Dinc Erdeniz

A phase-field study of the aluminizing of nickel

A quantitative phase-field approach for multiphase systems that is based upon CALPHAD free energies is used to model the aluminization of nickel wires, wherein vapour-phase alloying is used to deposit Al on the surface of the Ni wire and then the wire is annealed so that to remove all Al gradients and achieve a homogenous Ni-Al alloy. Both processes are modelled and numerical results are compared with experiments. It is found that the kinetics of both processes is controlled by bulk diffusion. During aluminization at 1273 K, formation and growth of intermetallics, Ni2Al3 NiAl and Ni3Al, are strongly dependent on the Al content in the vapour phase. Ni2Al3 growth is very fast compared with NiAl and Ni3Al. It is also found that an intermediate Al content in the vapour phase is preferable for aluminization, since the Ni2Al3 coating thickness is difficult to control. Ni2Al3 is found to disappear in a few minutes during homogenization at 1373 K. Thereafter, the NiAl phase, in which the composition is highly non-uniform after aluminization, continues growing until the supersaturation in this phase vanishes. Then, NiAl coating disappears concomitantly with the growth of Ni3Al, which disappears thereafter. Finally, the Al concentration profile in Ni(Al) homogenizes.

Mechanical Behavior of Three-Dimensional Braided Nickel-Based Superalloys Synthesized via Pack Cementation

Braided tubes of Ni-based superalloys are fabricated via three-dimensional (3-D) braiding of ductile Ni-20Cr (wt pct) wires followed by post-textile gas-phase alloying with Al and Ti to create, after homogenization and aging, γ/γ′ strengthened lightweight, porous structures. Tensile tests reveal an increase in strength by 100 MPa compared to as-braided Ni-20Cr (wt pct). An interrupted tensile test, combined with X-ray tomographic scans between each step, sheds light on the failure behavior of the braided superalloy tubes.

Structure and growth of core–shell nanoprecipitates in Al–Er–Sc–Zr–V–Si high-temperature alloys

Lightweight Sc-containing aluminum alloys exhibit superior mechanical performance at high temperatures due to core–shell, L12-ordered trialuminide nanoprecipitates. In this study, the structure of these nanoprecipitates was studied, using different transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques, for an Al–Er–Sc–Zr–V–Si alloy that was subjected to a two-stage overaging heat treatment. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy of the spherical Al3(Sc, Zr, Er ,V) nanoprecipitates revealed a core–shell structure with an Sc- and Er-enriched core and a Zr-enriched shell, without a clear V outer shell. This structure is stable up to 72% of the absolute melting temperature of Al for extended periods of time. High-angle annular dark-field scanning TEM was used to image the {100} planes of the nanoprecipitates, demonstrating a homogeneous L12-ordered superlattice structure for the entire nanoprecipitates, despite the variations in the concentrations of solute atoms within the unit cells. A possible growth path and compositional trajectory for these nanoprecipitates was proposed using high-resolution TEM observations, where different rod-like structural defects were detected, which are considered to be precursors to the spherical L12-ordered nanoprecipitates. It is also hypothesized that the structural defects could consist of segregated Si; however, this was not possible to verify with HAADF-STEM because of the small differences in Al and Si atomic numbers. The results herein allow a better understanding of how the Al–Sc alloys’ core–shell nanoprecipitates form and evolve temporally, thereby providing a better physical picture for future atomistic structural mappings and simulations.

Equal Channel Angular Pressing of a Newly Developed Precipitation Hardenable Scandium Containing Aluminum Alloy

Precipitation hardenable aluminum alloys are well-known for their high strength-to-weight ratio, good thermal stability, electrical conductivity, and low cost. Equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) is proven to further improve the mechanical properties of metallic alloys through microstructure modification. In this work, ECAP of a recently developed, precipitation hardenable, cast Al–Er–Sc–Zr–V–Si alloy in peak-aged condition by route 4Bc was carried out to create an alloy with ultra-fine grain structure. The combined effect of grain refinement and precipitation on the tensile behavior and thermal stability of the ECAPed alloy is reported here. Improvement in yield strength and lack of strain hardening in ECAPed alloy were as expected. Microhardness contour plots with a narrower spread indicated enhancement in microstructural homogeneity after four ECAP passes as compared to the peak-aged condition. The variations in microhardness after annealing heat treatments at different temperatures highlighted the important role precipitates play in maintaining microstructure stability up to 250 °C in the ECAPed material.