Dynamic and Postdeformation Recrystallization of Nuclear-Grade 316LN Stainless Steel

Nuclear-grade 316LN stainless steel was subjected to single and double compressions at 1173–1473 K and strain rates of 0.01–10 s⁻¹. The dynamic and postdeformation recrystallization was investigated through analysis of the stress–strain curves and microstructure evolution. The thermal deformation equation and the quantitative relationships between the critical stress for the initiation of dynamic recrystallization and the Zener–Hollomon parameter, Z, and between the dynamic recrystallization grain size D and Z were derived. Dynamic recrystallization developed through an ordinary mechanism at low Z values and through a necklace mechanism at high Z values, with a critical Z value of about 3.6 10¹⁶ . At 1273–1473 K, softening of 316LN stainless steel after deformation was characterized by an Avrami-type equation, where the Avrami parameter, n, has no appreciable temperature dependence, and an average value of n and the activation energy, Qrex , were 0.68 and 129 kJ/mol, respectively.Нержавеющая сталь 316LN ядерного класса подвергалась одно- и двукратному сжатию при 1173...1473 К и скорости деформации 0,01...10 с⁻¹. Динамическая и постдеформационная рекристаллизация изучалась с помощью анализа зависимости деформации от напряжения и развития микроструктуры. Были выведены уравнение тепловой деформации и количественные зависимости между критическим напряжением инициирования динамической рекристаллизации и параметром Зенера Холломона Z, а также между размером зерна D при динамической рекристаллизации и Z. Динамическая рекристаллизация развивалась по обычному механизму при низких значениях Z и по механизму ожерелья при высоких значениях Z, при критическом значении Z примерно 3 6 10¹⁶. При 1273...1473 К разупрочнение нержавеющей стали 316LN после деформирования описывается уравнением Аврами, где параметр Аврами n не проявляет выраженной температурной зависимости, а его среднее значение и энергия активации Qrex составляют 0,68 и 129 кДж/моль соответственно

Gold slows down the growth of helium bubble in iron

We predict by first-principles calculations that Au have strong affinity to He in bcc Fe. The Au-Au bonding in the segregated Au layer at the He bubble surface is stronger than Fe-Fe and Au-Fe interactions; therefore this layer becomes an effective barrier to further He and slows down the bubble growth.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, 1 tabl

Carbonaceous nanomaterial reinforced Ti-6Al-4V matrix composites: Properties, interfacial structures and strengthening mechanisms

For conventional titanium matrix composites (TiMCs), there is always a trade-off issue between enhanced strength and ductility of these materials. In this study, we explore a new design methodology by reinforcing titanium alloy matrix with carbonaceous nanomaterials and investigate the mechanisms for achieving a good balance of their strength and ductility. The TiMCs were synthesized through a low-cost powder metallurgy route using pre-mixed Ti-6Al-4V (TC4) powders and various carbon based nanofillers, including graphite powders (GPs), graphene oxide nanosheets (GONs) and graphene nanoplates (GNPs), and were further rolled at a temperature of 1173 K with a deformation of 66.7%. Among these three types of carbon reinforcing sources, the GNPs are more easily reacted with TC4 matrix and form more contents of TiC phases after sintering owing to their larger amounts of defects than those of the GPs and GONs. TiC products are identified to play a bridging role for not only connecting the TC4 matrix but also forming coherent interfaces with the TC4 matrix, thus facilitating a strong interfacial bonding of the composites. The as-rolled GNPs/TC4 composites exhibit a 0.2% yield strength of 1146.36 MPa (with an elongation of ∼8.1%), which is 24.6%, 9.22% and 5.62% higher than those of pure TC4, GPs/TC4 and GONs/TC4 composites. The GNPs/TC4 nanocomposites show a better balance of strength and ductility than those of the other two types of nanocomposites. The synergetic strengthening mechanisms are identified to be Orowan strengthening effect, effective load transfer capability of GNPs, and in-situ formation of interfacial TiC structures, which provide optimum interfacial microstructures to achieve good mechanical properties of the TiMCs

Analysis of Gas Nitriding Characteristics under Different Cold Hardening and Nitriding Pressure Conditions for Low-Carbon Low-Alloy Steel

A new approach to quick preparation of a nitrided case for low-carbon low-alloy steels was proposed. It is based on cold hardening and pressurized gas nitriding. The microstructure, surface hardness, thickness, and corrosion resistance of the nitrided layer on low-carbon low-alloy steel (20CrMnTi) were investigated after the nitriding at 510°C for 5 h under different cold rolling reduction (0–60% CR) and nitriding pressure (1–5 atm).Предложен новый способ получения азотированного слоя на малоуглеродистых низколегированных сталях с использованием холодного деформирования и газового азотирования давлением. Изучены микроструктура, поверхностная твердость, толщина и коррозионная стойкость азотированного слоя на стали 20CrMnTi после азотирования при 510°С в течение 5 ч в различных условиях обжатия при холодной прокатке (0-60% СR) и давлении азотирования (1-5 атм)

Interface engineering of graphene/copper matrix composites decorated with tungsten carbide for enhanced physico-mechanical properties

For metal matrix composites (MMCs), introduction of low-dimensional nano-carbon materials (NCMs) into three dimensional metallic matrix is commonly applied to enhance mechanical and physical properties of metals and thus significantly extend their wide range applications. However, the interfaces between the NCMs and metal matrix are always a major issue for achieving the best enhancement effects. In this paper, we investigated interfacial structures of graphene nanoplates (GNPs) reinforced Cu matrix composites fabricated using a simple and industrially scalable strategy, through integration of interface engineering design methodology and a spark plasma sintering (SPS) process. We then systematically evaluated their physico-mechanical properties, interfacial characteristics and strengthening mechanisms. The in-situ formed WxCy nano-layers and carbide nanoparticles on the surfaces of GNPs and near the interfaces of Cu grains promote strong interfacial bonding and improves the cohesive strength of Cu based nanocomposites. The GNPs-W/Cu composites show a good balance between strength and electrical conductivity. Their 0.2% yield strength and ultimate tensile strength have been improved up to 239.13% (112.73%) and 197.76% (72.51%), respectively, when compared with those of pure copper (or GNPs/Cu composites). Electrical conductivity of GNPs-W/Cu composites shows no apparent changes after the addition of the GNPs. The dislocation strengthening, refinement strengthening and load transfer strengthening were achieved simultaneously through the engineered interfaces in GNPs-W/Cu matrix composites. This work has provided a new strategy to fabricate high-performance NCMs enhanced MMCs by using the interface engineering methodology

The Random Quadratic Assignment Problem

Optimal assignment of classes to classrooms \cite{dickey}, design of DNA microarrays \cite{carvalho}, cross species gene analysis \cite{kolar}, creation of hospital layouts cite{elshafei}, and assignment of components to locations on circuit boards \cite{steinberg} are a few of the many problems which have been formulated as a quadratic assignment problem (QAP). Originally formulated in 1957, the QAP is one of the most difficult of all combinatorial optimization problems. Here, we use statistical mechanical methods to study the asymptotic behavior of problems in which the entries of at least one of the two matrices that specify the problem are chosen from a random distribution $P$. Surprisingly, this case has not been studied before using statistical methods despite the fact that the QAP was first proposed over 50 years ago \cite{Koopmans}. We find simple forms for $C_{\rm min}$ and $C_{\rm max}$, the costs of the minimal and maximum solutions respectively. Notable features of our results are the symmetry of the results for $C_{\rm min}$ and $C_{\rm max}$ and the dependence on $P$ only through its mean and standard deviation, independent of the details of $P$. After the asymptotic cost is determined for a given QAP problem, one can straightforwardly calculate the asymptotic cost of a QAP problem specified with a different random distribution $P$

Production and Decay of D_1(2420)^0 and D_2^*(2460)^0

We have investigated $D^{+}\pi^{-}$ and $D^{*+}\pi^{-}$ final states and observed the two established $L=1$ charmed mesons, the $D_1(2420)^0$ with mass $2421^{+1+2}_{-2-2}$ MeV/c$^{2}$ and width $20^{+6+3}_{-5-3}$ MeV/c$^{2}$ and the $D_2^*(2460)^0$ with mass $2465 \pm 3 \pm 3$ MeV/c$^{2}$ and width $28^{+8+6}_{-7-6}$ MeV/c$^{2}$. Properties of these final states, including their decay angular distributions and spin-parity assignments, have been studied. We identify these two mesons as the $j_{light}=3/2$ doublet predicted by HQET. We also obtain constraints on {\footnotesize $\Gamma_S/(\Gamma_S + \Gamma_D)$} as a function of the cosine of the relative phase of the two amplitudes in the $D_1(2420)^0$ decay.Comment: 15 pages in REVTEX format. hardcopies with figures can be obtained by sending mail to: [email protected]

Measurement of the branching fraction for Υ(1S)→τ+τ−\Upsilon (1S) \to \tau^+ \tau^-

We have studied the leptonic decay of the $\Upsilon (1S)$ resonance into tau pairs using the CLEO II detector. A clean sample of tau pair events is identified via events containing two charged particles where exactly one of the particles is an identified electron. We find $B(\Upsilon(1S) \to \tau^+ \tau^-) = (2.61~\pm~0.12~{+0.09\atop{-0.13}})$. The result is consistent with expectations from lepton universality.Comment: 9 pages, RevTeX, two Postscript figures available upon request, CLNS 94/1297, CLEO 94-20 (submitted to Physics Letters B