorphous Mg₂Ni is a key factor in commercial application. The particles synthesized at 66:1 BCR and 96 hr HIMA revealed a good hydrogen capacity of 2.25 mass% at 483 K.     

Machinability of alloyed austempered ductile iron

Austempered ductile iron (ADI) has found enormous applications in recent years due to its high strength and hardness, coupled with substantial ductility and toughness. The high strength and hardness of ADI have caused many researchers and engineers to doubt the machinability of this material. Many investigations have adopted tool life, tool wear rate, cutting forces, and surface finish produced on a job as general criteria for evaluating the machinability of ADI. In the present investigation, an attempt has been made to evaluate the machinability of ADI alloyed with nickel by calculating the machinability index based on material removal rate and unit power consumed at various cutting speeds and feeds. The results thus obtained are presented in this paper.     

Austempering and austempered ductile iron microstructure in copper alloyed ductile iron

The variation in the austempered microstructure, the volume fraction of retained austenite, X_λ, the average carbon content of retained austenite, C_λ, their product X_λC_λ and the size of bainitic ferrite needles with austempering temperature for 0.6% Cu alloyed ductile iron have been investigated for three austempering temperatures of 270, 330, and 380 °C for 60 min at each temperature after austenitization at 850 °C for 120 min. The austempering temperature not only affects the morphology of bainitic ferrite but also that of retained austenite. There is an increase in the amount of retained austenite, its carbon content, and size of bainitic ferrite needles with the rise in austempering temperature. The influence of austempering time on the structure has been studied on the samples austempered at 330 °C. The increase in the austempering time increases the amount of retained austenite and its carbon content, which ultimately reaches a plateau.     

Thermomechanical treatment of austempered ductile iron

The production of lightweight ferrous castings with increased strength properties became unavoidable hter aluminum and magnesium castings. The relatively new ferrous casting alloy ADI offers promising strength prospects, and the thermo-mechanical treatment of ductile iron may suggest a new fluence of thermomechanical treatment,either by ausforming just after quenching and before the onset of austempering reaction or by cold rolling after of this work, ausforming of ADI up to 25％ reduction in height during a rolling operation was found to add a mechanical processing component compared to the conventional ADI heat treatment, thus increasing the rate ics of ausferrite formation was studied using both metallographic as well as XRD-techniques. The effect of ausforming on strength was quite dramatic (up to 70％ and 50％ increase in the yield and ultimate strength respectively). A mechanism involving both a refined microstructural scale and an elevated dislocation density was suggested. Nickel eformation is necessary to alleviate the deleterious effect of alloy segregation on ductility.luence of cold rolling (CR) on the mechanical properties and structural characteristics ofADI wasinvestigated. The variation in properties was related to the amount of retained austenite nsformation. In the course of tensile deformation of ADI, transformation induced plasticity (TRIP) takes place, indicated by the increase of the instantaneous value of strain-hardening exponent with o partial transformation of γr to martensite under the CR strain. Such strain-induced transformation resulted in higher amounts of mechanically generated therefore increased, while ductility and impact toughness decreased with increasing CR reduction.     

Effect of Rolling Temperature on the Microstructures and Mechanical Properties of Mg<Subscript>97</Subscript>Zn<Subscript>1</Subscript>Y<Subscript>2</Subscript> Magnesium Alloy

Mg₉₇Zn₁Y₂ magnesium alloy was hot-rolled at different temperatures from 390 to 480 °C; the effect of rolling temperature on microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of Mg₉₇Zn₁Y₂ magnesium alloy was investigated using x-ray diffraction (XRD), laser optical microscopy (LOP), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and tensile test. The results showed that in the multipass process, the rolling temperature had significant effect on the microstructures and tensile properties for the hot-rolled Mg₉₇Zn₁Y alloy. As the rolling temperature was increased, the original strengthening phase-Mg₁₂YZn in as-cast Mg₉₇Zn₁Y₂ alloy experienced an evolution from dissolution to precipitation, i.e. from chain-shaped Mg₁₂YZn phase together with a little lamellar structure at 420 °C to a maximum volume fraction of lamellar structure at 450 °C, and finally to a reduced volume fraction of lamellar structure at 480 °C. For Mg₉₇Zn₁Y₂ alloy hot-rolled in the temperature range of 390-450 °C, the tensile strength was at a high level with yielded strength of about 300 MPa and ultimate strength of about 320 MPa. The highest yielded strength was 317 MPa after hot-rolling at 450 °C; the elongation was the highest up to 5.5% after hot-rolling at 420 °C.     

Effect of Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> Content on Electrical Breakdown Properties of Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>/Cu Composite

Al₂O₃/Cu composites were prepared by external addition of Al₂O₃, and the effect of Al₂O₃ content on microstructure, density, hardness, electrical conductivity and vacuum electrical breakdown properties was studied. The results show that with increasing Al₂O₃ addition, the density of Al₂O₃/Cu composite significantly decreases, the hardness sharply increases and then slowly decreases, but the electrical conductivity invariably decreases. The vacuum breakdown test shows that with increasing Al₂O₃ addition, the breakdown strength first sharply increases and then decreases when the Al₂O₃ content exceeds 1.2 wt.%; the chopping current always exhibits a decreasing trend and the arc life first increases and then decreases. According to the morphology of arc erosion and analysis, the arc erosion resistance increases and then decreases sharply. In the range of experiments, the optimal arc erosion resistance of Al₂O₃/Cu composite can be obtained with the addition of 1.2 wt.% Al₂O₃.     

Experimental and theoretical investigation of stress variation in AlCu<Subscript>4</Subscript>Mg<Subscript>1</Subscript> aluminum alloy

This paper presents the results of experimental and theoretical studies regarding the behavior of AlCu₄Mg₁ aluminum alloy after a heat treatment. The methodology has been proposed to study improvements in AlCu₄Mg₁ aluminum alloy in the process of heat treatment, which included the following steps: (1) adopting the heat treatment technology for the specified alloy, (2) choosing the necessary heat treatment installations to perform the heat treatment of the specified alloy, (3) choosing tools and machines used to study the mechanical characteristics, and (4) planning the experiment and analytical interpretation of the results. On the basis of these experiments and the obtained regression equation, we performed a theoretical study with the aim to determine the heating parameters for quenching and aging in order to obtain a specified stress needed for application of this alloy. We considered two cases for this theoretical study: (1) the stress and quenching temperatures were fixed and we determined the aging temperature; (2) the stress and aging temperatures were fixed and we determined the quenching temperature. Using the determined equations, we assumed the definite characteristics needed for the working part after treatment and calculated the parameters for quenching and artificial aging in the process of the heat treatment. Note that the calculated temperatures should be in the standard limits for the studied alloy. In conclusion, an algorithm was proposed for the process of the optimum heat treatment in order to obtain the necessary properties of the working parts.     

Anisotropy of optical transmission and photoluminescence in ZnIn<Subscript>2</Subscript>S<Subscript>4</Subscript> and ZnIn<Subscript>2</Subscript>S<Subscript>4</Subscript>: Cu single crystals

Significant anisotropy of the optical transmission associated with the exponential increasing of the absorption coefficient and the anisotropy of the photoluminescence were found in ZnIn₂S₄ and ZnIn₂S₄:Cu single crystals. It was shown that the peculiarities of the investigated photoluminescence spectra are associated with optical transitions involving donor and acceptor levels. The possibility was found to control the spectra’s shape and intensity using doping and variation of the technological parameters to allow preparing ZnIn₂S₄ single crystals with alternation of three and one packet polytypes.     

The mechanism of sulphur transfer between carbon-saturated iron and CaO-SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>-Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> slags

The area of the slag-metal interface is a rate-determining factor in the transfer of sulphur from iron to CaO-Al₂O₃-SiO₂ slags in a carbon-saturated system. Concentration gradients are removed by convection rather than diffusion. The sulphur crosses the interface in chemical combination with iron which is later reduced to pellets, accompanied by evolution of CO gas and formation of a stable calcium-sulphur compound in the slag.     

Investigation of Corrosion Protection Performance of Multiphase PEO (Mg<Subscript>2</Subscript>SiO<Subscript>4</Subscript>, MgO,MgAl<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript>) Coatings on Mg Alloy Formed in Aluminate-Silicate- based Mixture Electrolyte

Plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) coatings in the aluminate-silicate-based mixture electrolyte solution with different duty cycles were successfully applied on Mg alloy. The corrosion behavior of the samples was evaluated by water contact angle test, potentiodynamic polarization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and immersion tests. Hydrophobic PEO coating could be obtained by adjusting the duty cycle of the applied electric signal. This coating considerably diminished the Mg dissolution and could enhance the impedance values of Mg alloy in 3.5 wt % NaCl solution. However, the surface of other PEO coated samples showed more hydrophilic properties compared to that of the uncoated sample. Dense structure of the modified PEO multiphase (including Mg₂SiO₄, MgO and MgAl₂O₄ phases) coating and also its appropriate thickness provided an effective barrier to remarkably delay corrosive solution penetration into the PEO coating. This phenomenon led to major decrease in anodic current density of alloy in chloride solution.     

Microstructure and growth morphology of Frank-Kasper phase in rapidly solidified Mg<Subscript>32</Subscript>Al<Subscript>17</Subscript>Zn<Subscript>32</Subscript> ternary alloys

In the present investigation, the microstructures and growth morphology of Mg₃₂(Al,Zn)₄₉ Frank-Kasper phase in rapidly solidified Mg₃₂Al₁₇Zn₃₂ ternary alloys were studied in detail. The samples were characterised by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and energy dispersive spectrum (EDS). The results show that the microstructures mainly consist of Mg₃₂(Al,Zn)₄₉ Frank-Kasper phase and interdendritic Mg-rich Φ-phase. Under rapid solidification condition, Mg₃₂(Al,Zn)₄₉ Frank-Kasper phase reveals a perfect faceted dendritic characteristic in the shape of a three-fold symmetric microstructure with doublet tips in the axes direction. Observations for fracture surfaces show that the growth morphology of Mg₃₂(Al,Zn)₄₉ grains was truncated cubic, and its growth mechanism was also discussed.     

Fabrication of Al matrix composite reinforced with submicrometer-sized Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> particles formed by combustion reaction between HEMM Al and V<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>5</Subscript> composite particles during sintering

To fabricate an Al-V matrix composite reinforced with submicron-sized Al₂O₃ and Al_xV_y (Al₃V, Al₁₀V) phases, high energy mechanical milling (HEMM) and sintering were employed. By increasing the milling time, the size of mechanically milled powder was significantly reduced. In this study, the average powder size of 59 μm for Al, and 178 μm for V₂O₅ decreased with the formation of a new product, Al-Al₂O₃-Al_xV_y, with a size range from 1.3 μm to 2.6 μm formed by the in-situ combustion reaction during sintering of HEM milled Al and V₂O₅ composite powders. The in-situ reaction between Al and V₂O₅ during the HEMM and sintering transformed the Al₂O₃ and Al_xV_y (Al₃V, Al₁₀V) phases. Most of the reduced V reacted with excess the Al to form Al_xV_y (Al₃V, Al₁₀V) with very little V dissolved into Al matrix. By increasing the milling time and weight percentage of V₂O₅, the hardness of the Al-Al₂O₃-Al_xV_y composite sintered at 1173 K increased. The composite fabricated with the HEMM Al-20wt.%V₂O₅ composite powder and sintering at 1173 K for 2 h had the highest hardness.     

Wear resistance properties of austempered ductile iron

A detailed review of wear resistance properties of austempered ductile iron (ADI) was undertaken to examine the potential applications of this material for wear parts, as an alternative to steels, alloyed and white irons, bronzes, and other competitive materials. Two modes of wear were studied: adhesive (frictional) dry sliding and abrasive wear. In the rotating dry sliding tests, wear behavior of the base material (a stationary block) was considered in relationship to countersurface (steel shaft) wear. In this wear mode, the wear rate of ADI was only one-fourth that of pearlitic ductile iron (DI) grade 100-70-03; the wear rates of aluminum bronze and leaded-tin bronze, respectively, were 3.7 and 3.3 times greater than that of ADI. Only quenched DI with a fully martensitic matrix slightly outperformed ADI. No significant difference was observed in the wear of steel shafts running against ADI and quenched DI. The excellent wear performance of ADI and its countersurface, combined with their relatively low friction coefficient, indicate potential for dry sliding wear applications. In the abrasive wear mode, the wear rate of ADI was comparable to that of alloyed hardened AISI 4340 steel, and approximately one-half that of hardened medium-carbon AISI 1050 steel and of white and alloyed cast irons. The excellent wear resistance of ADI may be attributed to the strain-affected transformation of high-carbon austenite to martensite that takes place in the surface layer during the wear tests.     

Up-Date of a Thermodynamic Database of the ZrO<Subscript>2</Subscript>-Gd<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>-Y<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>-Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> System for TBC Applications

The thermodynamic database of the ZrO₂-Gd₂O₃-Y₂O₃-Al₂O₃ system is up-dated taking into account new data on lattice stabilities of ZrO₂, Gd₂O₃ and Y₂O₃ and heat capacity measurements for the monoclinic phase Gd₄Al₂O₉ and phase with garnet structure Gd₃Al₅O₁₂. New data for the heat capacities of Gd₂Zr₂O₇ (pyrochlore) and GdAlO₃ (perovskite) as well as on the enthalpy of formation of fluorite solid solutions (Zr_1−x Gd _x )O_2−x/2 were found to be in good agreement with calculated results. In comparison with the previous assessment, taking into account new experimental data resulted in a change of the melting character of the Gd₄Al₂O₉ phase from a peritectic one to a congruent one in the Gd₂O₃-Al₂O₃ system. Correspondently, in the ternary system ZrO₂-Gd₂O₃-Al₂O₃, the melting character of the three-phase assemblage Gd₂O₃ (B), Gd₄Al₂O₉ and GdAlO₃ changed from eutectic to transition type U. The T ₀-lines for T/M and F/T diffusionless transformations and driving force of partitioning to equilibrium assemblage T + F were calculated in the ZrO₂-Gd₂O₃-Y₂O₃ system.     

Comparative analysis of the kinetics of dissolution of oxides Y<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> and Fe<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> in the iron matrix upon mechanical alloying

The kinetics of low-temperature dissolution of oxides Y₂O₃ and Fe₂O₃ in an iron matrix during mechanical alloying has been studied using electron microscopy. It has been shown that the dissolution rate upon deformation of primary coarse oxides Fe₂O₃ in α iron (and, hence, saturation of the α matrix with oxygen) during treatment in a ball mill for up to 10 h is several times higher than the dissolution rate of Y₂O₃ oxides. The high-temperature (1100°C) annealing of a mechanoalloyed mixture of Fe + 1.5% Y + 1.35% Fe₂O₃ leads to the precipitation of 60% (of the total number of particles) secondary oxides 2–5 nm in size and only of 5–7% secondary nanooxides in a mechanoalloyed mixture of Fe + 2% Y₂O₃.     

Formation and morphology of M<Subscript>7</Subscript>C<Subscript>3</Subscript> in low Cr white iron alloyed with Mn and Cu

The presence of M₇C₃ carbide in white iron enhances its wear resistance because of high hardness. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed its morphology as a pencil-like hexagonal structure. On the basis of the SEM observations, elemental distribution studies, and differential thermal analysis (DTA) of some heat-treated hypoeutectic white irons alloyed with Cr, Mn, and Cu, it is concluded that M₇C₃ carbides form as a result of attainment of a favorable condition in the liquid phase present at the austenite grain boundaries. Segregation of phosphorus in the intercellular regions and formation of a copper-rich intermetallic is responsible for the formation of this liquid phase. Austenite was found to nucleate first, followed by the nucleation and growth of M₇C₃ carbide in its vicinity, because of rejection of C and Cr during formation of austenite. The rosette structure generally observed is formed from the joining of M₇C₃ carbides by precipitation of secondary carbides.     

Studies on Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>/ZrO<Subscript>2</Subscript>/Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> high K gate dielectrics applied in a fully depleted SOI MOSFET

Al₂O₃/ZrO₂/Al₂O₃ gate stacks were prepared on ultrathin SOI (Silicon on insulator) substrates by ultrahigh vacuum electron beam evaporation and post-annealed in N₂ at 450°C for 30 min. Three clear nanolaminate layered structure of Al₂O₃(2.1 nm)/ZrO₂(3.5 nm)/Al₂O₃(2.3 nm) was observed with a high-resolution cross-sectional transmission electron microscope (HR-XTEM). High frequency capacitance voltage (C-V) characteristics of a fully depleted (FD) SOI MOS capacitor at 1 and 5 MHz were studied. The minority carriers determine the high frequency C-V properties, which is opposite to the case of bulk MOS capacitors. The series resistance of the SOI substrate is found to be the determinant factor of the high frequency characteristics of FD SOI MOS capacitors. This article is based on a presentation in “The 7th Korea-China Workshop on Advanced Materials” organized by the Korea-China Advanced Materials Cooperation Center and the China-Korea Advanced Materials Cooperation Center, held at Ramada Plaza Jeju Hotel, Jeju Island, Korea on August 24≈27, 2003.     

Diffusion of chromium,manganese, and iron in MnCr<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> spinel

As a result of the oxidation of chromium (Cr)-manganese (Mn) steels, a multilayer scale is formed. The intermediate layer of this scale is composed of MnCr₂O₄ spinel, and the outer layer is composed of MnO. The aim of the current study is to examine self-diffusion processes in MnCr₂O₄ spinel by a tracer method. In experiments, the radioisotopes ⁵⁴Mn, ⁵¹Cr, and ⁵⁹Fe were used. The serial sectioning method was applied for the simultaneous evaluation of diffusion rates of Cr, Mn, and iron (Fe) in MnCr₂O₄ spinel at 1173 K under a pressure of 10⁵ Pa in SO₂ containing 10 Pa O₂. This spinel was obtained by a modified sol-gel method from metal nitrates (R. Gajerski and Z. Zurek, personal communication, 14.04.2004). It was found that the dominant mechanism of Mn transport in the studied samples is a volume diffusion, while Cr and Fe are transported mainly through the high-diffusivity paths.     

Phase Diagram of the Quaternary Al(NO<Subscript>3</Subscript>)<Subscript>3</Subscript>-Cu(NO<Subscript>3</Subscript>)<Subscript>2</Subscript>-Zn(NO<Subscript>3</Subscript>)<Subscript>2</Subscript>-H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O System

The phase diagram of the H₂O-Zn(NO₃)₂-Al(NO₃)₃-Cu(NO₃)₂ quaternary system at 30 °C has been established by using the conductivity measurements. The solid-liquid equilibria of the H₂O-Zn(NO₃)₂-Al(NO₃)₃, H₂O-Zn(NO₃)₂-Cu(NO₃)₂, H₂O-Al(NO₃)₃-Cu(NO₃)₂ ternary systems and two isoplethic sections were determined experimentally. The solid phases in equilibrium with the saturated solution are the tri- and hemipentahydrate of copper nitrate, the hexahydrate α and β of the zinc nitrate and the nonahydrate of aluminum nitrate. The copper and zinc nitrates are relatively soluble in opposition to the aluminum nitrate which presents some important precipitation domains.