Xiuhua Gao

Bio: Xiuhua Gao is an academic researcher from Northeastern University (China). The author has contributed to research in topics: Microstructure & Corrosion. The author has an hindex of 15, co-authored 63 publications receiving 842 citations. Previous affiliations of Xiuhua Gao include Northeastern University.

Microstructural characteristics and toughness of the simulated coarse grained heat affected zone of high strength low carbon bainitic steel

Abstract: The correlation of microstructural characteristics and toughness of the simulated coarse grained heat affected zone (CGHAZ) of low carbon bainitic steel was investigated in this study. The toughness of simulated specimens was examined by using an instrumented Charpy impact tester after the simulation welding test was conducted with different cooling times. Microstructure observation and crystallographic feature analysis were conducted by means of optical microscope and scanning electron microscope equipped with electron back scattered diffraction (EBSD) system, respectively. The main microstructure of simulated specimen changes from lath martensite to coarse bainite with the increase in cooling time. The deterioration of its toughness occurs when the cooling time ranges from 10 to 50 s compared with base metal toughness, and the toughness becomes even worse when the cooling time increases to 90 s or more. The MA (martensite–austenite) constituent is primary responsible for the low toughness of simulated CGHAZ with high values of cooling time because the large MA constituent reduces the crack initiation energy significantly. For crack propagation energy, the small effective grain size of lath martensite plays an important role in improving the crack propagation energy. By contrast, high misorientation packet boundary in coarse bainite seems to have few contributions to the improvement of the toughness because cleavage fracture micromechanism of coarse bainite is mainly controlled by crack initiation.

Analysis of martensite–austenite constituent and its effect on toughness in submerged arc welded joint of low carbon bainitic steel

Abstract: Martensite–austenite (M–A) constituent formed during welding is generally recognized as an important factor to decrease the toughness of welded joint. In this article, the morphology and chemical composition of M–A constituent in the low carbon bainitic steel welded joint was analysed in detail by means of optical microscope, transmission electron microscope and scanning electron microscope with electron probe microanalysis. The experimental results show that the M–A constituent formed in the different sub-zones presents different morphologies and different amounts. The maximum amount of M–A constituent occurs in the coarse grained heat affected zone (HAZ). It is evident that the carbon atoms segregate on the M–A constituent and carbon concentration on the slender M–A constituent is higher than that on the massive M–A constituent. Meanwhile, the distribution profile of silicon on the M–A constituent shows an obvious inhomogeneity. Most of M–A constituents have a twinned structure and/or a high dislocation density. According to impact testing results, the crack initiation energy in the HAZ specimens deteriorates significantly because the large M–A constituent can assist the formation of cleavage crack. On the other hand, the coarse prior austenite grain in the HAZ lowers the crack propagation energy.

Analysis of microstructural variation and mechanical behaviors in submerged arc welded joint of high strength low carbon bainitic steel

Abstract: Microstructural variation in high strength low carbon bainitic steel weldment was investigated in detail by means of optical microscope, transmission electron microscope and scanning electron microscope equipped with electron backscattered diffraction. The results showed that the welded joint has various microstructures such as acicular ferrite, coarse granular ferrite and fine polygonal ferrite. The martensite–austenite (MA) constituent has a variable structure in each sub-zone, which includes fully martensite and fully retained austenite. Meanwhile, the fine grained heat affected zone has higher content of retained austenite than the welded metal (WM) and coarse grained heat affected zone (CGHAZ). The orientation relationship between retained austenite and product phases in the WM and CGHAZ is close to Kurdjumov–Sachs relationship. However, the polygonal ferrite in the fine grained HAZ has no specific orientation relationship with the neighboring retained austenite. The toughness of the coarse grained region is much lower than that of the WM because the coarse bainite contains many large MA constituents to assist the nucleation of microcracks and coarse cleavage facet lowers the ability to inhibit the crack propagation.

Microstructure and mechanical properties of TMCP heavy plate microalloyed steel

Abstract: A microalloyed steel heavy plate was subjected to two-stage controlled rolling and two-stage continuous cooling to explore the microstructure and mechanical properties in the plate. The objective was to obtain superior mechanical properties in the plate by exploiting the advantage of microalloyed precipitates in stimulating intragranular ferrite nucleation. Yield strength, tensile strength, and percentage of elongation of 550 MPa, 655 MPa, and 26.5% were obtained at quarter-thickness and 515 MPa, 645 MPa, and 29.5% at mid-thickness. The impact energy determined at −40 °C was ~93 J and 71 J for quarter-thickness and mid-thickness regions, respectively. The microstructure consisted of polygonal ferrite, acicular ferrite, and pearlite. Microalloyed precipitates provided effective nucleation sites for intragranular ferrite and ensured near-homogenous microstructure and mechanical properties in the heavy steel plate.

I and i

Abstract: There is, I think, something ethereal about i —the square root of minus one. I remember first hearing about it at school. It seemed an odd beast at that time—an intruder hovering on the edge of reality. Usually familiarity dulls this sense of the bizarre, but in the case of i it was the reverse: over the years the sense of its surreal nature intensified. It seemed that it was impossible to write mathematics that described the real world in …

Bioinspired Pressure-Tolerant Asymmetric Slippery Surface for Continuous Self-Transport of Gas Bubbles in Aqueous Environment

Abstract: Biosurfaces with geometry-gradient structures or special wettabilities demonstrate intriguing performance in manipulating the behaviors of versatile fluids. By mimicking natural species, that is, the cactus spine with a shape-gradient morphology and the Picher plant with a lubricated inner surface, we have successfully prepared an asymmetric slippery surface by following the processes of CO2-laser cutting, superhydrophobic modification, and the fluorinert infusion. The asymmetric morphology will cause the deformation of gas bubbles and subsequently engender an asymmetric driven force on them. Due to the infusion of fluorinert, which has a low surface energy (∼16 mN/m, 25 °C) and an easy fluidic property (∼0.75 cP, 25 °C), the slippery surface demonstrates high adhesive force (∼300 μN) but low friction force on the gas bubbles. Under the cooperation of the asymmetric morphology and fluorinert infused surface, the fabricated asymmetric slippery surface is applicable to the directional and continuous bubble ...