Investigation of Electroplastic Effect on Four Grades of Duplex Stainless Steels

Since the late 1950s, an effect of electrical current in addition to joule heating on the deformation of metals called the Electroplastic Effect (EPE) has been known. It is used nowadays in the so-called Electrically Assisted Forming (EAF) processes, but the understanding of the phenomenon is not very clear yet. It has been found that EPE increases the formability of high stacking fault energy (SFE) materials, while low SFE materials reach fracture prematurely. Since Duplex Stainless Steels (DSSs) possess a microstructure consisting of two phases with very different SFE (low SFE austenite and high SFE ferrite) and they are widely used in industry, we investigated EPE on those alloys. Tensile tests at 5 A/mm2, 10 A/mm2 and 15 A/mm2 current densities along with thermal counterparts were conducted on UNS S32101, UNS S32205, UNS S32304 and UNS S32750. The DSS grades were characterized by means of optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction and their mechanical properties (ultimate tensile strength, total elongation, uniform elongation and yield stress). An increase in uniform elongation for the electrical tests compared to the thermal counterparts as well as an increase in total elongation was found. No differences were observed on the yield stress and on the ultimate tensile strength. Un uneven distribution of the current because of the different resistivity and work hardening of the two phases has been hypothesized as the explanation for the positive effect of EPE

Studio granulometrico mediante Image Analysis (I.A.) delle sabbie tardo quaternarie del cordone litoraneo della laguna di Venezia

Vengono riportate le analisi granulometnche, ottenute mediante l'analizzatore d'immagini (I.A.) , di 140 campioni di sabbia, prelevati da 18 sondaggi a carotaggio continuo terebrati lungo il cordone litorale veneziano. Queste analisi sono state eseguite per contribuire allo studio sedimentologico dei terreni incoerenti con lo scopo, unitamente ad altre indagini multidisciplinari, di ricostruire le varie fasi evolutive tardo pleistoceniche ed oloceniche dell 'area litorale veneziana. L'utilizzo dell 'I.A. e' nato dall 'esigenza di determinare le variazioni della granulometria di campioni rappresentati da livelli sabbiosi a volte molto sottili e spesso con quantita' minime di materiale a disposizione, sui quali successivamente o contemporaneamente dovevano essere eseguite altre indagini mineralogiche e geochimiche. L'I.A., oltre ad offrirei queste possibilita', ha anche permesso la determinazione di altri paramentri morfologici quali il grado di allungamento e di arrotondamento di ogni grano di sabbia, non ottenibile con il metodo di setacciatura tradizionale. L'analisi granulometrica delle sabbie eseguito con l 'LA. non solo ci fornisce dati paragonabili a quelli ottenibili con i metodi tradizionali, ma presenta anche il vantaggio di poter essere eseguito congiuntamente allo studio mineralogico e chimico effettuato mediante un microscopio elettronico a scansione (SEM) o una microsonda elettronica (EMP)

Microstructural and Corrosion Properties of Cold Rolled Laser Welded UNS S32750 Duplex Stainless Steel

The main goal of this work was to study the effect of plastic deformation on weldability of duplex stainless steel (DSS). It is well known that plastic deformation prior to thermal cycles can enhance secondary phase precipitation in DSS which can lead to significant change of the ferrite-austenite phase ratio. From this point of view one of the most important phase transformation in DSS is the eutectoid decomposition of ferrite. Duplex stainless steels (DSSs) are a category of stainless steels which are employed in all kinds of applications where high strength and excellent corrosion resistance are both required. This favorable combination of properties is provided by their biphasic microstructure, consisting of ferrite and austenite in approximately equal volume fractions. Nevertheless, these materials may suffer from several microstructural transformations if they undergo heat treatments, welding processes or thermal cycles. These transformations modify the balanced phase ratio, compromising the corrosion and mechanical properties of the material. In this paper, the microstructural stability as a consequence of heat history due to welding processes has been investigated for a super duplex stainless steel (SDSS) UNS S32750. During this work, the effects of laser beam welding on cold rolled UNS S32750 SDSS have been investigated. Samples have been cold rolled at different thickness reduction (\u3b5 = 9.6%, 21.1%, 29.6%, 39.4%, 49.5%, and 60.3%) and then welded using Nd:YAG laser. Optical and electronical microscopy, eddy\u2019s current tests, microhardness tests, and critical pitting temperature tests have been performed on the welded samples to analyze the microstructure, ferrite content, hardness, and corrosion resistance. Results show that laser welded joints had a strongly unbalanced microstructure, mostly consisting of ferritic phase (~60%). Ferrite content decreases with increasing distance from the middle of the joint. The heat-affected zone (HAZ) was almost undetectable and no defects or secondary phases have been observed. Both hardness and corrosion susceptibility of the joints increase. Plastic deformation had no effects on microstructure, hardness or corrosion resistance of the joints, but resulted in higher hardness of the base material. Cold rolling process instead, influences the corrosion resistance of the base material

Influence of Electropulsing Treatments on Mechanical Properties of UNS S32750 Duplex Stainless Steel

Prestrained at 5% and 15% duplex stainless steel UNS S32750 specimens have been subjected to electropulsing treatments with current density of 100 A/mm2 and 200 A/mm2 and 100 and 500 pulses for each current density value. Corrosion tests, X-ray diffraction, microhardness and residual stresses were collected before and after the electropulsing treatments. Tensile tests were performed after the electropulsing treatments in order to compare the mechanical response to reference tensile tests performed before pulsing treatments. Increase in fracture strain was observed after pulsing treatment in comparison to the reference tensile tests. A decrease in microhardness was also observed after electropulsing treatments for both degrees of prestrain. Electropulsing treatment almost eliminates the work-hardened state in the 5% prestrained specimens while partially recovered the 15% prestrained material increasing both uniform and fracture strain. Bulk temperature of the samples remained the same for all treatments duration. The effect are to be addressed to a combined effect of increase in atomic flux due to the electrical current and local joule heating in correspondence of crystal defects. Electropulsing treatment applied to metallic alloys is a promising technique to reduce the work hardening state without the need of annealing treatments in a dedicated furnace

Microstructural and Corrosion Properties of Cold Rolled Laser Welded UNS S32750 Duplex Stainless Steel

The main goal of this work was to study the effect of plastic deformation on weldability of duplex stainless steel (DSS). It is well known that plastic deformation prior to thermal cycles can enhance secondary phase precipitation in DSS which can lead to significant change of the ferrite-austenite phase ratio. From this point of view one of the most important phase transformation in DSS is the eutectoid decomposition of ferrite. Duplex stainless steels (DSSs) are a category of stainless steels which are employed in all kinds of applications where high strength and excellent corrosion resistance are both required. This favorable combination of properties is provided by their biphasic microstructure, consisting of ferrite and austenite in approximately equal volume fractions. Nevertheless, these materials may suffer from several microstructural transformations if they undergo heat treatments, welding processes or thermal cycles. These transformations modify the balanced phase ratio, compromising the corrosion and mechanical properties of the material. In this paper, the microstructural stability as a consequence of heat history due to welding processes has been investigated for a super duplex stainless steel (SDSS) UNS S32750. During this work, the effects of laser beam welding on cold rolled UNS S32750 SDSS have been investigated. Samples have been cold rolled at different thickness reduction (ε = 9.6%, 21.1%, 29.6%, 39.4%, 49.5%, and 60.3%) and then welded using Nd:YAG laser. Optical and electronical microscopy, eddy’s current tests, microhardness tests, and critical pitting temperature tests have been performed on the welded samples to analyze the microstructure, ferrite content, hardness, and corrosion resistance. Results show that laser welded joints had a strongly unbalanced microstructure, mostly consisting of ferritic phase (~60%). Ferrite content decreases with increasing distance from the middle of the joint. The heat-affected zone (HAZ) was almost undetectable and no defects or secondary phases have been observed. Both hardness and corrosion susceptibility of the joints increase. Plastic deformation had no effects on microstructure, hardness or corrosion resistance of the joints, but resulted in higher hardness of the base material. Cold rolling process instead, influences the corrosion resistance of the base material

Metallurgical and Technological Investigation on Augustean Auxiliary Coins from Thraco-Moesia

The impressive amount of Augustean coins coming from the Thraco-Moesia area (classified in numismatic terms as “Limesfalsa”), raises some juridical and technical questions as to who were the issuing authorities and to the production techniques involved. In the present investigation a representative sampling of such coins, based on metallographic and chemical analysis, was compared on the basis of metallographic and chemical analysis to some regular coins coming from the mint of Rome. The main results can be summarized as follows:L’impressionnante quantité de monnaies augustéennes provenant de la région Thraco-Mésienne (appelées «Limesfalsa» en numismatique pose des questions juridiques et techniques comme : quelles étaient les autorités d’émission et quelles étaient les techniques de production employées

Precision measurements of Linear Scattering Density using Muon Tomography

We demonstrate that muon tomography can be used to precisely measure the properties of various materials. The materials which have been considered have been extracted from an experimental blast furnace, including carbon (coke) and iron oxides, for which measurements of the linear scattering density relative to the mass density have been performed with an absolute precision of 10%. We report the procedures that are used in order to obtain such precision, and a discussion is presented to address the expected performance of the technique when applied to heavier materials. The results we obtain do not depend on the specific type of material considered and therefore they can be extended to any application.Comment: 16 pages, 4 figure

Investigation on Solid-State Phase Transformations in a 2510 Duplex Stainless Steel Grade

Duplex and Super Duplex Stainless Steels are very prone to secondary phases formation related to ferrite decomposition at high temperatures. In the present paper the results on secondary phase precipitation in a 2510 Duplex Stainless Steel, heat-treated in the temperature range 850–1050 °C for 3–30 min are presented. The precipitation starts at grain boundaries with a consistent ferrite transformation for very short times. The noses of the Time–Temperature–Precipitation (TTP) curves are at 1000 °C for σ-phase and at 900 °C for χ-phase, respectively. The precipitation sequence involves a partial transformation of χ into σ, as previously evidenced in 2205 and 2507 grades. Furthermore, the experimental data were compared to the results of Thermo-Calc calculations. Understanding and ability to predict phase stability in 2510 duplex stainless steel is a key factor to design optimal welding processes that avoid any secondary phase precipitation in the weld bead as well as in the heat-affected zone

Analysis of micro-particles vacuumed from the Turin Shroud

Aim of the present analysis of particles, in the range of 3-30 m, vacuumed from the Turin Shroud, is to perform a classification and possibly to refer them to the environments in which, from historical information, it results that the Shroud was exposed. Grains of pollen, linen and cotton fibers, mites, spores and fungi, mineral particles and particles possibly coming from body fluids have been studied and the classification of some of these particles has been possible. The attention has been focalized to the pollen grains, to see if M. Frei’s results can be confirmed or not, without forgetting a more general view of the analysis with the aim to detect which kind of new information can useful for the Shroud studies. The main results are: pollen analysis seems in agreement with M. Frei’s results; there are few cotton fiber mixed with linen ones; many mineral particles are compatible with the Jerusalem soil