High-strength low-alloy (HSLA) steels show excellent toughness when trace amounts of transition elements are added. In steels, prior austenite grain size (PAGS), which is often determined by the number of added elements, is a critical factor in determining the mechanical properties of the material. In this study, we used two etching methods to measure and compare the PAGS of specimens with bainitic HSLA steels having different Nb contents These two methods were nital etching and picric acid etching. Both methods confirmed that the sample with high Nb content exhibited smaller PAGS than its low Nb counterpart because of Nb’s ability to hinder austenite recrystallization at high temperatures. Although both etching approaches are beneficial to PAGS estimation, the picric acid etching method has the advantage of enabling observation of the interface containing Nb precipitate. By contrast, the nital etching method has the advantage of a very short etching time (5 s) in determining the PAGS, with the picric acid etching method being considerably longer (5 h).

Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (PZT) is used for the various piezoelectric devices owing to its high piezoelectric properties. However, lead (Pb), which is contained in PZT, causes various environment contaminations. (K,Na)NbO3 (NKN) is the most well-known candidate for a lead-free composition to replace PZT. A single crystal has excellent piezoelectric-properties and its properties can be changed by changing the orientation direction. It is hard to fabricate a NKN single crystal due to the sodium and potassium. Thus, (Na,K)NbO3-Ba(Cu,Nb)O3 (NKN-BCuN) is chosen to fabricate the single crystal with relative ease. NKNBCuN pellets consist of two parts, yellow single crystals and gray poly-crystals that contain copper. The area that has a large amount of copper particles may melt at low temperature but not the other areas. The liquid phase may be responsible for the abnormal grain growth in NKN-BCuN ceramics. The dielectric constant and tan δ are measured to be 684 and 0.036 at 1 kHz in NKN-BCuN, respectively. The coercive field and remnant polarization are 14 kV/cm and 20 μC/cm2.

공기 분위기하 UO2의 독특한 산화거동을 모사하기 위해 기존 Crackling Core Model (CCM)을 개선하였다. UO2가 U3O8으로 전환될 때 시간-전환율 곡선에서 나타나는 실험적 sigmoid 거동을 근사하게 재현할 수 있도록 모델 개선에 파편화 효과로 인한 반응 표면적 증대 및 결정립 가변 전환시간 개념을 고려하였다. UO2는 U3O7을 거쳐 U3O8으로 전환되며 최종 결정립 산화 소요 시간은 초기 결정립 산화 소요 시간의 10배에 해당한다는 가정을 도입했을 때, 개선된 모델은 599 - 674 K에서의 UO2 구 형 입자의 실험적 산화거동과 근사한 계산결과를 나타내었으며 핵종성장모델(Nucleation and Growth Model) 및 자촉매반응모델(AutoCatalytic Reaction Model)과 비교할 때 가장 작은 오차를 보여주었다. 개선된 모델을 통해 U3O8으로의 100% 전환시 계산된 활성화에너지값은 57.6 kJ·mol-1로 자촉매반응모델로 계산된 값인 48.6 kJ·mol-1보다 크며, 외삽에 의해 결정된 실험값에 더 근사함이 밝혀졌다.

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of grain size on the damping capacity of the Fe-26Mn-4Co-2Al damping alloy. α’ and ε-martensite were formed by cold working, and these martensites were formed with a specific direction and surface relief. With an increase in grain size, the volume fraction of α’ and ε-martensite increased by decrement the austenite phase stability. This volume fraction more rapidly increased in cold-rolled specimen than in the specimen that was not cold-rolled. The damping capacity also increased more with the augmentation an increased grain size and more rapidly increased in cold-rolled specimen than in the specimen that was not cold rolled. The effect of grain size on the damping capacity was larger in the cold-rolled specimen than the specimen that was not cold-rolled. Damping capacity linearly increased with an increase in volume fraction of ε-martensite. Thus, the damping capacity was affected by the ε-martensite.

This paper presents a study of the tensile properties of austenitic high-manganese steel specimens with different grain sizes. Although the stacking fault energy, calculated using a modified thermodynamic model, slightly decreased with increasing grain size, it was found to vary in a range of 23.4 mJ/m2 to 27.1 mJ/m2. Room-temperature tensile test results indicated that the yield and tensile strengths increased; the ductility also improved as the grain size decreased. The increase in the yield and tensile strengths was primarily attributed to the occurrence of mechanical twinning, as well as to the grain refinement effect. On the other hand, the improvement of the ductility is because the formation of deformation-induced martensite is suppressed in the high-manganese steel specimen with small grain size during tensile testing. The deformationinduced martensite transformation resulting from the increased grain size can be explained by the decrease in stacking fault energy or in shear stress required to generate deformation-induced martensite transformation.

The ductile-brittle transition behavior of two austenitic Fe-18Cr-10Mn-N-C alloys with different grain sizes was investigated in this study. The alloys exhibited a ductile-brittle transition behavior because of an unusual brittle fracture at low temperatures unlike conventional austenitic alloys. The alloy specimens with a smaller grain size had a higher yield and tensile strengths than those with a larger grain size due to grain refinement strengthening. However, a decrease in the grain size deteriorated the low-temperature toughness by increasing the ductile-brittle transition temperature because nitrogen or carbon could enhance the effectiveness of the grain boundaries to overcome the thermal energy. It could be explained by the temperature dependence of the yield stress based on low-temperature tensile tests. In order to improve both the strength and toughness of austenitic Fe-Cr-Mn-N-C alloys with different chemical compositions and grain sizes, more systematic studies are required to understand the effect of the grain size on the mechanical properties in relation to the temperature sensitivity of yield and fracture stresses.

Effects of Cu and B on effective grain size and low-temperature toughness of thermo-mechanically processed high-strength bainitic steels were investigated in this study. The microstructure of the steel specimens was analyzed using optical, scanning, and transmission electron microscopy; their effective grain size was also characterized by electron back-scattered diffraction. To evaluate the strength and low-temperature toughness, tensile and Charpy impact tests were carried out. The specimens were composed of various low-temperature transformation products such as granular bainite (GB), degenerated upper bainite (DUB), lower bainite (LB), and lath marteniste (LM), dependent on the addition of Cu and B. The addition of Cu slightly increased the yield and tensile strength, but substantially deteriorated the low-temperature toughness because of the higher volume fraction of DUB with a large effective grain size. The specimen containing both Cu and B had the highest strength, but showed worse low-temperature toughness of higher ductile-brittle transition temperature (DBTT) and lower absorbed energy because it mostly consisted of LB and LM. In the B-added specimen, on the other hand, it was possible to obtain the best combination of high strength and good low-temperature toughness by decreasing the overall effective grain size via the appropriate formation of different low-temperature transformation products containing GB, DUB, and LB/LM.

The aim of this paper is to consider the effect of annealing on the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of electroplated Invar Fe-Ni alloy. The CTE of the as-electroplated alloy is lower than those of alloys annealed at 400˚C and 800˚C. XRD peaks become sharper as the as-electroplated alloy is annealed, which means the grain growth. The average grain sizes of as-electroplated and as-annealed alloys at 400˚C and 800˚C are 10 nm, 70 nm, and 2μm, respectively, as determined by TEM and EBSD analyses. The CTE variation for the various grain sizes after annealing may come from the magnetostriction effect, which generates strain due to changes in the magnetization state of the alloys. The thermal expansion coefficient is considered to be affected by nano grain size in electroplated Fe-Ni Invar alloys. As grain size decreases, ferromagnetic forces might change to paramagnetic forces. The effect of lattice vibration damping of nano grain boundaries could lead to the decrease of CTE.

In this study, nanocrystalline nickel powders were cold compacted by a dynamic compaction method usinga single-stage gas gun system. A bending test was conducted to measure the bonding strengths of the compacted regionsand microstructures of the specimen were analyzed using a scanning electron microscopy. The specimen was separatedinto two parts by a horizontal crack after compaction. Density test shows that the powder compaction occurred only inthe upper part of the specimen. Brittle fracture was occurred during the bending test of the compact sample. Dispersionof shock energy due to spalling highly affected the bonding status of the nanocrystalline nickel powder.

This study evaluated the enhancement of microstructural and mechanical properties of a cross rolled Ni-10Cr alloy, comparing with conventionally rolled material. Cold rolling was carried out to 90% thickness reduction and the specimens were subsequently annealed at 700˚C for 30 min to obtain a fully recrystallized microstructure. Cross roll rolling was carried out at a tilted roll mill condition of 5˚ from the transverse direction in the RD-TD plane. In order to observe the deformed microstructures of the cold rolled materials, transmission electron microscopy was employed. For annealed materials after rolling, in order to investigate the grain boundary characteristic distributions, an electron back-scattering diffraction technique was applied. Application of cold rolling to the Ni-10Cr alloy contributed to notable grain refinement, and consequently the average grain size was refined from 135 μm in the initial material to 9.4 and 4.2 μm in conventionally rolled and cross rolled materials, respectively, thus showing more significantly refined grains in the cross rolled material. This refined grain size led to enhanced mechanical properties such as yield and tensile strengths, with slightly higher values in the cross rolled material. Furthermore, the<111>//ND texture in the CRR material was better developed compared to that of the CR material, which contributed to enhanced mechanical properties and formability.

The aim of this study was to investigate microstructures and mechanical properties of nano-sized Ti-35 wt.%Nb-7 wt.%Zr-10 wt.%CPP composite fabricated by high energy mechanical milling (HEMM) and pulse current activated sintering (PCAS). Grain growth of the mechanically milled powder was prevented by performing PCAS. The principal advantages of calcium phosphate materials include: similarity in composition to the bone mineral, bioactivity, osteoconductivity and ability to form a uniquely strong interface with bone. The hardness and wear resistance property of nano-sized Ti-35 wt.%Nb-7 wt.%Zr-10 wt.%CPP composites increased with increasing milling time because of decreased grain-size of sintered composites.

We investigate grain growth behavior of poly-crystalline Mg sheet having strong basal fiber texture using phase field model for grain growth and micro-elasticity. Strong initial basal texture was maintained when external load was not imposed, but was weaken when external biaxial strain was imposed. Elastic interaction between elastic anisotropy of Mg grain and external load is the reason why texture evolution occurs.

Mo nanopowder was synthesized by ball-milling and subsequent hydrogen-reduction of powder. To fabricate ultra fine grained molybdenum, two-step sintering and spark plasma sintering process were employed. The grain size of specimen by two-step sintering and spark plasma sintering was around and , respectively. Mechanical properties of ultra fine grained Mo with relative density of above 90% were significantly improved at room and high temperatures comparing to commercial bulk Mo of 99% relative density. This result was mainly explained by the grain size refinement due to diffusion-controlled sintering.

Electromagnetic wave energies are consumed in the form of thermal energy, which is mainly caused by magnetic loss, dielectric loss and conductive loss. In this study, CNT was added to the nanocrystalline soft magnetic materials inducing a high magnetic loss, in order to improve the dielectric loss of the EM wave absorption sheet. Generally, the aspect ratio and the dispersion state of CNT can be changed by the pre-ball milling process, which affects the absorbing properties. After the various ball-milling processes, 1wt% of CNTs were mixed with the nanocrystalline base powder, and then further processed to make EM absorption sheets. As a result, the addition of CNT to Fe-based nanocrystalline materials improved the absorption properties. However, the increase of ball-milling time for more than 1h was not desirable for the powder mixture, because the ballmilling caused the shortening of CNT length and the agglomeration of the CNT flakes.

Titanium alloys have been attractive due to a high ratio of strength to weight as well as good corrosion resistance. However, strengthening causes a decrease in ductility in Ti alloys, as is usual in other alloys. For enhanced strength without ductility reduction, grain refinement and tensile properties were investigated as functions of thickness reduction of cold rolling and annealing condition in Ti-15V-3Cr-3Sn-3Al alloy with a β single phase. The average grain size of the specimen, which was cold-rolled by 90% and annealed at 700˚C for 5 min, was decreased to approximately 19 μm. The grain refinement of 63 μm to 19 μm increased yield stress by 90 MPa without a significant decrease in total elongation. The Ti-15-3 alloy exhibited very low work hardening during tensile test at a crosshead speed of 2 mm/min. This result was discussed based on dynamic recovery associated with dislocation annihilation in grain boundaries.

A Cu-Fe-P copper alloy was processed by accumulative roll-bonding (ARB) for ultra grain refinement and high strengthening. Two 1mm thick copper sheets, 30 mm wide and 300 mm long, were first degreased and wire-brushed for sound bonding. The sheets were then stacked on top of each other and roll-bonded by about 50% reduction rolling without lubrication at ambient temperature. The bonded sheet was then cut into two pieces of the same dimensions and the same procedure was repeated for the sheets up to eight cycles. Microstructural evolution of the copper alloy with the number of the ARB cycles was investigated by optical microscopy (OM), transmission electron microscopy(TEM), and electron back scatter diffraction(EBSD). The grain size decreased gradually with the number of ARB cycles, and was reduced to 290 nm after eight cycles. The boundaries above 60% of ultrafine grains formed exhibited high angle boundaries above 15 degrees. In addition, the average misorientation angle of ultrafine grains was 30 degrees.