The effects of annealing on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Al–Zn–Mg–Cu–Si alloys fabricated by high-energy ball milling (HEBM) and spark plasma sintering (SPS) were investigated. The HEBM-free sintered alloy primarily contained Mg2Si, Q-AlCuMgSi, and Si phases. Meanwhile, the HEBM-sintered alloy contains Mg-free Si and θ-Al2Cu phases due to the formation of MgO, which causes Mg depletion in the Al matrix. Annealing without and with HEBM at 500oC causes partial dissolution and coarsening of the Q-AlCuMgSi and Mg2Si phases in the alloy and dissolution of the θ-Al2Cu phase in the alloy, respectively. In both alloys, a thermally stable α-AlFeSi phase was formed after long-term heat treatment. The grain size of the sintered alloys with and without HEBM increased from 0.5 to 1.0 μm and from 2.9 to 6.3 μm, respectively. The hardness of the sintered alloy increases after annealing for 1 h but decreases significantly after 24 h of annealing. Extending the annealing time to 168 h improved the hardness of the alloy without HEBM but had little effect on the alloy with HEBM. The relationship between the microstructural factors and the hardness of the sintered and annealed alloys is discussed.

The purpose of this study was to analyze microstructural changes and evaluate the mechanical properties of TWIP steel subjected to variations in heat treatment, in order to identify optimal process conditions for enhancing the performance of TWIP steel. For this purpose, a homogenization heat treatment was conducted at 1,200 °C for 2 h, followed by hot rolling at temperature exceeding 1,100 °C and cold rolling. Annealing heat treatment is achieved using a muffle furnace in the range of 600 °C to 1,000 °C. The microstructure characterization was performed with an optical microscope and X-ray diffraction. Mechanical properties are evaluated using micro Vickers hardness, tensile test, and ECO index (UTS × Elongation). The specimens annealed at 900 °C and 1,000 °C experienced a significant decrease in hardness and strength due to decarburization. Consequently, the decarburization phenomenon is closely related to the heat treatment process and mechanical properties of TWIP steel, and the effect of the microstructure change during annealing heat treatment.

In this experimental work, a p-type c-Si (100) substrate with 8 × 8 × 2 mm dimension was taken for TiCN thin-film coating deposition. The whole deposition process was carried out by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process. The Si substrate was placed within the CVD chamber at base pressure and process pressure of 0.75 and 500 mTorr, respectively, in the presence of TiO2 (99.99% pure) and C (99.99% pure) powder mixture. Later on, quantity of C powder was varied for different set experiments. The deposition of TiCN coating was carried out in the presence of N2– H2–TiCl4–CH3CN gas mixture and 600 ℃ of fixed temperature. The time for deposition was fixed for 90 min with 10 and 5 ℃ min− 1 heating and cooling rate, respectively. Later on, heat treatment process was carried out over these deposited TiCN samples to investigate the changing characteristics. The heat treatment was carried out at 800 ℃ within the CVD chamber in the absence of any gas flow rate. The morphological properties of heat-treated samples have been improved significantly, evidence is observed from SEM and AFM analyses. The structural analysis by XRD has been suggested, upgradation in crystallinity of the heat-treated film as it possessed with sharp and higher intensity peaks. Evidence has been found that the electrochemical properties are enhanced for heat-treated sample. Raman spectroscopy shows that the intensity of acoustic phonon modes predominates the optic phonon modes for untreated samples, whereas for heat-treated samples, opposite trends have been observed. However, significant degradation in mechanical properties for heat-treated sample has been observed compared to untreated sample.

Titanium, which has excellent strength and toughness characteristics, is increasingly used in the aerospace field. Among the titanium alloys used for body parts, more than 80 % are Ti-6Al-4V alloys with a tensile strength of 931 MPa. The spark plasma sintering (SPS) method is used for solidification molding of powder manufactured by the mechanical milling (MM) method, by sintering at low temperature for a short time. This sintering method avoids coarsening of the fine crystal grains or dispersed particles of the MM powder. To improve the mechanical properties of pure titanium without adding alloying elements, stearic acid was added to pure titanium powder as a process control agent (PCA), and MM treatment was performed. The properties of the MM powder and SPS material produced by solidifying the powder were investigated by hardness measurement, X-ray diffraction, density measurement and structure observation. The processing deformation of the pure titanium powder depends on the amount of stearic acid added and the MM treatment time. TiN was also generated in powder treated by MM 8 h with 0.50 g of added stearic acid, and the hardness of the powder was higher than that of Ti-6Al-4V alloy when treated with MM for 8 h. When the MM-treated powder was solidified in the SPS equipment, TiC was formed by the solid phase reaction. The SPS material prepared as a powder treated with MM 8 h by adding 0.50 g of stearic acid also formed TiN and exhibited the highest hardness of Hv1253.

3D printing is widely used in product development and prototype manufacturing, and is expected to become universal across various industries with the development of 3D printing-related technologies. However, parts made by Fused Deposition Modeling(FDM) 3D printing using the commonly used stacking manufacturing process, show low tensile strength and hardness. The decreased mechanical properties of these parts limit their use as structural elements. In this study, we aim to investigate the relationship between ultrasonic treatment of PLA parts produced by FDM 3D printing and their mechanical properties. Specifically, we analyze the effects of ultrasonic annealing on the mechanical properties of PLA parts using the tensile test specimen.

A Cu-15Ag-5P filler metal (BCuP-5) is fabricated on a Ag substrate using a high-velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) thermal spray process, followed by post-heat treatment (300oC for 1 h and 400oC for 1 h) of the HVOF coating layers to control its microstructure and mechanical properties. Additionally, the microstructure and mechanical properties are evaluated according to the post-heat treatment conditions. The porosity of the heat-treated coating layers are significantly reduced to less than half those of the as-sprayed coating layer, and the pore shape changes to a spherical shape. The constituent phases of the coating layers are Cu, Ag, and Cu-Ag-Cu3P eutectic, which is identical to the initial powder feedstock. A more uniform microstructure is obtained as the heat-treatment temperature increases. The hardness of the coating layer is 154.6 Hv (as-sprayed), 161.2 Hv (300oC for 1 h), and 167.0 Hv (400oC for 1 h), which increases with increasing heat-treatment temperature, and is 2.35 times higher than that of the conventional cast alloy. As a result of the pull-out test, loss or separation of the coating layer rarely occurs in the heat-treated coating layer.

Novel Ni- and Fe-based alloys are developed to impart improved mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. The designed alloys are manufactured as a powder and deposited on a steel substrate using a high-velocity oxygen-fuel process. The coating layer demonstrates good corrosion resistance, and the thus-formed passive film is beneficial because of the Cr contained in the alloy system. Furthermore, during low-temperature heat treatment, factors that deteriorate the properties and which may arise during high-temperature heat treatment, are avoided. For the heattreated coating layers, the hardness increases by up to 32% and the corrosion resistance improves. The influence of the heat treatment is investigated through various methods and is considered to enhance the mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of the coating layer.

Reheat treatment process of mold is necessary when partial machining of the mold is required, such as shape correction for an existing mold. If defects such as cracks or significant deterioration of mechanical properties of the mold occur during reheat treatment, it is impossible to reuse the mold. In this study, reheat treatment was performed up to two times for STD11 tool steel, and microstructure and mechanical properties according to the reheat treatment were evaluated. Carbide fraction and grain size of prior austenite were almost unchanged after the reheat treatment. Hardness and impact toughness increased significantly after QT treatment, and these properties were maintained without significant change even after the reheat treatment. It is concluded that up to two iterations of reheat treatment does not cause deterioration of properties of STD11 tool steel. Based on these results, a mold for a face-lifted front bumper was manufactured through machining and reheat-treating of an existing mold.

Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) is being considered as a technology to replace the conventional manufacturing process of titanium alloys. However, coarse β grains, which can extend through several deposited materials, result in strong textures and anisotropy. As a solution, we study the plastic deformation effects of ultrasonic needle peening (UNP) on the microstructure. UNP treated materials deform plastically and the dislocation density increases. Fine α+α' grains with low aspect ratio are observed in the UNP treated specimens. UNP treated WAAM Ti-6Al-4V alloys have higher strength and lower elongation than those characteristics of WAAM Ti-6Al-4V alloys. Due to UNP treatment, the z-axis directional specimens exhibit a greater effect of reducing elongation than do the x-axis directional specimens. The UNP treatment produces fine grains in proportion to the number of times UNP is performed, thereby increasing strength. UNP processes produce a large number of dislocations in the WAAM Ti-6Al-4V alloys, with the most dislocations being formed at the surface.

In this study, AlSi10Mg powders with average diameters of 44 μm are additively manufactured into bulk samples using a selective laser melting (SLM) process. Post-heat treatment to reduce residual stress in the as-synthesized sample is performed at different temperatures. From the results of a tensile test, as the heat-treatment temperature increases from 270 to 320oC, strength decreases while elongation significantly increases up to 13% at 320oC. The microstructures and tensile properties of the two heat-treated samples at 290 and 320oC, respectively, are characterized and compared to those of the as-synthesized samples. Interestingly, the Si-rich phases that network in the as-synthesized state are discontinuously separated, and the size of the particle-shaped Si phases becomes large and spherical as the heat-treatment temperature increases. Due to these morphological changes of Si-rich phases, the reduction in tensile strengths and increase in elongations, respectively, can be obtained by the post-heat treatment process. These results provide fundamental information for the practical applications of AlSi10Mg parts fabricated by SLM.

Martensitic stainless steel is commonly used in the medical implant instrument. The alloy has drawbacks in terms of strength and wear properties when applied to instruments with sharp parts. 440C STS alloy, with improved durability, is an alternative to replace 420 J2 STS. In the present study, the carbide precipitation, and mechanical and corrosion properties of STS 440C alloy are studied as a function of different heat treatments. The STS 440C alloy is first austenitized at different temperatures; this is immediately followed by oil quenching and sub-zero treatment. After sub-zero treatment, the alloy is tempered at low temperatures. The microstructures of the heat treated STS 440C alloy consist of martensite and retained austenite and carbides. Using EDX and SADP with a TEM, the precipitated carbides are identified as a Cr23C6 carbide with a size of 1 to 2 μm. The hardness of STS 440C alloy is improved by austenitization at 1,100 oC with sub-zero treatment and tempering at 200 oC. The values of Ecorr and Icorr for STS 440C increase with austenitization temperature. Results can be explained by the dissolution of Cr-carbide and the increase in the retained austenite. Sub-zero treatment followed by tempering shows a little difference in the properties of potentiodynamic polarizations.

For surface hardening of a continuous casting mold component, a fundamental metallurgical investigation on dissimilar laser clads (Cu–NiCrBSi) is performed. In particular, variation behavior of microstructures and mechanical properties (hardness and wear resistance) of dissimilar clads during long-term service is clarified by performing high-temperature postclad heat treatment (temperature range: 500 ~ 1,000 ℃ and isothermal holding time: 20 ~ 500 min). The microstructures of clad metals (as-clads) consist of fine dendrite morphologies and severe microsegregations of the alloying elements (Cr and Si); substrate material (Cu) is clearly confirmed. During the post-clad heat treatment, the microsegregations are totally homogenized, and secondary phases (Cr-based borides and carbides) precipitated during the short-term heat treatment are also almost dissolved, especially at the heat treatment conditions of 950 ℃ for 500 min. Owing to these microstructural homogenization behaviors, an opposite tendency of the surface mechanical properties can be confirmed. In other words, the wear resistance (wear rate) improves from 4.1 × 10−2 mm3/Nm (as-clad condition) to 1.4 × 10-2 mm3/Nm (heat-treated at 950 ℃ for 500 min), whereas the hardness decreases from 453 HV (as-clad condition) to 142 HV (heat-treated at 950 ℃ for 500 min).

Effect of heat treatment on microstructure and mechanical properties of an Fe-6.5Mn-0.08C medium-manganese steel is investigated in this study. Three kinds of medium-manganese steel specimens are fabricated by varying heat treatments of intermediate quenching (IQ), step quenching (SQ), and intercritical annealing (IA). Hardness and tensile tests are performed to examine the correlation of microstructure and mechanical properties for the Fe-6.5Mn-0.08C medium-manganese steel specimens. The IQ and SQ specimens have microstructures of martensite matrix with ferrite, whereas IA specimen exhibits microstructure of acicular ferrite matrix with martensite. The tensile test results show that the SQ specimen with martensite matrix has the highest yield strength and the lowest elongation. On the other hand, the SQ specimen has the highest hardness due to the relatively lower reduction of carbon content in martensite during intercritical annealing. According to the fractography of tensile tested specimens, the SQ specimen exhibits a dimple and quasi-cleavage fracture appearance while the IQ and IA specimens have fully ductile fracture appearance with fine-sized dimples caused by microvoid coalescence at ferrite and martensite interface.

Oxide-dispersion-strengthened (ODS) alloy has been developed to increase the mechanical strength of metallic materials; such an improvement can be realized by distributing fine oxide particles within the material matrix. In this study, the ODS layer was formed in the surface region of Zr-based alloy tubes by laser beam treatment. Two kinds of Zr-based alloys with different alloying elements and microstructures were used: KNF-M (recrystallized) and HANA-6 (partial recrystallized). To form the ODS layer, Y2O3-coated tubes were scanned by a laser beam, which induced penetration of Y2O3 particles into the substrates. The thickness of the ODS layer varied from 20 to 55 μm depending on the laser beam conditions. A heat affected zone developed below the ODS layer; its thickness was larger in the KNF-M alloy than in the HANA-6 alloy. The ring tensile strengths of the KNF-M and HANA-6 alloy samples increased more than two times and 20–50%, respectively. This procedure was effective to increase the strength while maintaining the ductility in the case of the HANA-6 alloy samples; however, an abrupt brittle facture was observed in the KNF-M alloy samples. It is considered that the initial microstructure of the materials affects the formation of ODS and the mechanical behavior.

This study investigates the effect of thermo-mechanical treatment on the damping capacity of the Fe-20Mn-12Cr- 3Ni-3Si alloy with deformation induced martensite transformation. Dislocation, αʹ and ε-martensite are formed, and the grain size is refined by deformation and thermo-mechanical treatment. With an increasing number cycles in the thermo-mechanical treatment, the volume fraction of ε-martensite increases and then decreases, whereas dislocation and α'-martensite increases, and the grain size is refined. In thermo-mechanical treated specimens with five cycles, more than 10 % of the volume fraction of ε-martensite and less than 3 % of the volume fraction of αʹ-martensite are attained. Damping capacity decreases by thermomechanical treatment and with an increasing number of cycles of thermo-mechanical treatment, and this result shows an opposite tendency for general metal with deformation induced martensite transformation. The damping capacity of the thermomechanical treated damping alloy with deformation induced martensite transformation greatly affect the formation of dislocation, grain refining and α'-martensite and then ε-martensite formation by thermo-mechanical treatment.

This investigates the microstructure and mechanical properties of Al hybrid material prepared by electromagnetic duo-casting to determine the effect of heat treatment. The hybrid material is composed of an Al-Mg-Si alloy, pure Al and the interface between the Al-Mg-Si alloy and pure Al. It is heat-treated at 373, 573 and 773K for 1h and T6 treated (solution treatment at 773K for 1h and aging at 433K for 5h). As the temperature increases, the grain size of the Al-Mg-Si alloy in the hybrid material increases. The grain size of the T6 treated Al-Mg-Si alloy is similar to that of one heat-treated at 773K for 1h. The interface region where the micro-hardness becomes large from the pure Al to the Al-Mg-Si alloy widens with an increasing heat temperature. The hybrid material with a macro-interface parallel to the tensile direction experiences increased tensile strength, 0.2% proof stress and the decreased elongation after T6 heat treatment. On the other hand, in the vertical direction to the tensile direction, there is no great difference with heat treatment. The bending strength of the hybrid material with a long macro-interface to the bending direction is higher than that with a short macro-interface, which is improved by heat treatment. The hybrid material with a long macro-interface to the bending direction is fractured by cracking through the eutectic structure in the Al-Mg-Si alloy. However, in the hybrid material with a short macro-interface, the bending deformation is observed only in the limited pure Al.

This study investigates the effects of isothermal holding temperature and time on the microstructure, hardness and Charpy impact properties of medium-carbon bainitic steel specimens. Medium-carbon steel specimens with different bainitic microstructures are fabricated by varying the isothermal conditions and their microstructures are characterized using OM, SEM and EBSD analysis. Hardness and Charpy impact tests are also performed to examine the correlation of microstructure and mechanical properties. The microstructural analysis results reveal that granular bainite, bainitic ferrite, lath martensite and retained austenite form differently in the specimens. The volume fraction of granular bainite and bainitic ferrite increases as the isothermal holding temperature increases, which decreases the hardness of specimens isothermally heat-treated at 300 ℃ or higher. The specimens isothermally heat-treated at 250 ℃ exhibit the highest hardness due to the formation of lath martensite, irrespective of isothermal holding time. The Charpy impact test results indicate that increasing isothermal holding time improves the impact toughness because of the increase in volume fraction of granular bainite and bainitic ferrite, which have a relatively soft microstructure compared to lath martensite for specimens isothermally heat-treated at 250 ℃ and 300 ℃.

In this study, SM45C-STKM13B hollow shaft of different thickness was joined by friction welding. After friction welding, we treated to specimen of annealing(post-weld heat treatment). The specimens were tested as-welded and post-weld heat treatment(PWHT). The mechanical properties including tensile test and vickers micro-hardness were examined. And then, the mechanical properties were compared for as-welded and PWHT in SM45C to STKM13B. Microstructure of joining part were examined in the weld interface and weld region and heat affected zone and base metal of weld parts.

The effect of heat treatment on the microstructure and mechanical properties of cast Ti-6%Al-4%V alloy was investigated. Heat treatment of cast Ti-6Al-4V alloy was conducted by solution treatment at 950 oC for 30 min; this was followed by water quenching and then aging at 550 oC for 1 to 1440 min. The highest hardness of the heat-treated specimens was obtained by solution treatment and subsequent aging for 5 min due to precipitates of fine α that formed from retained β phase. The tensile strength of this alloy increased without dramatic decrease of the ductility due to microstructural refinement resulting from the decomposition of α' martensite into fine α and β phases, and also due to the fine α phase formed from the retained β phase by aging treatment for 5 min. In addition, this strengthening might be caused by the transformation induced plasticity (TRIP) effect, which is a strain-induced martensite transformation from the retained β phase during deformation, and which occurs even after aging treatment at 550 oC for 5 min.