Sung Wook Chung

Microstructure of friction stir processed Mg-Y-Zn alloy

Friction stir processing (FSP) is the effective method of the grain refinement for light metals. The aim of this study is to acquire the fine grained bulk Mg-Y-Zn alloy by ingot metallurgy route much lower in cost. Such bulk alloy can be formed by the superplastic forging. The microstructure of as-cast Mg-Y-Zn alloy was dendrite. The dendrite arm spacing was 72.5 [(m], and there are the lamellar structures in it. FSP was conducted on allover the plate of Mg-Y-Zn alloy for both surfaces by the rotational tool with FSW machine. The stirring passes were shifted half of the probe diameter every execution. The dendrite structures disappeared after FSP, but the lamellar structure could be observed by TEM. The matrix became recrystallized fine grain, and interdendritic second phase particles were dispersed in the grain boundaries. By using FSP, cast Mg-Y-Zn alloy could have fine-grained. This result compared to this material produced by equal channel angular extrusion (ECAE) or rapid-solidified powder metallurgy (RS P/M). As the result, as-FSPed material has the higher hardness than materials produced by the other processes at the similar grain size.

Friction Stir Processing of Cast Mg-Y-Zn Alloy

A high strength at room temperature and at high temperature was reported for the extremely fine-grained RS P/M Mg-2at%Y-1at%Zn (Mg-6.8mass%Y-2.5mass%Zn) alloy. This property was attributed to the fine grain size. However, such alloys have very poor productivity. Therefore, they are far from practical applications. The aim of this study is to acquire the fine-grained bulk Mg-Y-Zn alloy by ingot metallurgy route much lower in cost. Friction-Stir-Processing (FSP) was performed on this alloy ingot, and the mechanical properties and the microstructures were examined. FSP was conducted on allover the plate of this alloy for both surfaces by the rotational tool with FSW machine. The stirring passes were shifted half of the probe diameter every execution. The microstructure of as-cast material was dendrite. The dendrite arm spacing was 72.5 [μm], and there are the lamellar structures in it. The dendrite structures disappeared after FSP, but the lamellar structure could be observed by TEM. The grain size of FSP materials were measured as ca. 1 μm by TEM micrographs. Introduction Magnesium (Mg) alloys are the lightest of structural materials. For that reason, numerous studies have been carried out to apply this material for low-energy-consuming and easily recyclable structural components. To date, casting and hot forging have been used to produce magnesium products with grain sizes from the millimeter to micrometer level. Finer microstructure engenders further enhanced mechanical properties such as strength and ductility if processing is done in proper working conditions. Consequently, recent magnesium production tends to enlarge the portion of metalworking such as forging, rolling, and extrusion to acquire a refined microstructure. Recently, Abe et al. [1] reported very high yield strength of Mg alloys which have 600 MPa (0.2% proof stress) and 6% elongation at room temperature in the rapid-solidified powder metallurgy (RS P/M) Mg-Y-Zn alloy. This higher strength might derive from fine-grained and long-periodic ordered structure produced by rapid solidification. Although many industrial designers have taken notice of this material as the highest-specific-strength structural material, they intensely require more cost-effective methods to produce high-strength Mg-Y-Zn alloy because the method needs the process of powder consolidation. On the other hand, one of the grain refinement methods for bulk Mg-Y-Zn alloys is Advanced Materials Research Online: 2006-02-15 ISSN: 1662-8985, Vols. 15-17, pp 369-374 doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.15-17.369

Post-Mechanical Properties of Superplastically-Forged Zn-22wt%Al Alloy

Recently, the superplastic damping device, which has been using Zn-22wt%Al alloys with an ultra-fine grain size, has been put into practical use for a high-rise building. For the purpose of the improvement and mass-production of a superplastic damping device, the investigation about the superplastic forming and the characterization after the forging was carried out. As the results of FVM analysis, it was verified that the high effective stress and strain occurred at the corner and in the interior of the formed samples, respectively. However, the microstructure and mechanical properties after the forging were almost equivalent to those before the forging.

Microstructure and mechanical properties at the unsteady areas of non-linear friction stir welding

The influence of tool control in non-linear friction stir welding (FSW) on mechanical properties of joints was investigated. FSW is widely applied to linear joints. It is impossible for five axis FSW machines, however, to keep all the FSW parameters in optimum conditions at non-linear welding. Non-linear FSW joints should be made by compromise with the order of priority for FSW parameters. The tensile test results of butt joints with rectangular change in welding direction on plate plane (L-shaped butt joints) with various welding parameter change. It was found that turn to the retreating side is encouraged when welding direction change. And the method of zero inclination tool angle is effective at non-linear and plane welding.

Fatigue Strength of Friction Stir Welded Aluminum Alloy Joints

Strength of Al5083-O FSW joints was evaluated, in relation to FSW conditions. Static strength of the joints was found to be enough because base metal fracture occurred in the tensile tests of joints for some FSW conditions. However, the fatigue strength of those joints with fine static strength varied significantly. For example, in tensile strength of joints with the FSW condition with tool rotation: 800 rpm- welding speed: 100 mm/min (800-100), 800 rpm-200 mm/min (800-200) and 500 rpm- 100 mm/min (500-100), each condition of FSW joint efficiency were all hundred percent. In contrast, joint efficiency for fatigue strength varied from 75% for 500-100 to 31% for 800-200. Crack path in fatigue test was always initiated at the center of back surface of FSW weld zone, and propagated through stir zone. The variance of fatigue strength is believed to be attributed to the stirred condition at back surface.

Microstructure and Mechanical Properties in Friction Stir Processed Zr-Al-Ni-Cu Bulk Metallic Glass

Microstructure and mechanical properties in friction stir processed (FSPed) Zr-based bulk metallic glass were investigated. The microstructure in the friction zone (FZ) exhibits an amorphous “band-like” structure with a small number of nanoscale crystalline particles. On the other hand, the microstructure in the FZ near the finish point of the process exhibits a large number of nanocrystalline particles in size of less than 20nm and amorphous phase. The difference of the microstructure in each FSP region is explained from the difference of the heat input by FSP. The hardness in each FSPed region shows higher value compared with that of other Zr-based balk metallic glasses with almost the same volume fraction of crystalline phase.

Friction stir welding of Mg-14mass%Li alloy

Mechanical properties of friction stir welded Mg-14mass%Li-lmass°/oAl alloy was investigated. Alloys were melted and cast to ingots in pressurized argon atmosphere, homogenized at 623 K for 72 ks then cold-rolled to plates. The alloy has density of 1.326 g/cm 3 and its ultimate tensile strength is 193-294 MPa according to the reduction ratio. The specific strength of this alloy reaches 222 MPa/(g/cm 3 ). It is difficult to apply the fusion welding for alloys with high vapor pressure and low boiling temperature. Friction stir welding (FSW) is a joining technique of non-fusion process. The possibility of welding for the alloy was clarified and the effects of FSW parameters on microstructure and mechanical properties were examined. Good butt joints of 2-mm-thick cold-rolled Mg-14 mass% Li alloy plates were produced under certain FSW conditions such as tool rotation and welding speed. It was found that the hardness of stir zones with equiaxed grain structure was slightly higher than that of the cold worked base metal. The ultimate tensile strength of the stir zone was also higher than that of the base metal. This strengthening might reflect the heat treatment effects of rapid heating and cooling during the FSW.

Effect of Processing Order on Strengthening of Friction Stirred Mg-Y-Zn Alloy

High-strength Mg-Y-Zn alloy plate was obtained by friction stir processing (FSP) after casting. In this study, the effect of processing order on the strength of processed specimens was discussed. It was revealed that the microstructures and strength of doubly stirred zone depended on the direction of overlapping pass. In the area of the doubly stirred zone that was affected by the thermal history of Retreating-side, the hardness was 121Hv. It was twice as hard as Base Metal, and harder than the doubly stirred zone that was affected by thermal history of Advancing-side.

Grain Refinement of Mg-Y-Zn Alloy by Friction Stir Processing

Grain refinement of magnesium alloy by Friction Stir Processing (FSP) was investigated. It is assumed that dynamic recrystallization (DRX) is occurred by frictional heat and plastic flow during FSP. This process is the effective method of the grain refinement for light metals. In this study, FSP was conducted to cast Mg alloys for and the difference of the grain refinement by DRX in these alloys was examined. As a result, in comparison with commercial Mg-Al-Zn alloy and Mg-Y-Zn alloy have finer microstructure. The grain size of FSP-ed Mg-Y-Zn alloy was ~1.7 [/m], however, that of AZ31 alloy was 20~30 [/m].

Fatigue Crack Characteristics of Friction Stir Welded Aluminum Alloy Joints

Fatigue strength of Al5083-O FSW joints was evaluated in the relation of the FSW conditions. Static strength of the joints in a range of FSW conditions was the same as that of base metal. Because the fracture of the joints occurred at the base metal in the tensile tests. Therefore the joint efficiency in tensile strength of joints with the FSW condition of tool rotation: 800 rpmwelding speed: 100 mm/min (800-100), 800-200 and 500-100 are all hundred percent. However, the fatigue strength of those joints with fine static strength varied very much. The joint efficiency for fatigue strength varies from 75% for 500-100 to 31% for 800-200. Crack path in fatigue test was always initiated at the center of back surface of FSW weld zone, and propagated through stir zone. Crack growth rate measurement and fracture surface analysis resulted the difference of the joint efficiency has a connection with the incomplete welding at back surface of joints.