Electrical Resistivity and Positron Lifetime Studies of Precipitation Effects in Al-Cu-Based Alloys

The improved workability of the commercial automatic machine designed alloy Al-Cu-Bi-Pb is guaranteed by the presence of Pb. Nevertheless, the toxic element Pb reduces some of the alloy properties. Therefore new Pb-free machinable Al-based alloys are developed. The Al-Cu-Bi-Sn alloy belongs to these non-traditional materials. The contribution deals with the investigation of precipitation effects in Al-Cu-Bi-Sn alloy during step-by-step isochronal annealing up to 500°C after previous solution heat treatment by means of positron annihilation spectroscopy completed with electrical resistivity measurements and results of independent transmission electron microscopy studies. The used combination of experimental methods gives the possibility to detect separately the redistribution of Sn and Cu atoms in the matrix and to study the influence of vacancies on this process

Creep behaviour of the creep resistant MgY3Nd2Zn1Mn1 alloy

Creep, microstructure and failure of the squeeze cast MgY3Nd2Zn1Mn1 alloy were investigated. The tensile creep tests were performed at 300 °C and constant load in the stress range 30-80 MPa. The minimum creep rate εmin, as a function of the stress, follows a power law with the exponent n = 5.9 at 30-70 MPa. The time to fracture tf is also a power function of the stress with an exponent m = -4.4. The modified Monkman-Grant relation is valid. Microstructure development during creep exposure of the MgY3Nd2Zn1Mn1 alloy suggests the low stacking fault energy as the main creep controlling factor. The alloy is superior to the WE43 alloy both in time to fracture and in the minimum creep rate about one and two orders of magnitude, respectively. Both the mean value of the modified Monkman-Grant constant and its scatter correspond to the model of constrained growth of cavities along dendrite boundaries

Cavitation and grain boundary sliding during creep of Mg-Y-Nd-Zn-Mn alloy

Creep of squeeze-cast Mg-3Y-2Nd-1Zn-1Mn alloy was investigated at the constant load in the stress range of 30–80 MPa. Tensile creep tests were performed at 300 °C up to the final fracture. Several tests at 50 MPa were interrupted after reaching the steady state creep; and another set of creep tests was interrupted after the onset of ternary creep. Fraction of cavitated dendritic boundaries was evaluated using optical microscopy. Measurement of grain boundary sliding by observation of the offset of marker lines was carried out on the surface of the crept specimens after the test interruption by scanning electron microscopy and by confocal laser scanning microscopy. The results show that the dominant creep mechanism in this alloy is dislocation creep with minor contribution of the grain boundary sliding. Creep failure took place by the nucleation, growth and coalescence of creep cavities on the boundaries predominantly oriented perpendicular to the applied stress. Increasing amount of cavitated boundaries with time of creep exposure supports the mechanism of continuous cavity nucleation and growth

Defects in Ultra-Fine Grained Mg and Mg-Based Alloys Prepared by High Pressure Torsion Studied by Positron Annihilation

Despite the favourable strength and thermal stability, a disadvantage of the Mg-based alloys consists in a low ductility. Recently it has been demonstrated that ultra fine grained metals with grain size around 100 nm can be produced by high pressure torsion. A number of ultra fine grained metals exhibit favourable mechanical properties consisting in a combination of a very high strength and a significant ductility. For this reason, it is highly interesting to examine microstructure and physical properties of ultra fine grained Mg-based light alloys. Following this purpose, microstructure investigations and defect studies of ultra fine grained pure Mg and ultra fine grained Mg-10%Gd alloy prepared by high pressure torsion were performed in the present work using positron annihilation spectroscopy combined with X-ray diffraction, TEM observations, and microhardness measurements. Positrons are trapped at dislocations in Mg and Mg-10%Gd alloy deformed by high pressure torsion. A number of dislocations increases with the radial distance r from the centre to the margin of the sample. No microvoids (small vacancy clusters) were detected. Mg-10%Gd alloy deformed by high pressure torsion exhibits a homogeneous ultra fine grained structure with a grain size around 100 nm and high dislocations density. On the other hand, pure Mg deformed by high pressure torsion exhibits a binomial type of structure which consists of "deformed regions" with ultra fine grained structure and a high dislocation density and dislocation-free "recovered regions" with large grains. It indicates a dynamic recovery of microstructure during high pressure torsion processing

Microstructure, Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Non-Isothermally Annealed Al-Sc-Zr and Al-Mn-Sc-Zr Alloys Prepared by Powder Metallurgy

This paper reports results of a study aimed at understanding the precipitation processes occurring during the annealing of two Al-Sc-Zr-based alloys with and without Mn prepared by powder metallurgy with subsequent hot extrusion at 350°C. Samples were isochronally annealed up to ≈ 570°C. Precipitation behaviour was studied by electrical resistometry and differential scanning calorimetry. Mechanical properties were monitored by microhardness HV1 measurements. Transmission electron microscopy examinations and X-ray diffraction of specimens quenched from temperatures of significant resistivity changes helped to identify the microstructural processes responsible for these changes. Fine (sub)grain structure develops and fine coherent $Al_3Sc$ and/or $Al_3(Sc,Zr)$ particles precipitate during extrusion in both alloys. The distinct changes in resistivity (at temperatures above ≈ 330°C) of the Al-Mn-Sc-Zr alloy are mainly caused by precipitation of Mn-containing particles. The easier diffusion of Mn atoms along the (sub)grain boundaries is responsible for the precipitation of the $Al_6Mn$ and/or $Al_6(Mn,Fe)$ particles at relatively lower temperatures compared to the temperature range of precipitation of these particles in the classical mould-cast Al-Mn-Sc-Zr alloys The apparent activation energy for precipitation of the $Al_3Sc$ and $Al_6Mn$ particles in the Al-Mn-Sc-Zr alloy was determined as (106 ± 10) kJ $mol^{-1}$ and (152 ± 33) kJ $mol^{-1}$, respectively

Microstructure, Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Non-Isothermally Annealed Al-Sc-Zr and Al-Mn-Sc-Zr Alloys Prepared by Powder Metallurgy

This paper reports results of a study aimed at understanding the precipitation processes occurring during the annealing of two Al-Sc-Zr-based alloys with and without Mn prepared by powder metallurgy with subsequent hot extrusion at 350°C. Samples were isochronally annealed up to ≈ 570°C. Precipitation behaviour was studied by electrical resistometry and differential scanning calorimetry. Mechanical properties were monitored by microhardness HV1 measurements. Transmission electron microscopy examinations and X-ray diffraction of specimens quenched from temperatures of significant resistivity changes helped to identify the microstructural processes responsible for these changes. Fine (sub)grain structure develops and fine coherent $Al_3Sc$ and/or $Al_3(Sc,Zr)$ particles precipitate during extrusion in both alloys. The distinct changes in resistivity (at temperatures above ≈ 330°C) of the Al-Mn-Sc-Zr alloy are mainly caused by precipitation of Mn-containing particles. The easier diffusion of Mn atoms along the (sub)grain boundaries is responsible for the precipitation of the $Al_6Mn$ and/or $Al_6(Mn,Fe)$ particles at relatively lower temperatures compared to the temperature range of precipitation of these particles in the classical mould-cast Al-Mn-Sc-Zr alloys The apparent activation energy for precipitation of the $Al_3Sc$ and $Al_6Mn$ particles in the Al-Mn-Sc-Zr alloy was determined as (106 ± 10) kJ $mol^{-1}$ and (152 ± 33) kJ $mol^{-1}$, respectively

Ultra Fine-Grained Metals Prepared by Severe Plastic Deformation: A Positron Annihilation Study

Recent investigations of ultra fine-grained metals (Cu, Fe, Ni) performed within a Prague-Rossendorf-Ufa collaboration will be reviewed. The specimens were prepared by severe plastic deformation: the high-pressure torsion and equal channel angular pressing. Positron annihilation spectroscopy was used as the main method including (i) the conventional lifetime and the Doppler broadening measurements with $\text{}^{22}$Na and (ii) the slow-positron implantation spectroscopy with the Doppler broadening measurement. Other methods were also involved: transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and microhardness. First, the mean grain size was determined and defects were identified in the as-deformed materials. Defects concentration and spatial distribution were studied in detail. Dislocations situated in distorted regions along grain boundaries, and a few-vacancy clusters distributed homogeneously inside dislocations-free grains, were observed in the ultra fine-grained Cu, Fe, and Ni. Subsequently, the thermal evolution of the ultra fine-grained structures during isochronal annealing was studied