Fast in-situ annealing stage coupled with EBSD: A suitable tool to observe quick recrystallization mechanisms

International audienceA heating stage has been developed to perform in-situ annealing in a SEM equipped with an EBSD system in order to study recrystallization mechanisms. High temperature treatments could then be performed inside the SEM, up to 1180 °C and with high heating and cooling rates (~ 100 °C s− 1). Samples were cooled down to room temperature to perform EBSD orientation mapping in between successive short-duration heat treatments. Microstructure evolution snapshots obtained this way allow gaining an insight into recrystallization mechanisms. The interest of such experiments is shown for two examples: static recrystallization of cold deformed pure tantalum and post‐dynamic evolution of hot-deformed Zircaloy4

Cu-Au type orderings in the staggered quadrupolar region of the fcc Blume Emery Griffiths model

The spin-1 Ising (BEG) model has been simulated using a cellular automaton (CA) algorithm improved from the Creutz cellular automaton (CCA) for a face-centered cubic (fcc) lattice. The ground state diagram ($k$, $d$) of the fcc BEG model has ferromagnetic ($F$), quadrupolar ($Q$) and staggered quadrupolar ($SQ$) ordering regions. The simulations have been made in the staggered quadrupolar region for the parameter values in the intervals $-24\leq d=D/J<0$ and $-3\leq k=K/J\leq 0$ . The phase diagrams on the ($kT_{C}/J$, $d$) and the ($kT_{C}/J$, $k$) planes have been obtained through $k=-3$ and $d=-4$ lines, respectively. The staggered quadrupolar ordering region separates into five ordering regions ($A_{3}B(a)$, $A_{3}B(f)$, $AB$ (type-I), $AB$(type-II) and $AB_{3}(f)$) which have the different stoichiometric Cu-Au type structures.Comment: 24 pages, 11 figure

Evolution of microstructure and twin density during thermomechanical processing in a γ-γ' nickel-based superalloy

International audienceMicrostructure evolution has been studied in the nickel-based superalloy PER®72 subjected to hot torsion, to annealing below the primary γ' solvus temperature and to annealing at a supersolvus temperature, with a special emphasis on grain size and twin content. Dynamic abnormal grain growth occurs before the onset of dynamic recrystallization. The resulting bimodal grain size distribution affects the grain-coarsening kinetics at the supersolvus temperature, so that the final microstructures depend on the former straining stages. As a consequence, the twin content does not follow a univocal relationship with the average grain size. The grain boundary velocity history before reaching the final grain size is a contributing factor, and this is notably related to the initial grain size distribution width. Dynamically recrystallized microstructures are by nature more homogeneous and thus give rise to lower rates in supersolvus grain coarsening, and accordingly lead to relatively lower twin densities

Atomistic Modeling of Semiconductors: Si, C, and 3C-SiC

An ongoing task of the Computational Materials Group (CMG) at the NASA Glenn Research Center is to enhance the role of atomistic simulations based on quantum-approximate methods in the study of new materials and their properties. One of the main goals of the activity continues to be breaching limitations that arise from the natural balance between accuracy, range of application, and computational simplicity. Whether that balance can be maintained while breaking new ground depends on the methods available with a minimum of constraints and limitations for the study of the energetics of arbitrary systems. The main tool used in CMG research, the Bozzolo- Ferrante-Smith (BFS) method for alloys, has no inherent constraint in its formulation, a feature that has allowed for successful research on various topics. In this article, we report on the latest development of the CMG program, namely, the extension and application of the BFS method to compound semiconductors, a departure from our previous research based primarily on metallic alloys

Alloy Interface Interdiffusion Modeled

With renewed interest in developing nuclear-powered deep space probes, attention will return to improving the metallurgical processing of potential nuclear fuels so that they remain dimensionally stable over the years required for a successful mission. Previous work on fuel alloys at the NASA Glenn Research Center was primarily empirical, with virtually no continuing research. Even when empirical studies are exacting, they often fail to provide enough insight to guide future research efforts. In addition, from a fundamental theoretical standpoint, the actinide metals (which include materials used for nuclear fuels) pose a severe challenge to modern electronic-structure theory. Recent advances in quantum approximate atomistic modeling, coupled with first-principles derivation of needed input parameters, can help researchers develop new alloys for nuclear propulsion

Strain induced abnormal grain growth in nickel base superalloys

International audienceUnder certain circumstances abnormal grain growth occurs in Nickel base superalloys during thermomechanical forming. Second phase particles are involved in the phenomenon, since they obviously do not hinder the motion of some boundaries, but the key parameter is here the stored energy difference between adjacent grains. It induces an additional driving force for grain boundary migration that may be large enough to overcome the Zener pinning pressure. In addition, the abnormal grains have a high density of twins, which is likely due to the increased growth rate

EBSD coupled to SEM in situ annealing for assessing recrystallization and grain growth mechanisms in pure tantalum

International audienceAn in situ annealing stage has been developed in-house and integrated in the chamber of a Scanning Electron Microscope equipped with an Electron BackScattered Diffraction system. Based on the Joule effect, this device can reach the temperature of 1200°C at heating rates up to 100°C/s, avoiding microstructural evolutions during heating. A high-purity tantalum deformed sample has been annealed at variable temperature in the range 750°C-1030°C, and classical mechanisms of microstructural evolutions such as recrystallization and grain coarsening phenomena have been observed. Quantitative measurements of grain growth rates provide an estimate of the mean grain boundary mobility, which is consistent with the value estimated from physical parameters reported for that material. In situ annealing therefore appears to be suited for complementing bulk measurements at relatively high temperatures, in the context of recrystallization and grain growth in such a single-phase material

Effect of grain orientation on the development of dislocation substructures during cold-deformation of pure Tantalum. Link with static recrystallization and recovery.

International audienceRecrystallization and recovery of pure polycrystalline tantalum are highly influenced by the intragranular dislocation structure developed during plastic deformation. A tantalum oligocrystal has been deformed by compression at room temperature. The resulting intragranular dislocation structures have been characterized using a FEG scanning electron microscope coupled with an EBSD system. Based on these experimental observations and crystal plasticity simulations, the development of dislocation substructures is related to the crystallographic stability of grain orientations

Mesures des hétérogénéités de déformation du tantale déformé à froid et conséquences sur la recristallisation

National audienceLa recristallisation statique du tantale est fortement dépendante de la microstructure engendrée lors de la mise en forme. Des échantillons présentant de faibles taux de déformation ont été obtenus par des essais mécaniques simples de torsion et de compression. Leur observation par microscopie électronique à balayage ainsi que la réalisation de cartographies d'orientation par EBSD, associées à des traitements thermiques in situ, ont permis de montrer qu'un grain avec un facteur de Taylor élevé recristallisait plus vite. Par ailleurs, une méthode « globale » d'évaluation de la densité de dislocations à partir de mesures de dureté a été mise en place. Elle permet d'estimer l'énergie stockée par le matériau lors de sa déformation, énergie qui peut ensuite être reliée au déclenchement de la recristallisation. Cette approche est particulièrement intéressante pour des échantillons déformés sévèrement suivant un chemin de déformation complexe, pour lesquels le calcul des facteurs de Taylor à partir d'une microstructure déformée revêt moins de sens

Understanding and modeling of gain boundary pinning in Inconel718

International audienceThe microstructure stability during d sub-solvus annealing was investigated in Inconel 718 alloy. A reference dynamically recrystallized microstructure was produced through thermomechanical processing (torsion). The reference microstructure evolution during annealing was analyzed by EBSD (grain size, intragranular misorientation) and SEM ( phase particles). Results con rm that, in the absence of stored energy, the grain structure is controlled by the phase particles, as predicted by the Zener equation. If the reference microstructure is strained (e < 0:1) before annealing, then stored energy gradients between grains will induce selective grain growth leading to coarsening. The phenomenon is controlled by the balance of three forces (acting on boundaries migration) having the same order of magnitude: capillarity, stored-energy and pinning forces. All these forces could be modeled in a single framework by the level set method. The rst numerical results demonstrate the capability of the method to simulate 2D Zener pinning. The aim of this paper is to investigate the influence of the distribution of d phase particles and deformation stored energyon the microstructure stability during d sub-solvus annealing