Internal Friction and Microstructure of Ti and Ti-Mo Alloys Containing Oxygen

Ti-Mo alloys are promising materials for use as biomaterials, because these alloys have excellent corrosion resistance and a good combination of mechanical properties such as fatigue, low elastic modulus, hardness, and wear resistance. The objective of this paper was to study the effect of heavy interstitial atoms on anelastic properties of Ti-Mo alloys using mechanical spectroscopy. The internal friction and Young’s modulus were measured as a function of temperature using dynamic mechanical analyser. The internal friction spectra were brought about by relaxation processes attributed to shortrange stress induced reorientation of interstitial and substitutional complexes in solid solution. It is suggested that the nature of the relaxing entities can be worked out in further research on Ti-Mo single crystals.

Eutectoid Al-51at%Zn Alloy Studied by Isothermal Mechanical Spectroscopy

sothermal mechanical spectroscopy measurements were performed in an Al-51 at % Zn alloy at various temperatures below and above the eutectoid transition temperature: during a heating the α-β eutectoid mixture changes into α solid solution at 550 K. Damping experiments were performed in a very large frequency range (10-5– 50 Hz) between room temperature and 673 K. Internal friction spectra performed between 200 K and 540 K, exhibit two thermally activated relaxation peaks (P1 and P2). P1 decreases and disappears with the increase of measurement temperature while P2 appears and increases. P2 totally disappears above the eutectoid transition temperature. Above 550 K, a new peak (P3) is evidenced at very low frequency. The relaxation parameters of P3 (limit relaxation time τ0= 9×10-7and activation energy H = 105 kJ/mole (1.1 eV)) allow to associate this peak with the motion of sub grain boundaries. P1 and P2 (τ0≈ 10-7and H ≈ 70 kJ/mole (0.75 eV) for both peaks) are associated with a thermally induced atom diffusion across the α-β interface.

Internal Friction and Dynamic Modulus in High Temperature Ru-Nb Shape Memory Intermetallics

ABSTRACTNowadays, aeronautic and aerospace are the more demanding sectors for shape memory alloys (SMA) after the bio-medical one. In particular the interest has been recently focused on very high temperature SMA, which would be able of working as sensors and actuators in the hot areas of the engines and exaust devices.In the present work we undertook a study of the Ru-Nb SMA Intermetallics, which undergo two succesive martensitic transformations around 1050 K and 1180 K respectively, depending on composition. This study has been focused on measurements of internal friction spectra and dynamic modulus variation up to 1700 K, which have been carried out in a sub-resonant torsion mechanical spectrometer.The internal friction and dynamic modulus have been studied as a function of the heating-cooling rate and the frequency in order to compare experimental behaviour with theoretical models for martensitic transformations. In addition to the internal friction peaks linked to both martensitic transformations we have also observed a complex relaxation process around 950 K, which seems to be linked to the interaction of the martensite interfaces with structural defects. An analysis and discusion of the potential microscopic mechanisms are also presented.

Temperature Dependence of the Flow Stress of Body-Centered-Cubic Metals

By comparing the properties of dislocation-related relaxation processes in internal friction spectra and the tensile data of various iron alloys, we found that the temperature dependence of the flow stress is governed by the total distribution of the activation energies of dislocation motion. The derived model explains the origin of an anomalous temperature dependence of the flow stress in thermally aged Fe-1%Cu alloys, and Fe-x%Cr alloys as a function of Cr concentration, as well as the non-uniform temperature dependence of the flow stress in pure Fe.

Oxygen Diffusion in an Nb-Ta Alloy Measured by Mechanical Spectroscopy

When metals that present bcc crystalline structure receive the addition of interstitial atoms as oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen and carbon, they undergo significant changes in their physical properties because they are able to dissolve great amounts of those interstitial elements, and thus form solid solutions. Niobium and most of its alloys possess a bcc crystalline structure and, because Brazil is the largest world exporter of this metal, it is fundamental to understand the interaction mechanisms between interstitial elements and niobium or its alloys. In this study, mechanical spectroscopy (internal friction) measurements were performed on Nb-8.9wt%Ta alloys containing oxygen in solid solution. The experimental results presented complex internal friction spectra. With the addition of substitutional solute, interactions between the two types of solutes (substitutional and interstitial) were observed, considering that the random distribution of the interstitial atoms was affected by the presence of substitutional atoms. Interstitial diffusion coefficients, pre-exponential factors and activation energies were calculated for oxygen in this alloy.

Influences of Annealing and Deformation on the High Temperature Internal Friction Spectra of Al-0.013%Wt Ce Alloy

By using a low frequency inverted torsion pendulum, the high temperature internal friction spectra of Al-0.013wt%Ce alloy subjected to deformation at different tensile rates was measured, and three peaks, the conventional grain boundary peak (P1), the bamboo peak (P2) and the soild solution peak (P3) were found. Increases of annealing temperature and deformation rate make P1 and P2 lower with P1 shifting to higher temperature and P2 to lower temperature. P3 was only found in the as-received samples. The dependence of P1 and P2 on grain size indicates that the two peaks are originated from the grain boundary sliding, and P3 may be associated with the diffusion of Ce atoms or other impurities at grain boundaries.

Mechanical Spectroscopy in Advanced TiAl-Nb-Mo Alloys at High Temperature

ABSTRACTNew advanced multi-phase γ-TiAl based alloys (TiAl-Nb-Mo), so called TNM alloys, have been developed to promote hot workability and to allow easier processing by conventional forging. However, to control and stabilize the final microstructure, specific processing and further thermal treatments are required. In the present work we used mechanical spectroscopy techniques to obtain a better understanding of the microstructural mechanisms taking place at high temperature applying two different heat treatments. Internal friction spectra and dynamic modulus evolution have been measured in an inverted torsion pendulum up to 1220 K. A stable relaxation peak was observed in both cases at about 1050 K for 1 Hz. Spectra acquired at several frequencies between 0.01 Hz and 3 Hz allow us to measure the activation parameters of this peak. In addition, a high temperature background (HTB) has been observed. This HTB, which has been found to be dependent on thermal treatments, has been analyzed to obtain the apparent activation enthalpy, which seems to be correlated to the creep behavior. Finally, we discuss the relaxation peak and the HTB in terms of the microstructural evolution during thermal treatments.

Diffusion of Nitrogen in Ti-13V-11Cr-3Al Alloys

Metals with a bcc crystalline structure such as Ti-13V-11Cr-3Al alloys have their physical properties significantly changed through the addition of interstitial elements such as oxygen and nitrogen. These metals can dissolve substantial amounts of interstitial elements forming solid solutions. Mechanical spectroscopy measurements constitute a powerful tool for studying interactions of these interstitial elements with other elements that make up the alloy. From these measurements, it is possible to obtain information regarding diffusion, interstitial concentration, interaction between interstitials, and other imperfections of the crystalline lattice. In this paper, Ti-13V-11Cr-3Al alloys with several amount of nitrogen, in a solid solution, were studied using mechanical spectroscopy (internal friction) measurements. The results presented complex internal friction spectra which were resolved in a series of constituent Debye peaks corresponding to different interactions and interstitial diffusion coefficients. Pre-exponential factors and activation energies were calculated for nitrogen in theses alloys.