Evaluation of Structure and Corrosion Behavior of FeAl Alloy after Crystallization, Hot Extrusion and Hot Rolling

The paper presents the results of tests on the corrosion resistance of Fe40Al5Cr0.2TiB alloy after casting, plastic working using extrusion and rolling methods. Examination of the microstructure of the Fe40Al5Cr0.2TiB alloy after casting and after plastic working was performed on an Olympus GX51 light microscope. The stereological relationships of the alloy microstructure in the state after crystallization and after plastic working were determined. The quantitative analysis of the structure was conducted after testing with the EBSD INCA HKL detector and the Nordlys II analysis system (Channel 5), which was equipped with the Hitachi S-3400N microscope. Structure tests and corrosion tests were performed on tests cut perpendicular to the ingot axis, extrusion direction, and rolling direction. As a result of the tests, it was found that the crystallized alloy has better corrosion resistance than plastically processed material. Plastic working increases the intensity of the electrochemical corrosion of the examined alloy. It was found that as-cast alloy is the most resistant to corrosion in a 5% NaCl compared with the alloys after hot extrusion and after hot rolling. The parameters in this study show the smallest value of the corrosion current density and corrosion rate as well as the more positive value of corrosion potential.

Freckles pattern and microstructure feature of Nb-Ti alloy produced by vacuum arc remelting

Nb-Ti alloys are normally produced by vacuum arc remelting process. Due to inadequate processing parameters, freckles can be observed in macroetched ingots. In the present work, visual, chemical, metallographic, and X-ray are presented which establish the appearance, composition, microstructure differences between freckle regions and normal regions. It has been observed that in freckles parallel to the ingot axis, the Ti content is up to 53wt%, 7wt% higher than normal regions. It is also shown that a lot of precipitation phases appeared in freckle regions, because of the thermosolutal convection in the mushy zone. The Rayleigh number, which recommended as a criterion for freckle initiation, has been calculated that using a VAR melting software. Based on the experimental results and simulation results, it is concluded that freckles can be influenced by processing parameters, and freckles in Nb-Ti alloy can be eliminated by matching appropriate processing parameters.

Study of ingots solidification kinetics based on physical modelling of casting and melt crystallization

Study of the processes, taking place at the large ingots obtaining during steel casting, as well as during its solidification is a rather hard task. Therefore it is reasonable to use for the study of them methods of solidification modelling by application various hard particles (inoculators), being introduced into a melt. Evaluation of the inoculation effect on the solidification process, structure formation and defected zones extension in model ingots carried out. It was determined, that introduction of inoculators during melt casting results in decreasing of the diphasic zone thickness. It was determined also, that introduction of hard particles (inoculators) in the volume of from 6 till 12% results in reducing time of model ingots solidification. An increase the volume of inoculators leads to prevalence of solidification vertical component over the horizontal one. It was determined also, that introduction of inoculators allows increasing the solidification process orientation, that characterized by an increase of linear taper and as a result – the vertical solidification component increase. It was revealed, that introduction of inoculators at the liquid-solid casting leads to changing the heat center location. The introduction of inoculators results to “elongation” of heat center by the solidifying ingot axis, that relates with a quicker advance of the solid phase in vertical direction, as a result of the quick removal of solidifying ingot overheating.

Role of the Structural and Thermal Peclet Numbers in the Brass Continuous Casting

The Structural Peclet Number has been estimated experimentally by analyzing the morphology of the continuously cast brass ingots. It allowed to adapt a proper development of the Ivantsov’s series in order to formulate the Growth Law for the columnar structure formation in the brass ingots solidified in stationary condition. Simultaneously, the Thermal Peclet Number together with the Biot, Stefan, and Fourier Numbers is used in the model describing the heat transfer connected with the so-called contact layer (air gap between an ingot and crystallizer). It lead to define the shape and position of the s/l interface in the brass ingot subjected to the vertical continuous displacement within the crystallizer (in gravity). Particularly, a comparison of the shape of the simulated s/l interface at the axis of the continuously cast brass ingot with the real shape revealed at the ingot axis is delivered. Structural zones in the continuously cast brass ingot are revealed: FC - fine columnar grains, C - columnar grains, E - equiaxed grains, SC - single crystal situated axially.

Structural Zones in Large Static Ingot. Forecasts for Continuously Cast Brass Ingot

Some metallographic studies performed on the basis of the massive forging steel static ingot, on its cross-section, allowed to reveal the following morphological zones: a/ columnar grains (treated as the austenite single crystals), b/ columnar into equiaxed grains transformation, c/ equiaxed grains at the ingot axis. These zones are reproduced theoretically by the numerical simulation. The simulation was based on the calculation of both temperature field in the solidifying large steel ingot and thermal gradient field obtained for the same boundary conditions. The detailed analysis of the velocity of the liquidus isotherm movement shows that the zone of columnar grains begins to disappear at the first point of inflection and the equiaxed grains are formed exclusively at the second point of inflection of the analyzed curve. In the case of the continuously cast brass ingots three different morphologies are revealed: a/ columnar structure, b/ columnar and equiaxed structure with the CET, and c/ columnar structure with the single crystal formation at the ingot axis. Some forecasts of the temperature field are proposed for these three revealed morphologies. An analysis / forecast of the behavior of the operating point in the mold is delivered for the continuously cast ingot. A characteristic delay between some points of breakage of the temperature profile recorded at the operating point and analogous phenomena in the solidifying alloy is postulated.

Effects of Electric Pulse Modification on As-Cast Texture of Pure Copper

The modification of liquid metal by electric pulse (EP or EPM) is a novel method for improvement of solidification structure. In this study, the as-cast texture of EP-modified pure copper was investigated by using X-ray Schulz backscattered method. The experimental results show that the as-cast texture of EP-modified pure copper is dissimilar with that of the unmodified. The unmodified mainly exhibits a type of {110}<001> texture, and the maximum value of orientation density is 10.07, in the plane that parallel to the vertical section along the ingot axis, the <110> crystal direction has the most volume fraction of 27.18%; By contrast, the as-cast texture of EP-modified pure copper shows a typical type of {102}<001>, and the maximum value of orientation density is 12.88, at the same time, the corresponding <102> crystal direction changes to be the most volume fraction and its value is 22.82%. These facts indicate that the crystal orientation (texture) of solidification structure could be altered by EPM, and EPM technology would thus influence the following metal formability.