The effect of solute on ultrasonic grain refinement of magnesium alloys

An experimental study has been conducted to assess the structural refinement of magnesium and its alloys by ultrasonic irradiation during solidification. It is shown that (i) ultrasonic irradiation leads to significant refinement only in the presence of adequate solute, which is alloy dependent; (ii) the attendant grain density increases linearly with increase in solute content at a given irradiation level; (iii) increasing the solute content at a low irradiation level above the cavitation threshold is more effective than substantially increasing the irradiation intensity; and (iv) the difference in the grain size between two ultrasonicated magnesium alloys is mainly determined by the solute content rather than the irradiation intensity. In view of these, the effect of ultrasonic irradiation on solute redistribution in a solidifying magnesium alloy seems rather limited even at a substantial intensity level such as 1700 W cm⁻². The implications of these findings are discussed and a mechanism is proposed to account for the experimental observations.     

Study on Deformation of Polycrystalline Aluminum Alloy Using Moiré Interferometry

Polycrystalline aluminum alloy is manufactured by annealing, compared to the width of the specimen, the size of the grains can not be omitted, which makes the specimen anisotropic. Under uniaxial tension, the deformation field is inhomogeneous. In this study, moiré interferometry is successfully applied to measure the deformation of the polycrystalline specimen. The experimental results presented the stress versus strain responses of the marked grains in different orientations and different shapes. By using fringe centering method, the strain distributions under certain load in the centers and on the boundaries of the grains are analyzed.     

Atomistic simulations of elastic deformation and dislocation nucleation during nanoindentation

Nanoindentation experiments have shown that microstructural inhomogeneities across the surface of gold thin films lead to position-dependent nanoindentation behavior [Phys. Rev. B (2002), to be submitted]. The rationale for such behavior was based on the availability of dislocation sources at the grain boundary for initiating plasticity. In order to verify or refute this theory, a computational approach has been pursued. Here, a simulation study of the initial stages of indentation using the embedded atom method (EAM) is presented. First, the principles of the EAM are given, and a comparison is made between atomistic simulations and continuum models for elastic deformation. Then, the mechanism of dislocation nucleation in single crystalline gold is analyzed, and the effects of elastic anisotropy are considered. Finally, a systematic study of the indentation response in the proximity of a high angle, high sigma (low symmetry) grain boundary is presented; indentation behavior is simulated for varying indenter positions relative to the boundary. The results indicate that high angle grain boundaries are a ready source of dislocations in indentation-induced deformation.     

Breakage mechanics—Part I: Theory

Different measures have been suggested for quantifying the amount of fragmentation in randomly compacted crushable aggregates. A most effective and popular measure is to adopt variants of Hardin's [1985. Crushing of soil particles. J. Geotech. Eng. ASCE 111(10), 1177-1192] definition of relative breakage ‘B_r’. In this paper we further develop the concept of breakage to formulate a new continuum mechanics theory for crushable granular materials based on statistical and thermomechanical principles. Analogous to the damage internal variable ‘D’ which is used in continuum damage mechanics (CDM), here the breakage internal variable ‘B’ is adopted. This internal variable represents a particular form of the relative breakage ‘B_r’ and measures the relative distance of the current grain size distribution from the initial and ultimate distributions. Similar to ‘D’, ‘B’ varies from zero to one and describes processes of micro-fractures and the growth of surface area. However, unlike damage that is most suitable to tensioned solid-like materials, the breakage is aimed towards compressed granular matter. While damage effectively represents the opening of micro-cavities and cracks, breakage represents comminution of particles. We term the new theory continuum breakage mechanics (CBM), reflecting the analogy with CDM. A focus is given to developing fundamental concepts and postulates, and identifying the physical meaning of the various variables. In this part of the paper we limit the study to describe an ideal dissipative process that includes breakage without plasticity. Plastic strains are essential, however, in representing aspects that relate to frictional dissipation, and this is covered in Part II of this paper together with model examples.     

A variational multiscale constitutive model for nanocrystalline materials

This paper presents a variational multi-scale constitutive model in the finite deformation regime capable of capturing the mechanical behavior of nanocrystalline (nc) fcc metals. The nc-material is modeled as a two-phase material consisting of a grain interior phase and a grain boundary effected zone (GBAZ). A rate-independent isotropic porous plasticity model is employed to describe the GBAZ, whereas a crystal-plasticity model which accounts for the transition from partial dislocation to full dislocation mediated plasticity is employed for the grain interior. The constitutive models of both phases are formulated in a small strain framework and extended to finite deformation by use of logarithmic and exponential mappings. Assuming the rule of mixtures, the overall behavior of a given grain is obtained via volume averaging. The scale transition from a single grain to a polycrystal is achieved by Taylor-type homogenization where a log-normal grain size distribution is assumed. It is shown that the proposed model is able to capture the inverse Hall-Petch effect, i.e., loss of strength with grain size refinement. Finally, the predictive capability of the model is validated against experimental results on nanocrystalline copper and nickel.     

Non-equilibrium grain boundary structure and inelastic deformation using atomistic simulations

Grain boundary influence on material properties becomes increasingly significant as grain size is reduced to the nanoscale. Nanostructured materials produced by severe plastic deformation techniques often contain a higher percentage of high-angle grain boundaries in a non-equilibrium or energetically metastable state. Differences in the mechanical behavior and observed deformation mechanisms are common due to deviations in grain boundary structure. Fundamental interfacial attributes such as atomic mobility and energy are affected due to a higher non-equilibrium state, which in turn affects deformation response. In this research, atomistic simulations employing a biased Monte Carlo method are used to approximate representative non-equilibrium bicrystalline grain boundaries based on an embedded atom method potential, leveraging the concept of excess free volume. An advantage of this approach is that non-equilibrium boundaries can be instantiated without the need of simulating numerous defect/grain boundary interactions. Differences in grain boundary structure and deformation response are investigated as a function of non-equilibrium state using Molecular Dynamics. A detailed comparison between copper and aluminum bicrystals is provided with regard to boundary strength, observed deformation mechanisms, and stress-assisted free volume evolution during both tensile and shear simulations.     

钨钼室温脆性的研究

对不同实验条件下制备的钨和钼的试样作扫描电镜、透射电镜和俄歇电子能谱分析。断口形貌分析表明,在室温下烧结态和再结晶态的断口呈典型的晶间脆性断裂,低形变及再结晶试样为晶间脆断和穿晶解理的混合型断裂,高度形变的试样断口呈纤维状韧性断裂特征,是纤维束撕裂、分层,而后单个纤维出现缩颈、微孔合并所致。在10~(-9)Torr高真空度下对新鲜断口作俄歇电子能谱分析证实,间隙杂质磷、氧和碳是钨的主要晶界杂质,而钾、氧和碳则在掺杂钨的晶界明显富集,可以确认这些在晶界大量富集的杂质是削弱晶界强度,造成钨钼室温脆性的基本原因.文中还分析了晶粒结构和亚结构对室温脆性的影响。     

退耕还林工程影响下农林生态系统生态交错带的宽度测定

 生态交错带宽度的测定是定量研究其生态过程的基础,研究利用移动分割窗技术,对退耕还林工程影响下的山地农业生态系统和森林生态系统间的生态交错带宽度进行测定.首先以对生态交错带生物多样性分布趋势有较好体现的4个多样性指数(物种丰富度、Cody指数、群落相异性系数(β_J和β_S))和能体现群落本质特征的重要值为指标,取平方欧氏距离(SED)和Bray-Curtis系数(PD)为距离系数,采用移动分割窗技术分析比较.结果表明,物种丰富度,群落相异性系数β_J和β_S曲线趋势具有很好的重合性,同质区间也体现得较为明显,说明这3个指标生态学意义明显,有较高的实用价值;与PD相比,SED函数划分的结果要好.然后选取物种丰富度、群落相异性系数β_J和β_S作为指标以及SED作为距离系数对交错带的宽度进行测定.撂荒地-云南松林交错带位置约在样带序列25~36 m处,宽度为9 m,属于急变型交错带.     

FePt L10 ordering and grain growth using millisecond pulse laser processing

The structural and magnetic properties of ∼12 nm thick FePt thin films grown on Si substrates annealed using a 1064 nm wavelength laser with a 10 ms pulse have been examined. The A1 to L1₀ ordering phase transformation was confirmed by electron and X-ray diffraction. An order parameter near 50% and a maximum coercivity of 12 kOe were obtained with laser energy densities of 25-32 J/cm². Grain growth, quantified by dark field transmission electron microscopy, occurred during chemical ordering at the laser pulse widths studied.