• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.49 no.1
• /
• pp.178-188
• /
• 2017

To study the effects of zirconium (Zr) addition on the microstructure, hardness and the tensile properties of oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) ferritic-martensitic steels, two kinds of 9Cr-ODS ferritic-martensitic steels with nominal compositions (wt.%) of $Fe-9Cr-2W-0.3Y_2O_3$ and $Fe-9Cr-2W-0.3Zr-0.3Y_2O_3$ were fabricated by the mechanical alloying (MA) of premixed powders and then consolidated by hot isostatic pressing (HIP) techniques. The experimental results showed that the average grain size decreases with Zr addition. The trigonal ${\delta}$-phase $Y_4Zr_3O_{12}$ oxides and body-centered cubic $Y_2O_3$ oxides are formed in the 9Cr-Zr-ODS steel and 9Cr non-Zr ODS steel, respectively, and the average size of $Y_4Zr_3O_{12}$ particles is much smaller than that of $Y_2O_3$. The dispersion morphology of the oxide particles in 9Cr-Zr-ODS steel is significantly improved and the number density is $1.1{\times}10^{23}/m^3$ with Zr addition. The 9Cr-Zr-ODS steel shows much higher tensile ductility, ultimate tensile strength and Vickers hardness at the same time.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
• /
• v.30 no.6
• /
• pp.306-310
• /
• 2021

In this study, IF steel, which has a body-centered cubic (BCC) crystal structure, was fabricated as a 25 mm-long cube, and then processed for one cycle without intermediate heat treatment by applying MADF Ver.1 and Ver.2 processes. MADF processing was performed with graphite lubrication for each pass at room temperature. The development of the microstructure and texture was analyzed and compared by the location of the specimen using EBSD measurements of the IF steel. Vickers hardness test and miniature tensile test were also performed to analyze the mechanical properties. The coarse grain size of 742.6 ㎛ of the as-received IF steel was refined to a grain size of 53.0 ㎛ after one cycle of MADF Ver.1 processing and 27.0 ㎛ after MADF Ver.2 processing. Vicker's hardness of the as-received IF steel at 94 Hv was increased to 185.6 Hv and 191.2 Hv after one cycle of MADF Ver.1 and Ver.2 processing, respectively.

• Journal of Powder Materials
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.310-316
• /
• 2021

The effects of different spray angles (90°, 85°, 80°) on the microstructure and mechanical properties of a Y₂O₃ coating layer prepared using the atmospheric plasma spray (APS) process were studied. The powders employed in this study had a spherical shape and included a cubic Y₂O₃ phase. The APS coating layer exhibited the same phase as the powders. Thickness values of the coating layers were 90°: 203.7 ± 8.5 ㎛, 85°: 196.4 ± 9.6 ㎛, and 80°: 208.8 ± 10.2 ㎛, and it was confirmed that the effect of the spray angle on the thickness was insignificant. The porosities were measured as 90°: 3.9 ± 0.85%, 85°: 11.4 ± 2.3%, and 80°: 12.7 ± 0.5%, and the surface roughness values were 90°: 5.9 ± 0.3 ㎛, 85°: 8.5 ± 1.1 ㎛, and 80°: 8.5 ± 0.4 ㎛. As the spray angle decreased, the porosity increased, but the surface roughness did not show a significant difference. Vickers hardness measurements revealed values of 90°: 369.2 ± 22.3, 85°: 315.8 ± 31.4, and 80°: 267.1 ± 45.1 HV. It was found that under the condition of a 90° angle with the lowest porosity exhibited the best hardness value. Based on the aforementioned results, an improved method for the APS Y₂O₃ coating layer was also discussed.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
• /
• v.32 no.3
• /
• pp.161-167
• /
• 2022

A cold roll-bonding process is applied to fabricate an AA6061/AA5052/AA6061/AA5052 layered sheet. Two AA6061 and one AA5052 sheets of 2mm thickness, 40mm width and 300mm length are alternately stacked, then reduced to a thickness of 2.0 mm by multi-pass cold rolling after surface treatment such as degreasing and wire brushing. The rolling is performed at ambient temperature without lubricant using a 2-high mill with a roll diameter of 400 mm at a rolling speed of 6.0 m/sec. The roll-bonded AA6061/AA5052/AA6061/AA5052 layered sheet is then hardened by natural aging (T4) and artificial aging (T6) treatments. The microstructure of the as-roll bonded and the age-hardened Al sheets was revealed by SEM observation; the mechanical properties were investigated by tensile testing and hardness testing. After T4 and T6 aging treatment, the specimens had a recrystallization structure consisting of coarse equiaxed grains in both AA5052 and AA6061 regions. The as-roll-bonded specimen showed a clad structure in which the hardness of AA5052 regions was higher than that of AA6061 regions. However, after T4 and T6 aging treatment, specimens exhibited different structures, with hardness of AA6061 regions higher than that of AA5052 regions. Strengths of T6 and T4 age-treated specimens were found to increase by 1.55 and 1.36 times, respectively, compared to the value of the starting material.

• Journal of Powder Materials
• /
• v.30 no.3
• /
• pp.249-254
• /
• 2023

The influence of MgO addition on the densification and microstructure of alumina (Al₂O₃) was studied. Compacted alumina specimens were manufactured using ball-milling and one-directional pressing followed by sintering at temperatures below 1700℃. Relative density, shrinkage, hardness, and microstructure were investigated using analytical tools such as FE-SEM, EDS, and XRD. When the MgO was added up to 5.0 wt% and sintered at 1500℃ and 1600℃, the relative density exhibited an average value of 97% or more at both temperatures. The maximum density of 99.2% was with the addition of 0.5 wt% MgO at 1500℃. Meanwhile, the specimens showed significantly lower density values when sintered at 1400℃ than at 1500℃ and 1600℃ owing to the relatively low sintering temperature. The hardness and shrinkage data also showed a similar trend in the change in density, implying that the addition of approximately 0.5 wt% MgO can promote the densification of Al₂O₃. Studying the microstructure confirmed the uniformity of the sintered alumina. These results can be used as basic compositional data for the development of MgO-containing alumina as high-dielectric insulators.

• Journal of Powder Materials
• /
• v.30 no.6
• /
• pp.470-477
• /
• 2023

The effects of annealing on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Al-Zn-Mg-Cu-Si alloys fabricated by high-energy ball milling (HEBM) and spark plasma sintering (SPS) were investigated. The HEBM-free sintered alloy primarily contained Mg₂Si, Q-AlCuMgSi, and Si phases. Meanwhile, the HEBM-sintered alloy contains Mg-free Si and θ-Al₂Cu phases due to the formation of MgO, which causes Mg depletion in the Al matrix. Annealing without and with HEBM at 500℃ causes partial dissolution and coarsening of the Q-AlCuMgSi and Mg₂Si phases in the alloy and dissolution of the θ-Al₂Cu phase in the alloy, respectively. In both alloys, a thermally stable α-AlFeSi phase was formed after long-term heat treatment. The grain size of the sintered alloys with and without HEBM increased from 0.5 to 1.0 ㎛ and from 2.9 to 6.3 ㎛, respectively. The hardness of the sintered alloy increases after annealing for 1 h but decreases significantly after 24 h of annealing. Extending the annealing time to 168 h improved the hardness of the alloy without HEBM but had little effect on the alloy with HEBM. The relationship between the microstructural factors and the hardness of the sintered and annealed alloys is discussed.

• Journal of Powder Materials
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.138-141
• /
• 2013

The microstructure evolution during sintering of the W-5 wt.%Cu nanocomposite powders was investigated for the purpose of developing a high density W-Cu alloy. The W-5 wt.%Cu nanopowder compact, fully-densified during sintering at 1623 K, revealed a homogeneous microstructure that consists of high contiguity structures of W-W grains and an interconnected Cu phase located along the edges of the W grains. The Vickers hardness of the sintered W-5 wt.%Cu specimen was $427{\pm}22$ Hv much higher than that ($276{\pm}19$ Hv) of the conventional heavy alloy. This result is mostly due to the higher contiguity microstructure of the W grains compared to the conventional W heavy alloy.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.67-73
• /
• 2013

The deformation characteristics and microstructure changes in a round copper pipe under biaxial compression was studied using a horizontal compression die. The change of material properties, punch load and deformation behavior were monitored using various compressive deformation rates in the range of 0.5mm/min.~450mm/min. The strains, either tensile or compressive, were estimated from Vickers microhardness test results. The punch load and deformation characteristics of the round copper pipes were found to change greatly at a deformation rate of about 200mm/min. The punch load decreased with increasing compressive deformation rate. The results of numerical simulations agreed well with what was expected from the final microstructure and the hardness profile estimated from the final deformation strains.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.34 no.2
• /
• pp.132-141
• /
• 2002

The effects of microstructure on fretting wear were investigated in Inconel 690 tube. The microstructure observation indicated that the solution annealing temperature and time affected the grain size of the Inconel 690 tubes. The carbide morphology, along grain boundaries, was mainly affected by thermal treatment time and temperature. The wear test results showed that specimens with larger grain size and with coarse carbides along grain boundaries had better wear resistance. Cracks were found in specimens with carbides along the grain boundary, while few cracks were found in carbide free specimens. It seemed that the carbides on grain boundary assisted crack formation and propagation in carbide containing specimens. On the other hand, the micro-hardness of specimen did not have a major role in fretting wear. It could be inferred from the SEM images of worn surfaces that the main wear mechanism of carbide containing specimen was delamination, while that of carbide free specimen was abrasion.

• Archives of Metallurgy and Materials
• /
• v.66 no.3
• /
• pp.713-717
• /
• 2021

This study fabricated a WC/T-800 cermet coating layer with Co-Mo-Cr (T-800) powder and WC powder using laser cladding, and analyzed its microstructure, hardness and wear properties. For comparison, casted bulk T-800 was used. Laser cladded WC/T-800 cermet coating layer showed circular WC phases in the Co matrix, and dendritic laves phases. The average laves phase size in the cermet coating layer and bulk T-800 measured as 7.9 ㎛ and 60.6 ㎛, respectively, indicating that the cermet coating layer had a relatively finer laves phase. Upon conducting a wear test, the cermet coating layer added with WC showed better wear resistance. In the case of laser cladded WC/T-800 cermet coating layer, abrasion wear was observed; on the contrary, the bulk T-800 showed pulled out laves phases. Based on the above findings, the WC/T-800 cermet coating layer using laser cladding and the relationship between its microstructure and wear behavior were discussed.