Volume 112, Issue 10

Thermophysical properties of the γ-TiAl alloy Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Ni in the liquid phase were investigated with a containerless electromagnetic processing device on board the International Space Station. Containerless processing is warranted by the high liquidus temperature T liq = 1 776 K and the high dissolution reactivity in the liquid phase. Thermophysical properties investigated include the surface tension and viscosity, density, specific heat capacity and the electrical resistivity. The experiments were supported by magnetohydrodynamic fluid flow calculations. The Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Ni alloy could be stably processed over extended times in the stable and undercooled liquid phase and exhibited an exceptional degree of undercooling before solidification. Experimental processes and thermophysical properties so obtained will be described. The experiments demonstrate the broad experimental capabilities of the electromagnetic processing facility on the International Space Station for thermophysical investigations in the liquid phase of metallic alloys not achievable by other methods.

The Al–Si alloys exhibit many unique properties, but not enough work has been dedicated to their thermophysical properties. In this work, the effect of phosphorus modifier on the density, molar volume and solidification shrinkage rate of Al-25% Si alloys was investigated by using the indirect Archimedes method. The results show that both density–temperature and molar volume–temperature curves show three inflection points: the liquidus temperature point, the eutectic transformation starting point and the finishing point. The density of the solidus linearly decreases and that of the liquidus linearly increases with phosphorus modifier content. Compared with Vegard’s law, the molar volumes show a negative deviation. Finally, the solidification shrinkage rate is calculated from the densities of solidus and liquidus.

The present study investigated anisotropy in tensile behavior of an extruded Mg-4.50Zn-1.13Ca (wt.%) alloy through tensile testing along different tilt angles relative to the extrusion direction. Results showed that the as-extruded Mg-4.50Zn-1.13Ca (wt.%) alloy exhibited anisotropy in tensile behavior due to the formation of basal texture. Basal slip, prismatic slip and tensile twinning were the dominant deformation modes depending on the tensile direction. Prismatic slip was the dominant deformation mode for samples with small tilt angle ( θ = 0° and 22.5°). Basal slip was activated when the tilt angle was increased, which also resulted in the decrease of yield strength. Tensile twinning was responsible for the yielding of the samples with high tilt angles ( θ = 67.5° and 90°). The ductility was significantly reduced at high tilt angle, which was mainly attributed to the appearance of tensile twinning during tensile deformation.

The purpose of the investigation was to obtain the predictive regression models that help correct the calculation of the mechanical properties of single crystal nickel-based superalloys without conducting prior experiments. The paper considers the influence of alloying elements on their tendency to form phases in foundry nickel-based superalloys. Using the elements influence on the phase formation, the coefficient K c’ of the ratio of alloying elements for this class of alloys was set for the first time. We have revealed the short correlation of the ratio K c’ with the dimensional misfit of γ and γ’ crystal lattices. Also, a high probability to predict the misfit for multicomponent nickel systems is shown, which significantly affected the strength properties. The regression models of correlation dependencies on the dimensional γ/γ’- misfit were offered to predict the short-term and long-term limits of the strength of alloys. We determined the operating temperature at which the misfit value should decrease to zero. The structure stability should increase because of the structural stresses minimizing. This has a positive effect on strength and plastic properties.

Three steels were designed based on HSLA-100 with additional levels of Mn, Ni, Cr and Cu. The steels were prepared by controlled rolling and tempered at temperatures in range of 550–700°C. The continuous cooling time curves were shifted to longer times and lower temperatures with the increased tendency for the formation of martensite at lower cooling rates. The microstructures revealed that controlled rolling results in austenite with uniform fine grain structure. The steel with the highest amount of Mn showed the greatest strength after tempering at 750 °C. The top strength was attributed to the formation of Cu-rich particles. The steel with 1.03 wt.% Mn, tempered at 650 °C exhibited the best Charpy impact toughness at –85°C. On the other hand, the steel that contained 2.11 wt.% Mn and tempered at 700 °C showed the highest yield strength of 1 097.5 MPa (∼159 ksi) and an impact toughness of 41.6 J at –85°C.

Well-dispersed cerium-doped Y 2 SiO 5 (Ce:YSO) phosphor particles with spherical morphology and good luminescence intensity have been achieved by a solvothermal method with ethanol and water as solvent media. X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, fluorescence spectrophotometry and transmission electron microscopy were employed to characterize the as-synthesized Ce:YSO precursor and powders. The results showed that pure-phase Ce:YSO powders with a mean particle size of about 162 nm were accurately available at 310°C and above. The fluorescence ability and persistent luminescence decay properties of the Ce:YSO powders were also studied, and the excellent fluorescence properties could be attributed to the homogeneous Ce:YSO particles obtained through the solvothermal method.

In this study, the influence of the synthesis parameters on the microstructural properties of nanoparticles of magnesium oxide coated with carbon was investigated. The nanostructures were produced in a one-step synthesis procedure, following a sol-gel method, and the effects of the molar ratio between magnesium nitrate and glucose, the temperature and the dripping time on the morphology of the nanostructures formed were analyzed. The results indicate that an increase in carbon concentration, synthesis temperature around 60 °C and 4 h of dripping time favor the formation of small agglomerates of nanoparticles with greater carbon coating homogeneity. In general, high synthesis temperatures favor the kinetic aspects of crystallization and produce nanostructures with a larger crystallite size. On the other hand, altering the dripping time was not efficient in changing the morphology of the nanostructures obtained. In addition, increasing the carbon concentration favors the formation of structures with small surface area and pore volume.

As two important industrial manufacturing materials, titanium alloys and stainless steel have their own advantages and disadvantages in terms of physical, chemical, and mechanical properties. The field of materials manufacturing has witnessed efforts to develop technical processes that can properly combine these two alloy types, aiming to effectively use their respective advantages. The welding technology for Ti alloy and stainless steel, as a research topic with broad prospects, is comprehensively and deeply analyzed in this review. The current research progress in this field was analyzed from different process perspectives such as fusion welding, brazing, diffusion welding, friction welding, explosive welding and vacuum hot-rolling welding. The results of the review showed that the greatest challenges of fusion welding are low ductility of the material, high residual stress, high cooling rate, and the formation of numerous brittle Ti-Fe intermetallics. By using appropriate intermediate materials between these two materials, the residual stress and brittle intermetallics near the interface of the transition joint can be minimised by solving the thermal expansion mismatch, reducing the bonding temperature and pressure, and suppressing the diffusion of elements such as Ti and Fe.