Features of change of V-4Ti-4Cr alloy hardness during microstructure evolution under severe plastic deformation

Features of changes of microhardness and nanohardness of V–4Ti–4Cr alloy at different stages of microstructure transformation during severe plastic deformations by torsion under pressure are presented. Microstructure features and mechanisms of its transformation affecting the hardness of studied alloy are discussed. Local temperature increase and activization of relaxation processes of nonequilibrium nanostructure states with high (hundreds of degrees/µm) elastic curvature of the crystal lattice are considered as main factors that define nonmonotonic character of changes in the microhardness at the stage of formation and evolution of the two-level structural states. In alloy under study at a value of true logarithmic deformation e ≥ 6.6 the formation of areas consisting of nanocrystals several nanometers in size with a high density of large-angle boundaries and elastic curvature of the crystal lattice hundreds of degrees/µm was found. Hardness of the material (Hnano ≈ E/16) differs little from its theoretical (limit) hardness

Stress fields and energy of disclination-type defects in zones of localized elastic distortions

This paper studies theoretically the elastically deformed state and analyzes deformation mechanisms in nanocrystals in the zones of localized elastic distortions and related disclination-type defects, such as dipole, quadrupole and multipole of partial disclinations. Significant differences in the energies of quadrupole and multipole configurations in comparison with nanodipole are revealed. The mechanism of deformation localization in the field of elastic distortions is proposed, which is a quasi-periodic sequence of formation and relaxation of various disclination ensembles with a periodic change in the energy of the defect

Theoretical analysis of features of dipole and quadrupole configurations of partial disclinations in nanocrystals of metals

The results of theoretical analysis of fields of local internal stresses and their gradients of nonequilibrium substructures in metal materials during the formation of nanostructural states in conditions of intensive deformation are presented. Possibility of use of disclinational approach within the continual theory of defects for description of the above mentioned states at nanoscale structural level is shown. Dipole and quadrupole configurations of wedge partial disclinations are considered. It's shown that the size of local internal stresses and their gradients can reach P ≈ E/50 and ∂P/∂x ≈ 0.02 nm-1 respectively. The calculating experiment demonstrates that high values of local internal stresses and their gradients in the field of elastic distortions can be described by multipole configurations of partial disclinations like dipole/quadrupole. The problem of the nanodipole configuration of partial disclinations and its disintegration on quadrupoles system is considered

Features of formation of nanocrystalline state in internal-oxidized V-Cr-Zr-W and V-Mo-Zr system alloys during deformation by torsion under pressure

The results of investigation of features of nanostructural state formed during deformation by torsion under pressure in high-strength vanadium V-Cr-Zr-W and V-Mo-Zr systems alloys are presented. It was found that after deformation at number of revolutions N = 1, samples are characterized by high anisotropy of defect and grain structure. Inside grains, limited by high-angle boundaries, the formation of two-level structure states was revealed: fragmentation of the above grains on nanofragments from 5 to 20 nm in size with a dipole nature of low-angle misorientations and high (hundreds of degrees per micron) elastic curvature of crystal lattice. Formation of the above structural states leads to a 3-fold increase in microhardness values. Further increase in deformation degree leads to fracture of samples of vanadium alloy V-Mo-Zr with a high volumetric content of fine-disperse oxide phase. At the same time V-Cr-Zr-W-system alloy with a lower concentration of Zr and, as a result, a lower volume fraction of fine particles remains ductile

Evolution of microstructure and microhardness of dispersion-hardened V-Cr-Zr-W alloy during deformation by torsion under pressure

Results of the study of the microstructural evolution and microhardness changes of dispersion-hardened V–Cr–Zr–W alloy under severe deformation during torsion on Bridgman anvils are presented. Typical structural states and mechanisms of their formation are revealed for basic evolution stages as well as appropriate microhardness values are determined. It was shown that at true logarithmic strain values (e) in the range 0.7 ≤ e 2, the anisotropic submicrocrystalline structure is observed and the formation of two-level nanostructural states was found within grains. In the strain range (e) from 3 to 6.6, submicrocrystal sizes hardly change, but changes of two-level nanostructural state parameters are observed: the nanofragment size decreases and values of elastic curvature of the crystal lattice increases

Microstructure and mechanical properties of V–Cr–Zr alloy with carbide and oxide strengthening

A comparative study of the effectiveness of carbide and oxide types of strengthening of V–Cr–Zr alloy was carried out by means of a comprehensive certification of structural-phase state parameters and measuring the mechanical properties characteristics. It has been shown that the use of chemical-heat treatment contributes to a significant increase in the thermal stability of the microstructure and mechanical properties of V–Cr–Zr alloy in comparison with carbide strengthening under the conditions of thermomechanical treatment. A controlled increase in the volume fraction of fine particles based on ZrO2, along with an increase in the concentration of oxygen in the solid solution, leads to a decrease in the rate of oxides coagulation and an increase in the thermal stability of high disperse heterophase structure. These effects contribute to the retention of high defect structural states with nonzero values of crystal lattice curvature even after high-temperature (0.67 Tmelt) anneals. The high efficiency of dispersion and substructural strengthening is a consequence of blocking dislocation slip by fine particles stabilized by oxygen in a solid solution

Nanostructural states in Nb-Al mechanocomposite after conbined deformation treatment

Nanostructural states were investigated, that were formed in Nb-Al system-based mechanocomposite after combined deformation treatment that includes mechanical activation in a planetary ball mill and subsequent consolidation by torsion under pressure on Bridgman anvils. The formation of the layered structure, consisting of Nb and Al nanobands with width from several to several tens of nanometers was revealed. The structural states with high elastic curvature of crystal lattice and high level of local internal stresses found in Nb and Al subgrains were investigated by transmission electron microscopy

Microstructure and mechanical properties of vanadium alloys after thermomechanical treatments

The results of investigation of dispersion strengthening effect on parameters of structural-phase states and characteristics of short-term strength and ductility of vanadium alloys of V–4Ti–4Cr, V–2.4Zr–0.25C, V–1.2Zr–8.8Cr and V–1.7Zr–4.2Cr–7.6W systems with different concentration of interstitial elements after optimized thermomechanical treatment mode were summarized. It was shown that for effective realization of dispersion strengthening by Orowan-type mechanism at least 25–50% of the initial volume fraction of coarse particles should be transformed into fine-disperse state and redistributed over the volume of material

Influence of temperature on microstructure parameters and microhardness of dispersion-hardened V–Cr–Zr–W alloy after deformation by torsion under pressure

Study of microstructure transformation and microhardness changes of dispersion-hardened V–Cr–Zr–W alloy after severe plastic deformation by torsion on Bridgman anvils and subsequent heat treatments was conducted. Basic stages of relaxation processes were revealed: at 800°C recovery processes take place and primary recrystallization begins; at 900°C primary recrystallization intensifies; in range of 950–1050°C collective recrystallization processes activate; at 1200°C secondary recrystallization starts. Microhardness measurement and comparison of its values with structural states features were conducted. Strengthening mechanisms and their contribution at various stages of defect substructure relaxation are discussed. It is shown that increase of thermal stability of V–Cr–Zr–W alloy microstructure is a consequence of the formation of high density of thermally stable Zr (O–N–C)-based nanoparticles