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Abstract The response surface methodology in the design of experiments (DOE) wizard and Gurson-Tvergaard-Needleman (GTN) model were employed to estimate the optimum GTN damage parameters and to validate their significant effects respectively on the ductile fracture behavior of ECAP deformed AZ61 magnesium alloy. Hollomon's flow stress was applied to identify uniform deformation and non-uniform deformation regions to investigate the void nucleation and coalescence processes separately. The significance of statistical results was evaluated with the analysis of variance (ANOVA) based on P-values and coefficients of determination (R 2). Correspondingly, the contributions of ECAP plastic deformation and the corresponding local plasticity (damage progresses) on the progress of GTN ductile fracture damage parameters were studied. Desirability function was used to show the significance of individual and interaction effects of optimum initial damage parameters on the respective response variables. By using response surface methodology, the optimum GTN damage parameters were determined at the corresponding positions of each critical response variables. Results also showed that varying both stress triaxiality and damage variables simultaneously can greatly affect the curve fitting process of experimental, simulation and GTN model curves. However, at constant stress triaxiality condition, the GTN model curve was observed perfectly fitting with the tensile test curve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, solution and ageing heat treatment processes were used to improve microplastic deformation behaviors of as-cast SiCp/AZ61 magnesium metal matrix composites (Mg MMCs) fabricated by stir casting method. Higher percentages of SiC particle reinforcements showed higher microhardness values. Ageing heat treatment process was seen significant on the 12 h aged 2 wt% SiCp/AZ61 Mg MMC which induced lower microhardness value. At the 12 h ageing of 2 wt% SiCp/AZ61 Mg MMC the formations of particle free regions and discontinuous secondary phases were observed. For a higher ageing time, the secondary phases distribution became continuous and laminar structure. The addition of 5 wt% SiC particles resulted in the formation of Mg 2 Si phase throughout the whole heat treatment processes. The addition of SiC particles reinforcements increased the phase heterogeneity during ageing heat treatment processes. XRD patterns revealed the presence of nanocrystalline MgSiO 3 phase on the 12 h aged 2 wt% SiCp/AZ61 Mg MMC. Using reference intensity ration (RIR) method a 51.6% of MgSiO 3 phase was determined which can cause the formation of microplastic deformation behavior. And also, the maximum average crystallite size, compressive microstrain and microcrack-free phase boundaries were observed on the 12 h aged 2 wt% SiCp/AZ61 Mg MMC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, advanced aluminium metal matrix composite reinforced by nanomaterials is reported. The materials used for the experiments are AA6061 aluminium alloy, compounded with inorganic nanotubes (INT) and fullerene-like (IF) nanoparticles of WS 2 . Aluminium metal matrix composite with different weight percentage (0.1–0.5 wt%) of the INT and IF were prepared. Both the AA6061 aluminium and the aluminium metal matrix nanocomposites (MMCs) were re-melted by the stirring-casting method. Mechanical properties and microstructure analysis of the nano-MMCs were conducted. The measurements have shown that the hardness, yielding strength, ultimate tensile strength, and ductility were improved by up to 68% compared to the neat alloy for nanoparticles concentrations the range of 0.2 wt%. Metallography microstructure analysis showed that increasing the WS 2 INT or IF nanoparticles weight percentage in aluminium metal matrix composite, resulted in a more refined grains. The grain size of the composite matrix was reduced by up to 48.4% compared with that of neat AA6061 alloy ingot. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis showed that addition of 0.5 wt% of WS 2 nanotubes into the Al matrix resulted in INT agglomeration which had deleterious effect on the tensile strength. The composite materials reinforcement mechanism was studied. This analysis showed that the improved mechanical properties of the metal nanocomposites can be predominantly attributed to the differences in thermal expansion coefficients of the WS 2 INT (or WS 2 IF nanoparticle) and the AA6061 alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AZ91 reinforced with four different concentrations (0,0.3,0.6,1)wt% of WS 2 micro particles were fabricated using stir casting method. The samples were deformed by equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) after homogenization. The scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction were used to investigate the microstructure and phase composition respectively. The results reveal that rod-like precipitates produced during the homogenization process are refined and bounded in the grain boundaries by the combined effect of WS 2 enrichment and increasing number of passes of ECAP. The needle precipitates are eminent in 1pass 0.3 wt%WS 2 /AZ91. The β-Mg 17 Al 12 and extracted Al particles are dissolved and secondary phases are produced by dynamic recrystallization after 2pass 1 wt%WS 2 /AZ91. The maximum crystallite size and microstrain distribution have been observed for 1pass 0.6 wt%WS 2 /AZ91. The mechanical properties investigation represents that 2pass 0.6 wt%WS 2 /AZ91 has optimal yield strength and ultimate tensile strength. The (22.143)%, (44.735)% and (92) % increment in yield strength, ultimate tensile strength and elongation have been observed in 2pass 1 wt%WS 2 /AZ91 compared with homogenized monolithic AZ91 alloy respectively. The maximum young's modulus (6696.218MPa) has been found for 1pass homogenized WS2/AZ91 and minimum (4108.165MPa) for homogenized 0.6 wt%WS 2 /AZ91. The ECAP deformed 1pass 0.3 wt%WS 2 /AZ91 exhibits the maximum strain hardening rate. The YTS, UTS, and elongation are (30.41) %, (47.6) % and (51.9)% increased after 2pass-0.6 wt%WS 2 /AZ91. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-performance as-extruded and peak-aged Mg-9.2Gd-3.3Y-1.2Zn-0.9Mn (wt%) alloys have been fabricated by semi-continuous casting, heat-treating, extruding and ageing processes. The effects of different heat treatments on the microstructure and mechanical properties have been investigated. Lamellar and bulk-shaped 14H-type long-period stacking ordered (LPSO) phase and few RE-rich (RE: rare earth element) particles form by different heat treatments. After hot extrusion, the heat-treated alloy with bulk-shaped LPSO phase exhibits an equal-axial microstructure, while the heat-treated alloy with lamellar LPSO phase across the grains shows bimodal grain microstructure consisting of fine equal-axial grains and coarse deformed grains. The more profuse lamellar LPSO phase in heat-treated alloy generates higher volume fraction of deformed grains and finer equal-axial grains, hence leads to higher strength but lower ductility. After ageing, the alloy with profuse LPSO and β′ phases achieves the superior mechanical properties with ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of 525 MPa, tensile yield strength (TYS) of 420 MPa and elongation to failure (EL) of 6.3%. The alloy strengthening is mainly attributed to the bimodal grain microstructure, LPSO phase, Mg 5 Gd (β) phase and β′ phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mg-8Gd-4Y–1Zn–Mn (wt%) alloys prepared by semi-continuous casting and homogenizing treatment were extruded using different extrusion ratios and subsequent cooling processes. The microstructure, texture and mechanical properties of extruded alloys were investigated. The dynamic recrystallization process is promoted by increasing the extrusion ratio, while the static recrystallization process is suppressed by subsequent water cooling rather than air cooling. When the recrystallization ratio is relatively low, the non-recrystallized region showing a fiber < 10 1 ‾ 0 > Mg //extrusion direction (ED) texture component dominates the texture characteristic. With the increase of the recrystallization ratio, the recrystallized region exhibiting an abnormal <0001> Mg //ED texture gradually dominates the texture characteristic. The grain boundary energy anisotropy and the grain boundary mobility anisotropy are assumed to be changed by the Gd and Y addition, which affect the preferential growth of the abnormal <0001> Mg //ED oriented grains and eventually lead to the formation of abnormal texture component. The as-aged alloy extruded at the extrusion ratio of 6 followed by air cooling shows the highest strength. The extruded alloys with an intensive abnormal texture component exhibit the best mechanical isotropy in both as-extruded and as-aged conditions. The differences in strength along different directions are mainly resulted from the fiber strengthening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study investigates the effects of heat treatment on the morphology of long-period stacking ordered phase (LPSO) and the corresponding mechanical properties of Mg–9Gd–xEr–1.6Zn–0.6Zr (1–4wt%) using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and tensile tests. The microstructure analysis of the as cast alloys showed that the volume fraction of the (Mg, Zn)3(Gd, Er) phase increased with increasing Er content. The (Mg, Zn)3(Gd, Er) phase in grain boundaries transformed into the 14H-LPSO phase Mg12Zn(Gd, Er) after heat treatment between 400°C and 515°C. The bulk shaped LPSO phases distributed along the grain boundaries produced isometric crystal grains in and enhanced the ductility of the as-extruded alloys. However, the lamellar LPSO phases precipitating in the grain interior induced strip-shaped grains in and improved the strength of the as-extruded alloys. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The ageing behavior of as-extruded Mg-1.5Gd-1.3Y-0.6Zn-0.6Mn (at%) alloy was investigated. The strength and ductility are simultaneously improved during ageing at the peak hardness platform. The alloy aged for 100 h exhibits ultrahigh ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of 538 MPa and good elongation to failure (EL) of 13.1%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]