Showing papers on "Hardening (metallurgy) published in 2016"

Metastable high-entropy dual-phase alloys overcome the strength–ductility trade-off

Abstract: Metals have been mankind's most essential materials for thousands of years; however, their use is affected by ecological and economical concerns Alloys with higher strength and ductility could alleviate some of these concerns by reducing weight and improving energy efficiency However, most metallurgical mechanisms for increasing strength lead to ductility loss, an effect referred to as the strength-ductility trade-off Here we present a metastability-engineering strategy in which we design nanostructured, bulk high-entropy alloys with multiple compositionally equivalent high-entropy phases High-entropy alloys were originally proposed to benefit from phase stabilization through entropy maximization Yet here, motivated by recent work that relaxes the strict restrictions on high-entropy alloy compositions by demonstrating the weakness of this connection, the concept is overturned We decrease phase stability to achieve two key benefits: interface hardening due to a dual-phase microstructure (resulting from reduced thermal stability of the high-temperature phase); and transformation-induced hardening (resulting from the reduced mechanical stability of the room-temperature phase) This combines the best of two worlds: extensive hardening due to the decreased phase stability known from advanced steels and massive solid-solution strengthening of high-entropy alloys In our transformation-induced plasticity-assisted, dual-phase high-entropy alloy (TRIP-DP-HEA), these two contributions lead respectively to enhanced trans-grain and inter-grain slip resistance, and hence, increased strength Moreover, the increased strain hardening capacity that is enabled by dislocation hardening of the stable phase and transformation-induced hardening of the metastable phase produces increased ductility This combined increase in strength and ductility distinguishes the TRIP-DP-HEA alloy from other recently developed structural materials This metastability-engineering strategy should thus usefully guide design in the near-infinite compositional space of high-entropy alloys

Back stress strengthening and strain hardening in gradient structure

Abstract: We report significant back stress strengthening and strain hardening in gradient structured (GS) interstitial-free (IF) steel. Back stress is long-range stress caused by the pileup of geometrically necessary dislocations (GNDs). A simple equation and a procedure are developed to calculate back stress basing on its formation physics from the tensile unloading–reloading hysteresis loop. The gradient structure has mechanical incompatibility due to its grain size gradient. This induces strain gradient, which needs to be accommodated by GNDs. Back stress not only raises the yield strength but also significantly enhances strain hardening to increase the ductility.Impact Statement: Gradient structure leads to high back stress hardening to increase strength and ductility. A physically sound equation is derived to calculate the back stress from an unloading/reloading hysteresis loop.

Ordinary state-based peridynamics for plastic deformation according to von Mises yield criteria with isotropic hardening

Abstract: This study presents the ordinary state-based peridynamic constitutive relations for plastic deformation based on von Mises yield criteria with isotropic hardening. The peridynamic force density–stretch relations concerning elastic deformation are augmented with increments of force density and stretch for plastic deformation. The expressions for the yield function and the rule of incremental plastic stretch are derived in terms of the horizon, force density, shear modulus, and hardening parameter of the material. The yield surface is constructed based on the relationship between the effective stress and equivalent plastic stretch. The validity of peridynamic predictions is established by considering benchmark solutions concerning a plate under tension, a plate with a hole and a crack also under tension.

SANISAND-Z: zero elastic range sand plasticity model

Abstract: The theory of zero purely elastic range in stress space within the framework of bounding surface plasticity is applied to sand constitutive modelling. The yield surface shrinks to zero and becomes identical to the stress point itself, and plastic loading occurs for any direction of the stress ratio rate on which the loading and plastic strain rate directions now depend, rendering the model incrementally non-linear. The simplicity of the conceptual structure of the model is particularly attractive as it consists of only one surface, the bounding/failure surface, and the stress point itself in the stress ratio π-plane. The image stress point on the bounding surface is defined analytically in terms of the direction of the rate of the stress ratio, with the latter being inside, on, or outside the surface, so that the model can address consistently hardening, softening and critical state response. An updating scheme of the initial value of stress ratio at unloading–reloading events is proposed in order to avoi...

Dual-phase steel sheets under cyclic tension–compression to large strains: Experiments and crystal plasticity modeling

Abstract: In this work, we develop a physically-based crystal plasticity model for the prediction of cyclic tension–compression deformation of multi-phase materials, specifically dual-phase (DP) steels. The model is elasto–plastic in nature and integrates a hardening law based on statistically stored dislocation density, localized hardening due to geometrically necessary dislocations (GNDs), slip-system-level kinematic backstresses, and annihilation of dislocations. The model further features a two level homogenization scheme where the first level is the overall response of a two-phase polycrystalline aggregate and the second level is the homogenized response of the martensite polycrystalline regions. The model is applied to simulate a cyclic tension–compression–tension deformation behavior of DP590 steel sheets. From experiments, we observe that the material exhibits a typical decreasing hardening rate during forward loading, followed by a linear and then a non-linear unloading upon the load reversal, the Bauschinger effect, and changes in hardening rate during strain reversals. To predict these effects, we identify the model parameters using a portion of the measured data and validate and verify them using the remaining data. The developed model is capable of predicting all the particular features of the cyclic deformation of DP590 steel, with great accuracy. From the predictions, we infer and discuss the effects of GNDs, the backstresses, dislocation annihilation, and the two-level homogenization scheme on capturing the cyclic deformation behavior of the material.

Determining individual phase properties in a multi-phase Q&P steel using multi-scale indentation tests

Abstract: A new inverse method was developed to predict the stress–strain behaviors of constituent phases in a multi-phase steel using the load–depth curves measured in nanoindentation tests combined with microhardness measurements. A power law hardening response was assumed for each phase, and an empirical relationship between hardness and yield strength was assumed. Adjustment was made to eliminate the indentation size effect and indenter bluntness effect. With the newly developed inverse method and statistical analysis of the hardness histogram for each phase, the average stress–strain curves of individual phases in a quench and partitioning (Q&P) steel, including austenite, tempered martensite and untempered martensite, were calculated and the results were compared with the phase properties obtained by in-situ high energy X-ray diffraction (HEXRD) test. It is demonstrated that multi-scale instrumented indentation tests together with the new inverse method are capable of determining the individual phase flow properties in multi-phase alloys.

Progress in Creep-Resistant Steels for High Efficiency Coal-Fired Power Plants

Abstract: Recent progress in creep-resistant bainitic, martensitic, and austenitic steels for high efficiency coal-fired power plants is comprehensively reviewed with emphasis on long-term creep strength and microstructure stability at grain boundaries (GBs). The creep strength enhanced ferritic (CSEF) steels, such as Grade 91 (9Cr–1Mo–0.2V–0.05Nb), Grade 92 (9Cr–0.5Mo–1.8W–VNb), and Grade 122 (11Cr–0.4Mo–2W–1CuVNb), can offer the highest potential to meet the required flexibility for ultra-supercritical (USC) power plants operating at around 600 °C, because of their smaller thermal expansion and larger thermal conductivity than austenitic steels and Ni base alloys. Further improvement of creep strength of martensitic 9 to 12Cr steels has been achieved by substituting a part or all of Mo with W and also by the addition of Co, V, Nb, and boron. A martensitic 9Cr–3W–3Co–VNb steel strengthened by boron and MX nitrides, designated MARBN, exhibits not only much higher creep strength of base metal than Grade 91, Grade 92, and Grade 122 but also substantially no degradation in creep strength due to type IV fracture in welded joints at 650 °C. High-strength bainitic 2.25 to 3Cr steels have been developed by enhancing solid solution hardening due to W and precipitation hardening due to (V,Nb)C carbides in bainitic microstructure. The improvement of creep strength of austenitic steels has been achieved by solid solution hardening due to the addition of Mo, W, and nitrogen and by precipitation hardening due to the formation of fine MX (M = Ti, Nb, X = C, N), NbCrN, M23C6, Cu phase, and Fe2(Mo,W) Laves phase. The boundary and sub-boundary hardening are shown to be the most important strengthening mechanism in creep of creep-resistant steels and is enhanced by fine dispersions of precipitates along boundaries.

The influence of Mg/Si ratio and Cu content on the stretch formability of 6xxx aluminium alloys

Abstract: In this paper, the effect of Mg/Si ratio and Cu content on the stretch formability of aluminium alloys of the 6xxx series was investigated using scanning electron microscopy, hardness tests, tensile testing and forming limit diagram measurements. The results show that with increasing Mg/Si ratio, the formability of Al–Mg–Si alloys decreases due to a decrease in the work hardening and strain-rate hardening capability. The addition of Cu enhances the work hardening capacity, but slightly decreases the strain-rate hardening capability. In particular, it was found that the addition of 0.3 wt% Cu improves the stretch formability of alloys with Mg/Si ratios greater than one, but has little or no effect in alloys with a large excess of Si. Furthermore, the work hardening behaviour of the alloys was modelled using the Kocks–Mecking–Estrin model.

Effect of mean stress and ratcheting strain on the low cycle fatigue behavior of a wrought 316LN stainless steel

Abstract: This work reports the low cycle fatigue behavior of a wrought 316LN stainless steel under different control modes at room temperature. Under symmetrical strain and stress cycling, the steel exhibits consistent loading-amplitude-dependent cyclic hardening/softening and fatigue life characteristics. Under asymmetrical stress cycling, the steel is significantly hardened due to mean stress, and the fatigue life at the same strain amplitude is significantly reduced due to ratcheting strain. With the increase of mean stress, though the ratcheting strain level is increased, the fatigue life is prolonged. The effect of mean-stress hardening and ratcheting strain on fatigue life is discussed in terms of strain amplitude and micro-crack initiation and propagation. The Smith-Walker-Topper (SWT) model and a newly proposed fatigue life model based on the Coffin-Manson equation were used to predict the fatigue life under mean stress, and the proposed model yields more robust predictions.