Search

The article presents a list of articles related to materials science published in volumes 39, 40, and 41. The articles include "Adhesively-bonded joints and repairs in metallic alloys, polymers and composite materials," "Observations of common microstructural issues associated with dynamic deformation phenomena: Twins, microbands, grain size effects, shear bands, and dynamic recrystal," and "Role of entropy of fusion in phase transformation and selfdiffusion."

Auxetic materials are those which exhibit negative Poisson’s ratio, i.e. these solids expand transversely when stretched longitudinally. In recent years the concept of semi-auxetics has been examined for cellular solids based on combination of re-entrant and hexagonal microstructures. In this paper we identify a type of rotating unit that gives positive Poisson’s ratio so that a study can be made on rotating sub-structures that exhibit both positive and negative Poisson’s ratio characteristics. A second type of rotating geometry, whose Poisson’s ratio shifts from negative to positive as stretching increases, has also been identified. Based on kinematical studies we explore the relationship between the on-axis Poisson’s ratios in terms of novel lattice geometry and the magnitude of deformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe plastic deformation (SPD) techniques have recently been developed for producing bulk ultrafine grained metallic materials. High pressure torsion (HPT) produces finer microstructures than those achieved by other SPD processes because of the higher imposed strain and hydrostatic pressure. It is known that HPT-processed metals show a highly heterogeneous microstructure not only along the radius due to the nature of torsional deformation but also through the thickness. Since the sample size for HPT is small, the local properties of HPT-processed specimens have not been investigated yet. In this paper, we propose a method to obtain stress-strain curves from nanoindenting curves by combining the finite element method and the recursion method. The nanoindentation technique was employed to elucidate the local mechanical properties, especially the stress-strain behavior. The method to extract the stress-strain curves from the load-displacement curves obtained by nanoindentation tests was applied to the edge region of the HPT-processed sample. The extracted properties correlated well with experimental results qualitatively.` [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe plastic deformation (SPD) of titanium creates an ultrafine-grained (UFG) microstructure which results in significantly enhanced mechanical properties, including increasing the high cycle fatigue strength. This work addresses the challenge of maintaining the high level of properties as SPD processing techniques are evolved from methods suitable for producing laboratory scale samples to methods suitable for commercial scale production of titanium semi-products. Various ways to optimize the strength and fatigue endurance limit in long-length Grade 4 titanium rod processed by equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) with subsequent thermal mechanical treatments are considered in this paper. Low-temperature annealing of rods is found to increase the fatigue limit, simultaneously enhancing UFG titanium strength and ductility. The UFG structure in titanium provides an optimum combination of properties when its microstructure includes mostly equiaxed grains with high-angle boundaries, the volume fraction of which is no less than 50%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the plastic deformation behavior and strain homogeneity of the ZK60 Mg alloy during the multi-pass cyclic extrusion and compression (CEC) was simulated using the finite-element method (FEM) with a view to provide an insight into the mechanics of the process. Physical modeling (PM) experiment with same alloy was carried out to verify the results of the numerical simulations. The results show that two vortex flow regions with opposite flow direction are formed inside the cylindrical workpiece during CEC deformation. Although the deformation is inhomogeneous in both end regions of workpiece, a uniform region of equivalent strain exists, and the extent of uniform deformation increased with the increase in workpiece length. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper has clarified the anelasticity of 8Y-FSZ/α-alumina composites wherein the 8Y-FSZ phases are dispersed like islands. The amount of anelastic strain generated and the manner of anelastic deformation were compared to those of monolithic 8Y-FSZ. The anelastic strains of six kinds of 8Y-FSZ/α-alumina, as well as of monolithic 8Y-FSZ and monolithic α-alumina, were measured. The results showed that the anelastic strain was produced even in the composite where 8Y-FSZ phases existed as islands, and that the more the anelastic strain produced, the higher the volume fraction of 8Y-FSZ. In addition, the composition with a fully densified alumina phase had the effect of inhibiting anelastic strain in the 8Y-FSZ phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some basic aspects of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) emission during quasi-static plastic deformation and crack propagation in ASTM B 265 grade 2 titanium sheets are reported in this paper. It has been observed that titanium emits several intermittent EMR signals starting near the yield and continuing up to fracture. The EMR emissions are sensitive to the applied strain rates. The number of EMR emissions shows a parabolic variation with strain rate, exhibiting a maxima. It appears that the temporary pinnings of the dislocations injected from the crack tip, which is essential for the emission of EMR as described in a recent model by the authors, do not adequately occur at high as well as low strain rates. At elevated temperatures, the square of the EMR amplitude is observed to be proportional to $$ \exp {\left( { - {mU} \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{mU} {kT}}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {kT}} \right)}, $$ where U is the activation energy for the movement of jogs, k the Boltzmann constant, T the temperature and m ≤ 1.0. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of severe plastic deformation (SPD) to bulk metals provides the opportunity of achieving grain sizes in the submicrometer and nanometer range. Several different SPD processing techniques are now available including Equal-Channel Angular Pressing (ECAP), High-Pressure Torsion (HPT) and Accumulative Roll-Bonding (ARB). This paper examines the principles of grain refinement using ECAP and gives examples of the advantageous properties that may be achieved including increased strength at ambient temperatures and a superplastic forming capability at elevated temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents some new results on the emission of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) during plastic deformation, crack initiation and propagation, and fracture of uncoated and tin–coated 0.15% carbon steel sheets. Intermittent EMR emissions have been observed even at stationary loading, which we term as secondary EMR emissions. These results are expected to provide an insight into the micro-mechanism of dislocation relaxation dynamics in metallic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A general approach to simulate the mechanical behaviour of entangled materials submitted to large deformations is described in this paper. The main part of this approach is the automatic creation of contact elements, with appropriate constitutive laws, to take into account the interactions between fibres. The construction of these elements at each increment, is based on the determination of intermediate geometries in each region where two parts of beams are sufficiently close to be likely to enter into contact. Numerical tests simulating a 90% compression of nine randomly generated samples of entangled materials are given. They allow the identification of power laws to represent the evolutions of the compressive load and of the number of contacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2003 Nature Materials article, Keckes et al. presented deformation properties of a variety of woods in relation to deformation of their individual wood cells. Their point is “The remarkable mechanical properties of biological materials reside in their complex hierarchical structure...”. This holds for mineral-based biological materials such as bone as well as for wood. Indeed, one of us (J.L.K.) introduced the concept that to explain the material properties of cortical bone, it was necessary to treat it as a complex material/structural hierarchical composite. Calculations to determine anisotropic properties of bone measured using ultrasonic wave propagation techniques, were extended to similar measurements on both soft and hard woods. These anisotropic properties calculations have been extended to include data based on mechanical measurements of orthotropic elastic constants of both soft and hard woods for comparison with both earlier ultrasonic measurements and mechanical testing on other woods. This work illustrates the fact that understanding and modeling the properties of wood is a complex task as the symmetry changes with scale. For example, lignin is isotropic, hemicellulose and cellulose are transversely isotropic, while the cells and microstructure have orthotropic symmetry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanisms of macroscopic ductile deformation of brittle ceramics during grinding operations are still unclear although the microcracking-free processes of grinding have been used widely in industry. This paper analyses the dislocation structure in the plastic zones of scratched alumina. It is shown that there exist three independent slip systems (two basal and one prism) and two twin systems even far below the critical onset temperatures of these systems that is usually expected. This new finding explains the formation mechanism of the macroscopic deformation induced by scratching and indicates that it is the stress field around the cutting edge which plays an important role in the activation of the slip systems. The present study offers a new insight into the mechanism understanding of material removal in ductile-regime grinding of ceramic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies the complete contact indentations of viscoelastic materials. Consideration of a rigid frictionless axisymmetric indenter with a polynomial profile and the axis of revolution; Measurement of the viscoelastic properties of thin films; Measurement of the material's creep function.

A nanostructured Al-1 %Si alloy containing a dispersion of Si particles in ultrapure aluminum (99.9996 %) was produced by heavy cold rolling to study the effect of second-phase particles on the occurrence of plastic instability during tensile testing of a nanostructured metal. Tensile tests were conducted on the as-deformed sample and on samples after recovery annealing treatments. Work hardening and strain rate sensitivity were studied by tensile test at different strain rates, and deformed and annealed samples were characterized by transmission electron microscopy. By comparing the observed behavior with that of nanostructured commercial purity Al, a significant increase in the tensile elongation was found. This is related to a homogenization of the deformation microstructure due to the presence of finely dispersed Si particles. As a result localized deformation is reduced and tensile ductility increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new way of generating large plastic strain in a billet by splitting it plastically by a reciprocating punch is investigated. The concept of incremental angular splitting (I-AS) is explained by referring to the severe plastic deformation process of incremental equal channel angular pressing (I-ECAP). Results of laboratory trials of I-ECAP and I-AS, using a purposely designed AA1070 billet, are presented and both processes are compared. Further comparison is based on Vickers hardness distribution in the billet subjected to I-ECAP and I-AS. FE simulation results give an indication of strain distribution in both processes. The main advantages of I-AS appear to be more flexibility in the billet choice and more uniform strain distribution in the first pass of the process. A possibility of creating a gradient material by I-AS with a flat punch is considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecular dynamics simulations have been performed to study the dynamic behaviors of single crystal aragonite under indentation, tension, and compression. The elastic modulus and hardness of single crystalline aragonite measured in our simulations are found in good agreement with experimentally measured values. Our simulation results show that the mechanical properties of aragonite crystal, including the elastic modulus, hardness, strength, and toughness, strongly depend on the crystallographic orientations and loading conditions. We have identified that this dependence is resulted from different deformation mechanisms, i.e., phase transformation, amorphous phase formation, dislocation, and twining. This work is an attempt to identify the deformation mechanisms in aragonite and to establish the relationship between the dominant deformation mechanisms and its crystallographic orientations and loading conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanostructured materials have been widely studied due to the improvement of their mechanical properties comparing to those of coarse grain materials. The present work intended to analyze the microstructure and microhardness of Zr-2.5Nb processed by high-pressure torsion (HPT), one of the severe plastic deformation techniques. The deformations were carried out at room temperature using a pressure of 5 GPa and 5 anvil turns. Vickers indentation was used to evaluate the microhardness of the samples. Transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction were used to analyze the microstructure. The results showed a significant refinement from the initial microstructure achieving nanometric grain size around 50 nm and phase transformation α → ω + β induced by shear. The Vickers microhardness values of the material submitted to HPT technique were significantly higher than those of non-deformed material. Also, HPT procedure resulted in a huge grain refinement of the material and in phase transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The processing of disks by high-pressure torsion leads to an inhomogeneous distribution in strain with a high strain around the perimeter of the disk and a zero strain in the center. Despite this apparent inhomogeneity, there are now many experiments showing that the hardness values on the surfaces of disks gradually evolve with increasing strain to give a reasonably high level of homogeneity. Experiments were conducted to determine whether this high level of homogeneity extends also through the thickness of the disks or whether inhomogeneities occur in the axial direction. Results are presented for high-purity aluminum and a magnesium AZ31 alloy as two representative materials showing different hardness characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanocrystalline (NC) Ti494Ni50:6 alloy with a different mean grain size in a range of 20-100 nm has been successfully produced using severe plastic deformation by high pressure torsion and further annealing at various temperatures. The features of microstructure and martensitic transformation of the NC TiNi have been studied. During tensile tests the effects of the grain size on mechanical properties at room and elevated temperatures are studied and discussed. The NC TiNi exhibits an unusual increased strength but low ductility at room temperature. However, it demonstrates enhanced strength and ductility at higher temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A copper alloy, Cu -0.1 %Zr, was subjected to severe plastic deformation at room temperature using quasi-constrained high-pressure torsion. Disks were strained through different numbers of revolutions up to a maximum of ten turns under an applied pressure of 6.0 GPa and then examined to evaluate the evolution in the Vickers microhardness, Hv, and the microstructure. The results show lower values of Hv in the center regions of the disks in the early stages of processing but a gradual evolution to a high degree of hardness homogeneity after five and ten turns. Under conditions of hardness homogeneity, the distributions of the grain boundary misorientations are essentially identical at the center and the periphery of the sample. Homogeneity was further confirmed by conducting tensile testing at elevated temperatures where similar stress-strain curves and similar elongations to failure were recorded after processing through five and ten turns of HPT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The combined strengthening effects of grain refinement and high precipitated volume fraction (~6 at.%) on the mechanical properties of FeSiTi alloy subjected to SPD processing prior to ageing treatment were investigated by atom probe tomography and scanning transmission electron microscopy. It was shown that the refinement of the microstructure affects the precipitation kinetics and the spatial distribution of the secondary hardening intermetallic phase, which was observed to nucleate heterogeneously on dislocations and sub-grain boundaries. It was revealed that alloys successively subjected to these two strengthening mechanisms exhibit a lower increase in mechanical strength than a simple estimation based on the summation of the two individual strengthening mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of the microstructure on the tensile properties and fracture behavior of Hadfield steel at high strain rate were studied. Hadfield steel samples with different mean grain sizes and carbon phases were prepared by rolling at medium temperatures and subsequent annealing. A sample with an average grain size larger than 10 μm, and a small number of carbides shows ductility with local elongation (post uniform elongation) at a high-speed tensile deformation rate of 10 s. In addition, the fracture surface changes from brittle to ductile with increasing strain rate. In contrast, a fine-grained sample with carbides undergoes brittle fracture at any strain rate. The grain size dependence is discussed by considering the dynamic strain aging as well as the emission of dislocation from cracks. The accelerated diffusion of carbon due to grain refinement is considered as one of the important reason for brittle fracture in the fine-grained Hadfield steel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The review focuses on the current studies of the deformation response and accompanying structural transformations of thermoplastic semicrystalline polymers subjected to uniaxial tension prior to the yield point. The mechanisms of strain-induced cavitation of amorphous layers and damages of crystalline lamellae are analyzed in line with novel results on the deformation behavior of solid polymers at temperatures exceeding the glass transition point. The coupling of viscoelastic and plastic deformation mechanisms with the small-strain structural transformations is critically discussed on the basis of the advanced theoretical modeling of mechanical properties of semicrystalline polymers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A retrospective on the use of sharp, fixed-profile indenters as materials probes is presented. Indentation is proposed as a simple but powerful methodology for evaluating basic mechanical properties-elastic modulus, hardness, toughness-in all classes of materials. Indentation also provides unique insight into fundamental deformation and fracture processes. Of particular interest is the existence of intrinsic size effects as characteristic contact dimensions pass from macro- to micro- to nano-scale dimensions. The utility of indentations as 'controlled flaws' in the context of strength of materials is outlined. The roles of two other important material factors-rate effects and microstructure-are considered. Examples of technological and biological applications are presented as illustrations of the widespread power of the technique. Strengths and limitations of the methodology as a routine testing protocol are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

study was carried out into the possibility of employing ECAP processing in lieu of mechanical milling for the purpose of developing powder-based hydrogen storage alloys. Mg and Mg-Ti powder compacts were encapsulated in a copper block and were subjected to ECAP deformation to an apparent strain of ε = 4. This resulted in the consolidation of the compacts as well as in the refinement of their structures. The values of coherently diffracting volume size were as small as 70-80 nm, quite comparable to those achieved with mechanical milling. It is, therefore, concluded that ECAP processing can be employed successfully for the purpose of structural refinement. As for material synthesis, however, the ECAP is less efficient in expanding the interfacial area. Therefore, it is necessary to impose relatively heavy strains to able to achieve comparable expansion in the interfacial area. It appears that an advantage of ECAP deformation is the development of structures which have improved ability for milling. It is, therefore, recommended that in the processing of hydrogen storage alloys, the powder mixtures may be first processed with ECAP in open atmosphere and then by mechanical milling of a short duration carried out under protective atmosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to understand the relationship between gliding behavior of dislocations and reversed evolution of dislocation structures in pure body-centered cubic metals, using automotive-grade interstitial-free steels under strain ratio = 0 for case studies. Dislocation cells were converted into loop-patch structures, and the gilding behavior of dislocations would have changed from the original multiple-slips to single-slip when the maximum strain was reduced from 1.2 to 0.15 or 0.2%. The extent to which the reversed evolution of dislocation structures occurs is lower for maximum strain = 0.15% as compared to that of maximum strain = 0.2%. However, once the maximum strain is reduced to 0.1%, dislocation cells would persist, showing no signs of reversed evolution. A strain threshold for reversed evolution of dislocation structures was inferred to fall between maximum strain = 0.1% and maximum strain = 0.15%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role played by microstructural constituents of high-strength low-alloy (HSLA) steel in controlling the deformation processes has been studied. The steel was solution treated and water quenched followed by ageing at various temperatures. Microstructural characterization has been carried out by using scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope. Tensile tests were conducted as per ASTM standard at constant displacement rate. The conditions under which microvoid coalescence was suspended in spite of a constant resident population of void initiating carbide and carbo-nitride particles have been explained. The major role played by the coherency of Cu precipitates in controlling dislocations movement; and hence, plastic flow is thought to be responsible for the effects observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) processing routes have been employed to investigate the flow plane microstructures in a hypoeutectic Al–7wt%Si. In the as-cast condition, this alloy exhibits equiaxed primary aluminum dendrite cells embedded in an Al–Si eutectic constituent. The observed microstructures have been compared to the predicted distortion of a volume element expected during idealized ECAP. The effect of different processing routes on the microstructure refinement, degree of homogenization of second phase particles, and associated mechanical properties are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe plastic deformation is generally achieved using novel techniques such as Equal Channel Angular Pressing (ECAP) or High Pressure Torsion (HPT), but may also be achieved by more conventional methods such as very heavy rolling. Microstructure evolution is examined in an iron aluminide intermetallic rolled to strains up to 3.3 using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and orientation determinations by Kikuchi line analysis. After the highest strains the microstructure is still characterized as a recovered submicron-scale dislocation structure, with generally low angles across the various boundaries, and a high density of dislocations inside these boundaries. The structures observed show a dependence on orientation of the underlying parent grain, with [001] orientations showing poorer rearrangement to cellular structures than grains with [113–111] orientations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The decomposition process mechanisms have been investigated in a Fe50Au25Pd25 (at.%) alloy processed by severe plastic deformation. Phases were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and microstructures were observed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In the coarse grain alloy homogenized and aged at 450 °C, the bcc α-Fe and fcc AuPd phases nucleate in the fcc supersaturated solid solution and grow by a discontinuous precipitation process resulting in a typical lamellar structure. The grain size of the homogenized FeAuPd alloy was reduced in a range of 50–100 nm by high pressure torsion (HPT). Aging at 450 °C this nanostructure leads to the decomposition of the solid solution into an equi-axed microstructure. The grain growth is very limited during aging and the grain size remains under 100 nm. The combination of two phases with different crystallographic structures (bcc α-Fe and fcc AuPd) and of the nanoscaled grain size gives rise to a significant hardening of the alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The minimum grain size obtainable in an Al–0.1%Mg submicron grained (SMG) alloy, subjected to cryogenic plane strain deformation, and its subsequent stability during room temperature deformation have been investigated. A decreasing steady state grain size was obtained with reducing deformation temperature. However, a true nanocrystalline grain structure was not obtained even at 77 K with the high angle boundary spacing only approaching the nanoscale in the sample normal direction. The cryogenically deformed material was unstable on subsequent deformation at room temperature and underwent rapid dynamic grain growth. Dynamic grain coarsening is shown to limit the minimum grain size achievable in an SPD process, even under cryogenic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present some consequences of Severe Plastic Deformation (SPD) of Al–Ti alloys by chip formation in machining that can enable opportunities for creating novel microstructures. Chips cut from Al-6wt%Ti are composed of a refined dispersion of the fragmented remains of a hitherto coarse Al3Ti embedded in a nanostructured matrix. This multi-phase nanostructured chip material demonstrates considerable resistance to coarsening owing to the thermally stable dispersion of ultra-fine Al3Ti dispersions and thus has promise in structural alloy applications. Furthermore, the Al–Ti machining chips are shown to possess excellent grain refining characteristics, leading to microstructurally refined and homogeneous Al alloy castings. This realization enables a low-cost route for enhancing the efficiency of the grain refiner master alloy systems by exploiting SPD during chip formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to get information about radiation resistance of ultrafine grained austenitic stainless steels, a 316 steel was deformed by high pressure torsion. The mean diameter of the grain after deformation was 40 nm. This material was annealed at 350 °C for 24 h or irradiated with 160 keV iron ions at 350 °C. Changes in the microstructure during annealing or irradiation were characterised by transmission electron microscopy (grain size) and laser assisted tomographic atom probe (solute distribution). Results indicate that this annealing has no influence on the grain size whereas the grain diameter increases under irradiation. Concerning the solute distribution, atom probe investigations show evidence of radiation-induced segregation at grain boundaries. Indeed, after irradiation, grain boundaries are enriched in nickel and silicon and depleted in chromium. On the contrary, no intragranular extended defects or precipitation are observed after irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fundamental mechanisms of grain refinement during equal-channel angular pressing (ECAP) and multiple isothermal forging (MIF) are analyzed and compared. Based on this analysis, deformation methods of nanostructuring are classified into severe plastic deformation and mild plastic deformation methods. It is demonstrated that MIF is a versatile method allowing for a production of bulk and sheet nanostructured semi-products with grain size down to 50 nm and applicable to various metals and alloys. Novel mechanical properties of bulk nanostructured materials produced by this method are presented. The ways of their structural and functional applications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tensile behaviors of the ultrafine-grained (UFG) pure copper prepared by cold rolling have been investigated. The UFG-Cu exhibited high strengths and low ductility. The ductile dimple-like fracture surfaces and persistent-slip-bands (PSBs)-like local shear bands in the tension-deformed UFG-Cu were observed, both of which typically spanned tens of grain sizes. This observation indicated that the fracture mechanisms operated at a larger scale than the grain size and eventually involved collective grain activities. Moreover, localized shear bands provided the experimental evidence to the localized plastic deformation, which was the one of the dominant reasons, causing the low ductility in the UFG-Cu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A SiCw/6061Al composite was fabricated through a squeeze-casting route and hot extruded to obtain a composite with directionally aligned whiskers. Based on observed changes in whisker orientation and length before and after deformation, compressive deformation behaviour of the directionally aligned SiCw/Al composite was investigated. It is found that when the compressive temperature is much lower than the solidus of the matrix alloy, the compressive flow stress of the directionally aligned composite is increased with compressive strain first and then decreased. When the compressive temperature equals the solidus of the matrix, however, the compressive flow stress of the directionally aligned composite is increased monotonously with compression strain. During compression, whisker rotation and breakage occurred, and the higher the compressive temperature, the easier the whisker rotation and hence the smaller the degree of whisker breakage. When the compressive strain was quite high, the degree of whisker breakage was serious even at the temperature as high as the solidus of the matrix. Analyzing changes in whisker orientation and breakage before and after compression indicates that the decreased compressive flow stress with compressive strain is the result of the decreased load carrying ability of whiskers caused by whisker rotation and breakage. Compared with whisker rotation, whisker breakage has a bigger contribution to the decreased compressive flow stress. No strain softening in the composite compressed at 580°C can be thought to be a result of the very low strengthening effect of whiskers at such a high temperature. From the point of view of whisker breakage, to get higher properties of SiCw/Al composite parts made by means of plastic forming, too high plastic strain should not be suffered by SiCw/Al composites during the plastic forming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rigorous method for the homogenization of general elastoplastic periodic lattices is applied to 3D cellular solids. Tetrakaidecahedral unit cell problems are solved to determine the overall yield surface of foams. Non-symmetric material distribution is introduced and new results concerning the influence of this type of defect are obtained. They show that non-uniform material distribution increases the overall strength, except in particular loading directions and that non-symmetry has no significant influence on the yield surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of displacement rate on fracture behaviors of 100Sn solder and 63Sn37Pb solder alloys have been investigated by SEMin-situtesting. It was found that for the 100Sn solder, grain boundary sliding was the dominant deformation mechanism at lower tensile rate regime, while a large area of slip lines crossing grains were detected at the surface of specimens at higher tensile rate regime. For the 63Sn37Pb eutectic alloy, however, because of existence of the second phase, fracture behavior depended on the growth and linkage of cavities ahead of crack tip, and the crack paths changed from intergranular to transgranular with the increasing of loading rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thixocast samples of an Al-Si-Cu alloy were solution treated at 500°C for 4 h, aged at 170°C for different times and tensile tested at room temperature. Statistical analysis on the fractured Si particles has pointed out how the fraction of damaged particles is influenced by the ageing treatments performed before deformation. The damage accumulation per unit of strain decreases with increasing ductility of the samples. The Considére criterion for plastic instability shows no significative necking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Essential work of fracture methodology was used to determine plane-stress ductile fracture toughness of high impact polystyrene film of thickness 0.26 mm. Results obtained indicated that specific essential work of fracture, we, is independent of loading rate, and for certain specimen sizes, independent of both gauge length and width of the specimen. On the other hand, we was found to be affected by the temperature, molecular anisotropy and the geometry of the test specimens. Reasonable estimate of we was obtained via crack opening displacement value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fracture mechanics approach has been used to investigate how the addition of high-temperature resistant thermoplastic modifiers can increase the fracture energy, Gc, of brittle cyanate-ester polymers. Tests were performed using adhesive joint specimens at -55, 21 and 150°C. The fracture energies of poly(ether sulfone)- and polyester-modified cyanate-ester polymers have been measured and scanning electron microscopy has been used to identify the toughening mechanisms involved. Firstly, it is shown that the addition of 25% by weight of a functionalised poly(ether sulfone) (PES) can increase the fracture energy of the cyanate-ester polymers by more than 800%, with the development of a particulate morphology within the modified polymer. Secondly, it is demonstrated that the use of 20% by weight of a polyester-copolymer elastomer can lead to an increase in the fracture energy of up to ten times that of the unmodified cyanate-ester polymer value. Thirdly, it is shown that several of the chemically-modified polymers developed and tested in the present work have fracture energies which are greater than a typical commercially-available cyanate-ester film adhesive. Finally, the effects of long-term ageing in air at 150°C, for up to 7500 hours, on the properties of unmodified, physically- and chemically-modified cyanate-ester polymers are investigated. It is shown that the measured fracture energies of some of these modified cyanate-ester polymers show no significant effect of such long-term ageing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effect of PBT-PC interfacial strength on the fracture toughness and toughening mechanisms of the PBT/PC system, a series of PBT/PC blends with different content of in situ formed PBT-PC copolymers were made by melt blending. The in situ copolymer was separately prepared via reactive blending of the PBT and PC in the presence of a transesterification catalyst in a twin-screw extruder for a few minutes. The reactive extrudate (RE) was studied using a DSC and the existence of the PBT-PC copolymer in the RE was confirmed. Microstructure characterizations of the PBT/PC/RE blends revealed that the domain sizes of the PBT and PC decrease and the PBT-PC interfacial strength increases with the RE content. Compared with the PBT/PC blend, all the PBT/PC/RE blends have higher yield strength, elongation at break as well as tensile modulus. The quasi-static fracture tests show that fracture toughness of the blends increases with the RE content. Since the highest toughness was obtained with the blend having the highest RE content (7.5%), it is not certain at this stage whether adding more than 7.5% RE will further improve the fracture toughness. The impact toughness of the PBT/PC/RE blends was found to decrease with the increase of the PBT-PC interfacial strength, which confirms the failure mechanisms proposed in the Part-4 of this series. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Texture resulting from micromechanical processing plays an important role in the anisotropy of materials. The determination of texture components is a useful way to present texture data. The types of components present in the texture of a material can be related to other material aspects including predictions of yield loci using polycrystal methods. Al-Cu-Li 2195 thick plate was cold rolled to produce various reductions in thickness. Texture analysis was performed on the various rolled materials at different positions through the thickness of the plates. The texture components are consistent among the various rolled specimens at equivalent thickness positions. A texture gradient is observed to exist through the plate thickness that may indicate other microstructural information about the alloy. This texture gradient evidences the effects of increasing amounts of deformation on texture intensity, texture components observed, and changing modes of deformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of stacking fault energy (SFE) on the evolution of microstructures during room temperature tensile testing has been investigated at two strain rates of 8.3×10−4 and 1.7×10−1/s in pure copper, Cu-2.2%Al, and Cu-4.5%Al alloys with SFE values of, approximately, 78, 20 and 4 mJ/m2, respectively. The mechanism of deformation changes from simple slip leading to cell formation in the high SFE metal, Cu, to overlapping and/or intersecting deformation twins in low SFE alloy, Cu-4.5%Al. The effect of strain rate is such that it results in rather poorly defined cell boundaries in copper, with a smaller cell size at higher strain rates for similar grain sizes and strain values. The alloys deform by twinning and the propensity of deformation twins increases with both a decrease in SFE value and increase in strain rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]