Three kinds of STS304-Zr alloys were fabricated by varying the Zr content, and their microstructure and fracture properties were analyzed. Moreover, we performed heat treatment to improve their properties and studied their microstructure and fracture properties. The microstructure of the STS304-Zr alloys before and after the heat treatment process consisted of α-Fe and intermetallics: Zr(Cr, Ni, Fe)2 and Zr6Fe23. The volume fraction of the intermetallics increased with an increasing Zr content. The 11Zr specimen exhibited the lowest hardness and fine dimples and cleavage facets in a fractured surface. The 15Zr specimen had high hardness and fine cleavage facets. The 19Zr specimen had the highest hardness and large cleavage facets. After the heat treatment process, the intermetallics were spheroidized and their volume fraction increased. In addition, the specimens after the heat treatment process, the Laves phase (Zr(Cr, Ni, Fe) 2) decreased, the Zr6Fe23 phase increased and the Ni concentration in the intermetallics decreased. The hardness of all the specimens after the heat treatment process decreased because of the dislocations and residual stresses in α-Fe, and the fine lamellar shaped eutectic microstructures changed into large α-Fe and spheroidized intermetallics. The cleavage facet size increased because of the decomposition of the fine lamellarshaped eutectic microstructures and the increase in spheroidized intermetallics.

This study was purposed to develope a titanium alloy with low elastic modulus to be used as dental implant. The new titanium alloy was prepared as titanium alloy by adding Tantalum(Ta), Zirconium(Zr), Molybdenum(Mo) into the Ti-X-Y-Z system alloys. In designing the new titanium alloys, two physical variables bond order (Bo) and d-electron orbit energy level (Md) were varied. Mean bond order (  ) was around 2.818∼2.8784eV, and Mean d-electron orbit energy level ( ) was 2.4541~2.4747eV. In the cases of titanium alloys of T-3M and T-3Z, the XRD analysis showed β phase. On the other hand, the phase of α+ β were observed in the T-6Z and T-8Z alloys. Exhibited the highest hardness value to result in T-3Z 309.7Hv alloy Vickers hardness with respect to titanium alloy. In the resulting T-3Z alloy of measuring the elastic modulus value for a titanium alloy exhibited the smallest modulus of elasticity value to 89.81GPa. TEM analysis identified additional feature for T-3Z alloy was detected in addition to the ß-phase.

Ti and Ti alloys have been extensively used in the medical and dental fields because of their good corrosion resistance, high strength to density ratio and especially, their low elastic modulus compared to other metallic materials. Recent trends in biomaterials research have focused on development of metallic alloys with elastic modulus similar to natural bone, however, many candidate materials also contain toxic elements that would be biologically harmful. In this study, new Ti based alloys which do not contain the toxic metallic components were developed using a theoretical method (DV-Xα). In addition, alloys were developed with improved mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. Ternary Ti-Ag-Zr alloys consisting of biocompatible alloying elements were produced to investigate the alloying effect on microstructure, corrosion resistance, mechanical properties and biocompatibility. The effects of various contents of Zr on the mechanical properties and biocompatibility were compared. The alloys exhibited higher strength and corrosion resistance than pure Ti, had antibacterial properties, and were not observed to be cytotoxic. Of the designed alloys' mechanical properties and biocompatibility, the Ti-3Ag-0.5Zr alloy had the best results.

The effect of oxygen on the shape memory characteristics in Ti-18Nb-6Zr-XO (X = 0-1.5 at%) biomedical alloys was investigated by tensile tests. The alloys were fabricated by an arc melting method at Ar atmosphere. The ingots were cold-rolled to 0.45 mm with a reduction up to 95% in thickness. After severe cold-rolling, the plate was solution-treated at 1173 K for 1.8 ks. The fracture stress of the solution-treated specimens increased from 450 Mpa to 880 MPa with an increasing oxygen content up to 1.5%. The fracture stress increased by 287MPa with 1 at% increase of oxygen content. The critical stress for slip increased from 430 MPa to 695 MPa with an increasing oxygen content up to 1.5 at%. The maximum recovery strain of 4.1% was obtained in the Ti-18Nb-6Zr-0.5O (at%) alloy. The martensitic transformation temperature decreased by 140 K with a 1.0 at% increase in O content, which is lower than that of Ti-22Nb-(0-2.0)O (at%) by 20 K. This may have been caused by the effect of the addition of Zr. This study confirmed that addition of oxygen to the Ti-Nb-Zr alloy increases the critical stress for slip due to solid solution hardening without being detrimental to the maximum recovery strain.

The stress-strain responses and oxidation properties of cold-rolled Zr-1.5Nb-O and Zr-1.5Nb-O-S alloys were studied. The U.T.S. (ultimate tensile strength) of cold-rolled Zr-1.5Nb-O-S alloy with 160 ppm sulfur (765 MPa) were greater than that of Zr-1Nb-1Sn-0.1Fe alloy (750 MPa), achieving an excellent mechanical strength even after the elimination of Sn, an effective solution strengthening element. The addition of sulfur increased the strength at the expense of ductility. However, the ductile fracture behavior was observed both in Zr-Nb-O and Zr-Nb-O-S alloys. The beneficial effect of sulphur on the strengthening was observed in the cold rolled Zr-1.5Nb-O-S alloys. The activation volume of cold-rolled Zr-1.5Nb decreased with sulfur content in the temperature region of dynamic strain aging associated with oxygen atoms. Insensitivity of the activation volume to the dislocation density and the decrease of the activation volume at a higher temperature where the dynamic strain aging occurs support the suggestion linking the activation volume with the activated bulge of dislocations limited by segregation of oxygen and sulfur atoms. The addition of sulfur was also found to improve the oxidation resistance of Zr-Nb-O alloys.

Magnesium alloys are alloyed with rare earth elements (Re, Ca, Sr) due to the limited use of magnesium in high-temperature conditions. In this study, the influences of Zr and Zn on the aging behavior of a Mg-Nd-Y alloy were investigated. magnesium alloys containing R.E elements require aging treatments Specifically, Nd, Y and Zr are commonly used for high-temperature magnesium alloys. Various aging treatments were conducted at temperatures of 200, 250 and 300˚C for 0.5, 1, 3, 6, and 10 hours in order to examine the microstructural changes and mechanical properties at a high temperature (150˚C). Hardness and high-temperature (150˚C) tensile tests were carried out under various aging conditions in order to investigate the effects of an aging treatment on the mechanical properties of a Mg-3.05Nd-2.06Y-1.13Zr-0.34Zn alloy. The maximum hardness was 67Hv; this was achieved after aging at 250˚C for 3 hours. The maximum tensile, yield strength and elongation at 150˚C were 237MPa, 145MPa and 13.6%, respectively, at 250˚C for 3 hours. The strengths of the Mg-3.05Nd-2.06Y-1.13Zr-0.34Zn alloy increased as the aging time increased to 3 hours at 250˚C This is attributed to the precipitation of a Nd-rich phase, a Zr-rich phase and Mg3Y2Zn3.

Al-8Fe-2Mo-2V-1Zr alloys were prepared by the gas atomization/hot extrusion and the melt spinning/hot extrusion. For the gas atomized and extruded alloy, equiaxed grains with the average size of 400 nm and finely distributed dispersoids with their particle sizes ranging from 50nm to 200nm were observed. For the melt spun and hot extrusion processed alloy, refined microstructural feature consisting of equiaxed grains with the average size of 200nm and fine dispersoids with their particle sizes under 50nm appeared to exhibit a difference in microstructure. Strength of the latter alloy was higher than that for the former alloy up to elevated temperatures.

Nb 첨가 Zr합금인 Zr-lNb합금과 Zr-lNb-lSn-0.3Fe함금의 석출물 및 산화 특성에 미치는 마지막 열처리 온도의 영향을 알아보기 위하여 최종 열처리 온도를 450˚C에서 800˚C까지 변화시켜 미세조직 및 산화 특성을 조사하였다. 부식 시험은 400˚C , 수중기 분위기에서 270 일 동안 실시하였으며 X-선 회절법을 이용하여 산화막 결정 구조를 분석하였다. 마지막 열처리 온도가 600˚C 이상일 때 두 합금 모두 β-Zr이 관찰되었으며 모두 재결정 이후 마지막 열처리 온도가 상승할수록 석출물의 면적 분율이 증가하는 경향을 나타내었다. 모든 열처리 온도 구간에서 Zr-lNb합금의 부식 저항성이 Zr-lNb-lSn-0.3Fe 합금에 비해 우수하였으며 두 합금 모두 재결정 이후 부식 저항성이 급격히 나빠졌다. 이는 600˚C 이후 형성된 β-Zr의 영향으로 밝혀졌다.

냉간가공된 Zr 합금을 575˚C에서 650˚C의 온도범위에서 유지시간을 달리하여 열처리하는 동안에 발생하는 회복 및 재결정 거동을 TEP(ThermoElectric Power)와 미소경도 분석을 통하여 연구하였다. 냉간가공과 열처리에 따른 합금의 회복 및 재결정온 격자결함, 공공, 전위, 적층결함 등이 소멸함에 따라 TEP가 증가하는 거동을 보였다. 이러한 TEP 분석은 미소경도 분석에 비해 재결정의 완료를 정확하게 예측할 수 있었으며, 특히, Zr-0.4Nb-xSn합금에서는 미소경도 분석으로 쉽게 구분하기 어려운 회복 및 재결정 단계를 명확하게 나타내었다. TBP와 미소경도 분석을 이용한 Zr-base합금의 재결정 거동에 따르면, Sn을 첨가하는 경우에 Sn이 치환형 고용체로 존재하기 때문에 이로 인한 응력장과 전위와의 상호작용에 기인하여 회복이 지연되는 현상을 가져왔으며, Nb함량을 증가시키는 경우에는 재결정 지연 효과가 미미하였으나, 석출물 형성에 의한 결정립 성장의 지연효과가 크게 나타났다.

본 연구에서는 360˚C 물 및 360˚C, 70ppm LiOH 수용액 분위기의 static autoclave를 이용하여 새롭게 개발한 Zr 신합금 (Zr-0.4Nb-0.8Sn-xFeCrMn, Zr-0.2Nb-1.1Sn-xFeCrMn, Zr-1.0Nb-xFeCu) 의 부식 특성을 평가하였다. 합금의 미세구조를 광학현미경과 TEM을 이용하여 관찰하였고, 부식시험 중에 생성된 산화막은 SEM과 XRD를 이용하여 단면 및 결정구조를 조사하였다. 부식시험 결과, 3종의 합금 모두 360˚C 물 분위기보다 360˚C, 70ppm LiOH 수용액 분위기에서의 부식저항성이 감소하였으며 특히, High Nb 합금의 경우 급격한 가속 부식현상을 나타내었다. 합금원소 첨가량과 관련하여 Nb의 함량을 고용도 이내로 줄이고 Sn을 적절히 첨가한 조성의 합금이 Sn을 첨가하지 않고 고용도 이상의 Nb을 가진 합금보다 우수한 부식저항성을 나타내었다. 또한 최종열처리가 부식에 미치는 영향의 경우에, 완전재결정 조직의 합금이 부분재결정 조직을 가진 합금보다 부식저항성이 감소되었는데 이는 기지조직에서 석출하늘 제 2상의 크기 및 분포에 의한 영향으로 사료된다.

냉간가공과 베타급냉된 Zr-Sn 합금의 재결정 거동을 미소경도 시험과 미세 조직 관찰 방법에 의해서 조사하였다. 베타급냉 처리된 합금의 재결정은 냉간가공된 합금의 재결정보다 늦게 일어났는데, 이는 냉간 가공에 의해 도입된 축적에너지가 더 높다는 것을 의미한다. 냉간가공재와 베타급냉재의 초기 경도는 동일하지라도 재결정거동은 아주 다르게 나타났다. TEM 조직관찰 결과를 근거로 할 때, 냉간가공재는 subgrain합체에 의해서 재결정이 일어나며 베타급냉재는 응력유기 입계이동에 의해서 재결정이 일어나는 것으로 밝혀졌다.

Zr-0.86Sn 합금이 β→α상변태 특성에 미치는 Fe와 V의 영향을 광학현미경과 투과전자현미경으로 연구하였다. 공냉의 경우에는 V의 첨가량이 증가함에 다라 β→α+β변태온도가 감소하여 미세한 α-lath들의 폭을 더욱 감소시켰으나, Fe의 경우에는 첨가량이 증가함에 다라 오히려 α-lath의 폭이 약간 증가하였다. 수냉의 경우에는 모든 합금에서 martensite 미세구조를 보였다. 수냉한 Zr-0.8Sn, Zr-0.8Sn-0.1Fe, Zr-0.8Sn-0.2Fe, Zr-0.8Sn-0.4Fe, Zr-0.8Sn-0.1V 그리고 Zr-0.8Sn-0.2V 합금에서는 주로 slipped martensite 미세구조가 형성된 반면에 수냉한 Zr-0.8Sn-0.4V 합금에서는 twinned martensite 미세구조가 관찰하였다. 수냉한 Zr-0.8Sn 합금에서 V의 첨가향이 증가함에 따라 slipped martensite에서 twinned martensite 미세구조로의 천이는 M(sub)s 온도의 감소에 기인한 것으로 생각된다.

Zr 합금의 재결정 거동 및 미세조직 변화에 미치는 열처리 온도 및 시간의 영향의 조사하기위하여 순수 Zr과 Zircaloy-4, Zr-0.88n-0.4Nb-0.4Fe-0.2Cu, Zr-1Nb 합금을 냉간가공한 후 400˚C~900˚C에서 각각 30분~5000분 동안 열처리하였다. 열처리 온도에 따른 Zr합금의 경도, 미세조직 및 석출물 특성을 미소경도기, 광학 현미경 및 투과 전자 현미경을 이용하여 조사하였다. 냉간 가공채는 400˚C에서 600˚C 범위에서 재결정이 일어났는 데 합금원소가 증가함에 따라 재결정온도가 상승했고 결정립 성장이 억제되었다. 그리고 합금원소 증가에 따른 경도증가 영향이 재결정 이후에도 지속되었다. 열처리 온도 및 시간에 비례하여 재결정 이후 결정립 크기는 증가한 반면 경도변화는 상대적으로 미미하였다. Fe나 Cu가 Zr에 첨가될 경우 회복중 경도증가가 수반되는데, 이는 회복중 생성과 관련이 있는 것으로 사료된다.