High temperature strength and ductility of recrystallized Ni3Al-Ni3Mn alloys

The tensile properties of pseudobinary Ll₃-type intermetallic compounds based on Ni₃Al and Ni₃Mn were examined on recrystallized specimens. The alloys with manganese composition lower than 15 at. pct were tested from room temperature to 1073 K (1273 K for some alloys). The yield stress appears to be controlled by solid solution hardening (athermal component) at room temperature and by the so-called Kear-Wilsdorf mechanism (thermal component) at elevated temperatures. The activation constant for the latter mechanism,i.e., for the anomalous positive temperature depen-dence of the yield stress, increases with increasing the manganese composition. The tensile elongation shows a maximum at 9 at. pct Mn and at intermediate temperatures (≈700 K). Also, at sufficient higher temperatures (1273 K), an increase of elongation due to dynamic recrystallization was ob-served. The temperature and compositional dependence of the ultimate tensile strength are similar to that of the elongation. The fracture mode was closely correlated with the elongation behavior: the more the transgranular fracture, the higher the ductility. formerly Graduate Student, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan,     

Microstructural Evolution and Mechanical Properties of Nanointermetallic Phase Dispersed Al<Subscript>65</Subscript>Cu<Subscript>20</Subscript>Ti<Subscript>15</Subscript> Amorphous Matrix Composite Synthesized by Mechanical Alloying and Hot Isostatic Pressing

The structure and mechanical properties of nanocrystalline intermetallic phase dispersed amorphous matrix composite prepared by hot isostatic pressing (HIP) of mechanically alloyed Al₆₅Cu₂₀Ti₁₅ amorphous powder in the temperature range 573 K to 873 K (300 °C to 600 °C) with 1.2 GPa pressure were studied. Phase identification by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and microstructural investigation by transmission electron microscopy confirmed that sintering in this temperature range led to partial crystallization of the amorphous powder. The microstructures of the consolidated composites were found to have nanocrystalline intermetallic precipitates of Al₅CuTi₂, Al₃Ti, AlCu, Al₂Cu, and Al₄Cu₉ dispersed in amorphous matrix. An optimum combination of density (3.73 Mg/m³), hardness (8.96 GPa), compressive strength (1650 MPa), shear strength (850 MPa), and Young’s modulus (182 GPa) were obtained in the composite hot isostatically pressed (“hipped”) at 773 K (500 °C). Furthermore, these results were compared with those from earlier studies based on conventional sintering (CCS), high pressure sintering (HPS), and pulse plasma sintering (PPS). HIP appears to be the most preferred process for achieving an optimum combination of density and mechanical properties in amorphous-nanocrystalline intermetallic composites at temperatures ≤773 K (500 °C), while HPS is most suited for bulk amorphous alloys. Both density and volume fraction of intermetallic dispersoids were found to influence the mechanical properties of the composites.     

Interfacial microstructure and mechanical properties of diffusion-bonded joints of titanium TC4 (Ti-6Al-4V) and Kovar (Fe-29Ni-17Co) alloys

Diffusion bonding is a near net shape forming process that can join dissimilar materials through atomic diffusion under a high pressure at a high temperature.Titanium alloy TC4(Ti-6 Al-4 V)and 4 J29 Kovar alloy(Fe-29 Ni-17 Co)were diffusely bonded by a vacuum hot-press sintering process in the temperature range of 700-850°C and bonding time of 120 min,under a pressure of 34.66 MPa.Interfacial microstructures and intermetallic compounds of the diffusion-bonded joints were characterized by optical microscopy,scanning electron microscopy,X-ray diffraction(XRD)and energy dispersive spectroscopy(EDS).The elemental diffusion across the interface was revealed by electron probe microanalysis.Mechanical properties of joints were investigated by micro Vickers hardness and tensile strength.Results of EDS and XRD indicated that(Fe,Co,Ni)-Ti,TiNi,Ti_2Ni,TiNi_2,Fe_2 Ti,Ti_(17) Mn_3 and Al_6 Ti_(19) were formed at the interface.When the bonding temperature was raised from 700 to 850°C,the voids of interface were reduced and intermetallic layers were widened.Maximum tensile strength of joints at 53.5 MPa was recorded by the sintering process at 850°C for 120 min.Fracture surface of the joint indicated brittle nature,and failure took place through interface of intermetallic compounds.Based on the mechanical properties and microstructure of the diffusion-bonded joints,diffusion mechanisms between Ti-6 Al-4 Vtitanium and Fe-29 Ni-17 Co Kovar alloys were analyzed in terms of elemental diffusion,nucleation and growth of grains,plastic deformation and formation of intermetallic compounds near the interface.     

Microstructure and mechanical properties of metastable fcc phase wires in Mn-Al-C system manufactured by in-rotating-water spinning method

Metastable fcc phase with highly ductile nature has been found in melt-quenched Mn-Al-C alloys instead of extremely brittle equilibrium phases. This formation range is limited to about 9 to 22 at. pct Al and about 3.0 to 6.5 at. pct C. Further, the fee phase wires with circular cross section have been manufactured by an in-rotating-water spinning method. The wire diameter is in the range of 70 to 150 μm diameter and the average grain size is about 3 μm. The Vickers hardness, yield strength, and tensile strength of the wires increase with aluminum and carbon content and reach about 285 DPN, 560 MPa, and 960 MPa, respectively, for Mn_74.5Al_20.5C₅-Elongation increases with decrease in aluminum and carbon, and the highest value is about 28 pct for Mn-13.5 pct Al-4 pct C alloy. The cold-drawing to about 60 pct reduction in area results in a very significant increase of tensile strength from 260 to 1460 MPa, through a remarkable work-hardening effect. Thus, the use of the in-rotating-water spinning method, being a new type of rapid quenching technique, is very useful to endow the manganese-base alloy wires exhibiting high strength combined with good ductility.     

Electrochemical behaviour and codeposition of Al-Li-Er alloys in LiCl-KCl-AlCl3-Er2O3 melts

The electrochemical behaviour of Al, Li, and Er were investigated by electrochemical techniques, such as cyclic voltammograms, chronopotentiometric, chronoamperograms, and open circuit chronopotentiogram on molybdenum electrodes. The results showed that the underpotential deposition of erbium on pre-deposited Al electrodes formed two Al-Er intermetallic compounds. The codeposition of Al, Li, Er occurred and formed Al-Li-Er alloys in LiCl-KCl-AlCl3 -Er2O3 melts at 773K. Different phases such as Al2Er, Al2Er3 and βLi phase of Al-Li-Er alloys were prepared by galvanostatic electrolysis and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicated that Er element mainly distributed at the grain boundary. ICP analyses showed that lithium and erbium contents of Al-Li-Er alloys could be controlled by AlCl3 and Er2O3 concentration and electrochemical parameters.     

Three-Dimensional Network Structure and Mechanical Properties of Al-Cu-Ni-Fe Cast Alloys with Gd Micro-addition

High-temperature tensile testing and X-ray microscope (XRM) characterization were performed to assess the effects of the micro-addition of Gd and the three-dimensional (3-D) network structure on the improvement of Al-6Cu-3.5Ni-0.8Fe alloy under as-cast conditions. Gd addition contributed to the modification of the microstructure, where a new thermally stable micro-sized Al₃CuGd phase was formed, and the refinement occurred in Al₃CuNi and Al₉FeNi. The tensile test results revealed that the alloy modified with 0.4 pct Gd exhibited optimal properties at 623 K (350 °C), with an ultimate tensile strength, yield strength, and elongation of 74.1 MPa, 61.2 MPa, and 15.5 pct, respectively. Fractographic analysis after the tensile tests indicated that at ambient temperature, brittle cleavage-type fracture of the precipitates and ductile fracture of the matrix were dominant, whereas the transformation from mixed fracture to fully ductile trans-crystalline fracture was detected at elevated temperatures. According to the CT characterization, there was no significant difference in the curvature or interconnectivity of the 3-D network structure formed by the aluminides between before and after the tensile test at 623 K (350 °C). It is believed that the 3-D continuous network structure of aluminides, equipped with excellent heat resistance, plays a pivotal role in the high-temperature performance of the studied alloys. This work provides a new and promising idea for solving the current heat resistance problems of cast Al alloys.

     

Reaction kinetics studies on Ti-Al-Cr-Nb-B intermetallics

In reaction synthesis (RS) route of powder metallurgy, heat of reaction between elemental powders is utilised to obtain intermetallic compounds. Prior to reaction synthesis of quaternary alloy Ti48Al2Cr2Nb (with 10 at. % B), reaction kinetics studies were carried out. Powder mixture was prepared and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) experiments were carried out at 3 different heating rates. Activation energy and Avrami Index ‘n’ are obtained by Johnson-Mehl-Avrami (JMA) equation. Formation of Al₃Ti was confirmed through X-ray diffraction (XRD). Reaction mechanisms are identified in accordance with ‘n’ values. In the temperature range of 1060–1150K, it proceeds as instantaneous nucleation and three dimensional growth with an activation energy of 176 kJ mole⁻¹.     

Shock densification/hot isostatic pressing of titanium aluminide

Consolidation of rapidly solidified titanium aluminide (Ti₃Al) powders employing explosive shock pressure followed by hot isostatic pressing (“hipping”) was carried out successfully. Shock densification was achieved by using a double tube design in which the flyer tube was explosively accelerated, impacting the powder container. Elemental mixtures of Ti (15 wt pet) and Al (15 wt pct) powders were added to intermetallic compound powders (Ti₃Al). Hipping was used to chemically induce bonding between Ti₃Al particles. The highly exothermic reactions were activated by hipping at 1000 ‡C and enhanced the bonding between the inert intermetallic powders. Compression tests indicated strong bonding between Ti₃Al particles. Well-bonded Ti₃Al compacts having an average ultimate compressive strength of 2 GPa and compressive fracture strain of 20 pct were produced by this technique. The ultimate tensile strengths, due to the presence of flaws in the microstructure (microcracks and voids) and intergranular fracture observed in the reacted regions, were much lower (~250 MPa).     

Microstructure and tensile properties of Fe-40 At. pct Al alloys with C,Zr, Hf,and B additions

The influence of small additions of C, Zr, and Hf, alone or in combination with B, on the microstructure and tensile behavior of substoichiometric FeAl was investigated. Tensile prop-erties were determined from 300 to 1100 K on powder which was consolidated by hot extrusion. All materials possessed some ductility at room temperature, although ternary additions generally reduced ductility compared to the binary alloy. Adding B to the C- and Zr-containing alloys changed the fracture mode from intergranular to transgranular and restored the ductility to ap-proximately 5 pct elongation. Additions of Zr and Hf increased strength up to about 900 K, which was related to a combination of grain refinement and precipitation hardening. Fe₆Al₆Zr and Fe₆Al₆Hf precipitates, both with identical body-centered tetragonal structures, were iden-tified as the principal second phases in these alloys. Strength decreased steadily as temperature increased above 700 K, as diffusion-assisted mechanisms, including grain boundary sliding and cavitation, became operative. Although all alloys had similar strengths at 1100 K, Hf additions significantly improved high-temperature ductility by suppressing cavitation.     

Microstructural and fracture characterization of Nb-Cr-Ti mechanically alloyed materials

Three materials containing Nb, Cr, and Ti were fabricated by consolidating powders made by mechanical alloying. The Nb/Ti ratio was maintained at about 1.3 and Cr was increased to form the intermetallic Cr₂Nb. X-ray diffraction, metallography, and transmission electron microscopy were used to thoroughly characterize the microstructure and substructure of the materials. Fatigue and fracture toughness properties were also evaluated at ambient temperature. The alloyed powders contained only small amounts of intermetallic, but during the consolidation heat treatment, two of the materials precipitated large volume fractions of Cr₂Nb. In the third material, Cr₂Nb was precipitated by heat treatment, although this was not expected from the composition based on the Nb-Cr-Ti phase diagram. Maximum fracture toughness of the composutes was ≈ 11 MPa √m. The low fracture toughness was attributed to the high plastic constraint of matrix deformation by the Cr₂Nb and compositional change in the matrix.     

Strengthening Micromechanisms in Cold-Chamber High-Pressure Die-Cast Mg-Al Alloys

The contributions from grain boundary, solid solution, and dispersion strengthening to the yield strength of cast-to-shape specimens were calculated for seven binary alloys with compositions ranging from very dilute (0.5 mass pct Al) to concentrated (12 mass pct Al). Experimentally and theoretically determined parameters were used to explicitly account for the different microstructures at the skin and core regions of specimens’ cross sections. Microhardness maps were used to identify the specimens’ skin. The specimens’ strength was calculated as the weighted addition of the respective strengths of skin and core. The calculated strengths reproduced well the experimental values for the dilute alloys but underestimated the strength of the most concentrated alloys by as much as ~35 MPa. It is argued that the presence of the percolating network of Mg₁₇Al₁₂ eutectic intermetallic, particularly in the skin region, in conjunction with highly efficient dispersion hardening due to the convoluted shape of the intermetallics, accounts for the shortfall in the calculated strength.     

Structure and properties of a rapidly solidified Al-Li-Mn-Zr Alloy for high-temperature applications: Part I. inert gas atomization processing

A new Al-Li alloy containing 2.3 wt pct Li, 6.5 wt pct Mn, and 0.65 wt pet Zr, for high-temperature applications, has been processed by a rapid solidification (RS) technique (as powders by inert gas atomization) and then thermomechanically treated by hot isostatic pressing (hipping) and hot extrusion. As-received and thermomechanically treated powders (of various size fractions) were characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM, respectively). Phase analyses in the as-processed materials revealed the presence of two Mn phases (Al₄Mn and Al₆Mn), one Zr phase (Al₃Zr), two Li phases (the stable AlLi and the metastable Al₃Li), and the αAl solid solution with high excess in Mn solubility (up to close the nominal composition in the as-atomized powders). Extruded pieces were solutionized at 370 °C and 530 °C for various soaking times (2 to 24 hours). A variety of aging treatments was practiced to check for the optimal (for tensile properties) aging procedure, which was found to be the following: solutioning at 370 °C for 2 hours and water quenching + 1 pct mechanical stretching + one step aging at 120 °C for 3 hours. The mechanical properties, at room and elevated temperatures, of the “hipped” and hot extruded powders are compared following the optimal solutioning and aging treatments. The results indicate that Mn is indeed a favorable alloying element for rapidly solidified Al-Li alloys to retain about 85 to 95 pct of the room-temperature tensile properties even at 250 °C, though room-temperature strength is not satisfactory in itself. However, specific moduli are by 20 to 25 pet higher than those of the 2024 series duralumin-type alloys. Ductilities at room temperatures are in the low 1 to 2.5 pct range and show no improvement over other Al-Li alloys.     

Effect of B on the microstructure and mechanical properties of mechanically milled TiAl alloys

The present study is concerned with γ-(Ti₅₂Al₄₈)_100−x B _x (x=0, 0.5, 2, 5) alloys produced by mechanical milling/vacuum hot pressing (VHPing) using melt-extracted powders. Microstructure of the as-vacuum hot pressed (VHPed) alloys exhibits a duplex equiaxed microstructure of α₂ and γ with a mean grain size of 200 nm. Besides α₂ and γ phases, binary and 0.5 pct B alloys contain Ti₂AlN and Al₂O₃ phases located along the grain boundaries and show appreciable coarsening in grain and dispersoid sizes during annealing treatment at 1300 °C for 5 hours. On the other hand, 2 pct B and 5 pct B alloys contain fine boride particles within the γ grains and show minimal coarsening during annealing. Room-temperature compressing tests of the as-VHPed alloys show low ductility, but very high yield strength >2100 MPa. After annealing treatment, mechanically milled alloys show much higher yield strength than conventional powder metallurgy and ingot metallurgy processed alloys, with equivalent ductility to ingot metallurgy processed alloys. The 5 pct B alloy with the smallest grain size shows higher yield strength than binary alloy up to the test temperature of 700 °C. At 850 °C, 5 pct B alloy shows much lower strength than the binary alloy, indicating that the deformation of fine 5 pct B alloy is dominated by the grain boundary sliding mechanism. This article is based on a presentation made in the symposium “Mechanical Behavior of Bulk Nanocrystalline Solids,” presented at the 1997 Fall TMS Meeting and Materials Week, September 14–18, 1997, in Indianapolis, Indiana, under the auspices of the Mechanical Metallurgy (SMD), Powder Materials (MDMD), and Chemistry and Physics of Materials (EMPMD/SMD) Committees.     

A Comprehensive Study of Diffusion Bonding of Mg AZ31 to Al 5754, Al 6061 and Al 7039 Alloys

In the present study, microstructural and mechanical properties of diffusion bonding of AZ31–Mg with Al 5754, Al 6061, and Al 7039 alloys were compared under same conditions. The vacuum diffusion processes were performed at a temperature of 440 °C, the pressure of 29 MPa, and a vacuum of 1?×?10^?4 torr for 60 min. The microstructural characterizations were investigated using optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy equipped with EDS analysis and linear scanner. The XRD analysis was performed to study phase figures near the interface zone. The results revealed the formation of brittle intermetallic compounds like Al₁₂Mg₁₇, Al₃Mg₂, and their other combinations at bonding interfaces of all samples. Additionally, the hardness of Al alloys seemed to play a key role in increasing diffusion rate of magnesium atoms toward the aluminum atoms, with Al 6061 alloy having the highest diffusion rate. It consequently led to an increase in diffusion rate and thus formation of a strong diffusion bonding between magnesium and aluminum alloys. The highest strength was about 42 MPa for the diffusion bonding between Mg AZ31 and Al 6061. Further investigations on surfaces indicated that the brittle phases especially Al₃Mg₂ caused brittle fracturing.     

Formation of Liquid and Intermetallics in Al-to-Mg Friction Stir Welding

In dissimilar-metal friction stir welding (FSW), intermetallic compounds can form in the stir zone and significantly reduce the joint strength. The formation of intermetallic compounds in Al-to-Mg FSW was investigated in lap and butt FSW of the widely used 6061 Al and AZ31B Mg and discussed using the binary Al-Mg phase diagram as an approximation. Temperature measurements during lap FSW indicated a 703 K (430 °C) peak temperature, slightly below the eutectic reaction (Mg) + Al₁₂Mg₁₇ → L at 710 K (437 °C), because the thermocouples were pushed downward during welding. The intermetallic compounds in the stir zone were revealed by color etching and identified by X-ray diffraction (XRD), electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) as Al₃Mg₂ and Al₁₂Mg₁₇. Additional FSW was conducted near the edge of the upper sheet, and the liquid droplets squeezed out during welding solidified along the edge. Optical microscopy of the solidified droplets and EPMA revealed dendrites of Al₃Mg₂ and Al₁₂Mg₁₇ and interdendritic eutectics, thus indicating eutectic reactions (Mg) + Al₁₂Mg₁₇ → L (710 K (437 °C)) and (Al) + Al₃Mg₂ → L (723 K (450 °C)). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) confirmed that the solidified droplets melted at 709 K (436 °C) and 722 K (449 °C), nearly identical to the eutectic temperatures. Formation of intermetallic compounds on the order of 1 mm in size suggests they form upon solidification of the liquated material instead of solid-state diffusion.     

Study of 6061-Al2O3p composites produced by reciprocating extrusion

A reciprocating extrusion process was developed to consolidate 6061-Al₂O_3p composites from mixed powders. The 6061 alloy powder was first dehydrated in a vacuum chamber at 450 °C and then mixed with 12.5 μm Al₂O₃ powder in various volume fractions: 0, 5, 10, 20, and 30 pct. The mixed powders were hot pressed at 300 °C under a pressure of 300 MPa and finally extruded reciprocatingly 14 times at 460 °C. The results show that the composites were fully densified, with no sign of pores or oxide layers observable in the optical microscope. The Al₂O₃ particles were distributed uniformly in the matrix. As compared with 6061 alloys, the composites demonstrated a smaller precipitation hardening and elongation, but exhibited a higher Young’s modulus and a larger work hardening capacity. The degradation of precipitation hardening was due to the loss of Mg, which reacts with Al₂O₃ to form MgAl₂O₄. The large work-hardening capacity is attributable to the incompatibility between Al₂O₃ and the matrix, which possibly generates more dislocations to harden the matrix. The composites had much higher friction coefficients and greater wear resistances than the 6061 alloy against steel disc surface. The friction coefficient of the 6061-30 vol pct Al₂O_3p composite was double that of the 6061 alloy and the wear resistance was 100-fold. As compared with similar composites reported previously, these composites possessed much higher elongation at the same strength level. A 30 vol pct Al₂O_3p still displayed an elongation of 9.8 pct in the T6 condition. All of these improvements are attributed to the merits, including full densification of the bulk, uniform dispersion of the Al₂O₃ particles in the matrix, and strong binding between the Al₂O₃ particles and the matrix resulting from reciprocating extrusion.     

High-temperature environmental embrittlement of thermomechanically processed TiAl-based intermetallic alloys

Thermomechanically processed TiAl-based intermetallic alloys with various alloy compositions and microstructures were tensile tested in various environmental media, including air, water vapor, and a gas mixture of 5 vol pct, H₂ + Ar, as functions of temperature and strain rate. All the TiAl-based intermetallic alloys showed reduced tensile fracture stress (or elongation) in air, in water vapor, and in a gas mixture of 5 vol pct H₂ + Ar, not only at ambient temperature (RT ∼ 600 K), but also at high temperature, from 600 to 1000 K (and sometimes at temperatures higher than 1000 K). The high-temperature environmental embrittlement of TiAl-based intermetallic alloys depended upon the microstructure. The factors causing the high-temperature environmental embrittlement may include hydrogen atoms decomposed from water vapor (H₂O) or hydrogen gas (H₂), similar to those causing the low-temperature environmental embrittlement. Also, it is demonstrated that the oxidized scale is effective in reducing high-temperature environmental embrittlement.     

Influence of Extrusion on the Microstructure and Mechanical Behavior of Mg-9Li-3Al-xSr Alloys

Mg-9Li-3Al-xSr (LA93-xSr, x = 0, 1.5, 2.5, and 3.5 wt pct) alloys were cast and extruded at 533 K (260 °C) with an extrusion ratio of 28. The microstructure and mechanical response are reported and discussed paying particular attention to the influence of extrusion and Sr content on phase composition, strength, and ductility. The results of the current study show that LA93-xSr alloys contain both α-Mg (hcp) and β-Li (bcc) matrix phases. Moreover, the addition of Sr refines the grain size in the as-cast alloys and leads to the formation of the intermetallic compound (Al₄Sr). Our results show significant grain refinement during extrusion and almost no influence of Sr content on the grain size of the extruded alloys. The microstructure evolution during extrusion is governed by continuous dynamic recrystallization (CDRX) in the α-Mg phase, whereas discontinuous dynamic recrystallization (DDRX) occurs in the β-Li phase. The mechanical behavior of the extruded LA93-xSr alloy is discussed in terms of grain refinement and dislocation strengthening. The tensile strength of the extruded alloys first increases and then decreases, whereas the elongation decreases monotonically with increasing Sr; in contrast, hardness increases for all Sr compositions studied herein. Specifically, when Sr content is 2.5 wt pct, the extruded Mg-9Li-3Al-2.5Sr (LAJ932) alloy exhibits a favorable combination of strength and ductility with an ultimate tensile strength of 235 MPa, yield strength of 221 MPa, and an elongation of 19.4 pct.     

Microstructure and properties of duplex δ-Al3(Ti, V)/β-(Ti, V) alloys

The microstructures of multiphase intermetallic alloys with compositions Al₇₀Ti₁₀V₂₀ and Al₆₂Ti₁₀V₂₈ based on the trialuminide Al₃Ti have been characterized, following chill casting and postsolidification heat treatment, using a combination of scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Evidence of a eutectic reaction of the form L → δ-Al₃(Ti, V)+ζ-Al₈V₅, not previously reported in the Al-Ti-V system, has been observed in both alloys solidified at sufficient levels of undercooling. The ζ phase is replaced by metallic β-(Ti, V) phase during subsequent heat treatment in the range 1073 to 1273 K, and differential thermal analysis (DTA) of samples prean-nealed at 1173 K revealed an endothermic peak at ∼1560 K, consistent with equilibrium eutectic melting of the form (δ+β) → L. Although the chill-cast alloys retained metastable intermediate high-temperature phases, duplex metallic-intermetallic microstructures, containing uniform fine-scale distributions of metallic β-(Ti, V) solid solution in a δ-Al₃(Ti, V) intermetallic matrix, have been produced in both alloys during isothermal heat treatments at temperatures in the range 1073 to 1273 K. For both alloys, the bulk Vickers hardness of such microstructures remained in excess of that of binary Al₃Ti, while in the Al₆₂Ti₁₀V₂₈ alloy, where the increased volume fraction of β phase took the form of a near-continuous network within δ matrix, there was evidence arising from indentation tests of a substantial improvement in the cracking resistance compared to both chill-cast ternary alloy and binary Al₃Ti.     

Microstructural Evolution of the 55 Wt Pct Al-Zn Coating During Press Hardening

Press hardening is increasingly being used to produce ultra-high strength steel parts for passenger cars. Al-Si, Zn, and Zn-alloy coatings have been used to provide corrosion protection to press hardening steel grades. The use of coatings has drawbacks such as coating delamination or liquid metal-induced embrittlement. In the present work, the microstructural evolution of Al-Zn coating during press hardening was studied. The 55 wt pct Al-Zn coating can in principle provide both Al barrier protection and Zn cathodic protection to press hardened steel. During the heat treatment associated with the press hardening, the 55 wt pct Al-Zn alloy coating is converted to an intermetallic surface layer of Fe₂Al₅ and a FeAl intermetallic diffusion layer. The Zn is separated from both intermetallic compounds and accumulates at grain boundaries and at the surface. This Zn separation process is beneficial in terms of providing cathodic protection to Al-Zn coated press hardening steel.