Effect of the withdrawal rate on the microstructure and thermal durability of a third-generation single crystal superalloy

Single crystal Ni-based superalloys are the typical structural materials for high-pressure turbine blades, and their microstructure is critical in determining their mechanical properties. The withdrawal rate is a key parameter affecting the microstructure during the single crystal growth process. In the present work the effect of the withdrawal rate on the microstructure of a third-generation single crystal superalloy containing 6.8 ?wt% Re has been investigated, and the creep resistance of the alloy determined. The results showed that increased withdrawal rate refined the dendritic structure, reduced dendritic arm spacing, promoted the growth of secondary tertiary dendrites and decreased solidification segregation with a reduced size of γ′ phase. The porosity density of the as-cast alloy first decreased and then increased with the withdrawal rate, while the minimum porosity densityoccurred when the alloy was under the solidification condition of withdrawal rate of 4.5 ?mm/min. The maximum creep rupture life of 326.4 ?h of the heat-treated alloys under the test condition of 1100 ?°C/140 ?MPa also appeared at the alloys under the withdrawal rates of 4.5 ?mm/min. It is believed that the minimum porosity density and reduced size of the γ′ phase may be the main reasons for the enhanced creep rupture life of the alloys with withdrawal rates of 4.5 ?mm/min. This investigation provides theoretical support and a practical basis for the development of third-generation single crystal superalloys.     

Effect of trace boron on microstructural evolution and high temperature creep performance in Re-contianing single crystal superalloys

The effect of trace B on the microstructure and creep properties under 1100 °C/130 MPa in three single crystal superalloys with various levels of B(0, 0.01 and 0.02 wt %) additions was investigated. Compared with the boron-free alloy, the creep rupture life decreased slightly for the alloy with 0.01 wt % B, but dropped obviously for the 0.02 wt% B contained alloy. The low B addition had a slight effect on the main element compositions ofγ/γ′ by the high precision atom probe tomography(APT) analysis and no significant change of γ/γ′ misfit was observed. However, the contents of Re, Mo, Cr in γ phase were decreased with the high B addition, resulting in the decrease of γ/γ′ misfit and increase of the spacing of γ/γ′ interfacial dislocation networks. Meanwhile, the residual(γ+γ′) eutectics and borides with a large volume fraction obviously decreased the creep rupture properties in the high B addition alloy. This study is helpful for understanding the boron's role of strengthening mechanism in high temperature creep of Ni-base single crystal superalloys.     

Influence of minor boron on the microstructures of a second generation Nibased single crystal superalloy

Boron is added into single crystal superalloys as a micro-alloying element to strengthen low angle grain boundaries.However,systematic investigations on the effect of boron on microstructures of single crystal superalloys are limitedly reported.The effect of boron on as-cast and heat-treated microstructures was investigated in two experimental Ni-based single crystal superalloys containing 3 wt% Re.The current results indicated that the volume fraction of(γ+γ′)eutectic and M_3B_2 borides was evidently increased,while the number of micropores was evidently decreased with the addition of 0.02 wt% boron.The(γ+γ′)eutectic could not be dissolved completely due to the lower incipient melting temperature caused by the formation of M_3B_2 borides.Meanwhile,the M_3B_2 borides were found to be enriched with indispensable strengthening elements Cr,Mo,W and Re,and this may lower the strengthening effect and cause stress concentration during high temperature creep.     

Effects of Ru on the microstructure and phase stability of a single crystal superalloy

Two experimental single crystal superalloys, the Ru-free alloy and the Ru-containing alloy with[001] orientation, were cast in a directionally solidified furnace, while other alloying element contents were kept unchanged. The effects of Ru on the microstructure and phase stability of the single crystal superalloy were investigated. γ' directional coarsening and rafting were observed in the Ru-free alloy and Ru-containing alloy after long-term aging at 1070℃ for 800 h. Needle-shaped σ topologically close packed (TCP) phases precipitated and grew along the fixed direction in both the alloys. The precipitating rate and volume fraction of TCP phases decreased significantly by adding Ru. The compositions of γ and γ' phases measured using an energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscope (EDS) in transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis showed that the addition of Ru lessened the partition ratio of TCP forming elements, Re, W and Mo, and decreased the saturation degrees of these elements in γ phase, which can enable the Ru-containing alloy to be more resistant to the formation of TCP phases. It is indicated that the addition of Ru to the Ni-based single crystal superalloy with high content of the refractory alloying element can enhance phase stability.     

Microstructure and wear behavior of Mo–60Si–5B coating doped with 0.5 ​at% La by spark plasma sintering

Mo–60Si–5B coating doped with 0.5 ?at% La was prepared on niobium silicon based alloy by spark plasma sintering. The microstructure and wear behavior of the 0.5La–Mo–60Si–5B (0.5La-MSB) coating were investigated. The results show that the mean grain sizes of the Mo–60Si–5B (0La-MSB) and 0.5La-MSB coatings are calculated to be 3.27 ?μm and 2.85 ?μm, respectively. The addition of La plays a role of refining the grains of 0.5La-MSB coating. The specific wear rate of 0.5La-MSB coating is decreased by up to 26.8% at the oscillation frequency of 20 ?Hz and the sliding load of 11 ?N compared to 0La-MSB coating. The anti-friction performance of Mo–60Si–5B coating is modified by the addition of 0.5 ?at.% La. The improvement of anti-friction performance of the Mo–60Si–5B coating is due to the increased hardness and the provided lubrication function by La₂O₃.     

Effect of Ce addition on hot corrosion behaviours of a cast γ′-strengthened Co–Al–W–Mo–Ta–B alloy at 800 ​°C

Hot corrosion behaviours of a novel Co–9Al-4.5W-4.5Mo–2Ta-0.02B alloy doped with 0.01, 0.05, 0.1 and 0.2 ?at% Ce exposed at 800 ?°C in a solution of 75%Na₂SO₄/25%NaCl were investigated. The alloys comprised a coherent γ-Co_SS/γ′-Co₃(Al, W) microstructure (0.01Ce and 0.05Ce alloys) and κ-Co₃(W, Mo) precipitates (0.1Ce and 0.2Ce alloys) at grain boundaries. Hot corrosion kinetics curves demonstrated the parabolic time dependency profile with two stages: the first parabolic stage is within the beginning ～50 ?h corrosion and follows by the second parabolic stage. With an increasing nominal Ce content the weight gain of the alloy significantly decreased from approximately 70.1 ?mg ?cm^?2 (0.01Ce) to 40.8 ?mg ?cm^?2 (0.2Ce) when exposed for 100 ?h. A two-layer corrosion scale formed, and the scale was composed of an outer layer of Co₃O₄ oxide with spinel compounds of CoAl₂O₄, CoWO₄and CoSO₄, and an inner γ/needle-like Co₃W/sulphide layer adhered to the substrate. Heavy spallation of the corrosion scale occurred in the 0.01Ce～0.1Ce alloys, however, spallation was slight in the 0.2Ce alloy. The excellent corrosion resistance of the 0.2Ce alloy could be attributed mainly to the formation of continuous Al₂O₃ lines in the corrosion scale, as well as the prolongation of the incubation period of the corrosion product spallation.     

Hydrogen absorption-desorption characteristic of (Ti0.85Zr0.15)1.1Cr1-xMoxMn based alloys with C14 Laves phase

The microstructure and hydrogen absorption-desorption characteristic of (Ti_0.85Zr_0.15)_1.1Cr_1-xMo_xMn (x ?= ?0.05, 0.1, 0.15, 0.2 ?at.%) alloys were investigated. The results showed that the corresponding alloys were determined as a single phase of C14-type Laves structure. With the increase of Mo content, the maximum and reversible hydrogen absorption capacity decreased, the slope factor H_f increased. Among the studied alloys, (Ti_0.85Zr_0.15)_1.1Cr_0.95Mo_0.05Mn had the best overall properties for practical application of hydrogen storage materials. The maximum and reversible hydrogen storage capacity were 1.76 ?wt% and 1.09 ?wt%, the slope factor H_f was 0.51, and its dissociation enthalpy (ΔH_d) and entropy change (ΔS_d) were 23.1 ?kJ ?mol^?1H₂, 93.8J ?K^?1mol^?1H₂ at 303K, respectively. By studying the dissociation pressures of the synthesized metal hydrides, it was found that Mo had a special effect on the dissociation pressure of Ti–Zr–Cr–Mo–Mn alloys. Among the four alloys, (Ti_0.85Zr_0.15)_1.1Cr_0.95Mo_0.05Mn alloy had the largest hydrogen absorption capacity and the fastest hydrogen desorption rate, which can meet the commercialization demand of hydrogen fuel cell hydrogen supply system.     

Mössbauer and electron microscopy study of martensitic transformations in an Fe-Mn-Mo alloy

The kinetic, morphological, crystallographic, and magnetic characteristics of thermally induced martensites in Fe-13.4wt% Mn-5.2wt% Mo alloy were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Mössbauer spectroscopy. The experimental results reveal that two types of thermal-induced martensites, ? (hcp) and α′ (bcc) martensites, are formed in the as-quenched condition, and these transformations have athermal characters. Mo addition to the Fe-Mn alloy does not change the coexistence of ? and α′ martensites with the Mn content between 10wt% and 15wt%. Besides, Mössbauer spectra reveal a paramagnetic character with a singlet for the γ (fcc) austenite and ? martensite phases and a ferromagnetic character with a broad sextet for the α′ martensite phase. The volume fraction of α′ martensite forming in the quenched alloy is much more than that of the ? martensite.     

Effect of rare earth and alloying elements on the thermal conductivity of austenitic medium manganese steel

The influence of different contents of Cr, Mo, and rare earth element (RE) additives on the thermal conductivity of austenitic medium manganese steel was studied and discussed. The results show that the addition of Cr in medium manganese steel can improved the ordering of C-Mn atomic clusters, so as to improve the steel's thermal conductivity. However, Cr will lead to precipitation of a great deal of carbides in medium manganese steel when its content is greater than 4wt%. These carbides would aggregate around the grain boundary, and as a result, the thermal conductivity is decreased. By the addition of Mo whose content is about 2wt%, spherical carbides will be formed, thus improving the thermal conductivity of the medium manganese steel. The interaction between rare earth elements and alloying elements will raise both the thermal conductivity and the wear-resisting property of medium manganese steel.     

Effect of spark plasma sintering and reinforcements on the formation of ultra-fine and nanograins in AA2024-TiB2-Y hybrid composites

This study reports the influence of sintering mechanism and reinforcement materials on the formation of ultra-fine and nanograins in Al-TiB₂-Y nanohybrid composites. The mechanical properties of the composites and their corresponding micro and nanostructures are correlated. The experimental and characterization results revealed that despite the addition of TiB₂, the hard and brittle Al₃Ti phase formation in the composites was suppressed and hence, their ductility was retained. It was found that yttrium content of 0.3 ?wt% was the optimum amount which created advantageous spark plasma sintering conditions, and the addition of 0.3 ?wt% promoted the formation of bi-modal size grains (ultra-fine and nano) along with micro grains, Ω and other nano precipitates, resulting in a significant enhancement in the composite properties. The formation of ultra-fine and nanograins may be attributed to the combined effect of melting and rapid solidification at necking zones due to Joule's heating and thermo-mechanical fatigue. Among all the sintered composites, the highest hardness (137 HV), ultimate tensile strength (UTS) (496 ?MPa), yield strength (YS) (438 ?MPa) with 15.7% elongation were obtained in the sintered sample reinforced with 1.0 ?wt% TiB₂ and 0.3 ?wt% yttrium.     

热处理对新型高速钢W_4Mo_2Cr_4VSi_2RE组织和性能的影响

由于W、Mo、V等元素价格昂贵、资源紧缺,开发高性能低成本高速钢具有重要意义.利用高速钢合金化原理,通过添加高含量Si（2wt%）和RE,开发了新型低合金高速钢W4Mo2Cr4VSi2RE,其合金含量（W＋Mo＋V）比通用型高速钢M2低40%.研究了热处理工艺对该钢显微组织和力学性能的影响.结果表明,1170℃以下淬火,该钢组织均匀,晶粒度为10级以上 但在1170～1190℃温度区间淬火,容易产生混晶,从而降低其韧性.通过提高坯料退火温度,缩短退火保温时间,发现在1170℃以上淬火可避免混晶.回火工艺研究表明,该钢二次硬化峰值温度为540℃.采用合理的热处理工艺,该钢的硬度、红硬性及冲击韧性可达到M2的水平.     

Coupling effects of tungsten and molybdenum on microstructure and stressrupture properties of a nickel-base cast superalloy

In order to comprehensively understand the forming mechanism of abnormal phases solidified in a nickel-base cast superalloy with additives of tungsten and molybdenum, the coupling effects of W and Mo on the microstructure and stress-rupture properties were investigated in this paper. The results indicated that the precipitation of primary α-(W, Mo) phase depended tremendously on the amount of W and Mo addition. When the total amount of W and Mo was greater than 5.79 at%, α-(W, Mo) phase became easily precipitated in the alloy.With increasing of Mo/W ratio, the dendrite-like α-(W, Mo) phases were apt to convert into small bars or blockylike phases at the vicinities of γ′/γ eutectic. The morphological changes of α-(W, Mo) phase can be interpreted as the non-equilibrium solidification of W and Mo in the alloy. Since the large sized α-(W, Mo) phase has detrimental effects on stress-rupture properties in as-cast conditions, secondary cracks may mainly initiate at and then propagate along the interfaces of brittle phases and soft matrix. During exposing at 1100 ℃ for 1000 h, the α-(W, Mo) phases transformed gradually into bigger and harder M_6C carbide, which results in decreasing of stress-rupture properties of the alloy. Finally, the alloy with an addition of 14W-1Mo(wt%) maintained the longest stress lives at high temperatures and therefore it revealed the best microstructure stability after 1100 ℃/1000 h thermal exposure.     

WOOD/PCM composite with enhanced energy storage density and anisotropic thermal conductivity

Phase change materials (PCMs) have great potential in energy-saving and environmental field due to their high latent heat. The deficiencies that restrict the application of PCMs are their poor thermal conductivity and liquid leakage after phase change. To shoot these problems, a thermally-induced flexible WOOD/PCM composite with enhanced energy storage density and anisotropic thermal conductivity has been proposed. This composite consisted of polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG6000), delignified balsa wood and boron nitride (BN). The results revealed that the melting enthalpy and freezing enthalpy of WOOD/PEG6000 composite were 209.3 ?J/g and 214.9 ?J/g, which had an augment of about 8% comparing with pure PEG6000. After adding 33 ?wt% BN to the composite, its thermal conductivity in the out-of-plane direction reached 0.96 ?W/(m·K), while the radial thermal conductivity was 0.36 ?W/(m·K). The controllable anisotropic thermal conductivity implies a good application in the environment where forced unidirectional heat dissipation is needed. Furthermore, the composite also shows excellent thermal induced flexibility, such as bending and compression, which is significant in reducing thermal contact resistance with substrates in application. This work indicates that the prepared PCM composite has a great potential application in thermal energy storage and thermal management.     

Effects of Fe content on the microstructure and properties of CuNi10FeMn1 alloy tubes fabricated by HCCM horizontal continuous casting

Heating-cooling combined mold (HCCM) horizontal continuous casting technology developed by our research group was used to produce high axial columnar-grained CuNi10FeMn1 alloy tubes with different Fe contents. The effects of Fe content (1.08wt%–2.01wt%) on the microstructure, segregation, and flushing corrosion resistance in simulated flowing seawater as well as the mechanical properties of the alloy tubes were investigated. The results show that when the Fe content is increased from 1.08wt% to 2.01wt%, the segregation degree of Ni and Fe elements increases, and the segregation coefficient of Ni and Fe elements falls from 0.92 to 0.70 and from 0.92 to 0.63, respectively. With increasing Fe content, the corrosion rate of the alloy decreases initially and then increases. When the Fe content is 1.83wt%, the corrosion rate approaches the minimum and dense, less-defect corrosion films, which contain rich Ni and Fe elements, form on the surface of the alloy; these films effectively protect the α-matrix and reduce the corrosion rate. When the Fe content is increased from 1.08wt% to 2.01wt%, the tensile strength of the alloy tube increases from 204 MPa to 236 MPa, while the elongation to failure changes slightly about 46%, indicating the excellent workability of the CuNi10FeMn1 alloy tubes.     

Effects of chloride ion concentration and pH values on the corrosion behavior of Cr12Ni3Co12Mo4W ultra-high-strength martensitic stainless steel

The effects of Cl- ion concentration and pH values on the corrosion behavior of Cr12Ni3Co12Mo4W ultra-high-strength martensitic stainless steel (UHSMSS) were investigated by a series of electrochemical tests combined with observations by stereology microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. A critical Cl- ion concentration was found to exist (approximately 0.1wt%), above which pitting occurred. The pitting potential decreased with increasing Cl- ion concentration. A UHSMSS specimen tempered at 600°C exhibited a better pitting corrosion resistance than the one tempered at 400°C. The corrosion current density and passive current density of the UHSMSS tempered at 600°C decreased with increasing pH values of the corrosion solution. The pits developed a shallower dish geometry with increasing polarization potential. A lacy cover on the pits of the UHSMSS tempered at 400°C accelerated pitting, whereas corrosion products deposited in the pits of the UHSMSS tempered at 600°C hindered pitting.     

Effect of Zr and Ti on isothermal oxidation behavior of Nb–Si based alloys

The isothermal oxidation behavior of 56Nb-16Si-(20-x)Ti–3Cr–3Al-2Hf-xZr (x ?= ?0, 2, 5, 10 ?at. %) alloys was investigated at 800 ?°C and 1250 ?°C, respectively. The results show that increasing the Zr content evidently increased the oxidation rates at 800 ?°C, accompanied by the obvious occurrence of pesting oxidation. The alloys showed alike linear oxidation kinetics at 1250 ?°C. With the increase of Zr content, the adherence and integrity of oxide scales were improved, but the overall oxidation resistance was slightly deteriorated. The observed oxidation behavior may be attributed to the composition variation of Zr and Ti in the alloys. The oxidation mechanism associated with the composition variation is discussed in this study.     

新型钴基高温合金γ和γ′相行为的热力学分析

采用热力学分析方法,对新型钴基高温合金Co-Ni-Al-W-Cr多元系中γ′相的析出规律进行了研究,分析了合金元素Ni,Al,W在γ和γ′相间的分配行为,阐述了Ni在γ和γ′相间的分配系数对合金强化效果的影响规律.结果表明:合金元素Ni明显提高γ′相热力学稳定性,随Ni含量的增加,γ′相的成分范围扩大,定存在温度提高,说明Ni有利于提高Co-Al-W基高温合金的高温性能;计算分析了合金元素在γ和γ′相间分配行为及其对合金强化的影响规律.探明Co-Ni-Al-W-Cr合金中x(Al)/x(W)对合金元素Ni的分配系数KγN′i/γ影响较大,当Al,W原子分数比值为2.60时,KγN′i/γ达到最...     

Microstructure and mechanical properties of Cr doped WCoB based cermets by spark plasma sintering and first principle calculation

WCoB based cermet is a potential hard alloy to replace WC-Co cermets with high hardness and corrosion resistance. WCoB based cermets with different Cr doping contents were fabricated by spark plasma sintering in liquid phase sintering stage. The densification behavior, phase composition, microstructure and mechanical properties of Cr doped WCoB cermets were investigated by XRD, EDS and SEM. Due to the lower density of Cr,the density of WCoB cermets decreased with the increasing of Cr doping content. The phase composition consisted of Cr doped WCoB, unreacted W, Co–Cr binary binder phase. When the doping content exceeded11.736 wt%, the Cr enrichment zones appeared, which was harmful to the TRS. The increasing of Cr doping content contributed to the increase of unreacted W phases content and the formation of pores. The maximum value of Vickers hardness was 1751 Hv0.5 at 9.356 wt% Cr doping content. The variation trend was explained by first principle calculation, which is consistent with Hv-Zhou hardness model.     

Reversible hydrogenation of AB2-type Zr–Mg–Ni–V based hydrogen storage alloys

The development of hydrogen energy is hindered by the lack of high-efficiency hydrogen storage materials. To explore new high-capacity hydrogen storage alloys, reversible hydrogen storage in AB₂-type alloy is realized by using A or B-side elemental substitution. The substitution of small atomic-radius element Zr and Mg on A-side of YNi₂ and partial substitution of large atomic-radius element V on B-side of YNi₂ alloy was investigated in this study. The obtained ZrMgNi₄, ZrMgNi₃V, and ZrMgNi₂V₂ alloys remained single Laves phase structure at as-annealed, hydrogenated and dehydrogenated states, indicating that the hydrogen-induced amorphization and disproportionation was eliminated. From ZrMgNi₄ to ZrMgNi₂V₂ with the increase of the degree of vanadium substitution, the reversible hydrogen storage capacity increased from 0.6 ?wt% (0.35H/M) to 1.8 ?wt% (1.0H/M), meanwhile the lattice stability gradually increased. The ZrMgNi₂V₂ alloy could absorb 1.8 ?wt% hydrogen in about 2 ?h ?at 300 ?K under 4 ?MPa H₂ pressure and reversibly desorb the absorbed hydrogen in approximately 30 ?min ?at 473 ?K without complicated activation process. The prominent properties of ZrMgNi₂V₂ elucidate its high potential for hydrogen storage application.     

Effect of MgO content in sinter on the softening–melting behavior of mixed burden made from chromium-bearing vanadium–titanium magnetite

The effect of sinter with different MgO contents on the softening–melting behavior of mixed burden made from chromium- bearing vanadium–titanium magnetite was investigated. The results show that with increasing MgO content in the sinter, the softening interval and melting interval increased and the location of the cohesive zone shifted downward slightly and became moderately thicker. The softening–melting characteristic value was less pronounced when the MgO content in the sinter was 2.98wt%–3.40wt%. Increasing MgO content in the sinter reduced the content and recovery of V and Cr in the dripped iron. In addition, greater MgO contents in the sinter resulted in the generation of greater amounts of high-melting-point components, which adversely affected the permeability of the mixed burden. When the softening–melting behavior of the mixed burden and the recovery of valuable elements were taken into account, proper MgO contents in the sinter and slag ranged from 2.98wt% to 3.40wt% and from 11.46wt% to 12.72wt%, respectively, for the smelting of burden made from chromium-bearing vanadium–titanium magnetite in a blast furnace.