Milan Heczko

Surface Relief and Internal Structure in Fatigued Stainless Sanicro 25 Steel

High-resolution images of persistent slip markings developed on the surface of Sanicro 25 stainless steel during cyclic loading obtained from the FIB-produced surface lamella in TEM simultaneously with the underlying dislocation structure are reported. Extrusions, intrusions, incipient cracks, and the dislocation arrangement corresponding to the bands of intensive cyclic slip are documented and discussed in relation to the models of surface relief formation in cyclic loading.

Surface Relief Formation in Relation to the Underlying Dislocation Arrangement

Two fatigued materials with f.c.c. lattice, i.e. pure polycrystalline copper and austenitic Sanicro 25 stainless steel, were subjected to the study of the persistent slip markings (PSMs) developed on the surface of the suitably oriented grains. They were observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and thin surface FIB lamellae were prepared and studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The aim was to correlate the specimen surface profile with the underlying internal dislocation structure. The localization of the intensive cyclic slip into persistent slip bands (PSBs) of the material was observed and associated with the PSMs on the specimen surface. Extrusions, intrusions and the dislocation structure appertaining to them were analysed, documented and discussed in relation to the models of fatigue crack initiation.

Correlation between Dislocation Structures and Mechanical Fatigue Response of 316L Austenitic Steel Loaded with and without Mean Stress at High Temperature in Air and Water Environment

Load-controlled experiments were conducted to study the influence of mean stress on the fatigue behavior of 316L austenitic stainless steel at the temperature of 288°C in air and light water reactor (LWR) conditions. Water environment was characterized by high-purity, neutral water with 150 ppb dissolved hydrogen. The internal dislocation structures of the material were investigated by means of transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The formation of dislocation structures for different loading conditions and different mean stresses was assessed and discussed in relation to the cyclic stress-strain response of the material as well as the effects of non-zero mean stress conditions. All findings were considered to discuss the fatigue softening/hardening behavior and the influence of mean stress on the fatigue life of material in the LWR environment.

Effect of Alloying and Thermal Processing on Mechanical Properties of TiAl Alloys

Two γ-based TiAl alloys with 7 at.% of Nb, alloyed with 2 at.% Mo and 0.5 at.% C, were studied. A heat treatment leading to very fine lamellar microstructure was applied on both alloys. Microstructure after the heat treatment was described and mechanical properties including fatigue behaviour were measured. The as-received material alloyed with C possesses high strength and very limited ductility, especially at RT. After application of selected heat treatment it becomes even more brittle; therefore, this process could be considered as not appropriate for this alloy. On the contrary, in the case of Mo alloyed material, both strength and ductility are improved by the heat treatment at RT and usual working temperature (~750 °C). Presence of the β phase is responsible for this effect. The selected heat treatment thus can be an alternative for this alloy to other thermomechanical treatments as high temperature forging.

Efect of Cyclic Heat Treatment on Cast Structure of TiAl Alloy

The subject of the article is focused on the refining of the cast structure of gamma TiAl–2Nb alloy using cyclic heat treatment and on the analysis of the grain refining mechanism. Microstructure evolution after applied cycles of heat treatment was characterized using light, laser and electron microscopy and using microhardness tests. Application of five heat treatment cycles during which two phase transformations (eutectoid and alfa-recrystallization reactions) repeatedly took place resulted αin refining of the cast columnar structure. The mean grain-lamellar colony size 0.512 mm was transformed to fully lamellar structure containing gamma and alfa2 phases having the mean grain size 0.229 mm. Lamellae thickness of gamma was not changed while the thickness of alfa2 phase decreased to 78 nm. Refining of alfa2 phase resulted in the increase of the microhardness by 20 %. The recrystallized cast structure obtained by cyclic heat treatment and the knowledge on the mechanisms of the refining the structure were compared and discussed with the literature data.