Precipitation Of Phase Research Articles

Enhancing microstructure, nanomechanical and tribological properties of TiAl alloy processed by spark plasma sintering with Si3N4 ceramic particulates addition

TiAl matrix composites reinforced with varying weight fractions of Si3N4 ceramic particles were successfully fabricated by the spark plasma sintering method. The microstructure, nanomechanical and tribological properties of the sintered composites were investigated. The microstructural characterization revealed the evolution of a quasi-continuous and continuous network structure consisting of minor fractions of in-situ formed Ti2AlN, unreacted Si3N4 ceramic particles and dominant Ti5Si3 intermetallic phases within the TiAl matrix at Si3N4 content above 1.5 wt%. The in-situ precipitated phases enhanced the nanomechanical and tribological properties of the composites. The 7Si3N4/TiAl composite displayed the best nanomechanical properties, including nanohardness, elastic modulus, and H/Er ratio among the sintered samples. The specific wear rate of the composites decreases with increasing reinforcement content. 7Si3N4/TiAl composite exhibited the lowest specific wear rate of 0.38 ± 0.55 10-4 mm3/Nm, representing a 95.6% improvement in wear resistance compared to the unreinforced pure TiAl alloy. The improved wear performance of the composites was attributed to their load-bearing capacity and wear resistance of the hard, in-situ Ti2AlN, Ti5Si3 and unreacted Si3N4 particles in the TiAl matrix. The composites displayed a transition from adhesive wear to predominantly abrasive wear where the hard Si3N4 particles prevented direct metal-to-metal contact and facilitated the formation of a protective tribolayer, resulting in enhanced wear resistance. Hence, the developed Si3N4/TiAl composites are suitable for various structural and tribological applications.

Study on properties of pre-alloy powder of TiNiHf high temperature shape memory alloy for additive manufacturing by preheating treatment

In this work, pre-alloyed powder high-temperature shape memory alloy (Ti30Ni50Hf20) for additive manufacturing was preheated at 300–800°C and thermoscycled at 650°C to examine the influence of preheating temperature and thermal cycle number on the phase composition and phase transformation behavior. The results showed that the H phase precipitation occurred in the matrix with the rising preheating temperature within 300–600°C, and the phase transformation temperature of the pre-alloyed powders also increased. When the preheating temperature exceeded 600°C, the H phase dissolved back into the matrix, and the phase transformation temperature decreased. A total of 50 thermal cycles were conducted on the pre-alloyed powders at 650°C, and the phase transformation temperature and phase composition remained stable after cycling. It can be concluded that the preheating temperature greatly affected the phase composition and phase transformation behavior of Ti30Ni50Hf20 high-temperature shape memory alloy pre-alloyed powders, while the number of thermal cycles delivered a minor effect.

Study on the effect of Si content on the compatibility of F/M steels with lead-bismuth eutectic using small punch testing

This study investigates the impact of silicon (Si) on the corrosion resistance and post-corrosion toughness of ferrite/martensitic (F/M) steels in a liquid lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) environment. Corrosion tests were performed on HT-9 and EP-823 (1.17 wt.% Si) steels at 550 °C for 1000 h under oxygen-controlled conditions. The resulting oxide layer consisted of an outer magnetite layer, a spinel layer and an inner oxide zone (IOZ). A Si-rich oxide layer was identified within the spinel and IOZ layers of EP-823, which slowed the growth rate of the oxide layer, enhanced antioxidant performance, and inhibited dissolution corrosion by the LBE. Post-corrosion mechanical properties were evaluated using a small punch test. Results showed a significant reduction in HT-9’s toughness within 240 h of corrosion, while EP-823 exhibited increased brittleness after 500 h due to Si-promoted carbide and Laves phase precipitation, significantly reducing its toughness.

The Role of Al/Ti in Precipitate-Strengthened and Austenite-Toughened Co-Free Maraging Stainless Steel

The strength of ultra-low carbon maraging stainless steels can be significantly enhanced by precipitating nanoscale intermetallic secondary phases. Retained or reversed austenite in the steel can improve its toughness, which is key to achieving an ideal combination of strength and toughness. Ti and Al are often used as cost-effective strengthening elements in maraging stainless steels but the synergistic toughening and strengthening mechanisms of Ti and Al have not been studied. To investigate the synergistic toughening and strengthening mechanisms of Ti and Al in Co-free maraging stainless steels, this paper focuses on the microstructure and mechanical properties of three alloys: Fe-12Cr-11Ni-1.7Al-0.5Ti (Steel A), Fe-12Cr-11Ni-0.5Ti (Steel B), and Fe-12Cr-11Ni-1.7Al (Steel C). The impact of Ti and Al on the microstructure and mechanical properties was investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and thermodynamic simulations. The relationship between microstructure, strength, and toughness is also discussed. The results indicated that Steel A, containing both Al and Ti, exhibited the highest strength level after solution treatment at 900 °C, with an ultimate tensile strength reaching 1571 MPa after aging at 540 °C. This is attributed to the simultaneous precipitation of spherical β-NiAl and rod-shaped η-Ni3Ti phases. Steel B, with only Ti, formed a significant amount of Ni-rich reversed austenite during aging, reducing its ultimate tensile strength to 1096 MPa. Steel C, with only Al, showed a high strength–toughness combination, which was achieved by forming dispersive nano-sized intermetallic precipitates of β-NiAl in the martensitic matrix with a slight amount of austenite. It is highlighted that Al has superior toughening and strengthening effects compared to Ti in the alloy system.

Investigation of the Softening Resistance Behavior and Its Mechanism in Cu-Ni-Si Alloys with Discontinuous Precipitates

In this study, isothermal annealing experiments were conducted on copper-nickel-silicon alloys containing continuous precipitates (CP) and discontinuous precipitates (DP) to investigate the effects of different types of precipitate phases on the microstructural evolution and softening temperature during annealing, as well as to analyze the differences in softening mechanisms. The experimental results revealed that the softening temperature of the CP alloy, subjected to 75% cold deformation, was 505 °C. In contrast, the DP alloy achieved softening temperatures of 575 °C and 515 °C after 75% and 97.5% cold deformation, respectively. This indicates that the DP alloy exhibits significantly superior softening resistance compared to the CP alloy, attributed to the distinct softening mechanisms of the two alloys. In the CP alloy, softening is primarily influenced by factors such as the coarsening of the precipitate phase, the occurrence of recrystallization, and the reduction in dislocation density. In the DP alloy, the balling phenomenon of the DP phase is more pronounced, and its unique microstructure exerts a stronger hindrance to dislocation and grain boundary motion. This hindrance effect reduces the extent of recrystallization and results in a smaller decrease in dislocation density. In summary, the DP alloy, due to its unique microstructure and softening mechanisms, demonstrates better softening resistance, providing higher durability and stability for high-temperature applications.

THE EFFECT OF ANNEALING REGIME ON THE PRECIPITATION OF FeCoNiAl0.75Nb0.25 HIGH ENTROPY ALLOY

This paper investigates the effect of the annealing regime on the precipitation of FeCoNiAl0.75Nb0.25 high entropy alloy. The as-cast microstructure consists of coarse dendritic phases that are replaced by equiaxed morphology, and the distribution of the interdendritic phase becomes regularly better with increasing time and annealing temperature up to 825ºC. The precipitated process begins at 700ºC for 8 hours, shortening to 4 hours when the annealing temperature increases. The size of this phase is only a few μm. The fraction of the precipitated phase increases and the size of the dendritic phase is reduced as the annealing temperature is up to 825ºC, while this size rises in the 925ºC/16 hours regime. The microstructure is coarse, and the precipitated phase gradually disappears when the annealing is at 1000ºC. The HV3 hardness of the alloy increases with annealing time when the temperature is lower than 825ºC and reaches the highest value of ~ 614 kg/mm2 at 600ºC/ 24 hours; this value begins to decrease for the 925ºC/16 hours regime. Meanwhile, the hardness gradually decreases with increasing annealing time at 1000ºC. It can be expected due to the rapid coarsening of the dendritic phase, the decrease in the proportion of the precipitated phase in the alloy, and the appearance of plastic flow phenomena at grain boundaries.

Influence of Gas Oven Temperature on the Microstructure and Extrudability of Al-Mg-Si Aluminium Alloys

The microstructure of Al-Mg-Si aluminium alloys is well characterised when it comes to the initial state of the cast billet or the artificially aged profile. Typically, a gas oven coupled with an induction oven is used to preheat the billets before extrusion. Preheating reduces the flow stress of the aluminium and dissolves the phases that have precipitated during cooling after homogenisation. In this paper, the influence of the gas oven temperature on the partial or complete dissolution of the precipitated phases will be shown. In addition, the negative effect of a wrong choice of parameters on the volume content of the MgSi phases will be shown.

Enhancing the In Vitro Tribocorrosion Resistance of Titanium Alloy by Precipitation of Nano-Ti2Cu Phases

Enhancing the In Vitro Tribocorrosion Resistance of Titanium Alloy by Precipitation of Nano-Ti2Cu Phases

The microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of Ti–1300 alloy during ECAP deformation and subsequent aging treatment

The effect of Equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) deformation on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and aging behavior of solution treated Ti–1300 alloy was investigated. The results show that the grains are not broken during ECAP deformation due to coordination of grain rotation. The dominant deformation mechanism involved dislocation slip and twinning. The ECAP deformation has a significant effect on the subsequent aging behavior. The microstructure of aged samples comprised αs phase in β matrix. The precipitation of αs phase in the pre-deformed sample is higher than that in the solution treated sample, which is reflected in the improvement of microhardness of the pre-deformed + aging sample. The microhardness of the alloy after ECAP deformation increases with decreasing aging temperature and increasing aging time.

Effect of Mo on the Phase Transformation, Microstructure, and Hardness of Q500qENH Weathering Steel of Bridge Construction during Continuous Cooling

This article investigates the precipitation behavior of Mo element in the continuous cooling phase transformation process of weathering steel of bridge construction and its influence on microstructure and hardness. The results demonstrate that the addition of Mo leads to the narrowing of the phase transformation interval of proeutectoid ferrite and pearlite, the expansion of the bainite transformation zone, a delayed bainite phase transformation process, and the refinement of bainite microstructure. Moreover, theoretical calculations of bainite phase transformation kinetics reveal that the average activation energy for bainite transformation in Mo‐free and Mo‐containing steels is 94.8 and 134.0 kJ mol−1, respectively. The new grains of Mo‐free steel mainly grow in a 2D mode, while Mo containing steel mainly grows in a 1D mode, which confirms the retarding effect of Mo on bainite grain growth. Additionally, Mo significantly increases the number density and refines the size of precipitated phases in weathering steel of bridge construction. Within the cooling rate range of 0.1–30 °C s−1, the hardness of weathering steel of bridge construction is enhanced by Mo, with the magnitude of hardness increment decreasing as the cooling rate increases. This behavior is primarily governed by the combined influence of phase transformation strengthening and precipitation strengthening.

Synthesis and characterization of ceramic refractories based on industrial wastes

The possibility of reusing ceramic roller waste to produce cordierite and mullite refractories was investigated. Five batches were designed using wastes representing ceramic roller waste, magnesite, and silica sand, shaped and fired at 1300 °C/2 h, and one batch was selected at 1200 °C. The chemical composition and precipitated phases of the used raw materials and the fired batches were analyzed using XRF and XRD techniques, respectively. Densification parameters, morphology, microstructure and electrical properties were also studied to evaluate the effect of the formed phases on the properties of fired materials. Bulk density increases with an increase in mullite and a decrease in cordierite, and it also increases with increasing temperature, whereas porosity and water absorption show a opposite behavior to density (it decreases with an increase in mullite and temperature). The main phases developed after firing at 1300 °C/2 h were cordierite, mullite, corundum, baddeleyite, and spinel. Bending strength increases with increasing mullite percentage and density, and decreasing grain size and porosity. The microstructure develops and becomes finer with increasing mullite percentage and density. The grain size of the crystals was very fine at 1200 °C/2 h and increased at 1300 °C/2 h. Broadband dielectric spectroscopy was employed to study the electrical and dielectric behavior of the investigated samples. The increase in mullite concentration shows a remarkable increase in ε’, especially at lower frequencies, as it is three times higher than that of M10. At f > 103 Hz ε’, frequency independence is accompanied by an increase in mullite concentrations due to the lag of dynamics fluctuations after the alteration of the electric field. The generation of new free ions leads to the enhancement of conductivity as the mullite concentration increases.

Microstructure and properties behavior of in situ synthesized with high content (Ti, W) C reinforced In625 by two step-laser direct energy deposition

The formation of sensitive interface cracks and the difficulty in processing high-concentration Ni-based ceramic coatings via direct energy deposition (LDED) present major engineering challenges. To address these, high-quality In625/ceramic coatings with various mass contents of Ti, nickel-coated graphite (Ni3C), and WC were fabricated on QT250 using two-step laser directed energy deposition (TsLDED). The influence of the Ti/C: WC molar mass ratio on the bonding interface, microstructure, phase composition, and mechanical properties of the coatings was analyzed. The results indicated that grains at the In625/ceramic coating interface formed epitaxial growth, ensuring a robust bond. In situ synthesis of (Ti, W) C, WCx (WC and W2C), M23C6, and other precipitated phases were uniformly distributed, enhancing nucleation, refining microstructure, and improving mechanical properties. The addition of Ti facilitated the transformation of WCx to (Ti, W) C. High Ti and C concentrations promoted eutectic structure formation in the matrix phase, enhancing performance. The In625 + 56 % Ti – 14 % Ni3C – 30 % WC composite coating exhibited the highest microhardness and the lowest friction coefficient, with microhardness 5.61 and 3.6 times that of QT250 and In625 coatings, respectively, and a friction coefficient 0.3 times that of In625. Variations in the Ti/C: WC molar mass ratio directly affected the content, proportion, and type of (Ti, W) C, WCx, γ-Ni, and eutectic structures comprising M23C6, NiTix, Ni2W4C, Cr2Ti, and γ-Ni, influencing microstructure evolution and mechanical properties. The TsLDED process thus enables the preparation of In625/ceramic reinforced coatings with improved mechanical properties.

Evaluating precipitation corrections to enhance high-alpine hydrological modeling

Gridded meteorological data products often fall short in accurately capturing the amount of precipitation and its patterns in regions characterized by high elevations and complex topography. However, realistic precipitation data is crucial for high-alpine hydrological modeling. To address these discrepancies, we analyze possible corrections for solid, liquid and total precipitation of the 1 km2 gridded meteorological INCA-product in the high-alpine catchment of the Kölnbrein hydropower reservoir operated by VERBUND Hydro Power GmbH in the Malta Valley in Austria. By leveraging information from a stereo-satellite-derived snow depth map with physically-based snowpack modeling with Alpine3D, we quantitatively adjust and spatially redistribute solid precipitation, complemented by a multiplicative, stepwise correction model for liquid precipitation. We compare and evaluate five approaches using the hydrological COSERO model to our a) baseline simulation with no corrections on INCA in contrast of correcting, b) the amount and distribution of solely solid precipitation, c) the amount of liquid and solid precipitation, d) the amount of liquid and solid precipitation and the spatial distribution of the latter, e) precipitation inversely by the inflow bias, and f) calibrating the precipitation correction factor. In evaluating these strategies to improve the accuracy of reservoir inflow predictions, we found that separately correcting solid and liquid precipitation yielded the best results (c &d), with a substantial increase of up to 65% over the study period (1.10.2015–30.9.2023), while the other correction variants ranged between 42 and 52%. The inflow predictions by COSERO showed an increase in Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) by 17% and in Kling-Gupta Efficiency by 57% and 59% for variants c and d, respectively, along with an almost complete elimination of model bias. The higher KGE values observed for variant d compared to c during spring, summer, and fall suggest that a more realistic snow distribution enhances the simulation of snowmelt-driven runoff dynamics. In contrast, using a global (i.e., spatially homogeneous) and uniform (i.e., not distinguishing between liquid and solid precipitation phase) correction factor, inversely derived from the inflow bias (e), or solely correcting solid precipitation (b), demonstrated less performance, with a KGE increase of 47% and 49%, respectively, compared to 59% for variant d. Conversely, the calibration of the global and uniform correction factor (f) resulted in significant performance metric improvements (17% NSE, 60% KGE and 90% pBias), similar to variant d, however also led to unrealistic simulations of evapotranspiration, sublimation and glacier net runoff. The simulated water balance components – evapotranspiration and sublimation, as well as glacier runoff – in variant d were deemed plausible based on our comparison with additional simulations using Alpine3D, as well as findings from other high-alpine catchments in Austria reported in the literature. Overall, our results underscore the importance of applying a dual correction strategy for both liquid and solid precipitation, particularly when significant deficiencies are present in meteorological datasets, and suggest that such corrections should be supplemented by a comprehensive analysis of the simulated high-alpine water balance components.

Enhancing mechanical and corrosion properties of Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy through electropulsing and aging alternate treatment

The contradiction between mechanical and corrosion properties restricts the further research and application of Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy. Studies report a new technique, electropulsing and aging alternate treatment (EPAAT), including twice electropulsing and aging treatment, to solve this contradiction by precisely controlling the intragranular precipitates and grain boundary precipitates (GBPs). The results show that the grain boundary precipitates (GBPs, η) are discontinuous and the intragranular precipitates (η’) are not coarsened after EPAAT. The precise regulation of precipitated phase by EPAAT can be attributed the differing effect of electropulsing current on the GBPs and the intragranular precipitates. Utilize electropulsing primary treatment to obtain the supersaturated solid solution. Following natural aging, the small continuous phases at the grain boundary and the GP zones within the grain were precipitated again. The small continuous GPBs of the sample diffuse along the grain boundaries and become discontinuously distributed, while the GP zones within the grain dissolve with under the electropulsing secondary treatment. After artificial aging, the intragranular phase is fully precipitated, yet the GBPs remain unchanged, thereby achieving phase regulation. Consequently, the icorr of Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy decreases from 28 to 5.87 μA/cm2 and the tensile strength increases from 511 MPa to 524 MPa. The EPAAT technology realizes the accurate treatment of Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys and provides a new solution for improving strength and corrosion properties.

High temperature co-processing of stainless-steel slag and red mud: Towards a selective Cr immobilization and harmless treatment

Stainless-steel slag and red mud are bulk metallurgical wastes, which are difficult to reuse due to the complex composition and high environmental risk. To realize their harmless and resource utilization, a collaborative treatment of the stainless-steel slag (AOD slag) and red mud at high temperature was proposed in this study. The influence of the stainless-steel slag to red mud ratio on spinel phase precipitation and crystallization, Cr enrichment and immobilization in the mixed slags were systematically investigated. The results demonstrated that when the stainless-steel slag to red mud ratio was 6:4, the enrichment degree of Cr in spinel phase was 94.12 wt%, and the precipitation amount of spinel reached the highest, 20.98 wt%. In this case, only small amounts of other mineral phases existed, the crystal particle size of spinel phase was larger, and the self-wrapped spinel phases were formed in the stage of cooling. The outer Cr-poor spinel could avoid the abrasion and erosion of the inner Cr-rich spinel in the subsequent physical separation process, thus reducing the risk of Cr6+ dissolution. In the toxic leaching test, the total Cr concentration leached from the mixed slag (stainless-steel slag to red mud ratio was 6:4) was far lower than the national leaching concentration limit of Cr-related ions. The Cr and Fe-rich spinel phases separated from the mixed slag of stainless-steel slag and red mud can be used as the raw material for the production of stainless steel, while the residual Cr-poor slag rich in Ca, Si and Al can be applied in the field of construction.

Thermodynamic behavior and microstructure evolution of Inconel 718 alloy by laser metal deposition

The temperature evolution, stress evolution, and dendrite growth during the laser metal deposition (LMD) process of Inconel 718 alloy were simulated using a multi-scale model that combines the finite element method and the Cellular Automata (CA) method. This model established the relationship between the thermal behavior of the molten pool and the solidification characteristics, and predicted the morphological size of the solidified structure. Research indicates that under conditions of higher cooling rate and lower shape control factor, equiaxed grains are prone to form, with a lower degree of elemental segregation in this region, which is conducive to the precipitation of granular Laves phase. Conversely, under conditions of lower cooling rate and higher shape control factor, columnar grains are more likely to form, with a higher degree of elemental segregation in this region, leading to the precipitation of chain-like Laves phase. The results of thermo-mechanical coupled simulation suggest that the maximum transient thermal stress is located at the overlap position, and when the component cools down to room temperature, the maximum normal stress along the scanning direction is observed. Dendritic growth results demonstrate that during the equiaxed grain growth process in the top region of the melt pool, the released solute is constrained by time and space, leading to the accumulation of solute and the formation of interdendritic segregation. In areas with a higher grain density, the solute accumulation zones overlap, resulting in an increase in solute concentration, which inhibits dendrite growth. In the middle region of the melt pool, during the columnar grain growth process, the solute concentration in the gaps between adjacent grains continuously increases, resulting in micro-segregation phenomena. Experimental measurements have shown that the temperature field's melt pool morphology, stress values along the scanning path, and dendritic morphology are in good agreement with the experimental outcomes.

Improving strength-conductivity synergy of Al-Cu-(Sn/Er) alloy with nanoscale substructure

As a conductive material for power transmission, Al-Cu alloy is widely used in power engineering, microelectronics and other fields. In view of the contradiction between the conductivity and strength of aluminum alloy, Sn and Er elements were selected to micro-alloy Al-Cu alloy. Al-Cu, Al-Cu-Sn and Al-Cu-Sn-Er alloys were prepared by near-liquidus casting. After solution treatment, it was subjected to three-stage alternating process of rolling and aging. The effects of micro-alloying and alternating process on the microstructure and properties of Al-Cu alloy were studied. The results show that the precipitated phase Al2Cu of Al-1.12 Cu alloy is rod-shaped after the first-stage process, and the average size is about 278±87 nm. The precipitated phases in the Al-Cu-Sn alloy are Al2Cu (average size of about 206±79 nm) and nano-sized β-Sn particles. The fine β-Sn nanoparticles in the Al-Cu-Sn-Er alloy heterogeneously nucleated on Al8Cu4Er (average size of about 167±45 nm), making Al8Cu4Er grow into particles. After secondary processing, stacking faults (SFs) appeared in the substructures of the three alloys, and the precipitated phases were further refined. The size of most precipitated phases in Al-1.13Cu-0.12Sn and Al-1.01Cu-0.15Sn-0.22Er alloys is reduced to nanometer level. After the three-stage process, some of the Al2Cu precipitates in the Al-Cu alloy are also refined to the nanometer level, and the precipitates in the other two alloys are all refined to the nanometer level. Nanotwins also appear in Al-1.01Cu-0.15Sn-0.22Er alloy. The tensile strength of Al-1.13Cu-0.12Sn and Al-1.01Cu-0.15Sn-0.22Er alloys after three-stage alternating process is 303 MPa and 327 MPa, respectively. The elongations are 21.6 % and 23.3 %, respectively. The relative conductivity was 61.7 %IACS and 59.8 %IACS, respectively. The synergistic effect of microalloying of Sn and Er elements and three-stage alternating processing technology not only reduces the size of precipitates and twins in the alloy to the nanometer level, but also adjusts the distribution of dislocation tangles and stacking faults (SFs), improves the substructure configuration, and improves the mechanical and electrical properties of conductive aluminum alloys.

Influence of ultrasonic assistance on the microstructure and friction properties of laser cladded Ni60/WC composite coatings

The effects of different ultrasonic vibration powers on the distribution, phase structure, friction and wear properties of WC reinforced particles in laser melted Ni60/WC composite coatings are investigated. The effects of ultrasonic vibration on the microstructure, elemental distribution, crystal orientation, friction and wear properties of the fused coatings are analyzed. The experimental results show that the deposition of WC particles in the lower and middle parts of the coating is significantly improved after the introduction of ultrasonic vibration during the fusion cladding process. In particular, at 600 W ultrasonic power, not only the distribution uniformity of tungsten carbide particles in the coating is optimal, but also the composite coating shows better wear resistance. However, too much ultrasonic power increases the possibility of particle agglomeration. In addition, although the phase pattern of the coating does not change after ultrasonic vibration, the width of the columnar crystalline region of the coating is reduced, and the coating is covered by a homogeneous lamellar nanoscale eutectic structure with the phase compositions of the γ-(Fe, Ni) and M23C6 phases. The ultrasonic vibration improves elemental segregation of the coating, reduces the large number of precipitated phases in the coating, weakens the grain growth orientation, and relieves the local stress concentration in the coating. In addition, the mechanism of the influence of WC particles on the microstructure evolution and wear resistance of the composite coatings is discussed.

The evolution and dissolution mechanism of θ-Al2Cu phase and the analysis of precipitation of a novel AlCu phase during elevated aging

The evolution and dissolution mechanism of the θ-Al2Cu precipitates were investigated in this study by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) during the re-aging at high temperatures for a long time. The results advance the current knowledge of dissolution and its associated mechanisms of the θ-Al2Cu phase in AlCu alloys. In this study, the coarsening and dissolution of θ-Al2Cu phase in T6 heat-treated Al4Cu alloy during various times (0−1000h) of re-aging temperature 420 °C were studied experimentally and theoretically. The morphological characterization revealed that the θ-Al2Cu phases gradually increase in size and decrease in volume density during the aging process, which can be attributed to coarsening and dissolution phenomena occurring during re-aging. Additionally, a body-centered tetragonal AlCu phase is precipitated within the θ-Al2Cu phase during the high temperature re-aging process, which is a characteristic of this phase prior to dissolution. Moreover, the primary mechanisms responsible for the high temperature melting of the θ-Al2Cu phase are the formation of the AlCu phase and the initial melting of the Cu-poor region in the θ-Al2Cu phase. The Cu atoms in θ-Al2Cu phase dissolve and diffuse into the Al matrix, forming L12 ordered AlCu solute clusters through long-range diffusion.

Improved wear and corrosion resistance of magnesium AZ80 alloy prepared by laser surface remelting

Laser surface remelting (LSR) is a laser-based surface treatment method. In the LSR process, microstructural defects such as cracks and porosity are suppressed in addition to grain refinement, and the mechanical properties are improved. The present research investigated the effects of LSR parameters on the microstructure, wear, and corrosion behavior of Mg AZ80 alloy. The results showed that in LSR, the coarse-grained (29.8 μm) structure of AZ80 was transformed into a fine-grained structure (3.1 μm) with no microstructural defects. The evaporation of Mg during LSR and the formation of Al-rich and Mg-poor phases are the most important challenges in the surface treatment of AZ80. This limitation was solved by optimizing the LSR parameters, which included a gas flow rate of 2 L min−1, pulse duration of 3 ms, scanning speed of 3 mm s−1, pulse frequency of 8 Hz, and heat input of 64 J mm−1. The prevention of Mg evaporation was associated with the elimination of porosity and cracks, reducing of the solidification range, and uniform distribution of β-Mg17Al12 precipitation phases in α-Mg refined grains. The tribological behavior of the laser-treated region showed that the COF, depth of the wear scar, wear rate, and wear volume loss were reduced by 18%, 48%, 37%, and 66%, respectively, compared to AZ80. This result is attributed to the refinement of α-Mg grains and the uniform distribution of β-Mg17Al12 in the laser-treated region. The results of the polarization curves of the corrosion test in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution showed that the optimal laser-treated region with the lowest corrosion current density (34.68 × 10−6 μA.cm−2) and highest self-corrosion potential (1.425 V) exhibited the highest corrosion resistance. A slight change in the breakdown potential current slope in the laser-treated region indicates the formation of a protective film on the surface after the completion of LSR, which increases corrosion resistance.