Dynamic strain-rate effect on uniaxial tension deformation of Ti5Al2.5Sn α-titanium alloy at various temperatures

The uniaxial tensile experiments for Ti5Al2.5Sn alloy were performed at strain rates ranging from 10^?3–10⁺³ s^?1 and test temperatures of 153–873 K. Experimentally measured stress-strain responses indicate the yield strength exhibits positive strain-rate dependency, while the yield strength increases as the test temperature is decreased. To understand the thermomechanical coupling of dynamic plastic deformation, a specially developed single-tensile-pulse loading technique was used, and the isothermal stress-strain curves for the rates of 180 and 450 s^?1 were obtained at temperatures of 203, 298 and 573 K. The plastic strain hardening measurements obtained here are essentially athermal and largely independent of strain rate, consistent with titanium and its alloys being bcc-structure-like in mechanical behaviour. Based on the experimentally obtained plastic deformation features of the alloy, the physically based Voyiadjis-Abed constitutive relationship was modified to model the dynamic tensile deformation of the Ti5Al2.5Sn alloy at low and high temperatures.     

Effects of mechanical heterogeneity on the tensile and fatigue behaviours in a laser-arc hybrid welded aluminium alloy joint

The effects of mechanical heterogeneity on the tensile and high cycle fatigue (10⁴–10⁷ cycles) properties were investigated for laser-arc hybrid welded aluminium alloy joints. Tensile–tensile cyclic loading with a stress ratio of 0.1 was applied in a direction perpendicular to the weld direction for up to 10⁷ cycles. The local mechanical properties in the tensile test and the accumulated plastic strain in the fatigue test throughout the weld’s different regions were characterized using a digital image correlation technique. The tensile results indicated heterogeneous tensile properties throughout the different regions of the aluminium welded joint, and the heat affected zone was the weakest region in which the strain localized. In the fatigue test, the accumulated plastic strain evolutions in different subzones of the weld were analyzed, and slip bands could be clearly observed in the heat affected zone. A transition of fatigue failure locations from the heat affected zone caused by accumulated plastic strain to the fusion zone induced by fatigue crack at pores could be observed under different cyclic stress levels. The welding porosity in the fusion zone significantly influences the high cycle fatigue behaviour.     

The effect of PVD coatings on the tensile strength and low‐cycle fatigue resistance of stainless steel and titanium alloys

PVD coatings applied to components form hard, stronger layers and generate high residual compressive stresses that limit the plastic deformation in surface layers of the base metal thus increasing its tensile strength and resistance to fatigue loading. The purpose of this paper is to experimentally determine the influence of the deposition of 2 to 16.5‐μm‐thick PVD coatings of TiN, Cr, (Cr+TiN), (TiC)N, (TiAl)N onto specimens of stainless steel 321 and titanium alloys of types MILT‐81556A and (10‐2‐3; 4966) on their tensile strength and low‐cycle fatigue resistance when the development of large elastic–plastic strains takes place. The tensile and low‐cycle fatigue tests were conducted under conditions of axial zero‐to‐tension cycle of the stress‐controlled loading on flat 1‐ to 1.5‐mm‐thick specimens in the initial state (uncoated specimens) and after application of a PVD coating, including those after pretensioning or after cyclic prestraining in the low‐cycle fatigue range. The deposition of PVD coatings is found to enhance the characteristics of tensile strength and low‐cycle fatigue resistance in the quasi‐static fracture range. The deposition of PVD coatings on specimens cyclically prestrained to the values of 53–86% of the number of cycles to fracture, changes the cyclic properties of the material and predetermines the fatigue fracture mode only.     

Influence of nano-sized carbon nanotube reinforcements on tensile deformation,cyclic fatigue,and final fracture behavior of a magnesium alloy

Magnesium alloy (AZ31) based metal matrix composite reinforced with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) was fabricated using the technique of disintegrated melt deposition followed by hot extrusion. In this research paper, the microstructure, hardness, tensile properties, tensile fracture, high cycle fatigue characteristics, and final fracture behavior of CNTs-reinforced magnesium alloy composite (denoted as AZ31/1.0 vol.% CNT or AZ31/CNT) is presented, discussed, and compared with the unreinforced counterpart (AZ31). The elastic modulus, yield strength, tensile strength of the reinforced magnesium alloy was noticeably higher compared to the unreinforced counterpart. The ductility, quantified both by elongation-to-failure and reduction in cross-section area of the composite was higher than the monolithic counterpart. A comparison of the CNT-reinforced magnesium alloy with the unreinforced counterpart revealed a noticeable improvement in cyclic fatigue life at the load ratios tested. At all values of maximum stress, both the reinforced and unreinforced magnesium alloy was found to degrade the cyclic fatigue life at a lower ratio, i.e., under conditions of fully reversed loading. The viable mechanisms responsible for the enhanced cyclic fatigue life and tensile behavior of the composite are rationalized in light of macroscopic fracture mode and intrinsic microscopic mechanisms governing fracture.     

Behaviour of short cracks in alloy 800HT under biaxial fatigue

Biaxial in phase fatigue tests were carried out on thin walled tube specimens of alloy 800HT at ambient temperature. The loading modes included tension, torsion, and combined tension—torsion with a tensile/shear plastic strain range ratio Δ?p/Δγp = 3^1/2. The influence of effective strain amplitudes and biaxiality on the initial growth of fatigue cracks was investigated using the replica technique. The results indicated that the loading conditions strongly affected the growth rates of short cracks. In torsion the cracks grew significantly more slowly than under axial or biaxial loading. A mean tensile stress perpendicular to the shear crack promoted its growth and reduced the fatigue life. The growth of the cracks could be described by the ΔJ integral for axial and biaxial loading; the integration predicted the fatigue life under axial and biaxial loading correctly. However, significantly conservative lifetime predictions were obtained for pure torsional loading since ΔJ does not include crack closure and crack surface rubbing.

MST/3234     

Nature of failure of ML8 magnesium alloy in low-cycle fatigue

Fractographic analysis of fracture surfaces of specimens of ML8 high-strength cast magnesium alloy, tested under low-cycle pulsed tensile loading conditions, showed that in both quasistatic and fatigue failure, secondary cracks form and propagate at high rates. In this case, the resistance to crack propagation is high as a result of adhesion bonds between the grains. This reflected in the form of traces of plastic microfailure directly on the surface of the grains in the form of pits and traces of slit deformation. It is shown that failure can take place regardless of the relationship with the determining deformation mechanism as a result of the presence of a large number of inclusions and metallurgical defects of different sizes.Translated from Problemy Prochnosti, No. 3, pp. 25–28, March, 1990.     

The influence of stress-controlled tensile fatigue loading on the stress–strain characteristics of AISI 1045 steel

This study analyses the influence of fatigue loading on the residual tensile properties of AISI 1045 steel. The fatigue tests were carried out under stress-controlled tensile loadings at a stress ratio equal to 0. The maximum applied stresses were within the range from 550 MPa to 790 MPa. An analysis of ratcheting strain and plastic strain amplitude evolution due to fatigue loading was performed on the experimental data. In the next stage of this study, the initial fatigue loadings were introduced. Two maximum stresses, 550 MPa and 750 MPa, and three cycle lengths, 25%, 50% and 75% of the total number of cycles required to fracture the material at a given stress, were used. The pre-fatigued specimens were subjected to tensile testing at strain rates from 10⁻⁴ to 10⁰ s⁻¹. A large number of fatigue cycles, equal to 75% of the fatigue life, induces material softening as well as a drop in elongation and a reduction of area. Pre-fatigue at maximum stress equal to 550 MPa results in the increase of the elastic limit and offset yield point as well. Both parameters reach almost constant value after number of cycles equal to 25 % of the fatigue life. The further increase in the number of cycles does not affect elastic limit and offset yield point in a clearly visible way. The increase of maximum stress of the initial fatigue loadings up to 750 MPa induces similar but stronger effect i.e. increase and stabilization of elastic limit and offset yield point values, however decrease of both parameters value is observed at large number of pre-fatigue cycles corresponding to 75% of the fatigue life.     

搅拌铸造SiCp/2024复合材料热挤压-轧制变形组织及性能

利用搅拌铸造-热挤压-轧制工艺制备SiCp/2024复合材料薄板。通过金相观察(OM)、扫描电镜(SEM)及力学测试等手段研究了该复合材料在铸态、热挤压态及轧制态下的显微组织及力学性能,分析了材料在塑性变形过程中显微组织及力学性能的演变。结果表明,该复合材料铸坯主要由80～100μm的等轴晶组成,粗大的晶界第二相呈非连续状分布,SiC颗粒较均匀地分布于合金基体中;热挤压变形后,晶粒沿挤压方向被拉长,SiC颗粒及破碎的第二相呈流线分布特征;轧制变形后,基体合金组织进一步细化,晶粒尺寸为30～40μm,SiC颗粒破碎明显,颗粒分布趋于均匀,轧制变形对挤压过程中形成的SiC颗粒层带状不均匀组织有显著的改善作用。数学概率统计指出,塑性变形有利于提高颗粒分布的均匀性。力学测试表明,塑性变形后,复合材料的抗拉强度、屈服强度和延伸率显著提高。SiCp/2024铝基复合材料主要的断裂方式为:合金基体的延性断裂、SiC颗粒断裂及SiC/Al界面脱粘。     

Evolution of mechanical properties for a dual-phase steel subjected to different loading paths

The evolution of the mechanical properties of a dual-phase (DP590) steel sheet after being prestrained by uniaxial tension, plane strain and equal biaxial stretching was investigated. Specimens were first loaded using the three prestraining modes. Then, from the prestrained specimens, a few sub-sized samples were machined along the rolling direction and the transverse direction for further uniaxial tension testing. Six loading paths were provided. Equal biaxial stretching was performed using a cruciform specimen. The evolution of work hardening performance, elastic modulus, yield stress and tensile stress under the six loading paths were discussed in detail. The results indicate that loading paths can affect the latent work hardening performances, strain hardenability, yield stress and tensile stress evolution as well as the elastic modulus decrease during plastic deformation. The uniaxial tension–uniaxial tension path results in a cross-softening phenomenon, the largest yield stress enhancement and a mild maximum tensile stress increase. The equal biaxial stretching-uniaxial tension path leads to a cross-hardening phenomenon, the least yield stress enhancement and the largest tensile strength increase maximum tensile strength. The elastic modulus of DP590 steel not only changes with the accumulated plastic strain but also varies with the loading paths. The largest decrease of the elastic modulus equal biaxial stretching–uniaxial tension can reach 12.7% beyond 8% equivalent strain, which is 5.2% greater than that in the monotonic uniaxial tension path.     

Fatigue property of semisolid A357 aluminum alloy under different heat treatment conditions

Effect of heat treatment conditions on fatigue property of a semisolid A357 aluminum alloy under cyclic tensile loading was investigated. Comparison of the fatigue property of the semisolid A357 under T5 and T6 heat treatment conditions with other aluminum alloys including conventional casting A357-T6 alloy and four wrought aluminum alloys: 2024-T4, 7075-T6, 5052-T6 and 6061-T6 was made. It is found that the fatigue strength of the semisolid A357 under both heat treatment conditions is much higher than that of the casting A357-T6 alloy, comparable to that of the 6061-T6, but lower than that of the 2024-T4 and 7075-T6. Two-parameter Weibull distribution of fatigue data for the semisolid A357 under the two heat treatment conditions was constructed to show the statistical significance in fatigue lifetime. Fatigue fracture surface of the semisolid A357 under T5 and T6 heat treatment conditions was examined using scanning electron microscope (SEM). In the stable crack propagation region, the semisolid A357-T5 shows fatigue damage species of severely deformed grains, void coalescence, striations and ridgelines, while the A357-T6 displays less plastic deformation as revealed by the fatigue damage features of intergranular cracks, and transgranular cleavage patterns.     

High mechanical strengths and ductility of stainless steel 304L fabricated using selective laser melting

Achieving not only high mechanical strengths but also high ductility is recently established using an additive manufacturing technique called selective laser melting. In the present study, stainless steel 304 L fully dense samples were successfully printed using the 3 D systems – ProX 300 printing machine. The ductility and tensile yield strength were almost two and three times higher compared to those of ASTM cast's alloy. Honey comb like nano-cellular structure with different orientation was observed in the fine grains(~4μm) due to fast cooling rate. In addition, the formation of martensite phase in random grains is also a contributor to the strengths. Furthermore, negative residual stresses in the build and horizontal directions were detected and assisted further increase in the tensile strength. Fractography revealed the ductile feature of plastic deformation and the crack openings at unmelted particles or pores.     

2219铝合金TIG和FSW接头力学及疲劳性能

目的 研究钨极氩弧焊(TIG)和搅拌摩擦焊(FSW)对2219铝合金(母材)力学及疲劳性能的影响。方法 通过拉伸试验,得到了母材、TIG和FSW接头的抗拉强度和伸长率;通过疲劳性能试验测试了母材、TIG和FSW接头在不同应力下相应的疲劳寿命,根据疲劳试验结果绘制了其试样的S-N曲线;使用扫描电子显微镜观察并分析了疲劳断口的形貌特征。结果 未焊接的铝合金母材抗拉强度和伸长率最高,分别为506 MPa和15.92%;TIG接头抗拉强度和伸长率分别为330 MPa和7.65%,FSW接头抗拉强度和伸长率分别为310 MPa和8.74%。母材、TIG和FSW接头等3种疲劳试样在2×10⁶次循环下的疲劳强度分别为129、108、115 MPa,其疲劳断口均可分为裂纹源区、裂纹扩展区和瞬间断裂区,疲劳裂纹分别起始于试样表面的局部变形区、第二相夹杂物和“吻接”缺陷。疲劳裂纹扩展区的主要形貌为疲劳辉纹和二次裂纹,瞬间断裂区以脆性断裂为主。结论 TIG和FSW等2种焊接工艺均导致了2219铝合金的强度、塑韧性和疲劳性能降低,其接头表面的第二相夹杂物和“吻接”缺陷促进了疲劳裂纹的萌生。     

Microtwin formation in the α phase of duplex titanium alloys affected by strain rate

The effect of tensile strain rate on deformation microstructure was investigated in Ti-6-4 (Ti-6Al-4V) and SP700 (Ti-4.5Al-3V-2Mo-2Fe) of the duplex titanium alloys. Below a strain rate of 10⁻² s⁻¹, Ti-6-4 alloy had a higher ultimate tensile strength than SP700 alloy. However, the yield strength of SP700 was consistently greater than Ti-6-4 at different strain rates. The ductility of SP700 alloy associated with twin formation (especially at the slow strain rate of 10⁻⁴ s⁻¹), always exceeded that of Ti-6-4 alloy at different strain rates. It is caused by a large quantity of deformation twins took place in the α phase of SP700 due to the lower stacking fault energy by the β stabilizer of molybdenum alloying. In addition, the local deformation more was imposed on the α grains from the surrounding β-rich grains by redistributing strain as the strain rate decreased in SP700 duplex alloy.     

Internal stress behavior of the short ceramic fiber reinforced aluminum alloy under tensile deformation

The in situ measurement of phase stress under tensile deformation on an A6061 alloy reinforced with SiC whiskers (Al/SiCw MMC: Metal Matrix Composite) was performed using the X-ray diffraction technique. In order to raise a preciseness of measurements, we applied a profile fitting technique to separate the nearby located diffraction peak. Tensile deformation on elastic to plastic range was applied by four points bending device and discussed internal stress behavior in the short ceramic fiber reinforced MMC. Phase stress in Al matrix was increased linearly up to 2800×10⁻⁶ in strain and then saturated immediately. On the other hand phase stress in SiC whiskers shows an unstable stress behavior. It was decreased at first because of the Poisson's effect from Al matrix but reversed over 500×10⁻⁶ applied strain. The measured phase stress behavior in elastic region agreed with the calculations using micromechanics based on Eshelby/Mori–Tanaka model except for this unstable internal stress region. The macro stress behavior in plastic region was extremely small than that of the tensile test results. It supposed that the mechanism of strength is not so much the fiber reinforcing as the dispersion strengthening like the Orowan mechanism. Regarding the fatigue property, ΔK_th of the Al/SiC MMC, this was lower than that of the A6061 alloy. On the Al/SiCw MMC specimen, many micro void formations were observed around the fatigue crack tip even under the ΔK_th of A6061. It was considered that these were caused by the high gradient of residual stress on composite process and the unstable stress behavior in low ΔK region.     

Tensile strength improvement of an Mg–12Gd–3Y (wt%) alloy processed by hot extrusion and free forging

An Mg–12Gd–3Y (wt%) alloy was prepared by conventional casting method using permanent steel mold. Then this alloy was subjected to hot processing, involving hot extrusion and free forging. Tensile strength at room temperature can be improved, with the highest ultimate tensile strength (UTS) value of 390.2 MPa achieved by hot extrusion in comparison to that of as-cast alloy. Temperature dependence of tensile strength is distinguishable for the as-extruded alloy, while the relative stability in UTS values of the alloy after being freely forged should be ascribed to the inter-crossing among deformation bands located at various orientations and the accommodation effect of twining lamellas resulting from forging process on plastic deformation during tensile test at elevated temperatures. Further annealing after hot processing can only have adequate influence on the tensile strength of as-forged alloy. For the alloy freely forged and annealed at 523 K for 4 h, the highest UTS (441.1 MPa) at room temperature is found, which should be mainly related to an evolution from the original as-forged microstructure with subgrains to a more stable combination of large and refined grains through dynamic recrystallization during free forging, and the stress at offset yield YS (384.3 MPa) is also comparable to that relatively high value of 396.9 MPa after solution treatment and isothermal aging of the as-cast alloy.     

Pre-yield tensile set of a semi-crystalline polymer,its blend and composite

Tensile set was studied at low strains on polypropylene, aliphatic polyketone, rubber toughened blends and CaCO₃ particle toughened composites. The rubber in the rubber toughened blends had a particle size of 0.7 μm. The CaCO₃ particles had a size of 0.7 μm and had been coated with stearic acid. Step-cyclic loading was applied in 1% strain incrementals at a strain rate of 10⁻² s⁻¹. The maximum strain applied was 20%. The temperature of the test bar was studied with an infra-red camera. Pre-yield deformation is normally assumed to take place in a nonlinear elastic manner. However, for polypropylene and polyketone elastoplastic deformation starts at low strains. For PP the onset of tensile set is at very low strains and increases with strain. The tensile set at the yield point was only 50% and at the drawing strain 100%. Polyketone had a similar tensile set development but shifted to slightly higher strains. Here too the tensile set at the yield point was about 50% and at the drawing strain 100%. The temperature of the non yielded material was found to rise in polyketone a 7 °C. The rubber toughened blends had at low strains a higher tensile set, but after the yield strain the set was similar to the base polymer. At 5% strain the tensile set increased with rubber content. The sub micron CaCO₃ particle toughened composites increased the tensile set too. The tensile set is a simple technique for studying the pre-yield behaviour of multi phase systems.     

Characterization of the fatigue behaviour of the magnesium alloy AZ91D by means of mechanical hysteresis and temperature measurements

Stress-controlled load increase and constant amplitude tests were performed on the cast magnesium alloy AZ91D. Rather small values of the plastic strain amplitude reflect the very localised plastic deformation predominant in the _I-phase. The cyclic deformation and temperature curves of the load increase tests exhibit cyclic yield strength values which allow a good estimation of the endurance limit. Stress amplitudes above the endurance limit lead to cyclic hardening. As compared to the behaviour under monotonic tensile loading, the alloy exhibits cyclic hardening. Microscopic investigations illustrate the different influences of the - and β-phase in respect to crack initiation.     

Study on nanocrystalline dual phase Ni–Co alloy with high strength and excellent ductility

Abstract

In the present study, the room temperature mechanical properties of nanocrystalline Ni and Ni–75 wt-%Co alloy, prepared by pulse electrodeposition, were contrasted. Both higher strength and higher ductility were obtained for the Ni–75%Co alloy with a dual phase structure and an average grain size of 7·2 nm. By means of TEM observations of grain structures before and after tensile deformation for Ni and Ni–75%Co samples, a link between the ductility and the variation of stress induced grain growth during tensile deformation was established. Observations of TEM showed stress induced grain growth during tensile deformation, subjected to very high stresses and large strains, is very insignificant for the Ni–75%Co alloy in sharp contrast to the significant stress induced grain growth occurring in Ni. It was proposed that suppression of stress induced grain growth during tensile deformation can delay and even prohibit formation of shear banding plastic instability and thus enhances uniform strain leading to an enhanced ductility.     

Low-cyclic fatigue behaviour of an Al–Cu–Mg–Ag alloy under T6 and T840 conditions

The low-cyclic fatigue (LCF) behaviour of an AA2139 alloy belonging to the Al–Cu–Mg–Ag system was investigated under T6 and T840 conditions. The T840 treatment involves cold rolling with a 40% reduction prior to ageing, and this was effective in increasing the tensile strength of the alloy. Under cyclic loading at total strain amplitudes (ε_ac) of ±0.4 to ±1.0%, the mechanical behaviour is defined as the prevalence of elastic over plastic deformation processes under both the T6/T840 conditions. The initial weak hardening during one to two cycles of loading at ε_ac?>?0.55% and an insignificant softening upon following the cyclic loading to fracture was observed for the T6/T840 conditions. The LCF behaviour of the alloy under the T6/T840 conditions is described by the Basquin–Manson–Coffin relationship.

This paper is part of a Themed Issue on Aluminium-based materials: processing, microstructure, properties, and recycling.     

高周疲劳载荷下6061-T6铝合金的温度演化

为了研究金属材料在疲劳载荷下的温度变化,采用红外热像系统对高周疲劳载荷下6061-T6铝合金的温度演化进行分析,用热像图对疲劳裂纹尖端的塑性区进行测量.结果显示,疲劳加载作用下,循环次数达到107次时6061-T6铝合金试样表面温度的变化分为四个阶段:初始温升阶段、温度缓降阶段、温度二次缓慢上升阶段和温度快速上升阶段.结合热弹性理论、铝合金塑性变形的微观机制分析并预测疲劳载荷下温度的演化和宏观裂纹扩展时裂纹尖端塑性区域大小.宏观裂纹开始扩展时,裂纹尖端的塑性区域可达3.6 mm2,红外热像仪测得结果为3.46 mm2,测试结果与理论结果吻合.