Microalloying of Sc, Ni, and Ce in an advanced Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy

Using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and optical microscopy, the effects of microalloying elements of Sc, Ni, and Ce on the microstructure of a new super-high-strength ingot metallurgy (IM)/Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy (C912) have been correlated with mechanical properties and stress corrosion cracking (SCC) behavior. Using microalloying with Sc, Ni, and Ce, the C912 alloy can exhibit very high strength and good SCC resistance. Compared to the baseline C912 alloy, Sc refines the microstructure and retards recrystallization, Ni promotes the development of matrix precipitates, which enhance the strength and SCC resistance, and Ce has little effect on alloy strengthening in the three microalloying additions studied. The Sc-containing alloy (C912S) is the most attractive and even exhibits higher strength (ultimate tensile strength (UTS) greather than 660MPa) than the new Alcoa aluminum alloy 7055 and the Russian alloy B96, which have the highest strengths of the commercial IM/Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys.     

Effect of microstructure,strength, and oxygen content on fatigue crack growth rate of Ti-4.5AI-5.0Mo-1.5Cr (CORONA 5)

Fatigue crack growth rate behavior in CORONA 5, an alloy developed for applications requiring high fracture toughness, has been examined for eight material conditions. These conditions were designed to give differences in microstructure, strength level (825 to 1100 MPa [120 to 160 ksi]), and oxygen content (0.100 to 0.174 wt pct), in such a manner that the separate effects of these variables could be defined. For all eight conditions, fatigue crack growth rates (da/dN) are virtually indistinguishable over the full spectrum of stress-intensity range (ΔK) examined,viz., 8 to 40 MPa√m (7 to 36 ksi√in). Concomitantly, it is noted that over the sizable solution annealing range studied (830° to 915 °C [1525° to 1675 °F]), the primary α-phase morphology was substantially invariant. Eachda/dN curve exhibits a bilinear form with a transition point (ΔKT) between 16 and 19 MPa√m (15 and 17 ksi√in). A change in microfractographic appearance occurs at ΔKT, as extensive secondary cracking along α/β interfaces is observed at all hypertransitional levels ofAK, but not for AK < ΔKT. For each material condition, the mean length of primary α platelets is approximately the same as the cyclic plastic zone size at ΔKT. Accordingly, locations ofAKT (and their similarity for the different material conditions) are rationalized in conformance with a cyclic plastic zone model of fatigue crack growth. Finally, the difference in behavior of CORONA 5, as compared to conventional α/β alloys such as Ti-6A1-4V, is rationalized in terms of crack path behavior.