Saturation phenomenon of Ce and Ti in the modification of Al-Zn-Si filler metal

Cerium and titanium were added to an Al-42Zn-6.5Si brazing alloy, and the subsequent microstructures of the brazing alloy and the 6061 Al alloy brazing seam were investigated. The microstructures of filler metals and brazed joints were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray energy dispersion spectrometry. A new Ce-Ti phase formed around the silicon phase in the modified filler metal and this saturation phenomenon was analyzed. Interestingly, following brazing of the 6061 alloy, there is no evidence of the Ce-Ti phase in the brazing seam. Because of the mutual solubility of the brazing alloy and base metal, the quantity of the solvent increases, and the solute Ce and Ti atoms assume an undersaturated state.     

A Ti–Zr–Cu–Ni–Co–Fe–Al–Sn amorphous filler metal for improving the strength of Ti–6Al–4V alloy brazing joint

Ti_(50)Zr_(27)Cu_8Ni_4Co_3Fe_2Al_3Sn_3(at%) amorphous filler metal with low Cu and Ni contents in a melt-spun ribbon form was developed for improving mechanical properties of Ti–6Al–4V alloy brazing joint through decreasing brittle intermetallics in the braze zone. Investigation on the crystallization behavior of the multicomponent Ti–Zr–Cu–Ni–Co–Fe–Al–Sn amorphous alloy indicates the high stability of the supercooled liquid against crystallization that favors the formation of amorphous structure. The Ti–6Al–4V joint brazed with this Ti-based amorphous filler metal with low total content of Cu and Ni at 1203K for 900s mainly consists of α-Ti, β-Ti,minor Ti–Zr-rich phase and only a small amount of Ti_3Cu intermetallics, leading to the high shear strength of the joint of about 460 MPa. Multicomponent composition design of amorphous alloys is an effective way of tailoring filler metals for improving the joint strength.     

Microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of Ti_2AlNb/TiAl brazed joint using newly-developed Ti–Ni–Nb–Zr filler alloy

Joining of Ti_2AlNb alloy to TiAl intermetallics was conducted by the newly-developed Ti–Ni–Nb–Zr brazing filler alloy.The microstructure evolution of the joints was investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM),energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD).The macro-micro mechanical properties were studied by shear test and nano-indentation test.Typical interfacial microstructures across the brazing seam were Ti_2AlNb substrate,α_2-Ti_3Al+β-Ti,γ-TiAl+Ti_2Ni+TiNi+α_2-Ti_3Al,α_2-Ti_3Al+β-Ti,TiAl substrate.The Ti_2Ni phase were firstly dissolved in the joints brazed at 1000°C for 10 min and then precipitated after a prolonged holding time of 15 min.The nano-indentation test revealed that Ti_2Ni phase exhibited the highest hardness of 12.60 GPa.The joints brazed at 1000°C/15 min presented the maximum shear strength of271 MPa.The dissolution and precipitation behavior of Ti_2Ni phase was also discussed.     

Brazing 6061 aluminum alloy with Al-Si-Zn filler metals containing Sr

Al-6.5Si-42Zn and Al-6.5Si-42Zn-0.09Sr filler metals were used for brazing 6061 aluminum alloy. Air cooling and water cooling were applied after brazing. Si phase morphologies in the brazing alloy and the brazed joints were investigated. It was found that zinc in the Al-Si filler metals could reduce the formation of eutectic Al-Si phase and lower the brazing temperature at about 520℃. Adding 0.09wt% Sr element into the Al-6.5Si-42Zn alloy caused α-Al phase refinement and transformed acicular Si phase into the finely fiber-like. After water cooling, Zn element dissolved into the Al-Si eutectic area, and η-Zn phase disappeared in the brazed joints. Tensile strength testing results showed that the Sr-modified filler metal could enhance the strength of the brazed joints by 13% than Al-12Si, while water-cooling further improved the strength at 144 MPa.     

Microstructure and mechanical properties of the SiC/Zr4 joints brazed with TiZrNiCu filler for nuclear application

Si C ceramic has been successfully joined to Zr4 alloy using Ti Zr Ni Cu filler within the temperature range1173 K–1263 K and 15 min holding time. The morphology of the Si C/Zr4 joints was investigated by SEM, and the phases in the joints were characterized by XRD and TEM. The results indicated that part of the Zr4 substrate dissolved into the molten filler during the brazing process, contributed to the increasing Zr content and the formation of Zr[Ti] solid solution in the joints. In addition, β-Ti phase was discovered in the brazing seam. This might be attributed to the existence of β-Ti stable elements, Cu and Ni. The interface characterization showed that Si C reacted with filler alloy during the brazing process, formed a(Zr, Ti)C reaction layer on Si C surface and Zr2 Si compound near Si C substrate. Finally, the mechanical properties of the joints, evaluated by a shear strength test, reached a maximum of 95 MPa at the brazing temperature of 1203 K.     

Corrosion behavior of as-cast Mg–8Li–3Al+xCe alloy in 3.5wt% NaCl solution

Mg–8Li–3Al+xCe alloys (x = 0.5wt%, 1.0wt%, and 1.5wt%) were prepared through a casting route in an electric resistance furnace under a controlled atmosphere. The cast alloys were characterized by X-ray diffraction, optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The corrosion behavior of the as-cast Mg–8Li–3Al+xCe alloys were studied under salt spray tests in 3.5wt% NaCl solution at 35°C, in accordance with standard ASTM B–117, in conjunction with potentiodynamic polarization (PDP) tests. The results show that the addition of Ce to Mg–8Li–3Al (LA83) alloy results in the formation of Al₂Ce intermetallic phase, refines both the α-Mg phase and the Mg₁₇Al₁₂ intermetallic phase, and then increases the microhardness of the alloys. The results of PDP and salt spray tests reveal that an increase in Ce content to 1.5wt% decreases the corrosion rate. The best corrosion resistance is observed for the LA83 alloy sample with 1.0wt% Ce.     

Effect of thermo-mechanical treatment on mechanical and elastic properties of Ti–36Nb–5Zr alloy

The evolutions of phase constitutions and mechanical properties of a β-phase Ti–36Nb–5Zr(wt%) alloy during thermo-mechanical treatment were investigated. The alloy consisted of dual(β t α″) phase and exhibited a double yielding phenomenon in solution treated state. After cold rolling and subsequent annealing at 698 K for 20 min, an excellent combination of high strength(833 MPa) and low modulus(46 GPa) was obtained. The high strength can be attributed to high density of dislocations, nanosized α phase and grain refinement. On the other hand, the low Young's modulus originates from the suppression of chemical stabilization of β phase during annealing, which guarantees the low β-phase stability. Furthermore, the single-crystal elastic constants of the annealed Ti–36Nb–5Zr alloy were extracted from polycrystalline alloy using an in-situ synchrotron X-ray technique. The results indicated that the low shear modulus C44 contributes to the low Young's modulus for the Ti–36Nb–5Zr alloy, suggesting that reducing C44 through thermo-mechanical treatment might be an efficient approach to realize low Young's modulus in β-phase Ti alloys. The results achieved in this study could be helpful to elucidate the origin of low modulus and sheds light on developing novel biomedical Ti alloys with both low modulus and high strength.     

The evolution of microstructure and mechanical properties during high-speed direct-chill casting in different Al–Mg_2Si in situ composites

The effect of high-speed direct-chill(DC) casting on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Al–Mg_2Si in situ composites and AA6061 alloy was investigated. The microstructural evolution of the Al–Mg_2Si composites and AA6061 alloy was examined by optical microscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy(FE-SEM) and transmission electron microscopy(TEM). The results revealed that an increase of the casting speed substantially refined the primary Mg_2Si particles(from 28 to 12 μm), the spacing of eutectic Mg_2Si(from 3 to 0.5 μm), and the grains of AA6061 alloy(from 102 to 22 μm). The morphology of the eutectic Mg_2Si transformed from lamellar to rod-like and fibrous with increasing casting speed. The tensile tests showed that the yield strength, tensile strength, and elongation improved at higher casting speeds because of refinement of the Mg_2Si phase and the grains in the Al–Mg_2Si composites and the AA6061 alloy. High-speed DC casting is demonstrated to be an effective method to improve the mechanical properties of Al–Mg_2Si composites and AA6061 alloy billets.     

Interface microstructure and formation mechanism of ultrasonic spot welding for Al–Ti dissimilar metals

The present study focuses on interface microstructure and joint formation. AA6061 aluminum alloy(Al) and commercial pure titanium(Ti) joints were welded by ultrasonic spot welding(USW). The welding energy was 1100–3200 J. The Al–Ti joint appearance and interface microstructure were observed mainly via optical microscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy. Results indicated that a good joint can be achieved only with proper welding energy of 2150 J. No significant intermetallic compound(IMC) was found under all conditions. The high energy barriers of Al–Ti and difficulties in diffusion were the main reasons for the absence of IMC according to kinetic analysis. The heat input is crucial for the material plastic flow and bonding area, which plays an important role in the joint formation.     

Effects of P addition on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Mg–5%Sn–1.25%Si alloy

The effects of Al-P addition on the microstructure and mechanical properties of as-cast Mg–5%Sn–1.25%Si magnesium alloy were investigated. The results show that the phases of the as-cast alloy are composed of α-Mg, Mg2 Sn, Mg2 Si, little P, and AlP. The Chinese character shape Mg2 Si phase changes into a granular morphology by P addition because AlP can act as a heterogeneous nucleation core for the Mg2 Si phase. When 0.225wt% of Al–3.5%P alloy is added, the mechanical properties of the Mg–5%Sn–1.25%Si alloy are greatly improved, and the tensile strength increases from 156 to 191 MPa, an increase of 22.4% compared to the alloy without P addition. When the amount of Al–3.5%P reaches 0.300wt%, a segregation phenomenon occurs in the granular Mg2 Si phase, and the tensile strength and hardness decrease though the elongation increases.     

Microstructure s and mechanical properties of Ti3Al/Ni-based superalloy joints arc welded with Ti –Nb and Ti– Ni – Nb filler alloys

Dissimilar joining of Ti3Al-based alloy to Ni-based superalloy has been carried out using gas tungsten arc(GTA) welding technology with Ti–Nb and Ti–Ni–Nb filler alloys.The joint welded with the Ti–Nb filler alloy contained much less interfacial brittle phases than the one using the Ti–Ni–Nb filler alloy.The average room-temperature tensile strength of the joint welded with Ti–Nb was 202 MPa and the strength value of the one welded with Ti–Ni–Nb was 128 MPa.For both fillers,the weak links of the dissimilar joints were the weld/In718 interfaces.The presence of TiNi,TiNi3 and Ni3Nb intermetallic compounds in the joint welded with Ti–Ni–Nb induced microcracks at the weld/In718 interface and deteriorated the mechanical properties of the joint.And the adoption of the Ti–Nb filler alloy decreased the formation tendency of interfacial brittle phases to some extent and thus enhanced the tensile strength of the joint.     

Microstructure and mechanical properties of TiAl/TiAl joints brazed with a newly developed Ti–Ni–Nb–Zr quaternary filler alloy

A novel Ti-Ni-Nb-Zr quaternary filler alloy with the composition of Ti-(19～25)Ni-(15～25)(Nb+Zr)(wt.%) was designed.The filler alloy was composed of(Ti,Nb)ss,(Ti,Zr,Nb)ss+(Ti,Zr)₂Ni,α-Ti and Ti₂Ni phases.It was fabricated into filler foil with a thickness of about 45 μm by a rapid solidification technique.The results indicate that the liquidus temperature of the Ti-Ni-Nb-Zr brazing alloy was about 978℃,and the brazing alloy presented excellent wettability on TiAl substrate.T...     

Microstructure of Ni–Al powder and Ni–Al composite coatings prepared by twin-wire arc spraying

Ni–Al powder and Ni–Al composite coatings were fabricated by twin-wire arc spraying (TWAS). The microstructures of Ni-5wt%Al powder and Ni-20wt%Al powder were characterized by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The results showed that the obtained particle size ranged from 5 to 50 μm. The morphology of the Ni–Al powder showed that molten particles were composed of Ni solid solution, NiAl, Ni₃Al, Al₂O₃, and NiO. The Ni–Al phase and a small amount of Al₂O₃ particles changed the composition of the coating. The microstructures of the twin-wire-arc-sprayed Ni–Al composite coatings were characterized by SEM, EDS, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results showed that the main phase of the Ni-5wt%Al coating consisted of Ni solid solution and NiAl in addition to a small amount of Al₂O₃. The main phase of the Ni-20wt%Al coating mainly consisted of Ni solid solution, NiAl, and Ni₃Al in addition to a small amount of Al and Al₂O₃, and NiAl and Ni₃Al intermetallic compounds effectively further improved the final wear property of the coatings. TEM analysis indicated that fine spherical NiAl₃ precipitates and a Ni–Al–O amorphous phase formed in the matrix of the Ni solid solution in the original state.     

Tuning microstructure,transformation behavior,mechanical/functional properties of Ti-V-Al shape memory alloy by doping quaternary rare earth Y

The microstructure features, martensitic transformation behavior and mechanical/functional properties of Ti–V–Al alloy were tailored by changing rare element Y content in the present investigation. The results showed that Y doping resulted in the grain refinement and formation of Y-rich phase mainly distributing along grain boundary in Ti–V–Al alloys. The martensitic transformation temperatures of Ti–V–Al alloys slightly increased due to the variation of matrix composition induced by the presenc...     

Microstructure and properties of Cu–Ti–Ni alloys

The effects of Ni addition and aging treatments on the microstructure and properties of a Cu–3Ti alloy were investigated. The microstructure and precipitation phases were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy; the hardness, electrical conductivity, and elastic modulus of the resulting alloys were also tested. The results show that Ni addition increases the electrical conductivity and elastic modulus, but decreases the hardness of the aged Cu–3Ti alloy. Within the range of the experimentally investigated parameters, the optimal two-stage aging treatment for the Cu–3Ti–1Ni and Cu–3Ti–5Ni alloy was 300°C for 2 h and 450°C for 7 h. The hardness, electrical conductivity, and elastic modulus of the Cu–3Ti–1Ni alloy were HV 205, 18.2% IACS, and 146 GPa, respectively, whereas the hardness, electrical conductivity, and elastic modulus of the Cu–3Ti–5Ni alloy were HV 187, 31.32% IACS, and 147 GPa, respectively. Microstructural analyses revealed that β′-Ni3 Ti and β′-Cu4 Ti precipitate from the Cu matrix during aging of the Cu–3Ti–5Ni alloy and that some residual Ni Ti phase remains. The increased electrical conductivity is ascribed to the formation of Ni Ti, β′-Ni3 Ti, and β′-Cu4 Ti phases.     

In situ synthesis of Fe-based alloy clad coatings containing TiB_2–TiN –(h-BN)

Fe-based alloy coatings containing TiB2–TiN –(h-BN) were synthesized in situ on Q235 steel substrates by a plasma cladding process using the powders of Fe901 alloy, Ti, and h-BN as raw materials. The effects of Ti/h-BN mass ratio on interfacial bonds between the coating and substrate along with the microstructures and microhardnesses of the coatings were investigated. The results show that the Ti/h-BN mass ratio is a vital factor in the formation of the coatings. Free h-BN can be introduced into the coatings by adding an excess amount of h-BN into the precursor. Decreases in the Ti/h-BN mass ratio improve the microstructural uniformity and compactness and enhance the interfacial bonds of the coatings. At a Ti/h-BN mass ratio of 10/20, the coating is free of cracks and micropores, and mainly consists of Fe-Cr, Fe3B, TiB2, TiN, Ti2N, TiB, FeN, FeB, Fe2B, and h-BN phases. Its average microhardness in the zone between 0.1–2.8 mm from the coating surface is about Hv0.2 551.5.     

Microstructural analyses of aluminum–magnesium–silicon alloys welded by pulsed Nd: YAG laser welding

Revealing grains and very fine dendrites in a solidified weld metal of aluminum–magnesium–silicon alloys is difficult and thus,there is no evidence to validate the micro-and meso-scale physical models for hot cracks. In this research, the effect of preheating on the microstructure and hot crack creation in the pulsed laser welding of AA 6061 was investigated by an optical microscope and field emission electron microscopy. Etching was carried out in the gas phase using fresh Keller's reagent for 600 s. The results showed that the grain size of the weld metal was proportional to the grain size of the base metal and was independent of the preheating temperature. Hot cracks passed the grain boundaries of the weld and the base metal. Lower solidification rates in the preheated samples led to coarser arm spacing; therefore, a lower cooling rate. Despite the results predicted by the micro and meso-scale models, lower cooling rates resulted in increased hot cracks. The cracks could grow in the weld metal after solidification; therefore, hot cracks were larger than predicted by the hot crack prediction models.     

Phase-field simulation on microstructure evolution of D0_(19) phase in γ/γ′structure of Co–Al–W superalloys

The morphological evolution and precipitation kinetics of γ′ and D0_(19)(Co_3 W) phase in Co–Al–W alloys at 900 °C have been studied by applying Phase-field method and experiment in order to understand the transformation process of γ′ phase and D0_(19) phase. The growth processes of D0_(19) phase and precipitation of γ′ phase under elastic fields were simulated through coupling with thermodynamics and dynamics databases. The simulation results indicate that the misfit δ≥ 0.53% has a greater impact on γ′ particle morphology in γ/γ′ structure.Co–Al–W alloy with low Al and high W is one of the factors to promote the precipitation of D0_(19) phase. Three stages during aging, namely the γ′ phase incubation stage, the γ′ phase fast nucleation and growth stage, and the transformation from γ′ phase to D0_(19) phase stage can be observed with the non-constant coarsening rate that varying with the decrease of γ′ phase. The particle size distribution(PSD) during the precipitation of D0_(19) phase is more in line with MLSW theory than LSW theory. This simulation results are in good agreement with the experiment results to help analyze microstructure evolution of Co–Al–W alloy.     

Microstructural analyses of aluminum–magnesium–silicon alloys welded by pulsed Nd: YAG laser welding

Revealing grains and very fine dendrites in a solidified weld metal of aluminum–magnesium–silicon alloys is difficult and thus,there is no evidence to validate the micro-and meso-scale physical models for hot cracks. In this research, the effect of preheating on the microstructure and hot crack creation in the pulsed laser welding of AA 6061 was investigated by an optical microscope and field emission electron microscopy. Etching was carried out in the gas phase using fresh Keller’s reagent for 600 s. The results showed that the grain size of the weld metal was proportional to the grain size of the base metal and was independent of the preheating temperature. Hot cracks passed the grain boundaries of the weld and the base metal. Lower solidification rates in the preheated samples led to coarser arm spacing;therefore, a lower cooling rate. Despite the results predicted by the micro and meso-scale models, lower cooling rates resulted in increased hot cracks. The cracks could grow in the weld metal after solidification;therefore, hot cracks were larger than predicted by the hot crack prediction models.     

Microstructural evolution in Al–Zn–Mg–Cu–Sc–Zr alloys during short-time homogenization

Microstructural evolution in a new kind of aluminum(Al) alloy with the chemical composition of Al–8.82Zn–2.08Mg– 0.80Cu–0.31Sc–0.3Zr was investigated. It is found that the secondary phase Mg Zn2 is completely dissolved into the matrix during a short homogenization treatment(470°C, 1 h), while the primary phase Al3(Sc,Zr) remains stable. This is due to Sc and Zr additions into the Al alloy, high Zn/Mg mass ratio, and low Cu content. The experimental findings fit well with the results calculated by the homogenization diffusion kinetics equation. The alloy shows an excellent mechanical performance after the short homogenization process followed by hot-extrusion and T6 treatment. Consequently, a good combination of low energy consumption and favorable mechanical properties is obtained.