Wojciech Wajda

Irregularities of crystallographic orientation and residual stresses in the crossed-lamellar shell as a natural functionally graded material

The microstructures of different groups of molluscs are characterized by preferential orientations of crystallites (texture), leading to a significant anisotropy of the physical properties of the shells. A complementary characteristic, usually neglected, is the distribution of the residual stresses existing within the shell wall. By means of X-ray diffraction, we study the distribution of stresses with thickness in the shell wall of the gastropod Conus marmoreus, which has a microstructure of the crossed-lamellar type. The results revealed an extraordinary texture inhomogeneity and the existence of tensional residual stresses along the shell thickness, the origins of which are unknown. Some of the observed changes in textural parameters and stresses coincide with the transitions between shell layers, although other features are of unknown origin. Our results provide insight into the microstructural regularities that govern the mesoscale construction of shells, such as that of C. marmoreus.

Thermal Gradients Behaviour during the C-E Transition within Solidifying Massive Roll

Columnar or equiaxed structure selection and particularly the C→E transition in the solidifying massive rolls is shown as the result of changes in heat transfer. The numerical treatment of heat transfer allows to separate the temperature field for columnar structure formation from equiaxed structure formation. An area where transition from columnar into equiaxed structure occurs, C→E≡CET is also distinguished. The current model requires the transformation of the calculated temperature field into the thermal gradients’ field. Thermal gradients are approximately constant during the examined C→E transition according to the numerical simulation. This result is in accordance with the Hunt’s theoretical predictions. The localization of the structural transition (CET) in space and in time is also shown within the map which yields from the temperature field.

Near Grain Boundary Behavior of Aluminum Bicrystals Deformed in Plane Strain Conditions

The paper describes the mechanism of deformation at 77 K of pure aluminum bicrystals of different grain orientations. The following orientations were selected: {100}/{110} (cube/Goss) and - {100}/{100} (cube/shear) to represent the unstable vs. stable and the unstable vs. unstable behaviours, respectively. The bicrystalline samples were deformed in the plane strain conditions with the use of a channel-die immersed inside a reservoir with liquid nitrogen. The low temperature deformation increases the tendency to form plain strain inhomogeneities of the deformation in the grains with an unstable orientation. In both sets of crystallite compositions, the grain boundary was situated perpendicularly to the compression plane. A particular interest was paid to the analysis of the tendencies of the crystal lattice rotations near the grain boundary and the description of the deformation behaviour of the material in the macro- scale (hardening behaviour). A detailed analysis of the crystal lattice rotations was possible with the application of the local orientation measurements by means of scanning and transmission electron microscopes, equipped with the electron backscattered diffraction and convergent beam electron diffraction facility, respectively. The experimental results of the local orientation measurements were used to evaluate the accuracy of the numerical prediction of the macro-scale behaviour of bi-crystalline samples by a single Cristal Plasticity Model. The investigation shows that the crystallites behave essentially as single crystals in the same deformation conditions. Due to the similar hardening behaviour of the investigated crystallites (similar values of the Taylor factors) the grain boundary remains unchanged. The calculated lattice rotations are similar to those observed experimentally. Key words: aluminium bi-crystals, texture, microstructure, single crystal plasticity model

Space-Time-Structure Map for As Cast Massive Rolls

A thermal gradients’ field was studied for an as cast massive roll. Three ranges within the thermal gradients field were differentiated. The thermal gradient is constant along with the second range of thermal gradients’ field. Thus, columnar into equiaxed structure transition (CET) is to be expected within the second range. This statement is in good qualitative agreement with a similar observation given by Hunt’s theory. The columnar structure formation was significantly slowed down within the second range of thermal gradients field. At beginning of the second range the liquidus isotherm tears away from columnar structure / liquid interface. The columnar structure is still formed within the time adequate to the second range of thermal gradients but its growth vanishes due to lost competition, and at the end of the second range the equiaxed structure growth dominates, exclusively. In fact, the extrapolation of the velocity of the columnar structure / liquid interface to its value equal with zero confirms the appropriate location of the end of the second range within which the CET is observed. The detailed analysis of the solidus isotherm / liquidus isotherm movements allows a development of the Space-Time-Structure Map for a solidifying massive roll. The Map shows the location of the CET in time (solidification time) and in space (along the roll radius). Moreover a proper locations of structural zones are drawn in the Map. The simulation of the thermal gradients’ field is a very useful tool in the industrial practice. The results of simulation can be used to predict the Space-Time-Structure Map (STSM) for a given massive roll or a massive ingot. Additionally, the equation for solute redistribution after back-diffusion was formulated on the basis of the new theory for microsegregation. It allows formulating the so-called macrosegregation index dealing with the whole ingot/roll volume.Copyright

Columnar → Equiaxed Structure Transition in Solidifying Rolls

As the first step of simulation, a temperature field for solidifying cast steel and cast iron roll was created. The convection in the liquid is not comprised since in the first approximation, the convection does not influence the analysed occurrence of the C → E (columnar to equiaxed grains) transition in the roll. The obtained temperature field allows to study the dynamics of its behavior observed in the middle of the mould thickness. This midpoint of the mould thickness was treated as an operating point for the C → E transition. A full accumulation of the heat in the mould was postulated for the C → E transition. Thus, a plateau at the T(t) curve was observed at the midpoint. The range of the plateau existence tC ↔ tE corresponded to the incubation period, tC R ↔ tE R that appeared before fully equiaxed grains formation. At the second step of simulation, the thermal gradients field was studied. Three ranges were distinguished: a/ for the formation of the columnar structure (the C–zone): (T ≫ 0 and (G|t tER) ≈ 0). The columnar structure formation was significantly slowed down during incubation period. It resulted from a competition between columnar growth and equiaxed growth expected at that period of time. The (G|t=tC R − G|t=tE R ) ≈ 0) relationship was postulated to correspond well with the critical thermal gradient, Gcrit. . A simulation was performed for the cast steel and cast iron rolls solidifying as if in industrial condition. Since the incubation divides the roll into two zones (columnar and equiaxed) some experiments dealing with solidification were made on semi-industrial scale. A macrosegregation equation for both mentioned zones was formulated. It was based on a recent equation for redistribution after back-diffusion. The role of the back-diffusion parameter was emphasized as a factor responsible for the redistribution in columnar structure and equiaxed structure.© 2010 ASME

Relation between the plastic instability and fracture of tensile tested Cu-Sn alloys investigated with the application of acoustic emission technique

The work concerns the application of the acoustic emission (AE) method in testing the mechanical properties of continuously cast industrial tin bronze CuSn6P, which reveals tendencies to instable plastic flow connected particularly with the Portevin-Le Chatelier (PLC) effect. The relations between the jerky flow connected with the PLC effect, AE intensity and the evolution of a fracture of the investigated alloy subjected to the tensile test at a strain rate (?? ) of about 1.2·10-3s-1 in the range of temperatures (20÷400?C) has been analyzed. It has been found that the highest intensity of the oscillation of stresses, corresponding to the instability of plastic deformation PLC occurred at 200?C, whereas the maximum of the AE activity is at about 200÷250?C. The brittle intergranular fracture starts in the range of equicohersive temperature (TE) of about 200?C. Plastic deformation of the investigated alloy in the range of the temperature of minimum plasticity, amounting to about 400?C, results in intercrystalline fractures on the entire surface of the stretched samples.

Mechanisms of plastic instability and fracture of compressed and tensile tested Mg-Li alloys investigated using the acoustic emission method

The results of the investigation of both mechanical and acoustic emission (AE) behaviors of Mg4Li5Al alloy subjected to compression and tensile tests at room temperature are compared with the test results obtained using the same alloy and loading scheme but at elevated temperatures. The main aim of the paper is to investigate, to determine and to explain the possible influence of factors related with enhanced internal stresses such as: segregation of precipitates along grain boundaries or solute atoms along dislocations (Cottrell atmospheres) or dislocation pile-ups at grain boundaries which create very high stress concentration leading to fracture. The results show that the plastic instabilities are related to the Portevin–Le Châtelier phenomenon (PL effect) and they are correlated with the generation of AE peaks. The fractography of breaking samples was analyzed on the basis of light (optical), TEM and SEM images.