Enhancement of the AISI 5140 Cold Heading Wire Steel Spheroidization by Adequate Control of the Initial As-Rolled Microstructure

The effect of the initial microstructure and soft annealing temperature on cementite spheroidization and microstructure softening is studied on an AISI 5140 hot-rolled wire. In coarse pearlite microstructure (λ: 0.27 μm), the cementite spheroidization progresses slowly under subcritical treatment, and the microstructure does not achieve the minimum G2/L2 IFI rating defined in the ASTM F2282 to be used in cold forming operations under any of the annealing treatment studies. Fine pearlite (λ: 0.10 μm) and upper bainite microstructures are more prone to spheroidization, and the minimum G2/L2 IFI rating is achieved under subcritical annealing at 720 °C for 6 h. Independent of the initial microstructure, even in the case of martensite, low hardness values within 165–195 HV are attained after imposing a 10 h long treatment at 720 °C. Annealing treatments conducted at 660 °C and 600 °C on pearlitic microstructures give rise to very poor softening. The G2/L2 rating is not achieved in any of the treatments applied at these two temperatures in this study. In pearlitic microstructures, the spheroidization progresses according to a fault migration mechanism, enhanced by the presence of defects such as lamella terminations, holes, and kinks. In the upper bainite, the row-like disposition of the cementite along the ferrite lath interface provides necks where dissolution and consequent lamellae break-up take place quickly under annealing.

Significance of fault seal in assessing CO2 storage capacity and containment risks—an example from the Horda Platform, northern North Sea

Understanding of fault seal is crucial for assessing the storage capacity and containment risks of CO2 storage sites, as it can significantly affect the projects on across-fault and along-fault migration/leakage risking, as well as reservoir pressure predictions. We present a study from the Smeaheia area in the northern Horda Platform offshore Norway, focusing on two fault-bounded structural closures, namely Alpha and Beta structures. We aim to use this study to improve the geological understanding of the northern Horda Platform for CO2 storage scale-up potentials and illustrate the importance of fault seal analysis in containment risk assessment and storage capacity evaluation of a CO2 storage project. Our containment risk assessment shows that the Alpha structure has low fault-related containment risks; thus it has a potential value to be an additional storage target. The Beta structure shows larger fault-related containment risks due to juxtaposition of the prospective storage aquifer with the basement across the Øygarden fault system. The storage capacity of Smeaheia will be determined by the long-term dynamic interplay between pressure depletion and recharging. Our study shows that across-fault pressure communication between Smeaheia and the depleting Troll reservoir is likely through several relay-ramps of the Vette fault system. However, Smeaheia also shows pressure recharging potentials, such as through the subcropping areas at the Base Nordland Unconformity. The depletion observed in the newly drilled well 32/4-3S gives a good validation point for our fault seal predictions and provides valuable insights for future dynamic simulations.Thematic collection: This article is part of the Geoscience for CO2 storage collection available at: https://www.lyellcollection.org/cc/geoscience-for-co2-storage

Fossil fault zones: significance and applications

Fossil faults are permanently inactive fault zones, preserved and recognized in the geological record of an area by major brittle, semi-brittle, or mylonitic fault rocks, showing significant width and displacement. Applications and purposes of fossil fault researches include, but are not limited to, investigation on seismic faulting, analog model of active faults, metal ore deposits, paleo-path and fluid migration, deformation mechanism and fault migration along-strike and down-dip. These categories involve subsidiary subjects, some of which are relatively new and seem to attract more attention. Fossil faults are a major source of information about past geological processes that were active at some depth in Earth’s lithosphere, and also provide an opportunity for assuming and predicting the future in structural geology. This paper reviews the researches done on fossil faults and their applications since the early 1970s, albeit not always listed as “fossil faults”.

Effect of processing and Microalloying Elements on the Thermal Stability of Cr-Cr3Si and NiAl-Mo eutectic alloys

The thermal stability of multiphase intermetallics at temperatures to 1400°C was investigated by studying two model eutectic systems: Cr-Cr3Si having a lamellar microstructure and NiAl-Mo having a fibrous microstructure. In drop cast Cr-Cr3Si, coarsening was found to be interface controlled. The coarsening rate could be reduced by microalloying with Ce and Re, two elements which were chosen because they were expected to segregate to the Cr-Cr3Si interfaces and decrease their energies. Similarly, directional solidification, which is also expected to lower the Cr-Cr3Si interfacial energy, was found to dramatically decrease the coarsening rate. In the case of NiAl-Mo, coarsening was found to occur by fault migration and annihilation. Microalloying with B was found to significantly decrease the coarsening rate. The fiber density in the B-doped alloy was smaller than in the undoped alloy, suggesting that B affects the coarsening rate by lowering the fault density.

Twin Boundaries and Stacking Faults in Monazite (Monoclinic LaPO4)

Monazite (LaPO4) was indented at room temperature. Deformation twin boundaries and stacking faults were characterized by high resolution transmission electron microscopy. Kinked deformation twins were also characterized and analyzed. Three types of stacking faults associated with climb-dissociated partial dislocations were observed. Two were found on twin boundaries, and a third in the lattice. Formation mechanisms are discussed. The superimposition of stacking faults along twin boundaries during deformation twinning and the glide of climb-dissociated partial dislocations allowed by stacking fault migration are discussed. The possible relationship between the formation mechanisms for these defects and the low- temperature recrystallization and self-annealing of defects in monazite is considered.

Twin Boundaries and Stacking Faults in Monazite (Monoclinic LaPO4)

Monazite (LaPO4) was indented at room temperature. Deformation twin boundaries and stacking faults were characterized by high resolution transmission electron microscopy. Kinked deformation twins were also characterized and analyzed. Three types of stacking faults associated with climb-dissociated partial dislocations were observed. Two were found on twin boundaries, and a third in the lattice. Formation mechanisms are discussed. The superimposition of stacking faults along twin boundaries during deformation twinning and the glide of climb-dissociated partial dislocations allowed by stacking fault migration are discussed. The possible relationship between the formation mechanisms for these defects and the low- temperature recrystallization and self-annealing of defects in monazite is considered.