Fracture mechanism of Ni3Al alloys and their composites with ceramic particles at elevated temperatures

Ni₃Al alloys and their matrix composites reinforced with fine ceramic particles have been successfully fabricated by reactive hot-pressing. This paper investigates the embrittlement mechanism of these materials at intermediate temperatures using a mechanical fracturing technique, i.e. a single edge chevron-notched beam method with variation of loading rate. In the case of monolithic alloys, extrinsic embrittlement originating from diffusion of atomic oxygen into plastic deformation zone coincides with the inherent brittleness connected with deterioration of grain boundary cohesion and unique dislocation motion at 673–1073 K. Oxygen embrittlement predominates over other mechanisms at 673 K, because significant loading rate dependence of fracture toughness is observed in air. The fracture toughness of the alloys intrinsically decreases at 873–1073 K. However, the mechanical behavior of their matrix composites is quite different, depending on the kind of reinforcement particles. Although the composites with TiN particles have high strength and ductility, their fracture toughness decreases at intermediate temperatures, in a similar manner to the monolithic alloys. The fracture toughness of TiC particle reinforced composites is exceptionally constant between 300 and 900 K.     

Mechanical properties of aluminide matrix composites fabricated by reactive hot-pressing in several environments

The mechanical properties of Ni and Fe alminide matrix composites with low volume fraction of ceramic particles and fibers, fabricated by reactive hot-pressing, were evaluated. These composites reveal particular mechanical behaviors depending on characteristics of these matrix alloys. FeAl and Ni₃Al matrix composites with ceramic particles exhibit significant loading rate dependence of toughness due to the moisture induced environmental embrittlement at ambient temperatures. The ultimate strength of the composites with ceramic continuous fibers, which exhibit the multiple fracture of fibers prior to the matrix cracking, also depends on the environmental embrittlement. Although the ductility and toughness of these composites at ambient temperatures is improved by the B doping, those of Ni₃Al composites drastically decrease at intermediate temperatures due to dynamic oxygen embrittlement, deterioration of grain boundary cohesion and unique behavior of dislocations. On the other hand, NiAl composites are insensitive to the chemical effect of environmental factors because the matrix is inherently brittle. The alloy design for the matrix needs to be adequately applied to develop high performance intermetallic matrix composites.     

Fracture toughness of polycrystalline tungsten alloys

Tungsten and tungsten alloys show the typical change in fracture behavior from brittle at low temperatures to ductile at high temperatures. In order to improve the understanding of the effect of microstructure the fracture toughness of pure tungsten, potassium doped tungsten, tungsten with 1 wt.% La₂O₃ and tungsten rhenium alloys were investigated by means of 3-point bending, double cantilever beam and compact tension specimens. All these materials show the expected increase in fracture toughness with increasing temperature. The experiments demonstrate that grain size, texture, chemical composition, grain boundary segregation and dislocation density seem to have a large effect on fracture toughness below the DBTT. These influences can be seen in the fracture behavior and morphology, where two kinds of fracture occur: on the one hand transgranular and on the other hand intergranular fracture. Therefore, techniques like electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and X-ray line profile analysis were used to improve the understanding of the parameters influencing fracture toughness.     

Superplastic deformation mechanism in powder metallurgy magnesium alloys and composites

The parametric dependencies for superplastic flow in powder metallurgy (PM) magnesium alloys and composites were characterized so as to elucidate the deformation mechanism. The mechanism was proposed to be slip accommodated grain boundary sliding. However, the PM alloys and composites were strengthened at low temperatures below ∼550K. This was different from the case in ingot metallurgy (IM) magnesium alloys, that behaved identically over a wide range of temperatures. The critical strain rate, below which the effect of intragranular particle is lost, was developed by considering the dislocation–particle interaction during slip accommodation process. It was suggested that the diffusional relaxation around the intragranular oxide particles was not completed during the slip accommodation process at low temperatures, and this caused the dislocation pile-up at the intragranular particles. It was expected that the dislocation pile-up at the intragranular particles would contribute to the strengthening at low temperatures in PM alloys and PM composites.     

Intermediate-temperature mechanical properties of Ni–Si alloys: oxygen embrittlement and its remedies

With good corrosion resistance, reasonable room-temperature ductility, and excellent strength up to temperatures of 700 °C, Ni₃Si-based alloys show considerable potential for structural applications. The Ni–Si alloys used for acid-corrosion resistance suffer from a dynamic environmental embrittlement when tested at intermediate temperatures around 600 °C. To assess these Ni–Si alloys for elevated-temperature structural application, the mechanical properties of these alloys strengthened by Ni₃Si precipitates were systematically evaluated at different temperatures in various test environments. Oxygen was identified as the embrittling species responsible for the low ductility and premature fracture of the Ni–Si alloys. A strong dependence of elongation and fracture mode on strain rate was observed. Based on the understanding of the embrittlement mechanism, some unique approaches for improving the intermediate-temperature ductility, strength and fabricability of Ni–Ni₃Si alloys were identified: reactive element doping (such as Zr and Y) to change the grain boundary chemistry; preoxidation to form adherent oxide layers; and thermomechanical processing to tailor the grain structure/shape. Some other properties such as creep resistance and weldability of these alloys were also briefly evaluated and are discussed in this paper.     

Influence of grain boundary composition on the moisture-induced embrittlement of Ni3(Si,Ti) alloys

Ni₃(Si,Ti) alloys containing different levels of boron were tensile tested in air at room temperature at two different strain rates. The grain boundary compositions and fracture modes of these alloys were determined by Auger spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. Tensile elongation and fracture mode depend upon the fabrication procedure, heat treatment, and strain rate. Widely different boron concentrations were observed at the grain boundaries, depending on the fabrication procedure and heat treatment. In addition, silicon and titanium were depleted while nickel was enriched at the grain boundaries in all specimens examined. Tensile elongations correlated well with the grain boundary concentration of boron and also with an embrittlement parameter defined as (Si+Ti−B)/Ti. A sharp brittle-ductile transition was found to occur with increasing grain boundary concentration of boron and with decreasing values of the embrittlement parameter (Si+Ti−B)/Ti. The critical grain boundary concentrations corresponding to this transition were found to be sensitive to the strain rate. All the results can be explained in terms of the effect of grain-boundary composition on moisture-induced environmental embrittlement.     

时效对JN1奥氏体钢超低温断裂韧度的影响

ＪＮ１ 奥氏体钢１３４８Ｋ固溶处理与９２３ 、９７３ 、１０７３Ｋ 时效５ｈ 后,４Ｋ 及７７Ｋ 断裂韧度测定结果表明,该钢有明显的时效脆化倾向。组织观察及Ｘ 射线衍射结果确认,时效脆化是Ｍ２３Ｃ６ 型碳化物沿晶界及退火孪晶界析出造成的。     

Influence of Prior Austenite Grain Size on the Degree of Temper Embrittlement in Cr-Mo Steel

Reversible temper embrittlement has been frequently observed in many different low alloy steels serving at high temperature, e.g. order of 500 °C. This type of embrittlement can change the brittle transgranular fracture mode to intergranular decohesion with subsequent change in fracture stress and fracture toughness. The present paper deals with the influence of the prior austenite grain size and isothermal aging time on the degree of embrittlement of 2.25Cr-1Mo steel, which is very popular for its use in power generating and other petrochemical industries. In this research work, the specimens of 2.25Cr-1Mo steel were treated in three different austenitizing temperatures along with different isothermal embrittling time periods. Then the induced degree of embrittlement was characterized by the fracture stress values at −196 °C and area fraction of intergranular failure. The outcome of the experimental results shows that the increase in austenite grain size and/or isothermal embrittling time severely weakens the grain boundary cohesive strength leading to brittle intergranular failures and thus to a greater degree of temper embrittlement.     

Effect of boron and carbon on the fracture toughness of IN 718 superalloy at room temperature and 650 °C

The effect of B and C microadditions on the fracture toughness of IN 718 superalloy was investigated at room temperature (RT) and at 650 °C. At RT, the fracture toughness was observed to increase with increasing B and C concentrations. C had a relatively weak effect on the fracture toughness at 650 °C, but the influence of B was significant. At RT the highest fracture toughness value was obtained for the alloy with 29 ppm B and 225 ppm C at RT, and at 650 °C the alloy with 60 ppm B and 40 ppm C had the highest fracture toughness. An increase in the concentration of B to 100 ppm, however, resulted in a reduction in the fracture toughness at 650 °C. Fractographic observations showed that the formation and coalescence of microvoids was the predominant fracture mechanism at RT. In contrast, at 650 °C, the fracture surface exhibited intergranular cracking in the alloy with lower B concentrations and transgranular cracking coupled with fine dimples in the alloy with higher B concentrations. It is suggested that B impedes intergranular cracking by increasing the cohesion of grain boundaries and improving the grain boundary stabilization. The RT increase in the fracture toughness of the material caused by the addition of C is attributed to the formation of intergranular and intragranular carbides that increased the resistance to the plastic deformation.     

Influences of annealing temperature on microstructure and mechanical properties of Mo-La2O3

Influences of annealing temperature on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Mo-La₂O₃ were investigated. Effects of annealing temperature on tensile properties, fracture toughness, and microhardness are discussed. Microstructure and fracture morphology of Mo alloys are observed by optical microscope, SEM, and TEM. The results indicate that grain size increased while tensile strength, fracture toughness, and microhardness decreased with increasing annealing temperature. Larger La₂O₃ particles are located at grain boundaries or sub-boundaries, while the majority of smaller La₂O₃ particles are located within the grain. The strengthening effect is quantitatively assessed, which yielded a predicted yield strength in good agreement with measurements.     

Grain Boundary Contributions to Hydrogen-Affected Plasticity in Ni-201

Hydrogen embrittlement of structural materials, such as nickel-based alloys, is often characterized by enhanced dislocation processes as well as grain boundary decohesion leading to macroscale intergranular fracture. Nanoindentation and scanning probe microscopy (SPM) were used to characterize slip transfer across random grain boundaries and Σ3 recrystallization twins in annealed Ni-201. Thermal hydrogen charging leads to an increase in slip step width within pileups produced by nanoindentation along grain boundaries. The likelihood of slip transmission in the presence of hydrogen depends on the ease of slip within adjacent grains as well as on the misorientation of the grain boundary between them. The observed changes suggest that hydrogen limits dislocation cross-slip while increasing overall dislocation mobility. Coupled nanoindentation and SPM investigations provide a unique, local method for analyzing hydrogen effects on dislocation plasticity, which will be useful in developing grain-boundary-engineered materials.     

Modeling size effects on fracture toughness by dislocation dynamics

The effects of grain size and of crack-tip blunting radius on the fracture toughness of tungsten polycrystals are studied by using a combined dislocation dynamics/cohesive zone model (CZM). Two-dimensional dislocation dynamics are employed to analyze crack-tip plasticity and crack propagation is characterized by a CZM. The geometry of the crack and the corresponding boundary conditions are described by means of a boundary element method with dislocation dipoles as fundamental solution. Grain boundaries are introduced as obstacles for dislocation motion. Numerical experiments reveal that the fracture toughness decreases with grain size, because grain boundaries confine the plastic zone. This effect is particularly pronounced at small loading rates, where the unconfined plastic zone is large. Our results also show that fracture toughness scales with the tip radius as the stress concentration at the crack tip is reduced and the plastic zone is enlarged.     

Effect of phosphorus segregation on fracture properties of 2.25Cr-1Mo pressure vessel steel

Phosphorus is a very common trace element that can segregate at prior austenite grain boundaries and/or carbide/matrix interfaces of low alloy steels at high temperature (e.g., order of 500 °C) and adversely affect the fracture properties. This paper investigates segregation of P during reversible temper embrittlement (96 h at 520 °C) of quenched and fully tempered 2.25Cr-1Mo steel by Auger electron spectroscopy and describes the segregation mechanism. This paper also describes the effect of P segregation on fracture resistance and fracture mode of unembrittled steels, respectively, by fracture toughness testing over a temperature range of −196 °C to 20 °C and fractography in scanning electron microscopes. During temper embrittlement phosphorus segregation has been attributed due to the mechanism of “carbide rejection”. This segregation caused a reduction in fracture toughness values of the quenched and tempered steels at all test temperatures and an increase in the transition temperature. Phosphorus segregation also changed the brittle fracture micromechanism of quenched and fully tempered samples from one of transgranular cleavage to a mixed mode of fracture (transgranular cleavage and intergranular decohesion). The micromechanism of fracture at temperatures from the upper shelf, however, remained almost unchanged.     

高强度变形铝合金断裂韧度各向异性的机理和预测

本文运用断裂力学的基本理论和结果,结合材料的物理开裂机制,定量分析较弱晶粒界面、裂纹扩展途径偏斜和沿晶分层三种因素对高强度变形铝合金断裂韧度各向异性的影响,预测结果与大量实验数据都比较接近,说明合金强烈的断裂韧度各向异性主要来自以上三种机制,并可根据实际断裂机理可以预估合金半成品的短横向断裂韧度值。     

MECHANISMS AND PREDICTION OF FRACTURE TOUGHNESS ANISOTROPY OF HIGH STRENGTH Al ALLOYS

Contributions of weak grain boundary,cracking path deflection and grain boundarydelamination to fracture toughness anisotropy of high strength Al alloys were evaluated basedupon approaches of fracture mechanics in conjunction with physical cracking mechanisms.The predicted results are close to those experimentally determined in the literature and in thiswork.The strong anisotropy of fracture toughness of high strength Al alloys is therefore attri-buted mainly to weak grain boundary cracking,cracking path deflection and grain boundarydetamination.With the methods of this work,short-transverse fracture toughness values ofsome semi-products can he estimated from in-plane toughness values and corresponding frac-ture characteristics when it is difficult to be determined experimentally.     

超轻双相镁锂合金的超塑性、显微组织演变与变形机理

采用熔铸、大变形轧制(加工率大于92%)和硝酸盐浴退火方法制备Mg-7.83%Li 合金与Mg-8.42%Li合金细晶板材,研究合金的超塑性、显微组织、空洞与断裂形貌和变形机制.计算α相(5.7%Li)和β相(11%Li)的扩散系数和Gibbs自由能,讨论573 K时超塑性晶粒长大的原因.结果表明:Mg-7.83Li和Mg-8.42Li合金分别获得850%和920%的最大超塑性;Mg-7.83Li合金在573 K时发生了显著的超塑性晶粒长大;在573 K和1.67×10~(-3) s~(-1)条件下制备的Mg-8.42Li合金中的空洞较少,且在变形区中随机而孤立地分布.断裂形貌观察发现Mg-8.42Li合金在573 K和5×10~(-4) s~(-1)条件下发生穿晶断裂;Mg-7.83Li合金在573 K和1.67×10~(-3) s~(-1)条件下发生沿晶界韧窝断裂.归一化实验数据与考虑位错数量的变形机制图对比表明合金超塑性变形机制为晶格扩散控制的位错调节的晶界滑移.     

Atom probe investigations on temper embrittlement and reversible temper embrittlement in S 690 steel weld metal

Severe embrittlement was observed in weld material of a brand new penstock of a huge hydro power plant. Temper embrittlement (TE) was found as root case of embrittlement. Reversible temper embrittlement (RTE) treatment characterised by a short-time heating at about 600°C, by which the toughness of embrittled weld material can significantly be recovered, was qualified and successfully applied in the plant. Basic investigations were performed to explain the embrittlement as well as the de-embrittlement effect. By the application of high resolution analytics as Atom Probe Tomography (APT) applied on TE as well as on the RTE-treated material, revealed phosphorus segregation in the grain boundaries as root cause of embrittlement. By application of RTE treatment the APT results revealed, that the phosphorus segregation in the grain boundaries disappeared. The mechanism of this behaviour can be explained by referring the McLean [Grain boundaries in metals. Oxford: Clarendon Press; 1957] based grain boundary equilibrium segregation of phosphorous. During RTE treatment, which occur at higher temperatures (600°C) that segregation (which starts during cooling at about 550°C), desegregation occurs. During this higher temperature, the diffusion is much faster than segregation producing the fast recovery of toughness.     

Si-Mn-Mo系低碳贝氏体钢焊接热影响区的脆化机理

用焊接热模拟,普通光学金相,透射、扫描电镜及电子探针,X射线和常规拉伸、冲出等手段研究了一种新型Si-Mn-Mo系低碳贝氏体钢焊接热影响区过热区的组织和性能的关系,重点探讨了过热区的脆化机理.结果表明,在焊接热模拟条件下,原始奥氏体晶粒尺寸是影响机械性能的主要因素.少量准下贝氏体与低碳马氏体的混合组织具有最佳的强韧性配合.随线能量增加,影响韧性的主要因素是奥氏体晶粒粗化以及高温时碳原子在奥氏体晶界及其附近的偏聚;而且碳原子的这种偏聚是经过较高线能量热循环后出现沿晶脆性断口的主要原因.粒状贝氏体及粒状组织中的M-A岛不是该钢焊接热影响区过热区脆化的原因.     

An investigation on quench cracking behavior of superalloy udimet 720LI using a fracture mechanics approach

Quench cracking can be a serious problem in the heat treatment of high strength superalloys. A new fracture mechanics approach, quench cracking toughness (K _Q ), was introduced to evaluate the on-cooling quench cracking resistance of superalloy Udimet 720LI. A fully automatic computer controlled data acquisition and processing system was set up to track the on-cooling quenching process and to simulate the quench cracking. The influences of grain size, cooling rate, solution temperature, and alloy processing routes on quench cracking resistance were investigated. Research results indicate that quench cracking revealed a typical brittle and intergranular failure at high temperatures, which causes a lower quench cracking toughness in comparison to fracture toughness at room temperature. Fine grain structures show the higher quench cracking resistance and lower failure temperatures than intermediate grain structures at the same cooling rates. Moreover, higher cooling rate results in lower cracking toughness under the same grain size structures. In comparison of processing routes, powder metallurgy (PM) alloys show higher cracking resistance than cast and wrought (CW) alloys for fine grain structures at the same cooling rates. However, for intermediate grain structure, there is no obvious difference of K _Q between the two processing routes in this study.