Grain Size Evolution Research Articles

Multi-Class Grain Size Model for Forged Alloy 718 Aircraft Parts

The evolution of microstructural features such as local grain size and local grain size distribution are essential in view of the final physical and mechanical properties of the nickel base alloy 718 for aircraft parts forged in a multi-step production route. Due to increasing standards and the need of the prediction of fracture mechanical properties, a multi-class grain size model for a more detailed microstructure prediction is necessary. Therefore, a multi-class model considers the real initial non-uniform grain size distribution and structure of the pre-material at the beginning of the forging process, which affects the evolution of grain sizes during thermo-mechanical treatment and leads to different results than commonly used uniform grain structures. The initial distribution is defined by grain classes according the ASTM standard. It is shown that the presence of different classes and distributions of grains are as import as the applied strain, strain rate and temperature on dynamic, meta-dynamic and static recrystallization. Additionally, dissolution processes of delta phase and grain growth kinetics are included in the model to properly indicate the recrystallized fractions and represent the resulting multi-class microstructure. A series of simulations with different initial distributions is discussed and compared with examined forged samples in terms of the resulting microstructure for typical forging parameters. Based on these results the microstructure model can be used in combination with collected process data to predict the resulting properties and for the design of new aircraft parts.

Numerical Simulation of Microstructure Evolution during Continuous Hot Rolling Process of GCr15 Steel Rod

In this paper, the microstructure evolution during continuous hot rolling process of GCr15 steel rod was investigated. A series of multi-field coupled finite element models were established based on commercial finite element software MSC.Marc. The kinetics equations of austenite grain size evolution of GCr15 steel were coupled to these models by a designed MSC.Marc subprogram. The field variables, including temperature, equivalent stress, equivalent strain, and equivalent strain rate, were calculated. The distributions of dynamic recrystallization, metadynamic recrystallization, and static recrystallization fractions were investigated. The distribution and evolution of austenite grain size at different stages in the continuous hot rolling process were analyzed. To verify the models, the temperatures of GCr15 steel rod at different stages in the continuous hot rolling process were measured. And the austenite grain sizes at cross section of the rod after the continuous hot rolling process were measured. The simulation results show a good agreement with the experimental results.

In-situ studies and simulation of equiaxed solidification in Al–20Cu alloy

The equiaxed solidification of Al–20Cu alloy under different cooling rates was investigated using in-situ synchrotron X-ray radiography. The results showed that mean grain size increases rapidly at the early stage of solidification, then reaches the final grain size gradually. And the change of final mean grain size with cooling rate follows d = 4132.3 × R −0.86. In addition, the evolution of grain size in Al–20Cu alloy was also simulated by ProCAST software. The experimental and simulation results indicated that, in the range of the cooling rate (5.0–7.5 K min−1), the major factor influencing the final grain size is the maximum nucleation density, while the nucleation undercooling has an insignificant effect on the final grain size.

Packing density of bi-disperse mixtures under one-dimensional compression

This work aims to investigate the effect of fines in different type of bi-disperse grain size distributions in terms of minimum/maximum density, compressibility and crushing. The material adopted is the Light Expanded Clay Aggregate (LECA), an artificial granular material characterized by light, porous and crushable grains. The bi-disperse grading are firstly analysed in terms of packing density, measuring experimentally the minimum and the maximum porosity for different combination of sizes and volume proportions. Then, some selected mixtures are subjected to one-dimensional compression tests up to high pressures. Evolution of grain size due to grain crushing phenomena and compressibility are therefore measured and interpreted. Finally a theoretical model is adopted in order to predict the mechanical material response accounting grain crushing and granular microstructure.

Flux-Driven Lateral Grain Growth during Reactive Diffusion

Lateral grain growth accompanies intermetallic compound growth. Moreover, it can be induced by reactive phase transformation at low temperatures (at frozen bulk diffusion). In its turn, the evolution of grain size (at low temperature) influences the rate of diffusive reaction. This synergy of the Reaction-Driven Grain Growth and Diffusion-Controlled Reaction is analysed. Power laws for the intermetallic compound growth with time exponent 0.4 and the lateral grain growth with time exponent 0.2 are predicted.

Effects of annealing on phase structure and magnetic characteristics of sputter deposited Ni2FeGa/Si (100) thin films

This paper investigates the effects of post-deposition annealing on the evolution of phase structure and magnetic properties of magnetron sputtered Ni2FeGa/Si (001) thin films. The results revealed that the as-deposited film was partially crystallized in an fcc structure, i.e. [Formula: see text] phase. Crystallization of the amorphous structure into the [Formula: see text] phase was greatly encouraged following annealing at 723 K for 1 h. Annealing at higher temperatures for the same period triggered the formation of the bcc austenitic phase, which competed with the [Formula: see text] phase simultaneously for crystallization and grain growth. The evolution of phase structure and grain size also influenced the nanomechanical properties of the films according to the nanoindentation measurement. The film annealed at 873 K for 1 h showed high hardness and elastic modulus values of 11.1 GPa and 156 GPa. The [Formula: see text] phase showed stronger ferromagnetic characteristics relative to the bcc austenite due to the richer Fe content. This leads to the saturation magnetization to be maximized at 80 emu/g when annealed at 773 K for 1 h attributed to the enhanced film crystallinity and dominant volume fraction of [Formula: see text] phase in the thin film.

Influence of strain rate and Sn in solid solution on the grain refinement and crystalline defect density in severely deformed Cu

A commercially pure Cu and a Cu-8 wt.%Sn alloy were subjected to high pressure torsion (HPT) to study the effect of Sn as solute element and deformation rate on the grain refinement mechanism and the defect accumulation in Cu. The microstructure and hardness of produced ultrafine grained (UFG) states of both materials were carefully characterized. We show that addition of Sn in Cu leads to significant decrease in grain size, accumulation of higher stored energy and increase in hardness accompanied with the delay of hardness saturation with shear strain. Increasing HPT deformation rate induces significant heat dissipation in the processed materials markedly pronounced in CuSn8 as compared to Cu. Surprisingly, deformation rate has the opposite effect on the microhardness of UFG Cu and CuSn8, which decreases with the deformation rate for the case of Cu, while exhibits faster saturation to higher values for CuSn8. We also show that despite higher self-heating at higher deformation rates, higher HPT rotation speed provides reduction in grain size and increase in the defect density for CuSn8 alloy. This effect is assumed to be related to strong interactions between Sn solute atoms and strain-induced defects so that mechanically driven effects prevail over dynamic annihilation of dislocations. Finally, we present a qualitative model based on the phenomena of production and annihilation of dislocations. This model was able to reproduce the evolution of grain size, concentrations defects and hardness with different deformation parameters and after the addition of solute element in material.

Two-Dimensional Grain Boundary Networks: Stochastic Particle Models and Kinetic Limits

We study kinetic theories for isotropic, two-dimensional grain boundary networks which evolve by curvature flow. The number densities $$f_s(x,t)$$ for s-sided grains, $$s =1,2,\ldots $$ , of area x at time t, are modeled by kinetic equations of the form $$\partial _t f_s + v_s \partial _x f_s =j_s$$ . The velocity $$v_s$$ is given by the Mullins–von Neumann rule and the flux $$j_s$$ is determined by the topological transitions caused by the vanishing of grains and their edges. The foundations of such kinetic models are examined through simpler particle models for the evolution of grain size, as well as purely topological models for the evolution of trivalent maps. These models are used to characterize the parameter space for the flux $$j_s$$ . Several kinetic models in the literature, as well as a new kinetic model, are simulated and compared with direct numerical simulations of mean curvature flow on a network. The existence and uniqueness of mild solutions to the kinetic equations with continuous initial data is established.

Mechanical Behavior of Fresh and Tempered Martensite in a CrMoV-Alloyed Steel Explained by Microstructural Evolution and Strength Modeling

The mechanical behavior of a wear-resistant CrMoV-alloyed martensitic steel in quenched and tempered conditions has been investigated and correlated with the microstructure. The steel has a combination of ultra-high tensile strength of 2065 MPa and total elongation of 7.4 pct in the as-quenched condition. The strength and ductility of the steel change initially during tempering and thereafter remain quite stable during tempering at either 450 °C or 550 °C. A good combination of yield strength and total elongation is achieved after tempering at 550 °C for 2 to 8 hours (about 1300 MPa and 14 pct). The evolution of the mechanical properties can be mainly related to an initial condition with high density of dislocations (in the order of 1015) and carbon in solid solution, while quite early during tempering, dislocations will start to annihilate and carbide precipitates form. On the other hand, there is a negligible evolution of the effective grain size during tempering. Modeling of the individual strengthening mechanisms and the overall yield strength is in good agreement with the tensile test results, in particular for the tempered samples. Finally, the relatively low yield strength of the fresh martensite, significantly lower than for the tempered conditions, is discussed in relation to the two available theories.

Study of the Effects of Hot Forging on the Additively Manufactured Stainless Steel Preforms

The production of wrought stainless steel components in power generators can involve a combination of many manufacturing processes. These are expensive in tooling costs and number of operations, as in the Hot Forging (HF) of stainless steel turbine blades. Additive Manufacturing (AM) techniques provide a valuable opportunity to produce near-net-shaped preforms, thus avoiding the material wastage and high tooling costs associated with the intermediate stages of HF processes. This study focuses on the proposed hybrid AM and HF method, in which AM is used to produce near-net–shape preforms which are subsequently formed into net-shaped parts by HF. The HF process is used to significantly reduce the material defects introduced by, and intrinsic to, AM processes. To understand the mechanical and microstructure changes during various AM and HF conditions, single-phase 316 L stainless steel was used as the test material. Samples were produced by AM using a laser powder-bed fusion AM machine. Two different AM build directions were used to produce samples, so, as to allow evaluation of the anisotropic properties induced by AM. These samples subsequently underwent a HF process, in which various processing conditions of plastic strain and forging temperature were applied, to study the general effects of thermal plasticity on the AM microstructure. Tensile testing, optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscope (SEM) together with electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) techniques were used to characterise the evolution of mechanical properties, porosity and grain size. The HF technique was found to remove defects from the AM material, resulting in enhanced mechanical strength, ductility, and isotropy. The technique therefore offers a potential alternative to conventional forging while retaining the required level of material performance.

Contributions of Grain Damage, Thermal Weakening, and Necking to Slab Detachment

We investigate the impact of three coupled weakening mechanisms on the viscous detachment of a stalled lithospheric slab: structural weakening due to necking, material weakening due to grain size reduction, using a two-phase grain damage model, and thermal weakening due to shear heating (thermal damage). We consider a combined flow law of dislocation and diffusion creep. To understand and quantify the coupling of these three nonlinear weakening processes, we derive a mathematical model, which consists of three coupled nonlinear ordinary differential equations describing the evolution of slab thickness, grain size and temperature. With dimensional analysis, we determine the dimensionless parameters which control the relative importance of the three weakening processes and the two creep mechanisms. We derive several analytical solutions for end-member scenarios that predict the detachment time, that is the duration of slab detachment until slab thickness becomes zero. These analytical solutions are then tested against numerical solutions for intermediate cases. The analytical solutions are accurate for end-member scenarios where one of the weakening mechanisms and one of the creep mechanisms is dominant. Furthermore, we use numerical solutions of the system of equations to systematically explore the parameter space with a Monte Carlo approach.. The numerical approach shows that the analytical solutions typically never deviate by more than 50% from the numerical ones, even for scenarios where all three weakening and both creep mechanisms are important. When both grain and thermal damage are important, the two damage processes generate a positive feedback loop resulting in the fastest detachment times. For Earth conditions, we find that the onset of slab detachment is controlled by grain damage and that during later stages of slab detachment thermal weakening becomes increasingly important and can become the dominating weakening process. We argue that both grain and thermal damage are important for slab detachment and that both damage processes could also be important for lithosphere necking during continental rifting leading to break-up and ocean formation.

In Operando GISAXS and GIWAXS Stability Study of Organic Solar Cells Based on PffBT4T‐2OD:PC71BM with and without Solvent Additive

Solvent additives are known to modify the morphology of bulk heterojunction active layers to achieve high efficiency organic solar cells. However, the knowledge about the influence of solvent additives on the morphology degradation is limited. Hence, in operando grazing‐incidence small and wide angle X‐ray scattering (GISAXS and GIWAXS) measurements are applied on a series of PffBT4T‐2OD:PC71BM‐based solar cells prepared without and with solvent additives. The solar cells fabricated without a solvent additive, with 1,8‐diiodoctane (DIO), and with o‐chlorobenzaldehyde (CBA) additive show differences in the device degradation and changes in the morphology and crystallinity of the active layers. The mesoscale morphology changes are correlated with the decay of the short‐circuit current J sc and the evolution of crystalline grain sizes is codependent with the decay of open‐circuit voltage V oc. Without additive, the loss in J sc dominates the degradation, whereas with solvent additive (DIO and CBA) the loss in V oc rules the degradation. CBA addition increases the overall device stability as compared to DIO or absence of additive.

The deformation and recrystallization behaviour of an Mg-Dy alloy processed by plane strain compression

The present study investigates the deformation and recrystallization behaviour of a Mg-0.41Dy (wt.%) alloy processed via plane strain compression (PSC) at room temperature (RT), 200, and 400 °C under a strain rate of 10−4 s−1. PSC at RT and 200 °C causes the introduction of a high amount of deformation features, like extension, contraction, and double twins. Meanwhile, PSC at 400 °C is characterized by the occurrence of dynamic recrystallization. The change in the microstructures affects the mechanical response of the alloy. The deformation texture is characterized by the formation of basal <0001> and prismatic <10 1¯ 0> fibres, while the texture intensity increases with increasing deformation temperature. The static recrystallization and grain growth kinetics were investigated for all processed samples after subsequent annealing at 450 °C for a time period ranging from 30 min to seven days. The evolution of grain size and microhardness strongly depends on the deformation temperatures. Moreover, the recrystallization rate increases with increasing deformation temperature. The Avrami exponent of recrystallization n was in the range of 0.26–0.9, indicating that the recrystallization preferentially occurs along grain boundaries and within deformation features.

A critical evaluation of microstructure-texture-mechanical behavior heterogeneity in high pressure torsion processed CoCuFeMnNi high entropy alloy

The present study aims to understand the evolution of textural and microstructural heterogeneity and its effect on evolution of mechanical properties of an equiatomic FCC CoCuFeMnNi high entropy alloy (HEA) disc subjected to high pressure torsion (HPT). HPT was performed on disc specimen with a hydrostatic pressure of 5 GPa for 0.1, 0.5, 1 and 5 turns at room temperature where the hardness saturated at 1941 MPa at the periphery of the sample after five turns. Synchrotron diffraction texture analysis of five-turn HPT sample reveals characteristic shear texture with the dominance of A {11⇀1⇀}<110> and A* {11⇀1⇀}<112> components near central region of the disc and it shifts to C {001}<110> component near the periphery of the disc. X-ray diffraction analysis shows decrease in crystalline size with simultaneous increase in dislocation density for five-turn HPT sample with increasing strain from centre to the periphery of the disc. Microstructural analysis using electron back scatter diffraction and transmission electron microscopy indicates extensive grain fragmentation (≈55 nm) at the periphery of five-turn sample. The evolution of hardness from centre to the periphery of the disc cannot be explained only on the basis of evolution of grain size and dislocation density. The increase in contribution from solid solution strengthening due to partial dissolution of copper rich nano-clusters is expected to be the underlying cause for increase in the hardness. Thus, evolution of gradient microstructure, texture, and chemistry opens up new vistas for designing functionally graded materials for engineering applications.

Defect Reduction and Quality Optimization by Modeling Plastic Deformation and Metallurgical Evolution in Ferritic Stainless Steels

Manufacturing of ferritic stainless steels flat bars is an important industrial topic and the steel 1.4512 is one of the most commonly used grades for producing this component. In this paper, the origin of some edge defects occurring during hot rolling of flat bars of this grade is analyzed and thermomechanical and microstructural calculations have been carried out to enhance the quality of the finished products by reducing the jagged borders defect on hot rolled bars. An accurate investigation has been carried out by analyzing the defects on the final product from both the macroscopic and microstructural point of view through the implementation of thermomechanical and metallurgical models in a finite element (FE) MSC Marc commercial code. Coupled metallurgical and damage models have been implemented to investigate the microstructural evolution of ferritic grain size and material damaging. Three levels of prior ferritic grain size (PFGS) and three furnace discharge temperatures have been considered in the thermo-mechanical simulations of the roughing passes. Rheological laws for modeling the evolution of ferritic grain have been modified to describe the specific cases simulated. Results have shown that the defect is caused by processing conditions that trigger an anomalous heating which, in turn, induces an uncontrolled grain growth on the edges. The work-hardened and elongated grains do not recrystallize during hot deformation. Consequently, they tend to squeeze out the surrounding softer and recrystallized matrix towards the edges of the bar where the fractures that characterizes the surface defect occur.

Slab weakening during the olivine to ringwoodite transition in the mantle

The strength of subducted slabs in the mantle transition zone influences the style of mantle convection. Intense deformation is observed particularly in relatively old subducted slabs in the deep mantle transition zone. Understanding the cause of this regional and depth variation in slab deformation requires constraint of the rheological properties of deep mantle materials. Here, we report results of in situ deformation experiments during the olivine to ringwoodite phase transformation, from which we infer the deformation process under the conditions of cold slabs deep in the mantle transition zone. We find that newly transformed fine-grained ringwoodite deforms by diffusion creep and that its strength is substantially smaller than that of coarser-grained minerals but increases with time. Scaling analysis, based on a model of transformation kinetics and grain-size evolution during a phase transformation, suggests that a cold slab will be made of a mixture of weak, fine-grained and strong, coarse-grained materials in the deep transition zone, whereas a warm slab remains strong because of its large grain size. We propose that this temperature dependence of grain size may explain extensive deformation of cold slabs in the deep transition zone but limited deformation of relatively warm slabs. In relatively cold subducted slabs, olivine may transform to finer-grained, weaker ringwoodite than in warm slabs, according to deformation experiments under conditions analogous to those in the mantle transition zone and scaling analysis.

Version 1 of a sea ice module for the physics-based, detailed, multi-layer SNOWPACK model

Abstract. Sea ice is an important component of the global climate system. The presence of a snowpack covering sea ice can strongly modify the thermodynamic behavior of the sea ice, due to the low thermal conductivity and high albedo of snow. The snowpack can be stratified and change properties (density, water content, grain size and shape) throughout the seasons. Melting snow provides freshwater which can form melt ponds or cause flushing of salt out of the underlying sea ice, while flooding of the snow layer by saline ocean water can strongly impact both the ice mass balance and the freezing point of the snow. To capture the complex dynamics from the snowpack, we introduce modifications to the physics-based, multi-layer SNOWPACK model to simulate the snow–sea-ice system. Adaptations to the model thermodynamics and a description of water and salt transport through the snow–sea-ice system by coupling the transport equation to the Richards equation were added. These modifications allow the snow microstructure descriptions developed in the SNOWPACK model to be applied to sea ice conditions as well. Here, we drive the model with data from snow and ice mass-balance buoys installed in the Weddell Sea in Antarctica. The model is able to simulate the temporal evolution of snow density, grain size and shape, and snow wetness. The model simulations show abundant depth hoar layers and melt layers, as well as superimposed ice formation due to flooding and percolation. Gravity drainage of dense brine is underestimated as convective processes are so far neglected. Furthermore, with increasing model complexity, detailed forcing data for the simulations are required, which are difficult to acquire due to limited observations in polar regions.

Pulse electrodeposition and characterization of graphene oxide particle-reinforced Ni–W alloy matrix nanocomposite coatings

The structure and properties of pulse electrodeposited Ni–W alloy-based nanocomposite coatings, reinforced with varying amounts of graphene oxide (GO) particles, have been evaluated. An aqueous sulfate–citrate electrolytic bath with a suspension of GO particles was used for the deposition of Ni–W/GO composite coatings. Using X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy with selected area electron diffraction, the effect of graphene oxide particles on microstructural characteristics of the nanocomposite coatings was examined with emphasis on the evolution of constituent phases, morphology, grain size (16–30 nm), and micro-strain. The GO particle reinforcement in the Ni–W alloy reduces the average matrix grain size and increases micro-strain in the alloy matrix. The presence of GO particles in the matrix of nanocomposite coatings is found to strongly influence both nanoindentation hardness and elastic modulus, obtained by analyzing the load–displacement curves, lower the friction coefficient, and enhance the corrosion resistance.

Average austenite grain size evolution simulation during multi-pass shape metal hot rolling process

Constitutive equations describing the flow stress of Q235 steel undergoing hot plastic deformation have been developed by integrating the microstructure models and exponential flow stress models presented in literatures, in which the microstructure models parameters have been re-determined based on the related experiments carried out on cylindrical specimens of the Q235 steel. Therefore, the integrated constitutive equations are capable of calculating the evolution of austenite grain size and investigating the effects of average austenite grain size on the flow stress of Q235 steel during hot deformation. A three-dimensional thermo-mechanically coupled FEM simulation of an 11-pass H-shape metal roughing rolling process with the austenite grain size evolution taken into account have been carried out to verify the rationality of roll pass schedule. The accuracy of the integrated constitutive equations has been preliminary validated by the comparisons between measured and the calculated values of rolling force.

Simulation of Austenite Formation During Continuous Heating from Low Carbon Martensite with Poly-dispersed Cementite

The nucleation and growth of austenite during continuous heating in plain carbon martensite is simulated using classical nucleation and diffusion growth theories assuming that austenite is nucleated on cementite particles at prior austenite grain boundaries and martensite packet, block, and interlath boundaries. A critical nucleus model on the spherical substrate was modified to take into account the influence of the boundary energy on which cementite particles formed. Simulations were carried out using the particle size distribution of cementite measured in an Fe-0.2 mass pct C alloy heated to near eutectoid temperature (Ae1). Austenite nucleation stopped in a very short time regardless of boundary site or particle size of cementite due to the fast decrease in carbon supersaturation and the depletion of nucleation sites. The fraction of austenite nucleated on cementite at prior austenite boundaries and martensite packet boundaries etc was much greater than that nucleated on cementite at interlath boundaries. While cementite particles dissolved quickly after austenite was nucleated, a large proportion of cementite particles at lath boundaries remained undissolved until they disappeared at 30 °C to 40 °C above Ae1. The evolution of austenite grain size was also simulated after austenitization was completed, and compared with experiment.