Lothar Wagner

The effect of microstructure on fatigue performance of Ti–6Al–4V alloy after EDM surface treatment for application in orthopaedics

Three different microstructures--equiaxed, bi-modal and coarse lamellar--are prepared from Ti-6Al-4V alloy. Electric discharge machining (EDM) with a high peak current (29 A) is performed in order to impose surface roughness and modify the chemical composition of the surface. Detailed scanning electron microscopy (SEM) investigation revealed a martensitic surface layer and subsurface heat affected zone (HAZ). EDX measurements showed carbon enriched remnants of the EDM process on the material surface. Rotating bending fatigue tests are undertaken for EDM processed samples for all three microstructures and also for electropolished-benchmark-samples. The fatigue performance is found to be rather poor and not particularly dependent on microstructure. The bi-modal microstructure shows a slightly superior high cycle fatigue performance. This performance can be further improved by a suitable heat treatment to an endurance limit of 200 MPa.

Fatigue endurance of Ti-6Al-4V alloy with electro-eroded surface for improved bone in-growth.

Ti-6Al-4V hour-glass shaped rotating beam specimens with duplex microstructure were processed by electric discharge machining (EDM). A comparatively high peak current of 29A was utilized in order to increase surface roughness for improved osteointegration. High cycle fatigue (HCF) tests were performed in rotating beam loading (R=-1) on these EDM specimens and results were compared with electrolytically polished specimens serving as reference. As expected, the HCF performance of EDM specimens was inferior to the electrolytically polished specimens. A detailed study of fatigue crack nucleation and microcrack growth was carried out on failed specimens by SEM. The poor HCF strength of EDM specimens is explained by early crack nucleation due to the high notch sensitivity of Ti-6Al-4V. In addition, process-induced residual tensile stresses and microstructural effects may also account for the drastic loss in HCF performance relative to the electropolished baseline.

Mechanical characterization of cp-Ti produced by investment casting

The influence of hot swaging (SW) and annealing treatment on microstructure and mechanical properties of commercially pure titanium produced by investment casting was evaluated. The as-cast samples showed a typical microstructure consisting of a variety of α-morphologies, while the hot swaged samples exhibited a kinked lamellar microstructure. Annealing at 500 °C did not significantly change this microstructure while annealing at 700 and 870 °C led to recrystallization and formation of equiaxed microstructures. The cast bars exhibited a typical hard α-layer in near-surface regions with a maximum depth and maximum hardness of 720 μm and HV0.5 660, respectively. Due to SW, the tensile strength of the as-cast material drastically increased from 605 MPa to 895 MPa. Annealing at 500 °C decreased the tensile strength slightly from 895 to 865 MPa while annealing at 700 °C led to a further pronounced drop in tensile strength from 865 to 710 MPa. No additional decrease in tensile strength was noticed with increasing the annealing temperature from 700 to 870 °C. The true fracture strain of the as-cast and hot swaged samples was in the range of 0.05 to 0.12, while the annealed samples showed values in the range of 0.25 to 0.53. In addition, the as-cast and hot swaged samples revealed a brittle cleavage fracture surfaces. However, the annealed samples showed a transgranular ductile fracture with formation of dimples.

Very high cycle fatigue behaviour of as-extruded AZ31, AZ80, and ZK60 magnesium alloys

Abstract The very high cycle fatigue properties of extruded AZ31, AZ80, and ZK60 magnesium alloys were investigated. Fatigue tests were performed at ultrasonic cyclic frequency and at a load ratio of R = – 1 at ambient temperature using smooth electropolished specimens. Fatigue failures were observed at lifetimes above 109 cycles. The fatigue life was found to increase with decreasing stress amplitude. The fracture surfaces and fracture profiles of selected specimens cycled until failure were examined. The purpose of the study was to determine the role of the microstructure on the fatigue crack nucleation and growth. Furthermore, the fatigue properties were discussed on the basis of microstructure and the presence of inclusions which are known as crack initiation sites. In AZ31 and AZ80 alloys only surface-induced fatigue cracks were observed. On the other hand, in the ZK60 alloy both surface- and interior-induced fatigue cracks were observed. Both mechanisms operate in the ZK60 also at a lifetime of around 1010 cycles. Interior-induced fatigue cracks were accompanied by clear fish-eye marks on the fracture surfaces of the ZK60 alloy.

Material properties of high–strength beryllium–free copper alloys

High strength copper alloys can be produced either by generating very fine grained low alloyed single phased or precipitation hardened copper alloys or by highly alloyed precipitation hardened copper alloys. The latter process requires special processing methods such as spray forming in order to achieve a sufficiently homogeneous microstructure. Systematic investigations on the aging behaviour of the highly alloyed nickel-manganese bronze CuNi20Mn20 demonstrate that fully crystalline copper alloys with hardness exceeding 500 HV can be produced. In addition to age hardening, swaging or severe plastic surface deformation can be used for additional grain refinement and strain hardening before precipitation hardening. In contrast to CuMn20Ni20, the low-alloyed precipitation hardened copper alloy CuNi3Si1Mg exhibits excellent thermal and electrical conductivity while maintaining acceptable strength after swaging and precipitation hardening. Finally, a systematic comparison between spray-formed or precipitation high strength hardened copper alloys and classical well-known materials such as steels or aluminium alloys was carried out by using material property charts (Ashby-maps) and highlighting the fields of application and unique property combinations of copper alloys.

Characterization of ultrafine grained Cu-Ni-Si alloys by electron backscatter diffraction

A combination of rotary swaging and optimized precipitation hardening was applied to generate ultra fine grained (UFG) microstructures in low alloyed high performance Cu-based alloy CuNi3Si1Mg. As a result, ultrafine grained (UFG) microstructures with nanoscopically small Ni2Si-precipitates exhibiting high strength, ductility and electrical conductivity can be obtained. Grain boundary pinning by nano-precipitates enhances the thermal stability. Electron channeling contrast imaging (ECCI) and especially electron backscattering diffraction (EBSD) are predestined to characterize the evolving microstructures due to excellent resolution and vast crystallographic information. The following study summarizes the microstructure after different processing steps and points out the consequences for the most important mechanical and physical properties such as strength, ductility and conductivity.

Influence of mechanical surface treatments on the HCF performance of the Ni-superalloy Udimet 720 LI

Abstract Shot peening was performed on smooth (geometrical notch factor kt = 1.0) and circumferentially notched (kt = 2.3 and 3.5) specimens. In addition, some notched (kt = 3.5) specimens were deep rolled. Axial fatigue tests were done at room temperature and 650°C using a stress ratio of R = 0.1. At ambient temperature, shot peening markedly increased the high-cycle fatigue (HCF) strengths at R = 0.1 of smooth and, particularly, notched specimens with respect to the electropolished reference samples. In contrast, shot peening was found to decrease the HCF strength of smooth samples at elevated temperature (650°C) while the HCF strength of notched specimens was slightly increased. Best elevated-temperature HCF strength of notched conditions was observed after deep rolling.

Enhanced Fatigue Strength of Commercially Pure Ti Processed by Rotary Swaging

Fully reversed bending fatigue tests were performed on polished hour-glass specimens of commercially pure titanium grade 1 with three different grain sizes, that were produced by severe plastic deformation (rotary swaging) and subheat treatments, in order to examine the effect of grain size on fatigue. An improvement in fatigue strength was observed, as the polycrystal grain size was refined. The endurance limit stress was shown to depend on the inverse square root of the grain size as described empirically by a type of Hall-Petch relation. The effect of refining grain size on fatigue crack growth is to increase the number of microstructural barriers to the advancing crack and to reduce the slip length ahead of the crack tip, and thereby lower the crack growth rate. It was found that postdeformation annealing above recrystallization temperature could additionally enhance the work-hardening capability and the ductility of the swaged material, which led to a marked reduction in the fatigue notch sensitivity. At the same time, this reduction was accompanied with a pronounced loss in strength. The high cycle fatigue performance was discussed in detail based on microstructure and mechanical properties.

Fatigue behaviour of commercially pure aluminium processed by rotary swaging

Fatigue strength of ultrafine-grained commercially pure aluminium (Al 1050) produced by severe plastic deformation (rotary swaging) was investigated. Fatigue tests were carried out on smooth and notched specimens. Results show improved static and fatigue strength of the rotary swaging processed material. However, the processed material was highly notch sensitive due to low work hardening capability, low ductility as well as low uniform strain. It was found that post-deformation annealing above recrystallization temperature can additionally enhance the work hardening capability and the ductility of the swaged material, which led to marked reduction in fatigue notch sensitivity. At the same time, this reduction is accompanied with pronounced loss in strength. Fatigue notch sensitivity of commercially pure aluminium can be good correlated to the work hardening capability and ductility. This behaviour was discussed in details based on microstructure and mechanical properties study.

Microstructure Evolution during High Pressure Torsion of AZ80 Magnesium Alloy

The microstructure evolution during high pressure torsion and its influence on the mechanical properties of AZ80 magnesium alloy is presented in this study. Significant grain refinement was observed after high pressure torsion, while the homogeneity of the grain structure increases with the number of revolutions. Grain size decreases to about 50 nm after 15 revolutions. The microhardness profiles measured at through-thickness and through-width directions show no significant variation at different positions of the sample. Moreover, the negligible effect of the revolution number on the microhardness value was observed.