Long Period Stacking Ordered Research Articles

Solving Ambiguity in EBSD Indexing of Long-Period Stacking Ordered (LPSO) Phase in Mg with Template Matching Approach

Magnesium (Mg) alloys with long-period stacking ordered (LPSO) phases are receiving increasing interest because of their excellent mechanical performance. The close similarity in atomic stacking sequences between different LPSO polytypes and Mg lattice often leads to ambiguous indexing in electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), a commonly used material characterization technique. Instead of the Hough transformation approach used in commercial software, an alternative indexing approach, which can catch subtle differences by matching experimental patterns with simulated ones, is explored in this study. Our results, showing ~94% of mapping data being correctly indexed as the target phase, 14H LPSO, demonstrate the capability of not only resolving the LPSO phases but also distinguishing different LPSO polytypes. This approach offers a valuable, if not unique, solution for the microscale characterization of LPSO phases, enabling precise microstructure tuning to further promote the mechanical properties of Mg alloys.

The Formation Criteria of LPSO Phase in Type I LPSO Mg-Y-X Alloy from the Perspective of Liquid-Solid Correlation.

The formation criteria of the LPSO phase are important for the design of long-period stacking-ordered (LPSO) Mg alloys. This work focuses on Type I LPSO Mg-Y-X alloys and attempts to explore the formation criteria of the LPSO phase from the perspective of liquid-solid correlation. With the aid of ab-initio molecular dynamics simulation, liquid Mg-Y-X alloys are investigated to obtain the common liquid characteristics from the reported Type I LPSO Mg-Y-X alloys. Following the liquid characteristics, a new Type I LPSO alloy, i.e., Mg-Y-Au, is experimentally confirmed. The discovery of a new Type I LPSO alloy supports liquid-solid correlation, and hence, the formation criteria of the LPSO phase in Type I LPSO alloys can be developed based on the common liquid characteristics of Type I LPSO Mg-Y-X alloys as follows: X should result in the reduction in equilibrium volume and cohesive energy; Y should repulse Y and be attracted by both Mg and X, and X should be repulsed by both Mg and X; X should enhance the threefold and fourfold symmetries and weaken the fivefold and sixfold ones so that the local structural symmetries are distributed close to liquid pure Mg.

Study on tensile behavior at various temperatures of the Mg-7Gd-5Y-1Nd-2Zn-0.5Zr alloy

Mg-rare earth (RE)-Zn alloys with long-period stacking ordered (LPSO) structure show excellent room temperature, elevated temperature mechanical properties. In this work, microstructure and mechanical properties of Mg-7Gd-5Y-1Nd-2Zn-0.5Zr (wt%) alloy after tensile deformation at various temperatures (room temperature (RT), 250 °C and 300 °C) were investigated. The pre-precipitated alloy exhibited tensile yield strength (TYS) of 149 MPa at room temperature, while it maintained relatively high TYS at 250 °C (154 MPa) and 300 ℃ (123 MPa). The microstructural characterizations revealed that such outstanding heat resistance is mainly attributed to the blocky LPSO structure near the grain boundary; basal plate-like precipitates, twins and kink bands inside the grain. The blocky LPSO structure exhibits a coherent boundary with one α-Mg grain, while being incoherent with other α-Mg grains or the LPSO structure. Cracks primarily occured along the incoherent interface. Basal plate-like precipitates formed during elevated temperature tensile deformation included GP zones, γ', metastable LPSO building blocks, and fine 14H-LPSO structure. A probable γ-precipitation sequence is supersaturated solid solution → GP zones (ABAB-type) → single LPSO building block (γ')→ various metastable LPSO building block clusters→ 14H-LPSO (γ). The deformation modes (sliding, twinning, kinking, grain boundary sliding, etc) modified with the tensile temperature increase. <c+a> dislocations were observed at elevated temperatures. As the temperature of tensile test increases, twins become less. Grain boundary sliding occurs at elevated temperatures.

Mechanical property and corrosion performance in the as-rolled Mg-8Li-4Gd-1.5Ni alloy

As for the magnesium-lithium (Mg-Li) alloys for the applications of rapid corrosion material, enhancing their mechanical properties while maintaining the degradation rate poses a significant challenge. Simultaneously, it is crucial to elucidate the behavior of the long period stacking ordered (LPSO) phase in the corrosion process of as-rolled Mg-Li alloys. This study prepared the as-rolled Mg-8Li-4Gd-1.5Ni alloy with rolling reductions of 30 %, 50 %, 70 %, and 90 % at room temperature. Results indicate that, during the rolling process, the reticular LPSO gradually transitions to a fibrous LPSO and the GdNi3 particles are refined. Additionally, the amounts of twin increases. The alloy with 30 % reduction exhibits the highest corrosion rate, with a weight loss rate of 0.50 mg·cm−2·min−1 in a solute of 3 % KCl. The tensile strength reaches a maximum of 247 MPa. The increase in tensile strength is achieved at the expense of plasticity. The bending of the LPSO phase, the fracture of the secondary phases, and the increase in dislocations and twins increase the chemical reactivity of the alloy, leading to a higher corrosion rate. Rolling brings about the increase in dislocation density, dislocation entanglement, and the reduction in grain size, which indicate that the strengthening mechanisms of the alloy after rolling include work hardening and grain refinement strengthening.

Annealing Behavior of a Mg-Y-Zn-Al Alloy Processed by Rapidly Solidified Ribbon Consolidation.

Mg-Y-Zn-Al alloys processed by the rapidly solidified ribbon consolidation (RSRC) technique are candidate materials for structural applications due to their improved mechanical performance. Their outstanding mechanical strength is attributed to solute-enriched stacking faults (SESFs), which can form cluster-arranged layers (CALs) and cluster-arranged nanoplates (CANaPs) or complete the long-period stacking ordered (LPSO) phase. The thermal stability of these solute arrangements strongly influences mechanical performance at elevated temperatures. In this study, an RSRC-processed Mg-0.9%, Zn-2.05%, Y-0.15% Al (at%) alloy was heated at a rate of 0.666 K/s up to 833 K, a temperature very close to melting point. During annealing, in situ X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements were performed using synchrotron radiation in order to monitor changes in the structure. These in situ XRD experiments were completed with ex situ electron microscopy investigations before and after annealing. At 753 K and above, the ratio of the matrix lattice constants, c/a, decreased considerably, which was restored during cooling. This decrease in c/a could be attributed to partial melting in the volumes with high solute contents, causing a change in the chemical composition of the remaining solid material. In addition, the XRD intensity of the secondary phase increased at the beginning of cooling and then remained unchanged, which was attributed to a long-range ordering of the solute-enriched phase. Both the matrix grains and the solute-enriched particles were coarsened during the heat treatment, as revealed by electron microscopy.

Enhanced mechanical properties of LPSOp/Mg composites using super high pressure treatment

The super high pressure (SHP) technique was employed to fabricate the magnesium matrix composites (MMCs) reinforced with long-period stacking order structure powder (LPSOp) by cubic-anvil large-volume press with six rams. The LPSOp was optimized through high energy ball milling (HEBM) with a chemical composition of Mg85Zn6Y9 (at%). The microstructure and mechanical properties of LPSOp/Mg composite was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy/transmission electron microscopy (SEM/EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), microhardness and compressive tests. The microhardness of LPSOp exhibits a notable increase after HEBM, and the thermal stability of LPSOp is affirmed through elevated annealing. The SHPed LPSOp/Mg consists of Mg and LPSO phase. Upon annealing at 400 °C for 1 h, the LPSO phase precipitates from solid solution of Mg and W phase is also identified. The strength of composites by SHP treatment and subsequently annealing is significantly improved compared with the pure Mg without LPSOp, which demonstrates the maximum compression yield strength (CYS) of 250 MPa and ultimate compression strength (UCS) of 375 MPa with satisfactory ductility. The enhanced mechanical properties are attributed to the synergistic reinforcement effects of the dispersed and 3D skeletal structure of LPSOp with excellent interfacial bonding, the coexistence of nano-scale LPSO and W phase and partial solid solution strengthening.

Gd Added Mg Alloy for Biodegradable Implant Applications.

Microstructure, mechanical, in vitro and in vivo behavior of extruded Mg alloys with varying Zn/Gd ratios, Mg-2Gd-2Zn-0.5Zr (Zn/Gd = 1), Mg-2Gd-6Zn-0.5Zr (Zn/Gd = 3), and Mg-10Gd-1Zn-0.5Zr (Zn/Gd = 0.1) were investigated. The results revealed that the major secondary phases such as W (Mg3Zn3Gd2), (Mg,Zn)3Gd, LPSO (Long period stacking order) and I (Mg3Zn6Gd) phase in alloys depended on Zn/Gd ratio. These second phases influenced the mechanical as well as biological characteristics of the alloys. Among studied alloys, Mg-10Gd-1Zn-0.5Zr alloy showed the highest yield strength and tensile strength of 270 (±9.29) and 330 MPa (±15.8), respectively, with a reasonably good elongation of 12% (±2.36). The presence of Gd2O3 in the degradation film of Mg-10Gd-1Zn-0.5Zr enhanced the resistance offered by the film, which resulted in its lowest biodegradation, better viability, and cell proliferation under in vitro condition. The short term (subcutaneous implantation in rats for 1 month) in vivo studies showed that the alloy Mg-10Gd-1Zn-0.5Zr degraded at a rate of 0.35 mm/y (±0.02) and did not induce any toxicity to the vital organs.

Structural, mechanical, corrosion, and early biological assessment of tantalum nitride coatings deposited by reactive HiTUS

This study examined microstructure, mechanical, corrosion properties and initial biological evaluation of the tantalum nitride (Ta-xN, where x – nitrogen flow rate during deposition) coatings prepared by reactive High Utilization Sputtering (HiTUS) at various nitrogen flow rates (x = 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 sccm). Coatings were deposited on a novel Mg alloy (Mgbal.-Zn0.9-Y2.05-Al0.25 at. %) containing long-period stacking ordered (LPSO) phases. The coatings' structure was analyzed using a combination of SEM/FIB/TEM techniques, while XRD determined the phase composition. The mechanical parameters investigated included hardness, indentation modulus, and scratch behavior. The corrosion resistance of the coatings with respect to the bare substrate was evaluated in chloride-containing solutions. The wettability and early biological assessment of the coatings were also examined. The phase evolution strongly influenced the hardness and indentation modulus. The Ta-xN coatings made at x = 2 sccm nitrogen corresponding to HCP-Ta2N exhibited the highest hardness and indentation modulus. An increase in nitrogen flow rates resulted in the formation of FCC structure with slightly reduced hardness and indentation modulus. In addition, Ta-xN coatings (x ≥ 4sccm) showed superior corrosion resistance compared to BCC structured α-Ta, enhancing the corrosion performance of the Mg-LPSO bulk substrate. Finally, at the early incubation stage (24 h), L929 fibroblasts exhibited better cell attachment to the Ta-6N coating than to the bare Mg-LPSO substrate.

Phase transformation during solid-solution and aging treatment of a Mg-Gd-Y-Zn-Zr alloy containing LPSO and W phases

In this study, solid-solution and aging treatments were conducted on a hot-drawn Mg-9.5Gd-4Y–2Zn-0.3Zr alloy wire, which included long period stacking order (LPSO) phases and a Mg3Zn3RE2 (W phase) with a diameter of 4 mm. Subsequently, the phase transformations within the alloy were meticulously analyzed. Following solid solution treatment, the W-Mg3Zn3RE2 phase in the edge region almost completely dissolved, leaving behind blocky RE-rich phases. Conversely, the core region retained more of the original LPSO phase, resulting in significant microstructural differences between the core and the edge. The aging treatment induced a more pronounced hardening response in the core region, achieving a peak hardness of 136.33 HV at 96 h. By contrast, the edge regions exhibited a weaker aging response. Specifically, edge region 1 showed minimal fluctuations in hardness without significant hardening, while edge region 2 reached its peak hardness of 103.13 HV at 96 h. The differential hardening effects induced by aging treatment primarily stemmed from the formation and distribution of precipitate phases. Both the core region and edge regions initially precipitated β-Mg5Gd at the grain boundaries, with stacking faults (SFs) forming within the grains. However, dense and uniform precipitation of the β′-Mg7Gd phase also occurred within the core region. Therefore, controlling the precipitation of the W phase was crucial for tuning the mechanical properties of the Mg-9.5Gd-4Y–2Zn-0.3Zr alloy.

Microstructure and Properties of Mg-Gd-Y-Zn-Mn High-Strength Alloy Welded by Friction Stir Welding.

Mg-Gd-Y-Zn-Mn (MVWZ842) is a kind of high rare earth magnesium alloy with high strength, high toughness and multi-scale strengthening mechanisms. After heat treatment, the maximum tensile strength of MVWZ842 alloy is more than 550 MPa, and the elongation is more than 5%. Because of its great mechanical properties, MVWZ842 has broad application potential in aerospace and rail transit. However, the addition of high rare earth elements makes the deformation resistance of MVWZ842 alloy increase to some extent. This leads to the difficulty of direct plastic processing forming and large structural part shaping. Friction stir welding (FSW) is a convenient fast solid-state joining technology. When FSW is used to weld MVWZ842 alloy, small workpieces can be joined into a large one to avoid the problem that large workpieces are difficult to form. In this work, a high-quality joint of MVWZ842 alloy was achieved by FSW. The microstructure and properties of this high-strength magnesium alloy after friction stir welding were studied. There was a prominent onion ring characteristic in the nugget zone. After the base was welded, the stacking fault structure precipitated in the grain. There were a lot of broken long period stacking order (LPSO) phases on the retreating side of the nugget zone, which brought the effect of precipitation strengthening. Nano-α-Mn and the broken second phase dispersed in the matrix in the nugget zone, which made the grains refine. A relatively complete dynamic recrystallization occurred in the nugget zone, and the grains were refined. The welding coefficient of the welded joint exceeded 95%, and the hardness of the weld nugget zone was higher than that of the base. There were a series of strengthening mechanisms in the joint, mainly fine grain strengthening, second phase strengthening and solid solution strengthening.

Wire-arc additive manufacturing of Mg-Gd-Y-Zn-Zr alloy: Microstructure and mechanical properties

Mg-Gd-Y-Zn-Zr alloy is an essential high strength weight ratio material in the aerospace field. It has been fabricated gradually using wire-arc additive manufacturing (WAAM), a key integrated preparation technology for large-scale parts. In this investigation, a Mg-9.4Gd-3.3Y-1.75Zn-0.38Zr (wt.%) alloy was prepared by WAAM based in the cold metal transfer (CMT) process. Investigations were conducted into the microstructural evolution and mechanical properties during the solution and aging heat treatment. With an average grain size of 18.30 ± 9.89 μm, the as-deposited Mg-Gd-Y-Zn-Zr alloy is mainly composed of α-Mg matrix, (Mg,Zn)3(Gd,Y) eutectic phase, RE-rich particles, and rare-earth (RE) segregation zone. Following a 12-h heat treatment at 500 °C, the average grain size of the α-Mg matrix showed no appreciable changes. The α-Mg matrix also dissolved the (Mg, Zn)3(Gd, Y) phases, which led to the production of long period stacking ordered (LPSO) phases and the disappearance of the RE-segregation zone. The appearance of the nanoscale β′ phase following aging heat treatment. The deposited alloys had the following tensile properties: 196.5 ± 24 MPa for ultimate tensile strength (UTS), 157.2 ± 14 MPa for yield strength (YS), and 2.08 ± 0.8% for elongation (EL). The formation of LSPO phase can improve the ductility while the formation of nanoscale β′ phase can improve the strength of Mg-Gd-Y-Zn-Zr alloy. Thus, after heat treatment at 500 °C for 12 h, the alloy's EL rose to 9.27 ± 0.94%. After further aging heat treatment for 225 °C at 24h, the alloy's YS rose to 234±3 MPa and its EL was 4.56 ± 0.25%.

Regulating the microstructures and creep behaviors of an LPSO-containing Mg alloy via heat treatment

The microstructures and creep behaviors of a hot-extruded Mg-Gd-Y-Zn-Zr alloy containing long period stacking order (LPSO) phases prepared by different heat treatment procedures were investigated in this work. Three samples were made, including Sample #1, which was in the as-extruded state; Sample #2, which was preserved at 500 °C for 12 h; and Sample #3, which was preserved at 500 °C for 12 h and 460 °C for 10 h. The average grain sizes of the heat treated samples were much larger than those of the as-extruded samples. The second phases included mainly blocky 18R LPSO phases, lamellar 14H LPSO phases and needlelike ZnZr compounds in the three samples, but Sample #2 had much fewer 14H LPSO phases than the other two samples. The grain boundary migration resulting from the small grain size induced the lowest creep resistance in Sample #1. In contrast, the hardening effects generated from the pyramidal <c+a> dislocations and the dynamic precipitation of dense β’ phases dramatically retarded the cross-slip, resulting in the highest creep resistance in Sample #2. Although the aging treatment introduced numerous 14H LPSO phases in Sample #3, they delayed the dislocation movements to a limited degree, and the creep resistance was inferior to that of Sample #2. Therefore, the creep resistance ultimately decreased in the order of Sample #2 > Sample #3 > Sample #1. It is suggested that the microstructures and creep behaviors of LPSO-containing Mg alloys can be well regulated through appropriate heat treatment, and this work can hopefully offer important guidance for the design of highly creep resistant Mg-Gd-Y-Zn-Zr alloys.

Effects of an LPSO Phase Induced by Zn Addition on the High-Temperature Properties of Mg-9Gd-2Nd-(1.5Zn)-0.5Zr Alloy.

In this study, we prepared Mg-9Gd-2Nd-0.5Zr, referred to as alloy I, and Mg-9Gd-2Nd-1.5Zn-0.5Zr, referred to as alloy II. The effects of a long-period stacking ordered (LPSO) phase induced by Zn addition on the high-temperature mechanical properties and fracture morphology of alloy I and alloy II at different temperatures (25 °C, 200 °C, 225 °C, and 250 °C) were studied using optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results indicate that Mg5RE at the crystal boundary of the as-cast alloy I transformed into (MgZn)3RE (as-cast alloy II) by the addition of Zn. After solid solution treatment, the secondary phase in alloy I completely disappeared, and there were still residual secondary phases in block-like and needle-like structures in alloy II, while layered LPSO phases precipitated in the matrix. During the high-temperature tensile test, the yield and tensile strength of alloy I decreased significantly with the increase in temperature, while the elongation increased. Compared to alloy I, the yield strength of alloy II with an LPSO phase showed an increasing trend at 25 °C~200 °C and then decreased when the temperature reached around 250 °C. The thermal stability was significantly enhanced, and the elongation was also higher than that of alloy I. As the temperature increased, the fracture surface of alloy I showed increased folding, bending of scratches, and crack enlargement. However, the fracture surface of alloy II remained largely unchanged, with only minor wrinkles and cracks appearing at temperatures reaching 250 °C.

Atomic scale investigation of the phase transformation path from HCP to FCC in high-purity hafnium during torsion deformation

Although the hexagonal close-packed (HCP) to face centered cubic (FCC) martensitic phase transformation has been frequently observed and discussed in many HCP metals and alloys, the detailed phase transformation path has been disputed. Here, we studied the potential phase transformation path from HCP to FCC phase in high-purity hafnium (Hf) under torsional deformation condition. Results indicated that the HCP to FCC phase transformation was not accomplished directly by the glide of a/3[11¯00] Shockley partial dislocations on every other {0001} planes, but progressively transitions to the FCC lattice through multiple intermediate states. The complete phase transformation process can be further refined as: HCP → body-centered tetragonal (BCT)-like structure → 12R long-period stacking-ordered (LPSO) structure → FCC, and each step was accommodated by basal stacking faults. This work is instructive on the phase transformation from HCP to FCC not only in Hf but also in other HCP metals.

The role of zinc addition on the microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of wire-arc directed energy deposited Mg-Gd-Y-(Zn)-Zr alloys

Wire-arc directed energy deposition (WA-DED) demonstrates significant potential in the rapid and free forming of high-strength magnesium rare-earth (Mg-RE) alloys. This highlights a growing demand for tailored wire alloy compositions to promote engineering applications of this technology. In this work, the role of zinc addition on WA-DED processed Mg-Gd-Y based alloys has been thoroughly investigated by utilizing Mg-6Gd-3Y-0.5Zr (wt.%, GW63K) and Mg-6Gd-3Y-0.5Zn-0.5Zr (wt.%, GWZ631K) alloy wires as model materials. The microstructure evolution of these two alloys during deposition and heat treatment is revealed by multi-scale microstructure characterization techniques. The influences of Zn addition on mechanical properties of these deposited alloys are investigated comparatively. Obtained results indicate that addition of Zn element into Mg-Gd-Y based alloys promotes phase transformation between eutectic phases and long period stacking order (LPSO) phases during the WA-DED deposition process owing to the multiple thermal cycling. More importantly, the addition of Zn element increases the tendency of solidification shrinkage of the deposited metal. During high-temperature solid solution treatment, the presence of Zn is conducive to improving the thermal stability of the as-deposited grain boundaries and thus suppressing grain coarsening. After optimized T6 treatments, the strength of GW63K alloys increases to 374±7MPa, and is obviously higher than that (315±6MPa) of GWZ631K alloys. The addition of Zn element weakens the precipitation strengthening effect. This can be attributed to the formation of LPSO phases, which consumes a substantial amount of RE elements, and in turn decreases the density of aging precipitated nanoscale β´ phases. This work promotes the understanding of the non-equilibrium solidified microstructure evolution of multi-component Mg-RE alloys and guides the optimization of alloy composition of WA-DED specific wire materials.

Hot deformation and dynamic recrystallization of Mg-Gd-Y-Zn-Zr alloy containing high volume fraction 18R-LPSO phase

The deformation behavior including flow behavior, hot workability and dynamic recrystallization (DRX) mechanism of as-cast Mg-9Gd-3Y-3.75Zn-0.6Zr alloy containing 26.5 % volume fraction 18R long-period stacking ordered (LPSO) phase distributed in continuous network morphology were studied by hot compression experiments at deformation condition of 350 ℃-500 ℃, 0.01–1 s−1 strain rate and 0.75 true strain. The influence of deformation conditions on the microstructural evolution was analyzed by using optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), electron back scatter diffraction (EBSD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). Results display that stress exponent and deformation activation energy are 5.58 and 241.39 kJ·mol−1 correspondingly, which suggested that dislocation climb is the principal deformation mechanism. The Arrhenius type constitutive equation is established as ε̇=4.09×1016sinh(9.922×10−3σ)5.58exp(−241394RT). Microstructure evolution can be characterized by Zener-Holomon parameter (Z) which reflects the combining effect of temperature and strain rate on microstructure. At low lnZ (lnZ<36), the 18R-LPSO phase dissolves from continuous network to blocks and high DRX volume (>50 %) is realized by particle-stimulated nucleation and discontinuous dynamic recrystallization. At moderate lnZ (36≤lnZ<40), a fine and coarse grains bimodal structure is formed at the original grain boundary by continuous dynamic recrystallization resulting in a DRX volume between 10 % and 50 %. At high lnZ (lnZ≥40), layered 14H‐LPSO phase precipitates and inhibits DRX (DRX volume＜10 %) by absorbing dislocations. With combination of dissipation coefficient, instability factor and microstructure analysis, 400 ℃/0.01–0.05 s−1 and 450 ℃/0.01 s−1 are confirmed as optimal hot working domains for the as-cast alloy, under which conditions bimodal microstructure and equiaxed grains microstructure (average grain size 10.3 μm) can be formed correspondingly.

Discovery of a giant lattice in Mg97Zn1Yb2 alloy

The Mg-rich corner of Mg–metal (M)–rare earth element (REE) ternary systems results in a long-period stacking-ordered (LPSO) phase that increases the strength and elongation of the Mg alloy. Using Yb at the REE position does not result in the LPSO phase; instead, it forms unique crystalline structures with intriguing properties. In this study, we found a new giant lattice belonging to the P6/mmc space group by quenching the Mg97Zn1Yb2 alloy at 723 K. The giant lattice, which precipitates around the α-Mg matrix with a chemical composition of Mg75Zn7Yb18 (at%), comprises a basic structure and a superlattice. We developed an atomic configuration model that expresses the basic structure as alternating stacking of three types of layers. The observed features indicate that the structure of the giant lattice is similar to that of the approximant quasicrystal reported for Mg–M–REE ternary systems.

Effect of heat treatment on microstructure evolution and strengthening-toughening behavior of high-strength Mg-Gd-Y-Zn-Zr alloy fabricated by wire-arc additive manufacturing

Mg-Gd-Y-Zn-Zr alloy is an important lightweight material in the aerospace field. Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) provides a new route to fabricate large Mg alloy components. Here, a Mg-8Gd-4Y–1Zn-0.5Zr (wt.%) alloy was fabricated using WAAM based on the cold metal transfer (CMT) process. Subsequently, a short-time solid solution + aging treatment was designed to tailor the microstructure. In the as-fabricated condition, the microstructure mainly consisted of fine α-Mg, network (Mg,Zn)3(Gd,Y) eutectic phase, and lamellar γ′ basal precipitate. After 500 °C-1 h short-time solid solution, the eutectic phase rapidly dissolved, the long-period stacking ordered (LPSO) phase formed, and the fine grain was maintained. Due to the good deformation capacity of the fine grains and the kinking deformation capacity of the LPSO phase, the ductility was significantly improved from 5.2 ± 0.4% to 15.5 ± 1.1%. After further 200 °C-64 h artificial aging, dense β′ prismatic precipitates formed. Thanks to the synergistic strengthening of the fine grains and β′ prismatic precipitates, a yield strength of 242 ± 4 MPa was achieved. However, the kinking deformation of the LPSO phase was inhibited, resulting in a drastic decrease of ductility to 6.1 ± 0.5%. Overall, the combination of strength and ductility of the CMT-based WAAM-processed Mg-Gd-Y-Zn-Zr alloy under an optimized heat treatment regime can be superior to those of the cast Mg-Gd-Y-Zn-Zr alloys with similar contents of Gd and Y elements. This work can guide further performance optimization for WAAM-processed Mg-Gd-Y-Zn-Zr alloys.

Directional heat treatment technique to prepare columnar grains in a TiAl alloy: Microstructure evolution and deformation behavior

Directional TiAl alloys show excellent comprehensive mechanical properties at high temperature (HT), and their notable attributes in high-temperature deformation resistance offer them promising application potential as structural materials in the aero engine industry. Directional heat treatment (DHT) is an effective local solid phase transformation technology in alloy processing and microstructure control. The directional Ti47Al2Nb2Cr alloys with columnar grains microstructure were fabricated via multiple DHT technology, where the HT deformation performance and corresponding deformation mechanism were both investigated. Results show that both the length in axial and width in radial are increasing with the increase of DHT time, together with the reduce of columnar grains amount, ultra-large columnar grains of 58.6 mm in length and 4.8 mm in width are even obtained, which makes it possible to realize the directional single crystals fabrication further, and the DHT-TiAl alloy may possess a tensile strength of 611.7 MPa at 800 ℃. For the first time, the mechanism of columnar grain growth is considered from the point of thermodynamics via analyzing the driving force of different DHT regions, which is thought to be greatly related to the temperature gradient, and the rule of preferred orientation choosing for columnar grains growth is discussed as well, then we defined the possible conditions of controlling columnar grains steady growth. Eventually, the detailed deformation mechanism of the multiple-DHT treated TiAl alloy was analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), which demonstrates that the twin intersections together with stress-induced γ variants within γ matrix, and the well-known long period stacking order (LPSO) structure 6 R and 9 R characterized by periodic stacking fault both found near α2 phase and γ twins/pseudo-twins further improved the plastic deformation accommodation and interface compatibility of DHT-TiAl alloy. This observed microstructure transformation and corresponding mechanical performance improvement demonstrate the potential of DHT technology in microstructure improving and properties strengthening for TiAl alloys during practical manufacturing process.

Microstructure and mechanical properties of Mg−Gd−Y−Zn−Zr alloy plates with different initial textures after hot rolling

The effects of initial textures on the microstructures and mechanical properties of rolled Mg−4.7Gd− 3.4Y−1.2Zn−0.5Zr (wt.%) plates were studied by optical microscope (OM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and tensile test. In the plate with an initial texture of 〈0001〉//RD (rolling direction), relatively coarse grains and bimodal basal texture are developed. However, in the plate with an initial texture of 〈0001〉//TD (transverse direction), finer grain size and strong 〈0001〉//ND basal textures are obtained due to the higher degree of dynamic recrystallization during rolling. Additionally, the irregular-shaped long-period stacking ordered (LPSO) phases are elongated along RD in both plates, which results in anisotropic load-bearing strengthening behavior, and further leads to a certain degree of yield anisotropy. The analysis of the strengthening mechanism shows that grain boundary strengthening is the most effective strengthening method in the plates. Because of the finer grain size and the strengthening caused by the elongated irregular-shaped LPSO phases, the rolled plate with an initial 〈0001〉//TD texture achieves the highest yield strength along RD.