• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.345-352
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• 2012

Purpose: The age-hardening mechanism of an Au-Ag-Cu-Pt-Zn alloy for crown and bridge fabrication was investigated by means of hardness test, X-ray diffraction study and field emission scanning electron microscopic observation. Methods: Before hardness testing, the specimens were solution treated and then were rapidly quenched into ice brine, and were subsequently aged isothermally at $400-450^{\circ}C$ for various periods of time in a molten salt bath and then quenched into ice brain. Hardness measurements were made using a Vickers microhardness tester. The specimens were examined at 15 kV using a field emission scanning electron microscope. Results: By the isothermal aging of the solution-treated specimen at $450^{\circ}C$, the hardness increased rapidly in the early stage of aging process and reached a maximum hardness value. After that, the hardness decreased slowly with prolonged aging. However, the relatively high hardness value was obtained even with 20,000 min aging. By aging the solution-treated specimen, the f.c.c. Au-Ag-rich ${\alpha}_0$ phase was transformed into the Au-Ag-rich ${\alpha}_1$ phase and the AuCu I ordered phase. Conclusion: The hardness increase in the early stage of aging process was attributed to the formation of lattice strains by the precipitation of the Cu-rich phase and then subsequent ordering into the AuCu I-type phase. The decrease in hardness in the later stage of aging process was due to the release of coherency strains by the coarsening of tweed structure in the grain interior and by the growth and coarsening of the lamellar structure in the grain boundary. The increase of inter-lamellar space contributed slightly to the softening compared to the growth of lamellar structure toward the grain interior.

• Journal of Surface Science and Engineering
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.43-52
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• 2020

Various aging treatments were conducted on AISI 630 martensitic precipitation hardening stainless steel in order to optimize aging condition. Aging treatment was carried out in the vacuum chamber of Ar gas with changing aging temperature from 380℃ to 430℃ and aging time from 2h to 8h at 400℃. After obtaining the optimized aging condition, several nitrocarburizing treatments were done without and with the aging treatment. Nitrocarburizing was performed on the samples with a gas mixture of H₂, N₂ and CH₄ for 15 h at vacuum pressure of 4.0 Torr and discharge voltage of 400V. The corrosion resistance was improved noticeably by combined process of aging and nitrocarburizing treatment, which is attributed to higher chromium and nitrogen content in the passive layer, as confirmed by XPS analysis. The optimized condition is finalized as, 4h aging at 400℃ and then subsequent nitrocarburizing at 400℃ with 25% nitrogen and 4% methane gas for 15h at vacuum pressure of 4.0 Torr and discharge voltage of 400V, resulting in the surface hardness of around 1300 HV_0.05 and α'_N layer thickness of around 11 ㎛ respectively.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.46 no.8
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• pp.477-481
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• 2008

The secondary hardening and fracture behavior in P/M high speed steels bearing V content of 9 to 10 wt% have been investigated in terms of austenitizing temperature and precipitation behavior. Austenitizing was conducted at 1,100 and $1,175^{\circ}C$ of relatively low and high temperatures. Coarse primary carbides retained after austenitization were mainly V-rich MC type. They give a significant influence on hardeness and toughness, as well as wear resistance. Tempering was performed in the range of $500{\sim}600^{\circ}C$. The peak hardness resulting from the precipitation of the fine MC secondary carbides was observed near 520, irrespective of austenitizing temperature. Aging acceleration(or deceleration) did not occur with increasing austenitizing temperature because it mainly influences contents of V and C of matrix through the dissloution of coarse primary MC containing lots of V and C. The precipitation of secondary MC carbides, which also contain V and C, did not change the aging kinetics itself. In the 10V alloy containing much higher C content, the impact toughness was lower than 9V alloy, because of the larger amount of primary carbide and high hardness.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.13 no.10
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• pp.683-690
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• 2003

The high strength low alloy(HSLA) steels microalloyed with Nb, Ti and V have been widely used as the automobile parts to decrease weight of vehicles. The effects of process conditions are investigated in the aspects of the precipitation behavior and the mechanical properties of HSLA steel microalloyed with Nb and Ti using TEM, SANS and mechanical testing. When Ti was added to a 0.07C-1.7Mn steel which was coiled at $500^{\circ}C$, the specimen revealed the property of higher tensile strength of 853.1 MPa and the stretch-flangeability of 60%. The stretch-flangeability was increased up to 97.8% for coiling temperature above $700^{\circ}C$. The precipitation hardening cannot be achieved in the 0.045C-1.65Mn steel which was the lower density of fine precipitates. However, the 0.07C-1.7Mn steels containing Nb and/or Ti which was coiled at X$/^{\circ}C$ have a high precipitates density of $2${\times}$10^{ 5}$/$\mu$㎥. The high strength of these steels was attributed to the precipitation hardening caused by a large volume froction of (Ti, Nb)C precipitates with a size below 5 nm in ferrite matrix.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.433-439
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• 1999

Rapidly solidified Mg-Al-Si base alloys containing Ca were obtained by melt spinning. The melt-spun ribbons were aged isochronally or isothermally to investigate age hardening phenomena and microstructural change according to the alloy composition. Age hardening occurred after aging at $200^{\circ}C$ for 1h mainly due to the precipitation of $Al_2Ca$ and $Mg_2Ca$, which have coherent interfaces with the matrix. With the increase of Ca content, the hardness values of the alloy ribbons were increased. Among the alloys, Mg-10Al-2 Si-3Ca alloy showed a good thermal stability at elevated temperature.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.343-348
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• 2019

Structural and mechanical effects of the dynamical precipitation in two copper-base alloys have been investigated over a wide range of deformation temperatures. Basing upon the information gained during the experiment, also some general conclusion may be formulated. A one concerns the nature of dynamic precipitation(DP). Under this term it is commonly understood decomposition of a supersaturated solid solution during plastic straining. The process may, however, proceed in two different ways. It may be a homogeneous one from the point of view of distribution and morphological aspect of particles or it may lead to substantial difference in shape, size and particles distribution. The effect is controlled by the mode of deformation. Hence it seems to be reasonable to distinguish DP during homogeneous deformation from that which takes place in heterogeneously deformed alloy. In the first case the process can be analyzed solely in terms of particle-dislocation-particle interrelation. Much more complex problem we are facing in heterogeneously deforming alloy. Deformation bands and specific arrangement of dislocations in form of pile-ups at grain boundaries generate additional driving force and additional nucleation sites for precipitation. Along with heterogeneous precipitation, there is a homogeneous precipitation in areas between bands of coarse slip which also deform but at much smaller rate. This form of decomposition is responsible for a specially high hardening rate during high temperature straining and for thermally stable product of the decomposition of alloy.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.02a
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• pp.283-283
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• 2013

Because of beautiful glossy and color, the value of gold leverage is very high in Europe. To improve the quality of gold alloys, we performed heat treatment on 14 K white gold alloys by variously changing age-hardening conditions. Age-hardening behavior and the related phase transformation changes were studied to elucidate the hardening mechanism of 14 K white gold alloy. For solid solution treatment [ST], casted gold alloy specimens were treated at high temperature ($750^{\circ}C$) for 30 minutes, and the specimens dropped to water to quench them. For Age-hardening treatment [AT], the specimens were treated at various temperatures ($250{\sim}300^{\circ}C$). After the heat treatment, we observed the phenomenon to increase hardness from 126 Hv to 166 Hv by Vicker's hardness tester. Through electron probe micro-analysis (EPMA) mapping analysis, we investigated that irregular particles were changed uniformly. In the SEM and OM images, two phases of matrix and particle-likestructures were observed, and the precipitation of these elements from the matrix progressed during age-hardening. By transmission electron microscope and X-ray diffraction observation, it was revealed that the formation of the Au3Cu superstructure contributed to the age-hardening at $270^{\circ}C$ in the gold alloy. After the heat treatment, this analysis shows that casted gold alloys were to improve hardness and to moderate surface defects at specific temperatures and duration.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.77-87
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• 1994

Roles of fundamental and additional hardening precipitates on the changes of mechanical properties and electrical resistivity during precipitation decomposition in binary Al-Li, ternaty Al-Li-Cu and multi-Li-Cu-Mg-Zr alloys have been investigated by the detailed measurement of electrical resistivity, hardness and tensile strength and the observation of transmission electron micrographs. Peek hardness and tensile strength in multi-component Al-Li-Cu-Mg-Zr Alloy had higher than that of the other alloys and the results of measurement of hardness, strength and electrical resistivity in each alloys aged at 90 and $190^{\circ}C$, precipitation behaviors and mechanical properties in binary, ternary and multi-component Al-Li alloys were contributed to the ${\delta}^{\prime}$ precursory phase of ${\delta}^{\prime}$, $T_1$, G.P.B. zone and S' phases, repectively.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity Conference
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• 1996.03b
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• pp.48-54
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• 1996

The continuous deformation , multistage deformation and stress relaxation were carried out to investigate the strain induced procipitation by torsion tests in the range of 1000∼800$^{\circ}C$, 0.05/sec∼5/sec for V-microalloyed steel. The starting temperature and time for the initiation of precipitation were determined by stress relaxation tests and the distribution of percipitates increased at higher strain rate and the mean size of precipitates was found to be about 50nm. The precipitation starting time decreased with increasing strain rate from 0.05/sec to 5 /sec and pre-strain. The effect of deformation conditions on the no-recrystallization temperature(Tnr) was determined in the multistage deformation with declining temerature. The Tnr decreased with increasing strain and strain rae. In the controlled rolling, grain refinement and precpitation hardening effects could be achieved by the alternative large pass strain at the latter half pass stage under the condition of low temperature and high strain rate.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.235-240
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• 2016

Appropriate thermo-mechanical properties of nickel-based superalloys are achieved by heat treatment, which induces precipitation and solid solution hardening; thus, information on the temperature ranges of precipitation and dissolution of the precipitates is essential for the determination of the heat treatment condition. In this study, thermal analyses of nickel-based superalloys were performed by differential scanning calorimetry method under conditions of various heating rates of 5, 10, 20, or 40K/min in a temperature range of 298~1573K. Precipitation and dissolution temperatures were determined by measuring peak temperatures, constructing trend lines, and extrapolating those lines to the zero heating rate to find the exact temperature under isothermal condition. Determined temperatures for the precipitation reactions were 813, 952, and 1062K. Determined onset, peak, and offset temperatures of the first dissolution reaction were 1302, 1388, and 1406K, respectively, and those values of the second dissolution reaction were 1405, 1414, and 1462K. Determined solvus temperature was 1462K. The study showed that it was possible to use a simple method to obtain accurate phase transition temperatures under isothermal condition.