Machining studies of die cast aluminum alloy-silicon carbide composites

Metal matrix composites (MMCs) with high specific stiffness, high strength, improved wear resistance, and thermal properties are being increasingly used in advanced structural, aerospace, automotive, electronics, and wear applications. Aluminum alloy-silicon carbide composites were developed using a new combination of the vortex method and the pressure die-casting technique in the present work. Machining studies were conducted on the aluminum alloy-silicon carbide (SiC) composite work pieces using high speed steel (HSS) end-mill tools in a milling machine at different speeds and feeds. The quantitative studies on the machined work piece show that the surface finish is better for higher speeds and lower feeds. The surface roughness of the plain aluminum alloy is better than that of the aluminum alloy-silicon carbide composites. The studies on tool wear show that flank wear increases with speed and feed. The end-mill tool wear is higher on machining the aluminum alloy-silicon carbide composites than on machining the plain aluminum alloy.     

Microstructure and mechanical properties of friction welded carbon steel(EN24) and nickel-based superalloy(IN718)

Continuous-drive rotary friction welding was performed to join cylindrical specimens of carbon steel(EN24) and nickel-based superalloy(IN718), and the microstructures of three distinct weld zones—the weld interface(WI)/thermo-mechanically affected zone(TMAZ),the heat-affected zone(HAZ), and the base metal—were examined.The joint was observed to be free of defects but featured uneven flash formation.Electron backscatter diffraction(EBSD) analysis showed substantial changes in high-angle grain boundaries, low-angle grain boundaries, and twin boundaries in the TMAZ and HAZ.Moreover, significant refinement in grain size(2 –5 μm) was observed at the WI/TMAZ with reference to the base metal.The possible causes of these are discussed.The microhardness profile across the welded joint shows variation in hardness.The changes in hardness are ascribed to grain refinement, phase transformation, and the dissolution of strengthening precipitates.The tensile test results reveal that a joint efficiency of 100% can be achieved using this method.     

Microstructure of AISI 304 stainless steel strips produced by a twin-roll caster

By optical inspection of macro-etched metallography and electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD) mapping, this paper analyzed the microstructure of austenitic stainless steel strips produced with an equal-diameter twin-roll strip caster. The results indicate that the microstructure of the strips includes two columnar zones with highly compact dendrites and one equiaxed zone. The characteristics, such as grain size and growing direction of columnar grains and equiaxed grains, were investigated. An additional transitional area with many finer grains between the columnar zone and the equiaxed zone was found. As shown in EBSD analysis, small angle boundaries exist both in the columnar zone and the equiaxed zone, although they are especially more in the transitional area. Additionally, some <111> twin boundaries were found in the microstructure of the strips.     

摩擦焊接碳钢（EN24）和镍基高温合金（IN718）的显微组织和力学性能

Continuous-drive rotary friction welding was performed to join cylindrical specimens of carbon steel (EN24) and nickel-based superalloy (IN718), and the microstructures of three distinct weld zones—the weld interface (WI)/thermo-mechanically affected zone (TMAZ), the heat-affected zone (HAZ), and the base metal—were examined. The joint was observed to be free of defects but featured uneven flash formation. Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis showed substantial changes in high-angle grain boundaries, low-angle grain boundaries, and twin boundaries in the TMAZ and HAZ. Moreover, significant refinement in grain size (2–5 μm) was observed at the WI/TMAZ with reference to the base metal. The possible causes of these are discussed. The microhardness profile across the welded joint shows variation in hardness. The changes in hardness are ascribed to grain refinement, phase transformation, and the dissolution of strengthening precipitates. The tensile test results reveal that a joint efficiency of 100% can be achieved using this method.     

Analysis of cracking phenomena in continuous casting of 1Cr13 stainless steel billets with final electromagnetic stirring

Solidification cracking that occurs during continuous casting of 1Cr13 stainless steel was investigated with and without final electromagnetic stirring (F-EMS). The results show that cracks initiates and propagates along the grain boundaries where the elements of carbon and sulfur are enriched. The final stirrer should be appropriately placed at a location that is 7.5 m away from the meniscus, and the appropriate thickness of the liquid core in the stirring zone is 50 mm. As a stirring current of 250 A is imposed, it can promote columnar-equiaxed transition, decrease the secondary dendrite arm spacing, and reduce the segregation of both carbon and sulfur. F-EMS can effectively decrease the amount of cracks in 1Cr13 stainless steel.     

Microstructure and mechanical properties of friction-stir welded St52 steel joints

The aim of this work is to investigate the mechanical properties and microstructures of friction-stir welded (FSWed) St52 structural steel joints. In this study, St52 steel plates with a thickness of 4 mm were butt-welded by friction-stir welding (FSW) using a tungsten carbide tool having a conical pin. The microstructure of the welded zone consists of equiaxed fine ferrite, grain boundary ferrite, Widmanstatten ferrite, and aggregates of ferrite + cementite. The microhardness measurements showed that the hardness of the welded zone was significantly higher than that of the base metal. The FSWed St52 joint exhibited a significant strength overmatching in the weld region and a strength performance similar to or slightly higher than that of the base plate.     

A Cu-Cr alloy with nano and microscale Cr particles produced in a water-cooled copper mold

Microstructures have profound effects on the hardness and strength of Cu-Cr alloys. The microstructures of a Cu-Cr alloy cast in a water-cooled copper mold were studied in the present work. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results show that there are the copper matrix saturated with chromium, spherical precipitates of chromium separated from liquid phase during cooling before the initiation of solidification, and a eutectic phase in grain boundary areas. To investigate the effect of age-hardening treatment on the microstructures and properties of the material, some samples were subsequently age-hardened in a salt bath and investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results show that coherent precipitates with the diameter of 11 nm are detectable in the samples before and after the age-hardening stage. Of course, the volume fraction of coherent precipitates is higher after the aging process.     

Grain boundary characteristics and tensile properties of Ti14 alloy after semi-solid deformation

The microstructure and room-temperature tensile properties of Ti14, a new α+Ti₂Cu alloy, were investigated after conventional forging at 950℃ and semi-solid forging at 1000 and 1050℃, respectively. Results show that coarse grains and grain boundaries are obtained in the semi-solid alloys. The coarse grain boundaries are attributed to Ti₂Cu phase precipitations occurred on the grain boundaries during the solidification. It is found that more Ti₂Cu phase precipitates on the grain boundaries at a higher semi-solid forging temperature, which forms precipitated zones and coarsens the grain boundaries. Tensile tests exhibit high strength and low ductility for the semi-solid forged alloys, especially after forging at 1000℃. Fracture analysis reveals the evidence of ductile failure mechanisms for the conventional forged alloy and cleavage fracture mechanisms for the alloy after semi-solid forging at 1050℃.     

Effects of chromium on the microstructure and hot ductility of Nb-microalloyed steel

It is well-known that the surface quality of the niobium microalloy profiled billet directly affects the comprehensive mechanical properties of the H-beam. The effects of chromium on the γ/α phase transformation and high-temperature mechanical properties of Nb-microalloyed steel were studied by Gleeble tensile and high-temperature in-situ observation experiments. Results indicated that the starting temperature of the γ→α phase transformation decreases with increasing Cr content. The hot ductility of Nb-microalloyed steel is improved by adding 0.12 wt% Cr. Chromium atoms inhibit the diffusion of carbon atoms, which reduces the thickness of grain boundary ferrite. The number fractions of high-angle grain boundaries increase with increasing chromium content. In particular, the proportion is up to 48.7% when the Cr content is 0.12 wt%. The high-angle grain boundaries hinder the crack propagation and improve the ductility of Nb-microalloyed steel.     

Effects of chromium on the corrosion and electrochemical behaviors of ultra high strength steels

The effects of chromium on the corrosion and the electrochemical behaviors of ultra high strength steels were studied by the salt spray test and electrochemical methods. The results show that ultra high strength steels remain martensite structures and have anodic dissolution characteristic with an increase of chromium content. There is no typical passive region on the polarization curves of an ultra high strength stainless steel, AerMet 100 steel, and 300M steel. However, chromium improves the corrosion resistance of the stainless steel remarkably. It has the slowest corrosion rate in the salt spray test, one order of magnitude less than that of AerMet 100 and 300M steels. With the increase of chromium content, the polarization resistance becomes larger, the corrosion potential shifts towards the positive direction with a value of 545 mV, and the corrosion current density decreases in electrochemical measures in 3.5wt% NaCl solutions. Because of the higher content of chromium, the ultra high strength stainless steel has a better corrosion resistance than AerMet 100 and 300M steels.     

隧道窑工艺处理不锈钢除尘灰的实验研究

利用隧道窑工艺对宝钢不锈钢除尘灰进行处理．该工艺过程是将焦粉（添加量为除尘灰质量的35％）外置在除尘灰周围,并添加三种不同比例的铁鳞,在碳化硅罐中还原42h,还原温度为1200℃．研究表明：该工艺条件能够实现不锈钢除尘灰的烧结,且通过加入铁鳞（添加量为除尘灰质量的20％）可以经济有效地提高烧结物的强度;铁鳞的加入提高了铁品位,但会降低镍、铬品位．针对金属化球团中镍、铬的金属化率难以检测出的情况,提出了一种金属还原率的估测方法,并将其应用到本实验中,得出在隧道窑工艺条件下铁和镍的金属化率分别为92．55％和97．83％,铬的金属化率最少可达到35．5％．     

超纯奥氏体不锈钢00Cr25Ni22Mo2N非敏化态晶间腐蚀与磷(硅)的晶界偏聚

运用金相、电子显微镜观察及表面分析技术,研究了超纯奥氏体不锈钢00Cr25Ni22Mo2N制造的汽提管在尿素生产环境下的腐蚀形态和机理。结果表明:该钢种在生产条件下产生非敏化态晶间腐蚀。其特征是腐蚀介质不仅沿晶界向钢的内部渗入,而且同时向晶界的两侧扩展,因而在管断面上观察到的晶间腐蚀路径较宽,但深度较浅并呈现漏斗形貌。电子显微镜观察、二次离子质谱、俄歇能谱分析及计算表明,这种材料晶界不贫铬、无第二相沉淀,但有磷(硅)的高度偏聚。晶界区磷的含量(约25％)比晶内高约三个数量级。作者认为,磷的晶界偏聚造成的与晶内在腐蚀电解质溶液中的电位差,是这种超纯奥氏体不锈钢非敏化态晶间腐蚀的原因。     

高强度马氏体钢显微组织对腐蚀行为影响的研究进展

The high strength martensite steels are widely used in aerospace, ocean engineering, etc., due to their high strength, good ductility and acceptable corrosion resistance. This paper provides a review for the influence of microstructure on corrosion behavior of high strength martensite steels. Pitting is the most common corrosion type of high strength stainless steels, which always occurs at weak area of passive film such as inclusions, carbide/intermetallic interfaces. Meanwhile, the chromium carbide precipitations in the martensitic lath/prior austenite boundaries always result in intergranular corrosion. The precipitation, dislocation and grain/lath boundary are also used as crack nucleation and hydrogen traps, leading to hydrogen embrittlement and stress corrosion cracking for high strength martensite steels. Yet, the retained/reversed austenite has beneficial effects on the corrosion resistance and could reduce the sensitivity of stress corrosion cracking for high strength martensite steels. Finally, the corrosion mechanisms of additive manufacturing high strength steels and the ideas for designing new high strength martensite steel are explored.     

Effect of microstructure on corrosion behavior of high strength martensite steel——A literature review

The high strength martensite steels are widely used in aerospace, ocean engineering, etc., due to their high strength, good ductility and acceptable corrosion resistance. This paper provides a review for the influence of microstructure on corrosion behavior of high strength martensite steels. Pitting is the most common corrosion type of high strength stainless steels, which always occurs at weak area of passive film such as inclusions, carbide/intermetallic interfaces. Meanwhile, the chromium carbide precipitations in the martensitic lath/prior austenite boundaries always result in intergranular corrosion. The precipitation, dislocation and grain/lath boundary are also used as crack nucleation and hydrogen traps, leading to hydrogen embrittlement and stress corrosion cracking for high strength martensite steels. Yet, the retained/reversed austenite has beneficial effects on the corrosion resistance and could reduce the sensitivity of stress corrosion cracking for high strength martensite steels. Finally, the corrosion mechanisms of additive manufacturing high strength steels and the ideas for designing new high strength martensite steel are explored.     

高抗力金属板带材多辊冷轧机特点分析

掌握生产板带材的金属的特性和变形特点是进行高精度多辊可逆冷轧机设计的基础。针对多品种,多规格和板卷共线的生产工艺需求,通过对比分析选择了六辊辊系的可逆冷轧机。该冷轧机主要用来生产厚度薄至0.3～0.4 mm的钛及钛合金,镍及镍合金,铜及铜合金,不锈钢,高温合金以及精密合金板带材。冷轧机的最大轧制力35 000 kN,最高轧制速度480 m/min,最大轧制力矩320 kN·m。机组主要由皮带运输机,开卷和卷取机,主轧机,除油装置,矫直机,移动和固定辊道等设备组成。同时,也包括消防系统,液压系统,电控系统等。重点对冷轧机的工艺设计要求,机组组成特点,关键设备部件,典型技术参数等进行了介绍和分析。     

Effects of copper content on microstructure and mechanical properties of open-cell steel foams

The effects of copper content on the microstructural and mechanical properties of steel foams are investigated. Spherical urea granules, used as a water-leachable space holder, were coated with a mixture of iron, ultrafine carbon, and different amounts of copper powders. After the mixture was compacted and the space holder was removed by leaching, a sintering process was performed under an atmosphere of thermally dissociated ammonia. Microstructural evaluations of the cell walls were carried out using optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy in conjunction with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. In addition, compression tests were conducted to investigate the mechanical properties of the manufactured steel foams. The results showed that the total porosity decreases from 77.2% to 71.9% with increasing copper content in the steel foams. In the foams' microstructure, copper islands are mostly distributed in pearlite and intergranular carbide phases are formed in the grain boundaries. When the copper content was increased from 0 to 4 wt%, the elastic modulus, plateau stress, fracture stress, and fracture strain of manufactured steel foams improved 4.5, 6, 6.4, and 2.5 times, respectively.     

稀土对铸造低合金工具钢组织的影响

利用定量金相、透射电镜、扫描电镜、电子探针等实验方法，研究稀土元素对低合金工具钢铸造组织的影响，结果表明：微量稀土的加入，可减少粗大碳化物的相对量、改善其分布状况细化奥氏体晶粒，减少铬的枝晶偏析。     

节镍无磁不锈钢Cr18Ni6Mn3N的组织及性能

研究了节镍无磁不锈钢Cr18Ni6Mn3N的热轧及固溶后的力学性能和耐蚀性能,分析了其固溶和时效析出后的组织演变规律、冷变形过程中形变诱发马氏体相变及其磁性能.结果表明:该不锈钢的固溶组织为单相奥氏体,其力学性能和耐蚀性能均高于SUS304不锈钢;800℃保温4 h后,在晶界析出粒状氮化物,随着保温时间延长,逐渐沿晶界凸起片层状析出物并向晶内生长,保温20 h后,凸出的片层状析出物直径达20μm.冷轧压下率18.3%时尚未发现形变诱发马氏体组织,随着变形量增大,马氏体含量增多,磁导率上升,但与相同条件下的SUS304不锈钢相比,冷轧板固溶后相对磁导率可降至1.002,因此可用于低成本无磁不锈钢领域.     

Effect of welding parameters on the heat-affected zone of AISI409 ferritic stainless steel

One of the main problems during the welding of ferritic stainless steels is severe grain growth within the heat-affected zone (HAZ). In the present study, the microstructural characteristics of tungsten inert gas (TIG) welded AISI409 ferritic stainless steel were investigated by electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD), and the effects of welding parameters on the grain size, local misorientation, and low-angle grain boundaries were studied. A 3-D finite element model (FEM) was developed to predict the effects of welding parameters on the holding time of the HAZ above the critical temperature of grain growth. It is found that the base metal is not fully recrystallized. During the welding, complete recrystallization is followed by severe grain growth. A decrease in the number of low-angle grain boundaries is observed within the HAZ. FEM results show that the final state of residual strains is caused by competition between welding plastic strains and their release by recrystallization. Still, the decisive factor for grain growth is heat input.