Microstructural Evolution Research Articles

Mechanochemical study of a novel Magnesium alloy with trace addition of Gd, Nd, Ce, and La rare-earth and Sr elements

Mg-Zn-Ca-Mn materials micro-alloyed by Gd, Nd, Ce, and La rare-earth and Sr alkaline elements were developed. Optical and scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction spectroscopy, tensile test, immersion, and electrochemical tests were applied to analyze microstructure, mechanical properties, and corrosion behavior. While the development of the equiaxed grain structures were observed in all the alloys, the Gd-containing alloy showed the smallest grain size and lowest fraction of second phases, which resulted in the highest yield and ultimate tensile strength of 310.0 ± 14.1 and 370.4 ± 41.6 MPa, respectively. Moreover, the corrosion studies also indicated the lowest rates in the Gd, and Nd-containing alloys, with the rates of 3.6 ± 2.5 and 3.9 ± 0.2 mm/y, respectively. The mechanisms of microstructure evolution, strengthening and corrosion behavior were discussed.

Constitutive modeling of creep behavior considering microstructure evolution for directionally solidified nickel-based superalloys

During creep at elevated temperatures, the performance of directionally solidified nickel-based superalloys experiences progressive degradation, accompanied by significant microstructure evolution. In this study, creep tests of varying durations were conducted on smooth specimens, revealing typical microstructure evolution, including dissolution, coarsening, and rafting of the γ′ phase. The process of microstructure evolution during creep was precisely quantified utilizing an advanced image processing technique. Subsequently, a phenomenological model was formulated to predict the evolution of the γ/γ′ microstructure. Furthermore, with the introduction of the microstructure evolution model, a multiscale creep constitutive model was established within the framework of crystal plasticity. This model encompasses various dislocation strengthening mechanisms, including dislocation bypassing, dislocation pairs shearing, and dislocation hardening. The constitutive model can accurately describe both the microstructure evolution and creep deformation of the DZ406 superalloy at various temperatures, with maximum errors of 18.13% and 24.31%, respectively. Finally, the model under multiaxial stress conditions was validated through creep tests on specimens with a film-cooling hole. The maximum prediction errors for microstructure evolution and creep life were 30.46% and 28.00%, respectively.

Effect of deformation and cooling on non-equilibrium microstructure evolution and phase-transition mechanism of Ti–6Al-2.5Mo-1.5Cr-0.5Fe-0.3Si

In the process of non-isothermal deformation of titanium alloy, the microstructure evolution is very complicated, which has direct effect on the properties of the titanium alloy. This study examines the effects of pure cooling and coupled deformation and cooling at the initial temperature of 940 °C and the cooling rate of 5,50 °C/s, and the strain rate of 0.1, 10s−1 respectively, on the microstructure evolution of Ti–6Al-2.5Mo-1.5Cr-0.5Fe-0.3Si alloy (TC6) were investigated. The microstructure after cooling was characterised, and the mechanism of non-isothermal deformation on microstructure evolution and the mechanism of secondary α phase (αs) precipitation were revealed. The results show that the secondary α phase precipitates in large quantities after cooling to a certain temperature, and the secondary precipitated has an obvious inhibiting effect on the diffusion growth of the primary α phase (αp). Secondary α phases can be divided into lamellar and equiaxial types. When the temperature drops sharply, the fine secondary α phase can be precipitated directly from the β matrix. Due to the large number of dislocations generated by the deformation, many small secondary α phases can be generated during the rapid cooling process. The orientation relationship between α phase and β matrix is destroyed by the deformation, resulting in a weakening of the anisotropy, so that the secondary α phase remains equiaxial during the precipitation process.

Influence of different rolling passes and deformation amounts on the microstructure evolution and strengthening mechanism of Cu-Ni-Si alloy

Under the condition of controlling the total rolling deformation to 80.0%, the effects of multi-pass rolling, the ratio of deformation between the first and second stages in two-stage rolling, and aging parameters on the microstructural evolution and property enhancement of Cu-Ni-Si alloy were investigated. The results showed that the second-stage rolling promotes the formation of high-density dislocations, significantly enhancing dislocation strengthening. Simultaneously, the high-density dislocations facilitate the precipitation of the second phase during aging, and concurrently improving the strength and electrical conductivity of the alloy. In the two-stage rolling and aging process, a ratio of first-stage to second-stage rolling deformation less than 1 yields superior comprehensive properties. Specifically, when the first-stage rolling deformation is 35.0% and the second-stage deformation is 68.8%, the alloy achieves an optimal electrical conductivity of 49.53% IACS, hardness of 272.9 HV0.1, tensile strength of 773.0 MPa, and yield strength of 723.3 MPa. This is because a rolling ratio less than 1 results in higher dislocation density; the δ-Ni2Si precipitates have a coherent relationship with the Cu matrix, the interparticle spacing of precipitates is smaller. The average grain size is refined from 1.29 μm to 1.08 μm, significantly enhancing grain boundary strengthening. Dislocation strengthening and second-phase strengthening are the primary strengthening mechanisms of the alloy, and the calculated alloy strength agrees well with the experimental values, with errors less than 3.4%. Additionally, the Avrami equation in phase transformation kinetics was utilized to study the variation law of the volume fraction of the δ-Ni2Si phase with aging time.

Micromechanical testing and microstructure analysis of as-welded and post-weld heat-treated Ti-6Al-4V alloy

The microstructural evolutions and variations in mechanical performance of electron beam welded (EBW) Ti-6Al-4V (Ti64) alloy have been investigated. The effects of heat treatment on the microstructure of welded samples have been studied after post-welding solution treatment and ageing. The martensitic phase α′\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$${\\alpha }{\\prime}$$\\end{document} has been confirmed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) has been used to investigate the phase and grain morphology. Results showed that the martensitic α′ phase coarsened, the size of heat-affected zone (HAZ) changed and grains in the base materials (BMs) had grown after the post-weld heat treatments (PWHT). The tensile behaviour of electron beam welded Ti64 has been investigated using in situ tensile testing monitored by optical microscopy. The deformation and failure were directly revealed during the in situ tensile process. Results showed that the EBW Ti64 samples have different failure locations after receiving different post-weld heat treatments. The relationship between the post-weld heat treatments, microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of EBW Ti64 were investigated. Thermodynamic databases were used to predict mechanical properties—including the yield strengths—of the titanium alloy for different grain sizes, representing different post-weld heat treatment operations, and these were embedded into a finite element modelling framework to simulate the tensile testing specimens to understand the mechanical fields experienced such as stresses and strains, just prior to failure.

Effect of matrix microstructure on micro- and macro- mechanical properties of 2.5D woven oxide fiber reinforced oxide matrix composites

A comprehensive learning of the mechanical behavior change mechanism of oxide/oxide composites is of great significance as a guide for their industrial applications. This study focused on examining how matrix microstructure impacted the micro- and macro- mechanical properties of the composites mainly by nanoindentation tests, macro-mechanical tests and x-ray computed tomography. The results showed that the sintering phenomenon of matrix sintered at 1200 ºC was more obvious, and there were visible transverse and longitudinal cracks. The in-situ modulus of matrix and interfacial shear modulus of the composite increased by 61.1% and 36.4%, respectively, with the increase of matrix sintering densification. Combined with these micro-mechanical parameters of the composites, the He-Hutchinson model predicted the same crack propagation modes as those obtained from fracture toughness tests. Moreover, more matrix cracks directly led to a 45.4% reduction in the flexural strength of the composites sintered at 1200 ºC compared to that sintered at 1100 ºC. In addition, a comparison analysis was conducted on the evolution of microstructure, micro- and macro- mechanical properties of 2.5D and 2D composites with the same preparation parameters.

Evolution of Microstructure and Hardness during Carburization Heat Treatment of Heavy-duty Gear Steels: Numerical Prediction and Experimental Study

Abstract In order to solve the problems of long process cycle, low efficiency and high cost in the carburization heat treatment process of 18Cr2Ni4WA heavy-duty gear steel. The carbon concentration distribution of 18Cr2Ni4WA steel under conventional carburizing process at 930℃ was studied by combining numerical simulation with experimental research. The results show that the carbon concentration distribution predicted by the simulation is in good agreement with the experimental results. The microstructure of the surface layer after low-temperature tempering consists mainly of fine acicular tempered martensite, while the core consists mainly of lath tempered martensite and bainite. The increase in hardness after carburization is mainly attributed to the solid solution strengthening of the carbon atoms. The increase in hardness after cryogenic treatment is mainly attributed to the precipitation strengthening of the carbides. In addition, compared to the conventional carburization at 930°C, the high temperature carburizations at 950°C and 970°C reduced the carburization time by 37.2% and 53.5%, respectively.

Thermal Stability and Thermal Fatigue Resistance Improvement of New High Toughness 5% Cr Hot Working Die Steel

This work developed a new high toughness 5% Cr martensitic hot working die steel (GYDCK-20), which exhibits better thermal stability and thermal fatigue resistance than AISI H13 steel. The concrete study involves: conducting on the evolution of microstructures and mechanical properties of two steels during the 60-hour holding process at 600°C, as well as the thermal fatigue behavior under the cyclic heating-water quenching conditions. The experimental results showed that in the case of ensuring the same initial hardness of two steels (43-43.5 HRC), GYDCK-20 emerged better thermal stability and superior toughness after 60-hour holding process at 600°C. After thermal cycling was increased from 1000 to 2000 times, the average crack length growth rate of GYDCK-20 was 31.8% lower than that of H13 and the maximum crack width growth rate was 35.1% lower than that of H13. It was found that thermal fatigue cracking was dominated by transgranular propagation at lower cycle numbers, while more inclined to propagate along the grain boundaries at higher cycle numbers. The higher toughness of GYDCK-20 steel promotes the dispersion of thermal stress, thereby enhancing the thermal fatigue resistance. It is mainly attributed to the lower V content of GYDCK-20 steel, which reduces the density of large-sized MC primary carbides. On the other hand, the lower Si content promotes the dissolution of cementite particles, and the secondary carbides precipitate in a smaller and uniformly distributed form, which hinders the propagation of thermal fatigue cracks, while also delays the coarsening of the fatigue-adverse phase M23C6 carbides.

The Cr/Cr2N multilayer coating with high load-bearing capacity and thermal shock resistance

By utilizing the multi-arc ion plating (MAIP) technique, multilayer coatings with varying Cr/Cr2N ratios and uniform thicknesses were deposited onto a nitrided Cr–Ni–Mo–V steel substrate. The evolution of microstructure and mechanical properties was characterized using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and micro-Vickers hardness testing. The load-bearing capacity of the multilayer coatings with varying modulation ratios was comprehensively evaluated through Vickers indentation tests with a 10-kgf load, Rockwell hardness testing with a 150-kgf load, and scratch tests with loads of 60 and 100N. The coating with a Cr/Cr2N layer modulation ratio of 0.2/0.4 μm exhibited a hardness of 1385 HV and an adhesion strength of 91N. Under a 10kgf load, this coating also demonstrated excellent fracture toughness, and did not exhibit any radial cracks in the Vickers indentation. Subsequently, a thermal shock test, involving quenching from 900°C water to 25°C, was conducted on the coating with the best comprehensive performance. The multilayer coating with high load-bearing capacity could withstand 52 thermal shock cycles before delamination occurred. Failure analysis further confirmed that the multilayer coating with enhanced load-bearing capacity effectively resisted thermal shock.

Study of strength-ductility and anisotropic behavior of Mg-Gd-Y-Zn-Zr alloy prepared by Equal channel double angular pressing

In the present work, the Mg-Gd-Y-Zn-Zr alloy was processed by Equal channel double angular pressing (ECDAP). The evolution of microstructure and mechanical properties are systematically investigated. The results demonstrate that the strength and ductility after ECDAP can be simultaneously enhanced, which is due to the generation of dynamic recrystallization and unique basal texture with dispersive circular distribution. The anisotropy behavior is also evaluated by the compression testing along different direction. After ECDAP for 4 passes, the anisotropy degree is effectively decreased compared with the sample after ECDAP for 1 pass. Moreover, the deformation behavior during ECDAP process is determined by prismatic slip.

Effects of sintering temperatures on the thermal conductivity and microstructural evolution of yttrium hydride monoliths by spark plasma sintering

In this study, YHx (where x represents the H/Y ratio) monoliths were fabricated using Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS), employing yttrium hydride powder as the raw material. The effects of different sintering temperatures (800 °C∼1200 °C) on the thermal conductivity and microstructural evolution of the YHx monoliths, including porosity, grain size, precipitated phases, and internal defects, were investigated. The results indicate that the sintering temperature exerts a significant influence on thermal conductivity and microstructural evolution. Notably, the thermal conductivity of these samples initially increases with rising sintering temperature, but subsequently decreases under identical testing conditions. This phenomenon is primarily attributed to the effects of porosity and precipitate phase. Furthermore, the presence of twin crystals also contributes to the reduction in thermal conductivity. The procedures provide an initial framework for understanding the relationship between thermal conductivity and the evolution of microstructure.

Evolution of microstructure and mechanical properties in TiBw/Ti65 composites during vacuum solid-phase diffusion bonding

This paper examines the solid-phase diffusion bonding (DB) of TiBw/Ti65 composites, focusing on the effects of processing parameters such as temperature, time, pressure, and interlayer thickness. The findings show that lower processing conditions resulted in slower atomic diffusion and more defects, whereas higher conditions reduced pores but led to grain growth. Optimal bonding was achieved at 950°C, 10MPa, and 60minutes, yielding a shear strength of 686MPa, which is 81.86% of the base material's strength. The introduction of pure titanium interlayer results in a concentration gradient, which serves as an additional driving force for atomic diffusion, thereby enhancing the quality of diffusion bonding. Shear strength varied with interlayer thickness, peaking at 668MPa for a 5 μm interlayer. Microplastic deformation, dynamic recrystallization (DRX), and grain boundary (GB) migration affected the microstructure and mechanical properties of the bonding interface. TiB whiskers (TiBw) near the bonding interface significantly influenced DRX and GB migration during the DB process.

Atomic-scale insights into the microstructure and interface evolution mechanism of copper/tantalum nanofilms during ultra-precision grinding

The copper (Cu)/tantalum (Ta) nanofilms are the vital component in the through silicon via (TSV) wafer. However, the current lack of research on the ultra-precision machining of Cu/Ta nanofilms limits the development of TSV-based 3D integration technologies. In this work, molecular dynamics simulations are conducted to reveal the microstructure and interface evolution mechanism of Cu/Ta nanofilms during nano-grinding under various grinding depths. The results show that the material removal mode differs between the Cu and Ta layers, and the thickness of the subsurface damage layer of the Cu layer is greater than that of the Ta layer. The Cu/Ta interface is well stabilized, and small amounts of micro-defects appear only at larger grinding depths after grinding. The lattice mismatch of the constituent layers and the hindering role by the interface lead to stress concentration at the interface, and it is more obvious with increasing grinding depth. Nevertheless, there is a significant stress release after grinding. Our computations indicate that the competition between the evolution of interfacial structures and discrepancies in the physical properties of constituent layers leads to an increase in grinding forces at the interface. Furthermore, the heat transfer is obstructed by the Cu/Ta interface. This study provides valuable insights into the grinding mechanisms of Cu/Ta nanofilms, which is conducive to further improving the manufacturing process of the TSV wafer and enhancing the performance of microelectronic devices.

Microstructure and property evolution of aluminium/potassium titanate whiskers composite during Rheo-casting

Potassium titanate whiskers (PTWs) have been proved effective in improving aluminium alloys’ mechanical performance whilst reducing their thermal expansivity, which are both crucial to the industrial applications. Here, we fabricate an Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy composite reinforced with 10.0 vol% PTW via rheological casting and characterize its microstructure, strength and thermal expansivity evolution at different process parameters. The distribution of PTW in alloy matrix was more homogeneous with growing treating time. After 40 s semi-solid slurring, the final average length of PTW was reduced to 4.1 μm. Meanwhile, the ultimate tensile strength of the composite gained ca. 27.0 % increase, and the thermal expansivity was significantly reduced. Our results demonstrate the feasibility to fabricate high-performance aluminium/PTW composite while reducing the PTW addition via semi-solid rheological processing. Our findings also help better understand the crushing and dispersing behavior of PTW in aluminium matrix during semi-solid solidification

Microstructure evolution from homogeneous as-cast state to annealed heterogeneous structure and mechanical properties of Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys with trace TiB2 particles

Materials with a final heterogeneous structure (HS) possess an excellent combination of strength and ductility. However, fine and homogeneous grains are desired in as-cast ingots to avoid defects. The evolution from an as-cast homogeneous microstructure to a pronounced HS owing to the trace addition of TiB2 particles was studied in Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys with traditional thermomechanical treatment. It is revealed that the triple junctions and over 2 μm precipitates co-located with TiB2 enhance the particle-stimulated nucleation of recrystallization. The dislocation density difference between the recrystallized and recovered grains is further enhanced by cold rolling. A pronounced HS with alternating soft and hard domains accompanied by multimodal precipitates is modulated, realizing a synergy of yield strength as 632.4 MPa and elongation as 8.8%. It is confirmed that the HS, rather than precipitates, is the primary source of geometrically necessary dislocations (GNDs), leading to the synergy of strength and ductility. Atomistic simulations on the deformation behavior of HS were used to elucidate the strain partition and role of GNDs on mechanical properties. Our results provide a convenient route to fabricate heterogeneous Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy by trace addition of ceramic particles in ingots casting instead of elaborated controlling of deformation processing.

A method for determining efficiency parameters based on efficiency-quality graph in incremental sheet forming

This study reveals the mechanisms by which efficiency parameters affect surface quality, mechanical properties, and configuration offset in incremental sheet forming (ISF), focusing on surface morphology and microstructural evolution. By constructing an efficiency-quality graph, a method is developed to determine efficiency parameters that balance quality and efficiency synergistically. The results show that increasing Z and decreasing v intensify plowing and adhesion effects at the interface, degrading surface quality and enriching the presence of {001}<100> Cube and {112}<111> Copper textures, while the cross-sectional crystal orientation remains unaffected. Additionally, increasing Z enlarges grain size and reduces high-angle grain boundaries (HAGBs), amplifying micro-stress and defects, which deteriorates mechanical properties and increases configuration offset. Conversely, increasing v has minimal impact on mechanical properties but significantly increases configuration offset due to the rise in HAGBs, micro-stress, and defects. The efficiency-quality graph elucidates the complex synergistic relationship between forming efficiency and comprehensive quality of the formed parts, and the optimal efficiency parameters are identified by considering the priority order of different quality dimensions. Specifically, when prioritizing surface quality and hardness, the optimal parameters are Z=0.1mm and v=5000mm/min; when prioritizing configuration offset, the optimal parameters are Z=0.1mm and v=1000mm/min. Therefore, this study provides a comprehensive method for evaluating efficiency parameters in incremental sheet forming, emphasizing the importance of balancing efficiency with quality.

Numerical simulation of gas tungsten arc welding for ZW61 magnesium alloy thin plates

Mg-Zn-Y alloy has become the favorite of magnesium alloy research due to its excellent comprehensive performance and increasingly mature deformation process. For the gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) process of ZW61 magnesium alloy thin plates, the physical field and microstructure evolution is simulated with the finite volume method and the cellular automata (CA) method in this paper. The flow field results show that the Marangoni force dominates the flow of liquid metal in the molten pool from the center of the molten pool to the edge of the molten pool. The increase in welding speed significantly increases the temperature gradient in the molten pool. In addition, from the results of the stress field, the residual stresses are mainly distributed in the fusion zone (FZ) and heat-affected zone (HAZ). The maximum longitudinal residual stress occurs in the HAZ, about 82 MPa. While the maximum transverse residual stress occurs at the end of the plate, about 104 MPa. Neither exceeds the tensile strength of ZW61 alloy, so no cracks appear in the joint. The temperature gradient of the welded plate and the solidification rate of the molten metal in the molten pool are regulated by adjusting the welding process parameters, to improve the microstructure in the FZ. The minimum average grain size of the FZ is only 29.50 μm under the optimum welding process conditions set in this paper.

Microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of Al2O3/Al joint bonded by Bi2O3-B2O3-SiO2-ZnO-Al2O3 glass

A glass filler of 60Bi2O3-20B2O3-10SiO2-5ZnO-5Al2O3(mol%) was utilized to join 99Al2O3 ceramic and Al alloy 1060 at low temperature, which effectively addressed the negative impact caused by the indelible oxide film on the aluminum surface during the conventional process. Prior to the joining process, the surface morphology and thermophysical properties of the glass filler were investigated. Additionally, the wetting behavior of the glass on both the Al2O3 substrate and Al substrate was confirmed. Subsequently, the interfacial microstructure of the Al2O3/Al joints was analyzed in detail and the mechanical properties of the joints were evaluated under different temperatures and holding times. The shear strength of the joints reached a maximum value of 30.25 ± 1.0 MPa at 460 °C for 30 min. The precipitation and growth of the Bi24B2O39 phase improved the mechanical properties of the joints with increasing temperature and holding time. However, high temperatures and long holding times resulted in the precipitation of a large number of crystals in the joints, leading to embrittlement, which severely reduced the mechanical properties of the joints.

An innovative thermal simulation study of microstructure improvement by delay forging during solidification

The solid fraction at the beginning of the forging process is an important factor affecting the performance of the casting-forging integrated forming, which is an innovative and efficient process. The solid fraction depends on the delayed forging time during the casting-forging integrated forming. This paper investigates the effect of delayed forging time on the microstructure of aluminum alloy forged during solidification using an innovative physical simulation method. In this work, a solidification-forging device compatible with the Gleeble system has been developed. Then, experiments were conducted at various delayed forging time. Temperature and force data were collected using the Gleeble system for analysis. Microstructural evolution was investigated using methods including Optical Microscopy (OM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Electron Backscattered Diffraction (EBSD), and Three Dimensional Computed Tomography (3D-CT). The results demonstrate that with the extension of the delayed forging time, the grain size of the alloy decreases gradually, and the coarse dendrite structure changes to the rose-shaped grains, and the local misorientation in the grain increases. Moreover, the effect of forging under different forging time on the casting defects of the alloy is studied. When the forging delay is extended to 8 s, the forging promotes the porosity caused by the liquid phase convection. However, with further extension of forging delay, the reduction of the liquid phase and the fracture of dendrites lead to the complexity of liquid phase channels, resulting in the increase of porosity. Additionally, forging near solidification can close shrinkage porosity.

Enhancing strength-ductility synergy of Cu alloys with heterogeneous microstructure via rotary swaging and annealing

The trade-off of strength and ductility in the Cu alloys seriously restricts its wide application. In this study, the paradox of strength and ductility of the Cu alloy is ameliorated by rotary swaging (RS) and subsequent annealing, and reveals its microstructural evolution. It was found that the grain size was obviously refined after the RS, resulting in yield strength as high as 760 MPa but with a ductility of only 1.5 %. After annealing, the RS-350-20 sample (RS sample annealed at 350°C for 20 min) exhibited partial recrystallization at the edge and middle positions, while full recrystallization occurred at the center position, which formed a gradient grain size distribution. Tensile results showed that RS-350-20 sample exhibited an excellent combination of the yield strength of 495 MPa and ductility of 27%. High strength stemmed from residual deformation grains, recrystallized ultrafine/fine grains and heterogeneous deformation-induced (HDI) strengthening. The good ductility originated from recrystallized coarse grain, pronounced HDI hardening and activated deformation twins. In addition, microstructural characterization further revealed that dislocations were accumulated near the recrystallized grains to maintain strain continuity at the interface of deformed grains and recrystallized grains during tensile strain. With increasing strain, deformation twins were activated near the recrystallized grains, which facilitates high strain hardening capability meanwhile maintaining high strength. These findings provide insight for optimizing the strength and ductility of Cu alloys by a feasible processing.