H. Yanar

Effect of Natural Aging on RT and HSR Superplasticity of Ultrafine Grained Zn-22Al Alloy

Zn–22Al alloy was processed using a well-designed two-step equal channel angular extrusion/pressing (ECAE/P), and ultrafine-grained (UFG) microstructure with 200 nm grain size was achieved. UFG Zn-22Al was subjected to long-term (up to 60 days) aging at room temperature (RT) and it was seen that natural aging caused limited grain growth in the microstructure. Grain sizes of about 300 nm, 350 nm and 350 nm were measured after 15, 30 and 60 days aging, which mean that UFG Zn-22Al alloy has a good microstructural stability at RT up to 60 days. ECAPed Zn-22Al alloy showed a maximum elongation of about 400% at a high strain rate of 5x10-2 s-1 and maximum elongation decreased with increasing grain size. Elongation to failures of ~375% and ~350% were obtained with the samples having 300 nm and 350 nm grain sizes, respectively. In addition, natural aging slightly decreased the strain rate at which superplastic region formed. While the maximum elongation occurred at the strain rate of 5x10-2 s-1 in ECAPed UFG alloy, it took place at lower strain rate of 1x10-2 s-1 after aging for all time periods. Also, flow stress of the alloy increased with increasing grain size during natural aging.

Improvement of wear behaviour of titanium by boriding

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to achieve a hard and protective borided layer on commercially pure Ti (grade-2) by applying boriding, and to investigate the changes in its microstructure, hardness, friction and wear behaviors. Design/methodology/approach Pack boriding technique was used to form a hard boron diffusion layer on titanium substrate. A powder mixture of amorphous boron and anhydrous borax was used as a solid-state boriding media, and then the boriding was carried out under inert atmosphere. Findings A thick dual boride layer consisting of a monolithic titanium diboride (TiB2) on the top and titanium monoboride (TiB) whiskers beneath that layer formed at relatively low diffusion temperature under pressured inert argon atmosphere in a boriding media containing boron source and activator. With boriding at specified conditions, very hard (4100 Hv0.01) and thick monolithic TiB2 layer formed on the top-most layer which is required for improved tribological applications. Hardness decreased gradually through the TiB whisker layer and finally reached to the hardness of base material. Originality/value This paper investigates the effects of components of boriding mixture and conditions of thermal treatment on the formation of borided layer and its properties. In previous studies, boriding mixtures containing a boron source, an activator and a filler material was generally used at high temperatures around or above 1,050°C to achieve a thick monolithic layer on the top of the surface of titanium. In the present study, no filler material was used to accelerate the boron diffusion because filler materials may inhibit the diffusion of boron atom through the surface of substrate of titanium. Also, diffusion treatment was carried out under pressurized argon atmosphere at relatively low diffusion temperature to achieve boride layer with the improved hardness and durability.