Structure and stability of rapidly solidified Al—Si based alloys

Conventionally cast γ’ precipitation hardened nickel-base superalloys possess well-defined dendritic structures and normally exhibit pronounced segregation. Splat quenched, or rapidly solidified alloys, on the other hand, show little or no evidence for phase decomposition and markedly reduced segregation. In what follows, it is shown that comparable results have been obtained in superalloys processed by the LASERGLAZE™ method.In laser glazing, a sharply focused laser beam is traversed across the material surface at a rate that induces surface localized melting, while avoiding significant surface vaporization. Under these conditions, computations of the average cooling rate can be made with confidence, since intimate contact between the melt and the self-substrate ensures that the heat transfer coefficient is reproducibly constant (h=∞ for perfect contact) in contrast to the variable h characteristic of splat quenching. Results of such computations for pure nickel are presented in Fig. 1, which shows that there is a maximum cooling rate for a given absorbed power density, corresponding to the limiting case in which melt depth approaches zero.

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On the Origin of the Microscystalline Structure in Rapidly Solidified IN-100 Powder

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100078821 ◽

1977 ◽

Vol 35 ◽

pp. 260-261

Author(s):

J. M. Walsh ◽

K. P. Gumz ◽

J. C. Whittles ◽

B. H. Kear

Keyword(s):

The Other ◽

Coarse Grained ◽

Microcrystalline Structure ◽

Routine Examination ◽

Atomization Process ◽

Centrifugal Atomization ◽

Splat Quenching ◽

Powder Particles ◽

Dendritic Microstructures ◽

Rapidly Solidified

During a routine examination of the microstructure of rapidly solidified IN-100 powder, produced by a newly-developed centrifugal atomization process1, essentially two distinct types of microstructure were identified. When a high melt superheat is maintained during atomization, the powder particles are predominantly coarse-grained, equiaxed or columnar, with distinctly dendritic microstructures, Figs, la and 4a. On the other hand, when the melt superheat is reduced by increasing the heat flow to the disc of the rotary atomizer, the powder particles are predominantly microcrystalline in character, with typically one dendrite per grain, Figs, lb and 4b. In what follows, evidence is presented that strongly supports the view that the unusual microcrystalline structure has its origin in dendrite erosion occurring in a 'mushy zone' of dynamic solidification on the disc of the rotary atomizer.The critical observations were made on atomized material that had undergone 'splat-quenching' on previously solidified, chilled substrate particles.

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Lorentz electron microscopy of magnetic domains in rapidly solidified and annealed Pt-Co-B alloys

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100088233 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 49 ◽

pp. 784-785

Author(s):

N. Qiu ◽

J. E. Wittig

Keyword(s):

Rapid Solidification ◽

Ion Beam ◽

Magnetic Behavior ◽

High Coercivity ◽

Magnetic Domains ◽

Beam Angle ◽

Tem Analysis ◽

Intrinsic Coercivity ◽

Hard Magnets ◽

Rapidly Solidified

PtCo hard magnets have specialized applications owing to their relatively high coercivity combined with corrosion resistance and ductility. Increased intrinsic coercivity has been recently obtained by rapid solidification processing of PtCo alloys containing boron. After rapid solidification by double anvil splat quenching and subsequent annealing for 30 minutes at 650°C, an alloy with composition Pt42Co45B13 (at.%) exhibited intrinsic coercivity up to 14kOe. This represents a significant improvement compared to the average coercivities in conventional binary PtCo alloys of 5 to 8 kOe.Rapidly solidified specimens of Pt42Co45B13 (at.%) were annealed at 650°C and 800°C for 30 minutes. The magnetic behavior was characterized by measuring the coercive force (Hc). Samples for TEM analysis were mechanically thinned to 100 μm, dimpled to about 30 nm, and ion milled to electron transparency in a Gatan Duomill at 5 kV and 1 mA gun current. The incident ion beam angle was set at 15° and the samples were liquid nitrogen cooled during milling. These samples were analyzed with a Philips CM20T TEM/STEM operated at 200 kV.

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Microstructural Variations in Melt-Spun Rapidly Solidified Ribbons

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100117340 ◽

1985 ◽

Vol 43 ◽

pp. 54-55

Author(s):

L. A. Bendersky ◽

W. J. Boettinger

Keyword(s):

Solid State ◽

Processing Parameters ◽

Heat Extraction ◽

Solid State Reactions ◽

Careful Examination ◽

Ion Milling ◽

Melt Spun ◽

Wheel Side ◽

Rapidly Solidified ◽

Heat Extraction Rate

Rapid solidification produces a wide variety of sub-micron scale microstructure. Generally, the microstructure depends on the imposed melt undercooling and heat extraction rate. The microstructure can vary strongly not only due to processing parameters changes but also during the process itself, as a result of recalescence. Hence, careful examination of different locations in rapidly solidified products should be performed. Additionally, post-solidification solid-state reactions can alter the microstructure.The objective of the present work is to demonstrate the strong microstructural changes in different regions of melt-spun ribbon for three different alloys. The locations of the analyzed structures were near the wheel side (W) and near the center (C) of the ribbons. The TEM specimens were prepared by selective electropolishing or ion milling.

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Spherulite Structures in a Melt Spun Fe-Ni Austenitic Steel

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100117339 ◽

1985 ◽

Vol 43 ◽

pp. 52-53

Author(s):

G. M. Michal ◽

T. K. Glasgow ◽

T. J. Moore

Keyword(s):

Austenitic Steel ◽

Room Temperature ◽

Elevated Temperatures ◽

Large Range ◽

Amorphous Structure ◽

Nucleation And Growth ◽

Ni Alloys ◽

Melt Spun ◽

Crystal Fibers ◽

Rapidly Solidified

Large additions of B to Fe-Ni alloys can lead to the formation of an amorphous structure, if the alloy is rapidly cooled from the liquid state to room temperature. Isothermal aging of such structures at elevated temperatures causes crystallization to occur. Commonly such crystallization pro ceeds by the nucleation and growth of spherulites which are spherical crystalline bodies of radiating crystal fibers. Spherulite features were found in the present study in a rapidly solidified alloy that was fully crysstalline as-cast. This alloy was part of a program to develop an austenitic steel for elevated temperature applications by strengthening it with TiB2. The alloy contained a relatively large percentage of B, not to induce an amorphous structure, but only as a consequence of trying to obtain a large volume fracture of TiB2 in the completely processed alloy. The observation of spherulitic features in this alloy is described herein. Utilization of the large range of useful magnifications obtainable in a modern TEM, when a suitably thinned foil is available, was a key element in this analysis.

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EM of rapidly solidified permanent magnets

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100121399 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 50 (1) ◽

pp. 198-199

Author(s):

Raja K. Mishra

Keyword(s):

Melt Spinning ◽

Permanent Magnets ◽

Dark Field Image ◽

Dark Field ◽

Maximum Energy ◽

Quench Rate ◽

Maximum Energy Product ◽

Energy Product ◽

Annular Dark Field ◽

Rapidly Solidified

The discovery of a new class of permanent magnets based on Nd2Fe14B phase in the last decade has led to intense research and development efforts aimed at commercial exploitation of the new alloy. The material can be prepared either by rapid solidification or by powder metallurgy techniques and the resulting microstructures are very different. This paper details the microstructure of Nd-Fe-B magnets produced by melt-spinning.In melt spinning, quench rate can be varied easily by changing the rate of rotation of the quench wheel. There is an optimum quench rate when the material shows maximum magnetic hardening. For faster or slower quench rates, both coercivity and maximum energy product of the material fall off. These results can be directly related to the changes in the microstructure of the melt-spun ribbon as a function of quench rate. Figure 1 shows the microstructure of (a) an overquenched and (b) an optimally quenched ribbon. In Fig. 1(a), the material is nearly amorphous, with small nuclei of Nd2Fe14B grains visible and in Fig. 1(b) the microstructure consists of equiaxed Nd2Fe14B grains surrounded by a thin noncrystalline Nd-rich phase. Fig. 1(c) shows an annular dark field image of the intergranular phase. Nd enrichment in this phase is shown in the EDX spectra in Fig. 2.

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Shock consolidation of Ni-Ti alloy powder

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100143730 ◽

1986 ◽

Vol 44 ◽

pp. 430-431

Author(s):

Naresh N. Thadhani ◽

Thad Vreeland ◽

Thomas J. Ahrens

Keyword(s):

Alloy Powder ◽

Amorphous Material ◽

Ti Alloy ◽

Two Phase ◽

Near Surface ◽

Optical Micrograph ◽

Shock Compaction ◽

Powder Particles ◽

Ti Powder ◽

Rapidly Solidified

A spherically-shaped, microcrystalline Ni-Ti alloy powder having fairly nonhomogeneous particle size distribution and chemical composition was consolidated with shock input energy of 316 kJ/kg. In the process of consolidation, shock energy is preferentially input at particle surfaces, resulting in melting of near-surface material and interparticle welding. The Ni-Ti powder particles were 2-60 μm in diameter (Fig. 1). About 30-40% of the powder particles were Ni-65wt% and balance were Ni-45wt%Ti (estimated by EMPA).Upon shock compaction, the two phase Ni-Ti powder particles were bonded together by the interparticle melt which rapidly solidified, usually to amorphous material. Fig. 2 is an optical micrograph (in plane of shock) of the consolidated Ni-Ti alloy powder, showing the particles with different etching contrast.

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Microstructure of an extruded rapidly solidified Al-8Fe-2Mo alloy

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100144218 ◽

1986 ◽

Vol 44 ◽

pp. 548-549

Author(s):

W. T. Donlon ◽

J. E. Allison ◽

S. Shinozaki

Keyword(s):

Electron Microscopy ◽

Automotive Industry ◽

Fuel Economy ◽

High Strength ◽

Al Alloys ◽

Light Weight ◽

Thin Sections ◽

Strength And Durability ◽

Rapidly Solidified ◽

Whitney Aircraft

Light weight materials which possess high strength and durability are being utilized by the automotive industry to increase fuel economy. Rapidly solidified (RS) Al alloys are currently being extensively studied for this purpose. In this investigation the microstructure of an extruded Al-8Fe-2Mo alloy, produced by Pratt & Whitney Aircraft, Goverment Products Div. was examined in a JE0L 2000FX AEM. Both electropolished thin sections, and extraction replicas were examined to characterize this material. The consolidation procedure for producing this material included a 9:1 extrusion at 340°C followed by a 16:1 extrusion at 400°C, utilizing RS powders which have also been characterized utilizing electron microscopy.

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