Abnormal grain growth in cemented carbides — Experiments and simulations

The grain size and the grain size distribution are two of the most important factors when tailoring the mechanical properties of cemented carbides. In the present work the effect on the growth behavior when adding some abnormal grains in an initial fine grained powder is studied. It is clearly seen that abnormal grains in a fine grained matrix lead to faster grain growth and a higher average grain size.     

Progress on grain growth dynamics in sintering of nano-powders

Nanostructured materials, characterized by an ultrafine grain size, have stimulated much research interest by virtue of their unusual mechanical, electrical, optical, and magnetic properties. In this paper, the sintering process of nano-powders were reviewed, to which sintering of the traditional materials compared. The microstructural development, i.e., grain growth and densification during sintering as well as the mechanism of crystal surface diffusion and boundary migration were analyzed, and the dynamic models on sintering process were summarized by the relationship of grain growth and pores size, interface diffusion, densification rate, and sintering temperature. Finally, the research tendency of this major on the basis of above models was discussed.     

MC方法模拟晶粒长大的改进算法和晶粒数统计的研究

基于材料等温下所有晶粒长大的同步性,认为单元进行再取向尝试时采用随机提取更符合物理模型,且所有单元全部提取并完成一次再取向尝试记为一个MCS,弥补了以往模拟中采用逐一提取单元的不足.晶粒长大模拟结果符合大晶粒不断变大且有相似性,小晶粒的无规则随机变小的规律.采用了对晶粒个数、面积的精确统计算法,得出晶粒长大指数达到0.48～0.51.     

相场横型原理及其在晶粒长大模拟中的研究进展

晶粒长大是多晶体材料中最基本的显微组织演化过程之一,对其进行研究具有非常明确的理论和实践意义。而相场法作为一种模拟晶粒长大的有效方法,是目前国内外研究的热点。对相场模型的基本原理、数值计算方法以及在晶粒长大模拟中的研究进展进行了综述,提出了相场模型在微观组织模拟中存在的主要问题以及今后的发展方向。     

Selective ion-induced grain growth: Thermal spike modeling and its experimental validation

Ion-bombardment-induced selective grain growth is a process that allows for full control of the orientation of vapor-deposited thin films, which can be converted from fiber-textured polycrystalline to single-crystal films. The main mechanisms behind this phenomenon are explained by a new thermal spike model, which takes into account and compares the different driving forces governing the film microstructure evolution upon irradiation and emphasizes the importance of the thermal spike shape and volume. The strong agreement between model and experimental data confirms that selective grain growth is driven by the minimization of the volume free energy.     

Kinetics and driving forces of abnormal grain growth in thin Cu films

The abnormal growth of individual (1 0 0) oriented grains is monitored by the in situ electron backscatter diffraction technique for more than 24 h at three different annealing temperatures (90 °C, 104 °C and 118 °C) in 1-5 μm thick Cu films on polyimide substrates. The (1 0 0) grain growth velocity increases with higher film thickness and annealing temperature, as suggested by an earlier model by Thompson and Carel. As a result, the final (1 0 0) texture fraction becomes more dominant for higher annealing temperatures and larger film thicknesses. The Thompson-Carel model, however, predicts that the (1 1 1) grains will preferably grow at temperatures up to 118 °C. Our calculations of the driving forces revealed that in addition to minimization of the strain energy (due to the thermal mismatch between film and substrate) and of the surface energy, the energy stored in the dislocations plays a decisive role in grain growth. Our observations can be understood by the notion that initially available (1 0 0) grain nuclei start to grow very rapidly, due to dislocation annihilation, and thus “overrun” the (1 1 1) grains in size.     

In situ measurement and modelling of austenite grain growth in a Ti/Nb microalloyed steel

Using a novel laser ultrasonics technique in situ measurements of austenite grain growth were conducted during continuous heating (10 °C s⁻¹) and subsequent isothermal holding at various temperatures in the range 950-1250 °C in a microalloyed linepipe steel. Based on the experimental results, a grain growth model was developed, which includes the pinning effect of precipitates present in the steel. Analyzing the grain growth behaviour and using the advanced thermo-kinetic software MatCalc, an approach was developed to estimate the initial distribution of precipitates in the as-received material and their dissolution kinetics. The evolution of the volume fractions and mean particle sizes of NbC and TiN leads to a time-dependent pinning pressure that is coupled with the proposed grain growth model to successfully describe the observed kinetics of austenite grain growth. The predictive capabilities of the model are illustrated by its application to independent grain growth data for rapid heat treatment cycles that are typical of the weld heat affected zone.     

Analysis of grain growth in hybrid weld HAZ based on the coupled thermo-fluid mode

Accurate calculation of thermal cycles is a prerequisite to model grain growth in the heat-affected zone (HAZ). T improve the computation precision of thermal field and HAZ geometry, a coupled model of heat transfer and fluid flow is developed for laser + GMAW-P hybrid welding of TCS stainless steel. Utilizing computed temperature fields from the coupled model, the evolution of grain structure in the HAZ of TCS stainless steel in hybrid welding is numerically simulated by using a three dimensional Monte Carlo model. Simulation results show that more accurate HAZ grain structure can be obtained based on the coupled model of fluid flow and heat transfer, and the computed grain size distribution agrees well with the corresponding experimental results.     

基于数学模型的焊接过程中热影响区晶粒长大行为分析

在能量和曲率的基础上,建立了晶粒长大的能量-曲率驱动的元胞自动机模型。该模型能够准确建立晶粒生长过程中晶粒尺寸和时间、生长速率和温度、生长速度和曲率之间的关系,还能反映晶粒尺寸分布的时间不变性规律。建立了元胞自动机和实际时间的转变公式,实现了元胞自动机对现实时间中焊接热影响区的晶粒长大进行模拟。结果表明,模拟结果与热影响区晶粒的理论分布规律十分吻合。     

X120管线钢中第二相回溶及其对奥氏体晶粒长大的影响

采用电解、萃取复型、透射电镜以及能谱分析等方法研究了不同温度等温过程中X120管线钢中第二相粒子的回溶规律,并测定了相应条件下的奥氏体晶粒尺寸。结果表明：在锻态组织中存在两种类型的碳氮化物。一类是在凝固过程中形成的粗大富Ti颗粒;另一类是在变形过程中形变诱导析出产生的富Nb第二相粒子,其尺寸更加细小,此类粒子经1000 ℃保温60 min后消失。1000~1220 ℃保温过程中含Nb和Mo的碳氮化物发生回溶,导致奥氏体晶粒快速长大,但此时未回溶的碳氮化Nb、Ti粒子仍阻碍晶界的迁移。当再加热温度达到1270 ℃并保温120 min后,只有极少量的含Nb的TiN颗粒能够保持稳定,故第二相粒子的钉扎作用明显减弱,使得奥氏体晶粒异常长大。     

Investigation of the correlation between growth restriction and grain size in Cu alloys

The growth restriction factor Q of the alloying elements of the Cu-system was determined using thermodynamic software tools to obtain accurate Q-values. A comprehensive list was given for a nominal solute content of 1 wt-%. Based on the calculations, melting experiments were carried out under defined casting conditions given by the TP-1 test to evaluate the correlation between Q and grain size in Cu alloys.     

Ion tracks and microstructures in barium titanate irradiated with swift heavy ions: A combined experimental and computational study

Tetragonally structured barium titanate (BaTiO₃) single crystals were irradiated using 635 MeV ²³⁸U⁺ ions to fluences of 1 × 10⁷, 5 × 10¹⁰ and 1.4 × 10¹² ions cm^?2 at room temperature. Irradiated samples were characterized using ion channeling, X-ray diffraction, helium ion microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The results show that the ion-entry spot on the surface has an amorphous core of up to ～10 nm in diameter, surrounded by a strained lattice structure. Satellite-like defects around smaller cores are also observed and are attributed to the imperfect epitaxial recrystallization of thermal-spike-induced amorphization. The critical value of the electronic stopping power for creating observable amorphous cores is determined to be ～22 keV nm^?1. Molecular dynamics simulations show an amorphous track of ～1.2 nm in radius under thermal energy deposition at 5 keV nm^?1; the radius increases to ～4.5 nm at 20 keV nm^?1. A linear fit of the core diameter as a function of the square root of the energy deposition rate suggests a reduction in the diameter by an average of ～8.4 nm due to thermal recrystallization if electron–phonon coupling efficiency of 100% is assumed. The simulation also reveals details of the bonding environments and shows different densities of the amorphous zones produced at different energy deposition rates.     

Application of positron annihilation spectroscopy to study the relationship between microstructure and metallurgical property of a commercial pure copper

The microstructure variations of cold-rolled (80% reduction in thickness) commercial pure copper (99.5%) after isochronal annealing between room temperature (RT) and 1223 K were studied by using positron annihilation lifetime (PAL) microhardness measurements and optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations. The results indicate that the behavior of the short lifetime (τ₁) with the annealing temperature is nearly similar to the behavior of the microhardness measurements. The measured values of τ₁ were found to be higher than the bulk lifetime value at all temperatures except at the temperature interval 823–923 K. This could be attributed to recrystallization and grain growth in the copper. However, the trend of the intensity (I₂) and the trapping rate (K) with annealing temperature are the same. The existence of two peaks for both I₂ and K are probably due to the occurrence of two recrystallization stages.     

Diffusion distances of the constituent atoms in the metallurgical phenomena such as recovery,recrystallization, grain growth,and aging in aluminum and copper alloys

It is known that metallurgical phenomena such as recovery, recrystallization, grain growth, and aging are due to the diffusion of constituent atoms in materials. The heat treatments that cause these phenomena are conducted defining both time and temperature. In the diffusion process, it is the diffusion distance that is defined by both time and temperature. Therefore, the authors surmise that there must be a relationship between the change of material properties as a result of heat treatment and the diffusion distances of constituent atoms. Under this assumption, diffusion distances of constituent atoms at recovery, recrystallization, grain growth, and aging in aluminum and copper alloys were examined. As a result, it was found that these phenomena take place at the fixed diffusion distances peculiar to the materials and phenomena. Therefore, the relationship between time and temperature was decided in terms of the fixed diffusion distances. In this respect, empirically used “normalized annealing time” turns out to mean the diffusion distance.     

Experimental and simulation studies on grain growth in TiC and WC-based cermets during liquid phase sintering

The grain growth behaviors of TiC and WC particles in TiC-Ni, TiC-Mo₂C-Ni, WC-Co and WC-VC-Co alloys during liquid phase sintering were investigated for different Ni or Co contents and compared with the results of Monte Carlo simulations. In the experimental study, TiC-Ni and WC-Co alloys had a maximum grain size at a certain liquid volume fraction, while the grain size in TiC-Mo₂C-Ni and WC-VC-Co alloys increased monotonically with an increasing liquid volume fraction. These results mean that the grain growth of these alloys cannot be explained by the conventional mechanisms for Ostwald ripening, namely diffusion or reaction controlled processes. Monte Carlo simulations with different energy relationships between solidliquid interfaces predicted the effect of the liquid volume fraction on grain size similar to the experimental results. The contiguous boundaries between solid (carbide) particles appear to influence the grain growth behavior in TiC- and WC-based alloys during liquid phase sintering.