• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.274-282
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• 2009

To investigate the evolution of deformation texture in dual phase (DP) steels during deep-drawing deformation, deep-drawing experiments were performed. Microtexture measurements were conducted using electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) to analyze texture evolution. A rate-sensitive polycrystal model was used to predict texture evolution during deep-drawing deformation. In order to evaluate the strain path during deep-drawing deformation, a steady state was assumed in the flange part of a deep-drawn cup. A ratesensitive polycrystal model successfully predicted the texture evolution in DP steels during deep-drawing deformation. The final stable orientations were found to be strongly dependent on the initial location in the blank. Texture analysis revealed that the deep drawability of DP steels decreases as the true strain in the radial direction of the deep-drawn cup increases during deep-drawing deformation.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.185-190
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• 2021

The extrusion experiments using the 7075 aluminum billet have been performed to investigate the effects of die cooling and ram speed on the occurrence of surface defects on the extrudate. The purpose of die cooling was to suppress overheating of the extrudate at the moment of extrusion. In the present die cooling system, liquid nitrogen has been injected in to the die and sprayed to the surface of extrudate. Ram speed was either kept or varied in the range of 1.1~1.7 mm/sec. throughout one extrusion shot to check the occurrence of surface defects. Every extrusion started at a ram speed of 1.25 mm/sec. The temperature of extrudate was measured using a laser thermometer. The 7075 billet of 180 mm in diameter and 550 mm in length was preheated at 390℃ and extruded to get a single plate of 8000 mm in length, 150 mm in width and 10 mm in thickness. Each extrudate was checked by eye to find the surface defects. The microstructures were obtained in the specimen cut from each corner of the extrudate using the EBSD micrographs.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.10
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• pp.3725-3731
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• 2023

Thorium dioxide (ThO₂)-silicon carbide (SiC) composite fuel pellets were fabricated via the spark plasma-sintering (SPS) method to investigate the role of the addition of SiC in enhancing the thermal conductivity of ThO₂ fuel. SiC particles with an average size of 1㎛ in 10 and 15 vol% were used to manufacture the composite pellets. The changes in the composites' densification, microstructure and thermal conductivity were explored by comparing them with pure ThO₂ pellets. The structural and microstructural characterization of the composite pellets has revealed that SPS could manufacture high-quality composite pellets without having any reaction products or intermetallic. The density measurement by the Archimedes principles and the grain size from the electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD) analysis has indicated that the composites have higher densities and smaller grain sizes than the pellets without SiC addition. Finally, thermal conductivity as a function of temperature has revealed that sintered ThO₂-SiC composites showed an increase of up to 56% in thermal conductivity compared to pristine ThO₂ pellets.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.9-15
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• 2024

Nd-Fe-B permanent magnets have been utilized on various industrial fields such as electric vehicles, generator, robots with actuator, etc, due to their outstanding magnetic properties even 10 times better than conventional magnets. Recently, there are many researches that report magnetic properties improved by controlling microstructure through adjusting alloying elements or conducting various processing. Especially, post-sintering annealing (PSA) can significantly improve the coercivity by modifying the distribution and morphology of Nd-rich phase which formed at grain boundaries. In this study, Nd-Fe-B sintered magnets were subjected to primary heat treatment followed by secondary heat treatment at 460℃, 500℃, and 540℃ to investigate the changes in microstructure and magnetic properties with the secondary heat treatment temperature. EBSD analysis was conducted to compare anisotropic characteristics. Through the SEM and TEM observation for analyzing the morphology and distribution of Nd-rich phase, we investigated the relationship between microstructure and magnetic properties of sintered Nd-Fe-B magnets.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.11-19
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• 2020

For microstructural analysis of a friction stir welded (FSWed) joint of advanced high-strength steels, dual phase (DP) and complex phase (CP) steels, are studied. FSWed joints are successfully fabricated in the following four cases: (i) DP/DP; (ii) CP/CP; (iii) DP/CP, where the advancing side is DP and the retreating side is CP; (iv) CP/DP, where the advancing side is CP and the retreating side is DP. The stir zone (SZ) of (i) the DP/DP joint mainly consists of lath martensite, while the stir zone of (ii) the CP/CP joint consists not only of lath martensite but also of bainite. In the case of (iii) DP/CP and (iv) CP/DP, they exhibit a similar microstructure including acicular-shaped phases in the joints; however, cross-sections of the joints show differences in material mixing in each case. In (iv) the CP/DP joint, temperature towards the CP steel is sufficient to cause softening, thus leading to better mixing than that in (iii) DP/CP. The phases of the SZ in each of the four cases are formed by phase transformation during the FSWed process; however, the transformed phase volume fraction of CP steel is lower than that of DP steel, indicating that dynamic recrystallization occurs mainly in CP steel. The hardness values of the SZ are significantly higher than those of the base materials, especially, the SZ of (iii) the DP/CP joint has the highest value due to highest fraction of lath martensite.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.597-609
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• 2020

Accident Tolerant Fuels have been widely studied since the Fukushima-Daiichi accident in 2011 as one of the options on how to further enhance the safety of nuclear power plants. Deposition of protective coatings on nuclear fuel claddings has been considered as a near-term concept that will reduce the high-temperature oxidation rate and enhance accidental tolerance of the cladding while providing additional benefits during normal operation and transients. This study focuses on experimental testing of Zr-based alloys coated with Cr-based coatings using Physical Vapour Deposition. The results of long-term corrosion tests, as well as tests simulating postulated accidents, are presented. Zr-1%Nb alloy used as nuclear fuel cladding serves as a substrate and Cr, CrN, Cr_xN_y layers are deposited by unbalanced magnetron sputtering and reactive magnetron sputtering. The deposition procedures are optimized in order to improve coating properties. Coated as well as reference uncoated samples were experimentally tested. The presented results include standard long-term corrosion tests at 360℃ in WWER water chemistry, burst (creep) tests and mainly single and double-sided high-temperature steam oxidation tests between 1000 and 1400℃ related to postulated Loss-of-coolant accident and Design extension conditions. Coated and reference samples were characterized pre- and post-testing using mechanical testing (microhardness, ring compression test), Thermal Evolved Gas Analysis analysis (hydrogen, oxygen concentration), optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (EDS, WDS, EBSD) and X-ray diffraction.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.28 no.9
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• pp.522-527
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• 2018

This study investigates the effects of isothermal holding temperature and time on the microstructure, hardness and Charpy impact properties of medium-carbon bainitic steel specimens. Medium-carbon steel specimens with different bainitic microstructures are fabricated by varying the isothermal conditions and their microstructures are characterized using OM, SEM and EBSD analysis. Hardness and Charpy impact tests are also performed to examine the correlation of microstructure and mechanical properties. The microstructural analysis results reveal that granular bainite, bainitic ferrite, lath martensite and retained austenite form differently in the specimens. The volume fraction of granular bainite and bainitic ferrite increases as the isothermal holding temperature increases, which decreases the hardness of specimens isothermally heat-treated at $300^{\circ}C$ or higher. The specimens isothermally heat-treated at $250^{\circ}C$ exhibit the highest hardness due to the formation of lath martensite, irrespective of isothermal holding time. The Charpy impact test results indicate that increasing isothermal holding time improves the impact toughness because of the increase in volume fraction of granular bainite and bainitic ferrite, which have a relatively soft microstructure compared to lath martensite for specimens isothermally heat-treated at $250^{\circ}C$ and $300^{\circ}C$.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.276-280
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• 2017

This study was carried out to evaluate the developed microstructures and mechanical properties of friction welded A6063 alloy. For this work, specimens were prepared at a size of 12 mm ${\O}{\times}80mm$, and friction welding was carried out at a rotation speed of 2,000 RPM, friction pressure of $12kgf/cm^2$ and upset pressure of $25kgf/cm^2$. To perform an analysis of the grain boundary characteristic distributions, such as the grain size, orientation and misorientation angle distributions, the electron back-scattering diffraction method was used. In addition, in order to identify the dispersed intermetallic compounds of the base and welded materials, transmission electron microscopy was used. The experimental results found that the application of friction welding on A6063 led to significant grain refinement of the welded zone relative to that of the base material. Besides this, intermetallic compounds such as AlMnSi and $Al_2Cu$ were found to be dispersed with more refined size relative to that of the base material. This formation retains the mechanical properties of the welds, which results in the fracture aspect at the base material zone. Therefore, based on the developed microstructures and mechanical properties, the application of friction welding on A6063 could be used to obtain a sound weld zone.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.21 no.10
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• pp.556-562
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• 2011

We carried out this study to evaluate the grain refining in and the mechanical properties of alloys that undergo severe plastic deformation (SPD). Conventional rolling (CR) and cross-roll rolling (CRR) as SPD methods were used with Ni-20Cr alloy as the experimental material. The materials were cold rolled to a thickness reduction of 90% and subsequently annealed at $700^{\circ}C$ for 30 min to obtain a fully recrystallized microstructure. For the annealed materials after the cold rolling, electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD) analysis was carried out to investigate the grain boundary characteristic distributions (GBCDs). The CRR process was more effective when used to develop the grain refinement relative to the CR process; as a result, the grain size was refined from $70{\mu}m$ in the initial material to $4.2{\mu}m$ (CR) and $2.4{\mu}m$ (CRR). These grain refinements have a direct effect on improving the mechanical properties; in this case, the microhardness, yield and tensile strength showed significant increases compared to the initial material. In particular, the CRR-processed material showed more effective values relative to the CR-processed materials. The different texture distributions in the CR (001//ND) and CRR (111//ND) were likely the cause of the increase in the mechanical properties. These findings suggest that CRR can result in materials with a smaller grain size, improved texture development and improved mechanical properties after recrystallization by a subsequent annealing process.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.282-287
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• 2023

The effect of stress relief heat treatment temperature and duration time on the microstructure, residual stress and Vickers hardness of additively manufactured Ti-6Al-4V alloy using laser powder bed fusion process was clarified. As a result of stress relief heat treatment for 240 minutes at 823 K and 60 minutes or more at 873 K, residual stress was decreased less than 30 MPa without grain growth and phase transformation which causes dimensional distortion and deterioration of mechanical properties. In addition, hardness was increased with increasing heat treatment temperature and duration time. It was deduced that the refinement of acicular martensitic α' phase due to the increasing duration time of isothermal heat treatment at 773~873 K, which was not detected by XRD and phase map analysis using SEM-EBSD, probably increases the hardness.