Bulk Al-Al3Zr composite prepared by mechanical alloying and hot extrusion for high-temperature applications

Bulk Al/Al₃Zr composite was prepared by a combination of mechanical alloying (MA) and hot extrusion processes. Elemental Al and Zr powders were milled for up to 10 h and heat treated at 600℃ for 1 h to form stable Al₃Zr. The prepared Al₃Zr powder was then mixed with the pure Al powder to produce an Al-Al₃Zr composite. The composite powder was finally consolidated by hot extrusion at 550℃. The mechanical properties of consolidated samples were evaluated by hardness and tension tests at room and elevated temperatures. The results show that annealing of the 10-h-milled powder at 600℃ for 1 h led to the formation of a stable Al₃Zr phase. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results confirmed that the formation of Al₃Zr began with the nucleation of a metastable phase, which subsequently transformed to the stable tetragonal Al₃Zr structure. The tension yield strength of the Al-10wt%Al₃Zr composite was determined to be 103 MPa, which is approximately twice that for pure Al (53 MPa). The yield stress of the Al/Al₃Zr composite at 300℃ is just 10% lower than that at room temperature, which demonstrates the strong potential for the prepared composite to be used in high-temperature structural applications.     

Effect of pre-annealing treatment on the microstructure and mechanical properties of extruded Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy bars

Taking extruded Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy (7A04 alloy) bars as the research object, the effect and mechanism of pre-annealing treatments on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the aged alloy bars were investigated. The results show that a pre-annealing treatment at 350℃ for 15 h before a T6 treatment substantially reduced the sensitivity of the microstructure and mechanical properties of the extruded 7A04 aluminum alloy specimens toward the extrusion temperature. The average grain sizes of the specimens extruded at 390 and 430℃ after T6 treatment were 3.4 and 8.1 μm, respectively, and their elongations to failure were 7.0% and 9.2%, respectively. However, after pre-annealing + T6 treatment, the differences in both the grain sizes and the elongations of the specimens became small, i.e., their average grain sizes were 3.2 and 3.8 μm and their elongations were 12.0% and 13.3%, respectively. For the specimens extruded at the same temperature, pre-annealing treatment obviously improved the plasticity of the alloy, which is attributed to an increase in soft texture or to grain refinement in the specimens as a result of the pre-annealing + T6 treatment.     

Effects of hot compression deformation temperature on the microstructure and properties of Al-Zr-La alloys

The main goal of this study is to investigate the microstructure and electrical properties of Al-Zr-La alloys under different hot compression deformation temperatures. In particular, a Gleeble 3500 thermal simulator was used to carry out multi-pass hot compression tests. For five-pass hot compression deformation, the last-pass deformation temperatures were 240, 260, 300, 340, 380, and 420℃, respectively, where the first-pass deformation temperature was 460℃. The experimental results indicated that increasing the hot compression deformation temperature with each pass resulted in improved electrical conductivity of the alloy. Consequently, the flow stress was reduced after deformation of the samples subjected to the same number of passes. In addition, the dislocation density gradually decreased and the grain size increased after hot compression deformation. Furthermore, the dynamic recrystallization behavior was effectively suppressed during the hot compression process because spherical Al₃Zr precipitates pinned the dislocation movement effectively and prevented grain boundary sliding.     

Improved strength and ductility of high alloy containing Al-12Zn-3Mg-2.5Cu alloy by combining non-isothermal step rolling and cold rolling

Al-12Zn-3Mg-2.5Cu alloy was prepared using a liquid metallurgy route under the optimized conditions. A sample cut from the ingot was rolled non-isothermally from 400℃ to 100℃ in 100℃ steps, with 15% reduction in thickness; it was then cold rolled isothermally at room temperature for 85% reduction. The cold-rolled alloys were characterized by electron microscopy, hardness test, and tensile test to elucidate their structural evolution and evaluate their mechanical behavior. In the results, the cast alloy consists of α-aluminum and various intermetallic compounds. These compounds are segregated along the grain boundaries, which makes the alloy difficult to roll at room temperature. The combined effect of non-isothermal step rolling and cold rolling results in the nano/microsized compounds distributed uniformly in the matrix. The hardness is substantially increased after rolling. This increase in hardness is attributed to the ultra-fine grain size, fine-scale intermetallic compounds, and structural defects (e.g., dislocations, stacking faults, and sub-grains). The ultimate tensile strength of the rolled alloy is approximately 628 MPa with 7% ductility.     

Effects of gadolinium addition on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Mg-9Al alloy

This research aims to study the significance of Gd addition (0wt%-2wt%) on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Mg-9Al alloy. The effect of Gd addition on the microstructure was investigated via X-ray diffraction (XRD), optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The Mg-9Al alloy contained two phases, α-Mg and β-Mg17Al12. Alloying with Gd led to the emergence of a new rectangular-shaped phase, Al₂Gd. The grain size also decreased marginally upon Gd addition. The ultimate tensile strength and microhardness of Mg-9Al alloy increased by 23% and 19%, respectively, upon 1.5wt% Gd addition. We observed that, although Mg-9Al-2.0Gd alloy exhibited the smallest grain size (181 μm) and the highest dislocation density (5.1×1010 m-2) among the investigated compositions, the Mg-9Al-1.5Gd alloy displayed the best mechanical properties. This anomalous behavior was observed because the Al₂Gd phase was uniformly distributed and present in abundance in Mg-9Al-1.5Gd alloy, whereas it was coarsened and asymmetrically conglomerated in Mg-9Al-2.0Gd.     

Microstructure,mechanical properties and deformation mechanisms of an Al-Mg alloy processed by the cyclical continuous expanded extrusion and drawing approach

Al-Mg alloys are an important class of non-heat treatable alloys in which Mg solute and grain size play essential role in their mechanical properties and plastic deformation behaviors.In this work,a cyclical continuous expanded extrusion and drawing(CCEED)process was proposed and implemented on an Al-3Mg alloy to introduce large plastic deformation.The results showed that the continuous expanded extrusion mainly improved the ductility,while the cold drawing enhanced the strength of the alloy.With the increased processing CCEED passes,the multi-pass cross shear deformation mechanism progressively improved the homogeneity of the hardness distributions and refined grain size.Continuous dynamic recrystallization played an important role in the grain refinement of the processed Al-3Mg alloy rods.Besides,the microstructural evolution was basically influenced by the special thermomechanical deformation conditions during the CCEED process.     

Effects of high-pressure rheo-squeeze casting on the Fe-rich phases and mechanical properties of Al-17Si-(1,1.5)Fe alloys

The effects of high pressure rheo-squeeze casting (HPRC) on the Fe-rich phases (FRPs) and mechanical properties of Al-17Si-(1,1.5)Fe alloys were investigated. The alloy melts were first treated by ultrasonic vibration (UV) and then formed by high-pressure squeeze casting (HPSC). The FRPs in the as-cast HPSC Al-17Si-1Fe alloys only contained a long, needle-shaped β-Al₅FeSi phase at 0 MPa. In addition to the β-Al₅FeSi phase, the HPSC Al-17Si-1.5Fe alloy also contained the plate-shaped δ-Al₄FeSi₂ phase. A fine, block-shaped δ-Al₄FeSi₂ phase was formed in the Al-17Si-1Fe alloy treated by UV. The size of FRPs decreased with increasing pressure. After UV treatment, solidification under pressure led to further refinement of the FRPs. Considering alloy samples of the same composition, the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of the HPRC samples was higher than that of the HPSC samples, and the UTS increased with increasing pressure. The UTS of the Al-17Si-1Fe alloy formed by HPSC exceeded that of the Al-17Si-1.5Fe alloy formed in the same manner under the same pressure. Conversely, the UTS of the Al-17Si-1Fe alloy formed by HPRC decreased to a value lower than that of the Al-17Si-1.5Fe alloy formed in the same manner.     

Effects of Zn content on the microstructure and the mechanical and corrosion properties of as-cast low-alloyed Mg–Zn–Ca alloys

The effects of Zn content on the microstructure and the mechanical and corrosion properties of as-cast low-alloyed Mg–xZn–0.2Ca alloys (x=0.6wt%, 2.0wt%, 2.5wt%, hereafter denoted as 0.6Zn, 2.0Zn, and 2.5Zn alloys, respectively) are investigated. The results show that the Zn content not only influences grain refinement but also induces different phase precipitation behaviors. The as-cast microstructure of the 0.6Zn alloy is composed of α-Mg, Mg₂Ca, and Ca₂Mg₆Zn₃ phases, whereas 2.0Zn and 2.5Zn alloys only contain α-Mg and Ca₂Mg₆Zn₃ phases, as revealed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses. Moreover, with increasing Zn content, both the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and the elongation to fracture first increase and then decrease. Among the three investigated alloys, the largest UTS (178 MPa) and the highest elongation to fracture (6.5%) are obtained for the 2.0Zn alloy. In addition, the corrosion rate increases with increasing Zn content. This paper provides an updated investigation of the alloy composition–microstructure–property relationships of different Zn-containing Mg–Zn–Ca alloys.     

Effects of heat treatment on the intermetallic compounds and mechanical properties of the stainless steel 321-aluminum 1230 explosive-welding interface

The effects of heat treatment on the microstructure and mechanical properties of intermetallic compounds in the interface of stainless steel 321 explosively bonded to aluminum 1230 were investigated in this study. Experimental investigations were performed by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and microhardness and shear tensile strength testing. Prior to heat treatment, increasing the stand-off distance between samples from 1 to 2.5 mm caused their interface to become wavy and the thickness of intermetallic layers to increase from 3.5 to 102.3 μm. The microhardness increased from HV 766 in the sample prepared at a stand-off distance of 1 mm to HV 927 in the sample prepared at a stand-off distance of 2.5 mm; in addition, the sample strength increased from 103.2 to 214.5 MPa. Heat treatment at 450℃ for 6 h increased the thickness of intermetallic compound layers to 4.4 and 118.5 μm in the samples prepared at stand-off distances of 1 and 2.5 mm, respectively. These results indicated that increasing the duration and temperature of heat treatment decreased the microhardness and strength of the interface of explosively welded stainless steel 321-Al 1230 and increased the thickness of the intermetallic region.     

Effects of sphere size on the microstructure and mechanical properties of ductile iron–steel hollow sphere syntactic foams

The effects of sphere size on the microstructural and mechanical properties of ductile iron–steel hollow sphere (DI–SHS) syntactic foams were investigated in this study. The SHSs were manufactured by fluidized-bed coating via the Fe-based commercial powder–binder suspension onto expanded polystyrene spheres (EPSs). Afterwards, the DI–SHS syntactic foams were produced via a sand-mold casting process. The microstructures of specimens were investigated by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy- dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The microscopic evaluations of specimens reveal distinct regions composed of the DI matrix, SHS shells, and compatible interface. As a result, the microstructures and graphite morphologies of the DI matrix depend on sphere size. When the sphere size decreases, the area fractions of cementite and graphite phases are observed to increase and decrease, respectively. Compression tests were subsequently conducted at ambient temperature on the DI–SHS syntactic foams. The results reveal that the compression behavior of the syntactic foams is enhanced with increasing sphere size. Furthermore, the compressed specimens demonstrate that microcracks start and grow from the interface region.     

Effects of the deep rolling process on the surface roughness and properties of an Al-3vol%SiC nanoparticle nanocomposite fabricated by mechanical milling and hot extrusion

Deep rolling is one of the most widely used surface mechanical treatments among several methods used to generate compressive residual stress. This process is usually used for axisymmetric components and can lead to improvements of the surface quality, dimensional accuracy, and mechanical properties. In this study, we deduced the appropriate deep rolling parameters for Al-3vol%Si C nanocomposite samples using roughness and microhardness measurements. The nanocomposite samples were fabricated using a combination of mechanical milling, cold pressing, and hot extrusion techniques. Density measurements indicated acceptable densification of the samples, with no porosity. The results of tensile tests showed that the samples are sufficiently strong for the deep rolling process and also indicated near 50% improvement of tensile strength after incorporating Si C nanoparticle reinforcements. The effects of some important rolling parameters, including the penetration depth, rotation speed, feed rate, and the number of passes, on the surface quality and microhardness were also investigated. The results demonstrated that decreasing the feed rate and increasing the number of passes can lead to greater surface hardness and lower surface roughness.     

铝合金表面机械球磨Ni-Al-Mo复合涂层的制备及其摩擦特性研究

通过机械球磨方法在铝合金表面制备了Ni-Al-Mo复合涂层,对涂层微观组织、组成成分和摩擦学性能等进行了分析.结果表明:经过7 h机械球磨制备的Ni-Al-Mo复合涂层内元素均匀分布;550℃退火后涂层中均有Al3 Ni金属间化合物新相生成;复合涂层中Al3 Ni和Mo的存在使得涂层硬度高于铝合金基体和Ni-Al涂层,...     

高挤压比下挤压工艺对AZ31B镁合金组织与力学性能的影响

研究了高挤压比条件下挤压温度、速度对AZ31B镁合金微观组织、力学性能的影响。采用光学显微镜观察了显微组织,拉伸试验测试了力学性能,并配合扫描电镜观察了拉伸试样的断口形貌。结果表明,高挤压比条件下,动态再结晶较为充分,少量晶粒长大,混晶组织消失。低温、高速挤压有助于晶粒细化,并使晶粒尺寸分布均匀,因而可获得高的抗拉强度、屈服强度以及良好的塑性。350 ℃,2 m/min条件下挤压,试样抗拉强度与延伸率最高,为336.5 MPa与 23%。低温、高速下的挤压试样的拉伸断口韧窝较深且细密,呈现明显的韧性断裂特征,而高温、低速的断口为混合断裂。     

球磨工艺参数对Y2O3和Al2O3混合粉末机械合金化的影响

研究了在机械合金化Y2O3和Al2O3混合粉末的过程中,球磨工艺(球料比、转速、球磨时间)对机械合金化过程的影响。实验结果表明,采用球料比为20∶1,转速为500 r/min,能够获得较高的球磨能量,经10 h机械合金化即可促使Y2O3和Al2O3粉体发生固相反应,合成YAlO3(YAP)。     

钛合金螺旋铣孔参数对表面粗糙度影响研究

螺旋铣削作为一种新工艺在钛合金制孔方面得到广泛应用,表面粗糙度是评价钛合金孔加工质量的重要指标。基于Matlab建立钛合金螺旋铣孔表面粗糙度预测模型,开展钛合金螺旋铣孔实验,研究发现:在0.15~0.25 mm/rev范围内,随着螺距的增大,钛合金孔表面粗糙度呈现先减小后增大的变化趋势;在0.03~0.05 mm/tooth范围内,随着切向每齿进给的增大,表面粗糙度呈现先逐渐增大后减小的趋势;类似的,在2 500~3 500 r/min范围内,随主轴转速的提高,表面粗糙度变化曲线呈现先升高再降低的规律,但之后又有平缓上升的趋势。研究结果可为钛合金螺旋铣孔参数优化及表面粗糙的控制研究提供重要实验依据。     

挤压温度对Mg-Zn-Mn变形镁合金组织和性能的影响

对新型变形镁合金Mg-6%Zn-1%Mn铸锭在320、360、420℃等不同温度下进行挤压实验,成型后实施不同热处理,并分析不同状态下合金的微观组织和力学性能.结果表明:在320~420℃条件下,该合金能实现平稳地挤压成型并完成动态再结晶.挤压温度越低,再结晶晶粒越细小,挤压棒材性能越好.高温(420℃)挤压成型,动态再结晶越易进行,且再结晶晶粒越均匀,更有利于后期通过热处理改善合金性能.     

干平整中工作辊与带钢表面粗糙度对摩擦系数影响的研究

针对干平整轧制过程中工作辊与带钢表面粗糙度对摩擦系数的影响仅能定性分析、不能满足生产需要的问题,经过大量的现场试验与理论研究,充分结合平整机组的设备与工艺特点,基于粗糙度的基本理论,根据干平整轧制过程中摩擦特点构造了反映工作辊及带钢表面粗糙度与摩擦系数之间一一对应关系的数学模型,提出了相应的模型计算策略,并将其应用到宝钢冷轧薄板厂1 220平整机组的生产实践,定量分析了工作辊及带钢表面粗糙度对摩擦系数的影响,有效地提高了轧制压力的预报精度与产品质量,取得了良好的使用效果,具有进一步推广应用价值。     

Effects of metal binder on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Al2O3-based micro-nanocomposite ceramic tool material

The Al2O3?(W,Ti)C composites with Ni and Mo additions varying from 0vol% to 12vol% were prepared via hot pressing sintering under 30 MPa. The microstructure was investigated via X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS). Mechanical properties such as flexural strength, fracture toughness, and Vickers hardness were also measured. Results show that the main phases A12O3 and (W,Ti)C were detected by XRD. Compound MoNi also existed in sintered nanocom-posites. The fracture modes of the nanocomposites were both intergranular and transgranular fractures. The plastic deformation of metal particles and crack bridging were the main toughening mechanisms. The maximum flexural strength and fracture toughness were obtained for 9vol% and 12vol% additions of Ni and Mo, respectively. The hardness of the composites reduced gradually with increasing content of metals Ni and Mo.     

Effects of cold rolling on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Fe-Ni-Mn-Mo-Ti-Cr maraging steels

Effects of cold rolling on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Fe-Ni-Mn-Mo-Ti-Cr maraging steels were studied.To investigate the microstructure and mechanical properties,optical microscopy,scanning electron microscopy,X-ray diffraction,tensile test,and hardness test were used.The results show that the solution-annealing treatment in the cold-rolled steel redounds to the formation of sub-microcrystalline Fe2(Mo,Ti) Laves phase particles,which are stable at high temperatures.These secondary Laves phase particles prevent from recrystallization at high temperatures and correspond to semi-brittle fracture in the subsequent aging treatment.     

Interfacial microstructure and mechanical properties of Ti-6Al-4V/Al7050 joints fabricated using the insert molding method

Ti-6Al-4V/Al7050 joints were fabricated by a method of insert molding and corresponding interfacial microstructure and mechanical properties were investigated. The interfacial thickness was sensitive to holding temperature during the first stage, and a good metallurgical bonding interface with a thickness of about 90 μm can be obtained at 750℃. X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and thermodynamic analyses showed that the interface mainly contained intermetallic compound TiAl₃ and Al matrix. The joints featured good mechanical properties, i.e., shear strength of 154 MPa, tensile strength of 215 MPa, and compressive strength of 283 MPa, which are superior to those of joints fabricated by other methods. Coherent boundaries between Al/TiAl₃ and TiAl₃/Ti were confirmed to contribute to outstanding interfacial mechanical properties and also explained constant fracture occurrence in the Al matrix. Follow-up studies should focus on improving mechanical properties of the Al matrix by deformation and heat treatment.