Ductility and toughness in intermetallics

Limited ductility and toughness at low temperatures are serious disadvantages in intermetallics. As in other metallic materials, the two major brittle failure modes in intermetallics are cleavage and intergranular fracture. We focus on cleavage fracture and the corresponding brittle-to-ductile transition mechanism. To prevent cracking, a ‘sufficient number’ of dislocations must be generated at a crack tip, and this ‘sufficient number’ appears to be very large. This event is more like a phase transition than an ordinary thermally activated process. In this paper a new theoretical model, proposed to explain the BDT is summarized. The micro-structural implications of this model are presented and the means of achieving an acceptable combination of strength and toughness through microstructural control are then discussed, along with examples.     

Vacancy site occupation by Co and Ir in half-Heusler ZrNiSn and conversion of the thermoelectric properties from n-type to p-type

The n-type thermoelectric properties of the half-Heusler compound ZrNiSn can be converted to p-type by the addition of Co and Ir. We found that Co and Ir atoms preferably occupy the vacancy sites instead of substituting at Ni sites. This implies that the phase stability of the compound gradually changes towards that of the Heusler compound Zr(Ni,M)₂Sn, where M is Co and/or Ir. The occupation of vacancy sites by Co and Ir atoms leads to a drastic reduction in lattice thermal conductivity owing to the enhancement of phonon scattering by the solid solution effect.     

The effect of temperature on the flow field in a continuous rotating annular electrophoresis column

The effect of a non-uniform temperature profile on the flow field in a continuous rotating annular electrophoresis column is investigated. The momentum balance equation is solved for packed as well as unpacked columns using a centered-difference finite difference technique with a known temperature profile. The packed column analysis utilizes a parallel annular channel model similar to the capillary channel model used in packed bed columns. Results indicate that the changes in density and viscosity as result of the temperature variation have a significant effect on the flow field. Effects of voltage gradient and column geometry are also discussed.     

Ferrite and Spheroidized Cementite Ultrafine Microstructure Formation in an Fe-0.67 Pct C Steel for Railway Wheels under Simulated Service Conditions

The microstructure development of a high-carbon steel (0.67 pct C) for railway wheels as they are affected by rolling contact with rail tracks and by cyclic frictional heat from braking is studied in the vicinity of the contact surface by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electron backscattered diffraction. An ultrafine microstructure consisting of ferrite grains with a size of less than 1 μm and spheroidized cementite particles is formed in the region up to 100 μm below the contact surface. The generation of low-angle sub-boundaries associated with the rearrangement of accumulated dislocations involved in continuous recrystallization of ferrite microstructure contributes to the microstructure refinement at temperatures lower than A1 temperature (1000 K). Fine spheroidized cementite particles with uniform distribution obstruct the migration of high-angle grain boundaries, by which the dislocation density is maintained sufficiently high for the formation of sub-boundaries. The formation of a texture, corresponding to the surface texture typically formed in low-carbon steels by hot rolling without lubrication at ferritic temperatures, is observed in the ultrarefined microstructure region. The results drawn from this study strongly indicate the occurrence of “in-situ microstructure control” under service conditions.     

Effects of doping on the high-temperature thermoelectric properties of IrSb3 skutterudite compounds

The IrSb₃-based skutterudite compounds have a potential for thermoelectric applications because of high Hall mobility, Seebeck coefficient, and relatively low thermal conductivity. In the present study, polycrystalline p- and n-type IrSb₃ compounds are prepared by powder metallurgy techniques. The effect of doping on thermoelectric properties has been investigated in binary and ternary IrSb₃ compounds using Ru, Ge, Pd, or Pt as a dopant. It is shown that the electrical properties depend strongly not only on the kinds of doping impurities but also their levels. Our theoretical analysis suggests that the effective mass is significantly affected by doping impurities and the levels.     

Microstructure evolution of nanoprecipitates in half-Heusler TiNiSn alloys

The microstructures of thermoelectric TiNiSn half-Heusler alloys have been studied in detail. For concentration ratios that are slightly rich in Ni, a high density of Heusler-phase nanosized precipitates tended to precipitate within a half-Heusler matrix. The morphology and average size of the Heusler nanoprecipitates were very sensitive to the Ni concentration ratio in the half-Heusler matrix of the alloys. Smaller Heusler nanoprecipitates with coherent ellipsoidal (<5 nm) and disc (<10 nm wide) morphologies tended to precipitate within the matrices of alloys with slightly elevated Ni concentration ratios (Ti:Ni:Sn = 1.0:1.1:1.0). However, much larger coherent discs (<45 nm wide and <5 nm thick), semicoherent platelets (up to 1 μm long and <30 nm thick) and spheres (up to 1 μm wide) were observed in the matrices of the alloys with larger Ni concentration ratios (Ti:Ni:Sn = 1.0:1.2:1.0). Tetragonal structures were observed in the coherent Heusler nanoprecipitates. The formation of such structures was closely associated with the size, morphology and interface coherency of the nanoprecipitates. Moreover, most of the coherent Heusler nanoprecipitates were preferentially oriented parallel to the cubic {0 0 1}_HH orientations. Interfacial defects between the Heusler and half-Heusler phases, as well as lattice point defects, Ni antisites and vacancies, were found to be closely related to the formation of the Heusler nanoprecipitates. A mechanism has been proposed in this study to describe the coarsening of the Heusler nanoprecipitates via the formation of lattice point defects and interfacial defects.     

Microstructure control and tensile properties of three-phase alloys based on the E21 Co3AlC and B2 CoAl

To investigate tensile mechanical behavior, tensile tests were conducted at room temperature and 1273 K on three-phase alloys consisting of the E2₁ Co₃AlC, B2 CoAl and (Co) primary solid solution. The alloy containing a large volume fraction of E2₁ phase exhibits excellent ductility, exceeding 5% plastic strain at room temperature, while the alloy with a considerable amount of coarse B2 phase particles shows zero ductility. In this study, microstructure control was used to improve the ambient temperature ductility of the E2₁/B2/(Co) three-phase alloys. Hot forging and subsequent heat treatments were performed aiming at eliminating solidification defects and minimizing the heterogeneity of the as-cast microstructure. These thermomechanical treatments together with compositional control effectively improve the ductility of the E2₁/B2/(Co) three-phase alloys at ambient temperature and 1273 K.     

Precipitation of Icosahedral Quasicrystalline Phase, R-phase and Laves Phase in Ferritic Alloys

Ferritic heat resistant steels involving precipitation of intermetallic phases have drawn a growing interest for the enhancement of creep strength, while the brittleness of the intermetallic phases may lower the toughness of the alloy.Therefore, it is necessary to optimize the dispersion characteristics of the intermetallics phase through microstructural control to minimize the trade-off between the strength and toughness. The effects of α-Fe matrix substructures on the precipitation sequence, morphology, dispersion characteristics, and the stability of the intermetallic phases are investigated in Fe-Cr-W-Co-Si system. The precipitates of the Si-free Fe-10Cr-I.4W-4.5Co (at%) alloy aged at 873K are the R-phase but those of the Si-added Fe-10Cr-1.4W-4.5Co-0.3Si (at%) alloy are the icosahedral quasicrystalline phase. The precipitates in both the Si-free and Si-added alloys aged at 973K are the Laves phase. Matrix of the alloys is controlled by heat treatments as to provide three types of matrix substructures; ferrite, ferrite/martensite mixture and martensite. The hardening behavior of the alloys depends on the matrix substructures and is independent of the kinds of precipitates. In the alloys with ferrite matrix, the peak of hardness during aging at 873K shifts to longer aging time in comparison with that in the alloys with lath martensite matrix which contain numbers of nucleation sites.     

Microstructures and Mechanical Property of MoSi2/TSi2(T=Cr,V,Nb,Ta,Ti)Two-Phase Alloys

In order to improve the low temperature ductility and high temperature strength ofMoSi2 while keeping its superior high temperature oxidation resistance, the present work attempts to combine MoSi2with the C40 type disilicides of transition metals including Cr, V, Nb, Ta and Ti. The possibility of producing a thermally compatible composite of MoSi2 and the C40 disilicides is discussed by critical assessment of MoSi2-TSi2(T=Cr, V,Nb,Ta, Ti) pseudo-binary phase diagrams. Relative phase stability between the CIIb MoSi2 and the C40 TSi2 is investigated and lamellar MoSi2/TSi2 two-phase microstructures are obtained by appropriate choice of composition and heat-treament. Preliminary result on the microhardness of MoSi2/TSi2two-phase alloys is also discussed.     

Electrical Properties of (110)-Oriented Nondoped Mg2Si Films with p-Type Conduction Prepared by RF Magnetron Sputtering Method

Magnesium silicide (Mg₂Si) thick films with (110) orientation were fabricated on (001) sapphire substrate using radiofrequency magnetron sputtering. Stoichiometric Mg₂Si films with composition Si/(Mg + Si) = 0.33 were achieved over a range of vacuum from 10 mTorr to 140 mTorr and 300°C. On postannealing the film at 500°C, the out-of-plane lattice parameter shifted to lower values and the electrical conductivity increased by two orders of magnitude. A room-temperature Seebeck coefficient of 517 μV K^?1 was observed and found to decrease with increasing temperature; the Seebeck coefficient remained at a constant positive value of 212 μV K^?1 at 500°C. This can be related to the possibility of p-type conduction in this temperature range.