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This study focused on the microstructural analysis, superplasticity, modeling of superplastic deformation behavior, and superplastic forming tests of the Al-Mg-Si-Cu-based alloy modified with Fe, Ni, Sc, and Zr. The effect of the thermomechanical treatment with various proportions of hot/cold rolling degrees on the secondary particle distribution and deformation behavior was studied. The increase in hot rolling degree increased the homogeneity of the particle distribution in the aluminum-based solid solution that improved superplastic properties, providing an elongation of ~470–500% at increased strain rates of (0.5–1) × 10−2 s−1. A constitutive model based on Arrhenius and Beckofen equations was used to describe and predict the superplastic flow behavior of the alloy studied. Model complex-shaped parts were processed by superplastic forming at two strain rates. The proposed strain rate of 1 × 10−2 s−1 provided a low thickness variation and a high quality of the experimental parts. The residual cavitation after superplastic forming was also large at the low strain rate of 2 × 10−3 s−1 and significantly smaller at 1 × 10−2 s−1. Coarse Al9FeNi particles did not stimulate the cavitation process and were effective to provide the superplasticity of alloys studied at high strain rates, whereas cavities were predominately observed near coarse Mg2Si particles, which act as nucleation places for cavities during superplastic deformation and forming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the engine's start/stop system and a sudden increase in speed or load, the development of alloys suitable for engine bearings requires excellent tribological properties and high mechanical properties. Including additional elements in the Al-rich matrix of these anti-friction alloys should strengthen their tribological properties. The novelty of this work is in constructing a suitable artificial neural network (ANN) architecture for highly accurate modeling and prediction of the mechanical properties of the bearing aluminum-based alloys and thus optimizing the chemical composition for high mechanical properties. In addition, the study points out the impact of soft and more solid phases on the mechanical properties of these alloys. For this purpose, a huge number of alloys (198 alloys) with different chemical compositions combined from Sn, Pb, Cu, Mg, Zn, Si, Ni, Bi, Ti, Mn, Fe, and Al) were cast, annealed, and tested for determining their mechanical properties. The annealed sample microstructure analysis revealed the formation of soft structural inclusions (Sn-rich, Sn-Pb, and Pb-Sn phases) and solid phase inclusions (strengthened phase, Al2Cu). The mechanical properties of ultimate tensile strength (σu), Brinell hardness (HB), and elongation to failure (δ) were used as control responses for constructing the ANN network. The constructed network was optimized by attempting different network architecture designs to reach minimal errors. Besides the excellent tribological characteristics of the designed set of alloys, soft inclusions based on Sn and Pb and solid-phase Cu inclusions fulfilled the necessary level of mechanical properties for anti-friction alloys; the maximum mechanical properties reached were: σu = 197 ± 7 MPa, HB = 77 ± 4, and δ = 20.3 ± 1.0%. The optimal ANN architecture with the lowest errors (correlation coefficient (R) = 0.94, root mean square error (RMSE) = 3.5, and average actual relative error (AARE) = 1.0%) had two hidden layers with 20 neurons. The model was validated by additional experiments, and the characteristics of the new alloys were accurately predicted with a low level of errors: R ≥ 0.97, RMSE = 1–2.65, and AARE ˂ 10%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigates the effects of 1.0 wt% cerium (Ce) addition on the solidification behavior, microstructure, and mechanical properties of 6063 aluminum alloy. Thermal analysis exhibited four reaction points during the solidification of the reference 6063 alloy corresponding to the formation of α-Al, Al 13 Fe 4 , α-AlFeSi, and Mg 2 Si, respectively. Similar reactions were also observed for the Ce-modified alloy along with two additional reactions corresponding to the formation of Al-Ce and Al-Si-Ce precipitates. Microstructure examination revealed a grain size reduction of 25% due to Ce addition. In regards to the formed phases, the addition of Ce caused the formation of both Al-Ce and iron-free Al-Si-Ce precipitations. This suggested that the Si consumed during the formation of Al-Si-Ce precipitates was at the expense of Mg 2 Si rather than the silicon contained in Al-Fe-Si compounds. As for the mechanical properties, Vickers hardness measurements for samples in the T6 condition revealed an increase, in comparison to the as-cast condition, by 83% and 40% for the reference and Ce-modified alloys, respectively. The lower strengthening for the Ce-modified alloy was attributed to the less availability of Mg 2 Si due to silicon depletion. Compression test results for samples in the T6 condition exhibited a decline of both the yield and ultimate strength for the Ce-modified alloy, in comparison to the reference alloy. This was also attributed to the silicon depletion due to the formation of Al-Si-Ce precipitates, which impaired the precipitation hardening process. • Thermal analysis of the solidification behavior for the reference alloy revealed the occurrence of four reactions, which corresponded to the formation of α -Al, Al 13 Fe 4 , α -AlFeSi, and Mg 2 Si, respectively. Two additional reactions were observed during the solidification of Ce-modified alloy corresponding to the formation of Al-Ce and Al-Si-Ce precipitates. • Optical microscopic examination revealed that the addition of 1.0 wt% Ce resulted in the refinement of the α -Al grains by 25%. • EDS analysis revealed that the formed Ce-intermetallic phases in Ce-modified alloy contained no iron. • SEM and EDS analysis after T6 heat treatment revealed that the Si content in the undissolved intermetallic phases, for Ce-modified alloy, is almost three times higher than the corresponding Si content in the reference alloy which suggests depletion of Mg 2 Si. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work investigates the effects of Samarium (Sm) addition on the performance of 6063 Aluminum alloy. The investigation includes aspects related to the solidification behavior, the microstructure and the mechanical properties for the reference alloy in addition to four modified alloys containing 0.1, 0.3, 0.5 and 1.0 wt% Sm. The reactions corresponding to the formation of α -Al, Al 13 Fe 4 , α -AlFeSi and Mg 2 Si are identified through thermal analysis of the reference alloy. The modified alloys experience similar reactions during solidification that, however, occur at slightly different temperatures, implying the modification of the forming phases due to Sm addition. Optical microscopic examination reveals 37 % grain refinement for the modified alloys due to the Sm addition up to 0.5 wt%. Sm addition influences also the Fe-bearing precipitates, causing the formation of granular Al-Sm-Si-Fe-Mg due to the addition of 0.1 wt% Sm. Samarium addition beyond 0.1 wt% induces the formation of Fe-free Al-Sm-Si-Mg intermetallics, having sharp plate-like and zigzag morphology, in addition to Sm-free Al-Fe-Si precipitates. The best mechanical performance, in the T6 condition, is achieved by the (AA6063 + 0.1 wt% Sm) alloy, attaining an increase of 38 % in the hardness and 11 % in the yield strength, in comparison to the unmodified alloy. The significant strengthening of the 0.1 wt% Sm modified alloy in the T6 condition suggests a promoted precipitation of Mg 2 Si during solidification due to the Sm addition. • Sm alters the reaction temperatures during the solidification of modified AA6063. • The grain size decreases due to Samarium addition. • Samarium changes the morphology and composition of Fe-bearing precipitates. • Both the strength and hardness of Sm-modified alloys are enhanced. • Testing of T6 samples suggests promoted precipitation of Mg 2 Si due to Sm addition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AlZnMgCu, the high-strength aluminum alloy, is unsuitable for laser melting applications due to its high hot cracking sensitivity and large solidification temperature range. Adapting this alloy for laser melting processing is a high-demand research issue for extending its use. Thus, this paper investigates the effect of adding 4%Si, 4%Si-Sc+Zr, 4%Si-Ti+B, and homogenization annealing on the laser melting process (LMP) of AlZnMgCu alloy. Homogenization annealing at 500 °C for 6.5 h was selected to dissolve most of the low melting temperature phases into the grain matrix and perform stable alloys for the LMP. The pulsed laser melting process (PLM) was performed on the as-casted and the homogenized samples. The microstructures of the as-casted, the homogenized alloys, and after the LMP were evaluated. In addition, the hardness of the base metal (BM) and laser melted zone (LMZ) were measured. The results revealed that the microstructure was enhanced and refined in the as-cast state by adding the modifiers due to the increasing nucleation potency of solidification sites and the formation of primary Al3(Ti, Zr, Sc) phases. The average grain size was decreased by 15.6 times when adding 4%Si + 0.4%Zr + 0.29%Sc, while it decreased by 10.2 times when adding 4%Si + 1%Ti + 0.2%B. The LMZ of the as-casted samples exhibited a non-uniform distribution of the grains and the elements after the LMP. This was attributed to the evaporation of Zn, Mg during the high laser power process besides the non-uniform distribution of elements and phases in samples during casting. After the laser treating of the homogenized samples with 4%Si-Sc + Zr, uniform columnar grains were formed in the direction of the laser. The presence of Ti and B changed the crystallization nature, resulting in the LMZ with very fine and equiaxed grains due to forming many nucleation centers during solidification. The hardness values have positively increased due to Si addition and adding a combination of Ti + B and Sc + Zr. The maximum hardness was 153.9 ± 5 HV achieved in the LMZ of the homogenized samples of 4%Si + 1%Ti + 0.2%B. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the grain refinement of a 5052 aluminum alloy was achieved using two different fabrication approaches. In the first approach, the grains in the investigated alloy were modified and refined during the casting process by adding refining elements, namely, titanium and boron (TiB), while in the second approach, the base 5052 aluminum alloy and modified (5052 + TiB) alloy were refined by friction stir processing (FSP), a solid-state processing technique. The microstructure of the investigated alloys was examined using a high-resolution polarized optical microscope; moreover, XRD analysis was performed to identify the established phases in the investigated alloys. The impact of the modifying elements and FSP on the hardness and corrosion behavior of the 5052 alloy was evaluated. The results revealed that the (TiB) modifiers only enhanced the grain refinement of the aluminum cast alloy, while FSP improved the hardness properties and produced additional grain refinement on the surface of the processed alloy. Adding TiB as a modifier to the 5052 enhanced the corrosion resistance. In addition, the corrosion resistance of the surface of the friction stir processed alloy improved after using two passes. Image 1 • The grain refinement of 5052 aluminum alloy was performed by adding (Ti + B) modifiers and/or by FS Processing. • The microstructure of investigating alloys was examined after as cast state and FSP. • The XRD analysis was involved in order to address the established phases in the investigated alloys. • The microhardness evolution across the base, heat affected zone (HAZ) and processed zone was measured. • The chemical intergranular corrosion test was performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determining a desirable strain rate-temperature range for superplasticity and elongation-to-failure are critical concerns during the prediction of superplastic forming processes in α + β titanium-based alloys. This paper studies the superplastic deformation behaviour and related microstructural evolution of conventionally processed sheets of Ti-6Al-4V alloy in a strain rate range of 10–5–10–2 s–1 and a temperature range of 750–900 °C. Thermo-Calc calculation and microstructural analysis of the as-annealed samples were done in order to determine the α/β ratio and the grain size of the phases prior to the superplastic deformation. The strain rate ranges, which corresponds to the superplastic behaviour with strain rate sensitivity index m ˃ 0.3, are identified by step-by-step decreasing strain rate tests for various temperatures. Results of the uniaxial isothermal tensile tests at a constant strain rate range of 3 × 10−4–3 × 10−3 s−1 and a temperature range of 800–900 °C are presented and discussed. The experimental stress-strain data are utilized to construct constitutive models, with the purpose of predicting the flow stress behaviour of this alloy. The cross-validation approach is used to examine the predictability of the constructed models. The models exhibit excellent approximation and predictability of the flow behaviour of the studied alloy. Strain-induced changes in the grain structure are investigated by scanning electron microscopy and electron backscattered diffraction. Particular attention is paid to the comparison between the deformation behaviour and the microstructural evolution at 825 °C and 875 °C. Maximum elongation-to-failure of 635% and low residual cavitation were observed after a strain of 1.8 at 1 × 10−3 s−1 and 825 °C. This temperature provides 23 ± 4% β phase and a highly stable grain structure of both phases. The optimum deformation temperature obtained for the studied alloy is 825 °C, which is considered a comparatively low deformation temperature for the studied Ti-6Al-4V alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the effect of the laser melting process (LMP) on the microstructure and hardness of a new modified AlCuMgMn alloy with zirconium (Zr) and Yttrium (Y) elements. Homogenized (480 °C/8 h) alloys were laser-surface-treated at room temperature and a heating platform with in situ heating conditions was used in order to control the formed microstructure by decreasing the solidification rate in the laser-melted zone (LMZ). Modifying the AlCuMgMn alloy with 0.4 wt% Zr and 0.6 wt% Y led to a decrease in grain size by 25% with a uniform grain size distribution in the as-cast state due to the formation of Al3(Y, Zr). The homogenization dissolved the nonequilibrium intermetallic phases into the (Al) matrix and spheroidized and fragmentized the equilibrium phase's particles, which led to the solidification of the crack-free LM zone with a nonuniform grain structure. The microstructure in the LMZ was improved by using the in situ heating approach, which decreased the temperature gradient between the BM and the melt pool. Two different microstructures were observed: ultrafine grains at the boundaries of the melted pool due to the extremely high concentration of optimally sized Al3(Y, Zr) and fine equiaxed grains at the center of the LMZ. The combination of the presence of ZrY and applying a heating platform during the LMP increased the hardness of the LMZ by 1.14 times more than the hardness of the LMZ of the cast AlCuMgMn alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel titanium-based alloys are required to increase the efficiency of superplastic forming technology and decrease energy consumption. For this purpose, the superplastic deformation behavior, strain-induced microstructure evolution in a temperature range of 625–775 °C, and post-deformation mechanical properties of Ti–4Al–1V–1Fe–1Ni-0.1B- x Mo alloys (x = 1, 2.5, or 5 wt%) were investigated. The studied alloys demonstrated a stable flow with a high strain rate sensitivity coefficient m of 0.50–0.65 and an elongation-to-failure δ of 700–1000% at temperatures of 700–775 °C. Molybdenum insignificantly influenced superplastic deformation behavior at high temperatures due to a high fraction of the β phase of 22–62%. The Mo effect was significant at a low deformation temperature of 625 °C. At this temperature, an increase in Mo content from 1 to 5% provided the β -phase fraction above the critical value of ∼20% and increased the m- value from 0.4 to 0.5 and δ from ∼200 to ∼700%. Increasing Mo from 1 to 5% enhanced the post-deformation yield strength at room temperature by 180 MPa, the ultimate tensile strength by 170 MPa, and the ductility by 2.5%. Consequently, alloying Ti–4Al–1V–1Fe–1Ni-0.1B with 5% Mo provided an excellent combination of superplasticity at a low temperature of 625 °C and post-forming tensile mechanical properties. • Increase in Mo content from 1 to 5 wt% improved low temperature superplasticity. • 5Mo and 20% of the β phase are required for low-temperature superplasticity at 625 °C. • Alloys exhibit a stable fine-grained structure during deformation at 625–700 °C. • Increase in Mo content improved the post-forming mechanical properties. • 5 wt%Mo provided a good combination of the superplastic and mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The decrease of superplastic forming temperature and improvement of post-forming mechanical properties are important issues for titanium-based alloys. Ultrafine-grained and homogeneous microstructure are required to improve both processing and mechanical properties. This study focuses on the influence of 0.01–2 wt.% B (boron) on the microstructure and properties of Ti-4Al-3Mo-1V (wt.%) alloys. The microstructure evolution, superplasticity, and room temperature mechanical properties of boron-free and boron-modified alloys were investigated using light optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, electron backscatter diffraction, X-ray diffraction analysis, and uniaxial tensile tests. A trace addition of 0.01 to 0.1 wt.% B significantly refined prior β-grains and improved superplasticity. Alloys with minor B and B-free alloy exhibited similar superplastic elongations of 400–1000% in a temperature range of 700–875 °C and strain rate sensitivity coefficient m of 0.4–0.5. Along with this, a trace boron addition provided a stable flow and effectively reduced flow stress values, especially at low temperatures, that was explained by the acceleration of the recrystallization and globularization of the microstructure at the initial stage of superplastic deformation. Recrystallization-induced decrease in yield strength from 770 MPa to 680 MPa was observed with an increase in boron content from 0 to 0.1%. Post-forming heat treatment, including quenching and ageing, increased strength characteristics of the alloys with 0.01 and 0.1% boron by 90–140 MPa and insignificantly decreased ductility. Alloys with 1–2% B exhibited an opposite behavior. For the high-boron alloys, the refinement effect of the prior β-grains was not detected. A high fraction of borides of ~5–11% deteriorated the superplastic properties and drastically decreased ductility at room temperature. The alloy with 2% B demonstrated non-superplastic behavior and low level of strength properties; meanwhile, the alloy with 1% B exhibited superplasticity at 875 °C with elongation of ~500%, post-forming yield strength of 830 MPa, and ultimate tensile strength of 1020 MPa at room temperature. The differences between minor boron and high boron influence on the grain structure and properties were discussed and the mechanisms of the boron influence were suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decreasing the superplastic forming temperature of Ti alloys is currently an important issue. This study investigated the impact of modifying the Ti–Al–Mo–V alloy with different percentages of Fe (0–2 wt.%) on the microstructure, superplasticity and post-forming mechanical properties. The results revealed that during superplastic deformation, the increase in Fe content facilitated the recrystallisation and fragmentation of the phases and grain boundary sliding due to the accelerating diffusivity by Fe. In contrast, the presence of Fe increased the susceptibility to grain growth. A high strain rate sensitivity coefficient m (0.45–0.5) and maximum elongation to failure (500–1000%) were achieved for these alloys at a constant strain rate of 1 × 10−3 s−1 and in a low temperature range (625–775 °C). Alloying the investigated alloy with Fe increased the post-forming room-temperature tensile strength by 90–220 MPa and decreased the ductility by 1–2%. Alloying with 0.5% Fe provided a good combination of the superplastic and room-temperature mechanical properties for the studied alloys. • 0.5-2 wt%Fe addition substantially improved the superplasticity of Ti-based alloy. • Fe facilitated the recrystallisation/fragmentation. • Alloying with Fe accelerated grain growth in Ti-based alloy. • Fe alloying increased the post-forming room-temperature tensile strength. • 0.5%Fe provided a good combination of the superplastic and mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, AA5083 sheets were reinforced with four different hybrid nanoparticles by friction stir processing (FSP) for the development of surface nanocomposites used in advanced engineering applications. The present research focused on improving the properties and tribological behaviour of AA5083 alloy surfaces, including novel hybrid nanoparticles and the intermetallic phase formed during FSP. A tribometer tester with a constant normal load was used to examine the tribological performance of the hybrid composites. After the wear test, a surface profiler inspector was used to analyse the morphology and surface roughness of the examined materials. The Vickers micro-hardness of the base metal and the manufactured composites were measured. During FSP, a new intermetallic phase of AlV 3 was successfully formed at 300–400 °C in the hybrid nanocomposites containing VC particles. The reinforcements resulted in additional grain refining than FSP. The AA5083/Ta2C–Al 2 O 3 exhibited the greatest grain refinement, a sixty-fold reduction in grain size compared to that of the base alloy. The results revealed that the hybrid nanocomposites containing VC particles demonstrated the most significant microhardness values inside the stirred zone as a result of the presence of the AlV 3 phase, which was increased by 25–30%. Moreover, the mechanical properties were significantly improved for all manufactured nanocomposites. The tensile strength was increased by 28% through the hybridisation of AA5083 using a hybrid of VC-GNPs. The dispersion of Ta 2 C-GNPs and VC-GNPs in the matrix led to excellent interfacial adhesion, resulting in an enhancement in the mechanical properties. The AA5083/VC-GNPs surface composite outperformed other manufactured composites regarding wear resistance. In addition, due to GNPs soft nature, it reduced the coefficient of friction (COF) of the manufactured composites by 20–25% compared to other reinforcements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] COVID-19 outbreak has become a global pandemic that affected more than 200 countries. Predicting the epidemiological behavior of this outbreak has a vital role to prevent its spreading. In this study, long short-term memory (LSTM) network as a robust deep learning model is proposed to forecast the number of total confirmed cases, total recovered cases, and total deaths in Saudi Arabia. The model was trained using the official reported data. The optimal values of the model's parameters that maximize the forecasting accuracy were determined. The forecasting accuracy of the model was assessed using seven statistical assessment criteria, namely, root mean square error (RMSE), coefficient of determination (R2), mean absolute error (MAE), efficiency coefficient (EC), overall index (OI), coefficient of variation (COV), and coefficient of residual mass (CRM). A reasonable forecasting accuracy was obtained. The forecasting accuracy of the suggested model is compared with two other models. The first is a statistical based model called autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA). The second is an artificial intelligence based model called nonlinear autoregressive artificial neural networks (NARANN). Finally, the proposed LSTM model was applied to forecast the total number of confirmed cases as well as deaths in six different countries; Brazil, India, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, and USA. These countries have different epidemic trends as they apply different polices and have different age structure, weather, and culture. The social distancing and protection measures applied in different countries are assumed to be maintained during the forecasting period. The obtained results may help policymakers to control the disease and to put strategic plans to organize Hajj and the closure periods of the schools and universities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing the strain rate at superplastic forming is a challenging technical and economic task of aluminum forming manufacturing. New aluminum sheets exhibiting high strain rate superplasticity at strain rates above 0.01 s−1 are required. This study describes the microstructure and the superplasticity properties of a new high-strength Al-Zn-Mg-based alloy processed by a simple thermomechanical treatment including hot and cold rolling. The new alloy contains Ni to form Al3Ni coarse particles and minor additions of Zr (0.19 wt.%) and Sc (0.06 wt.%) to form nanoprecipitates of the L12-Al3 (Sc,Zr) phase. The design of chemical and phase compositions of the alloy provides superplasticity with an elongation of 600–800% in a strain rate range of 0.01 to 0.6/s and residual cavitation less than 2%. A mean elongation-to-failure of 400% is observed at an extremely high constant strain rate of 1 s−1. The strain-induced evolution of the grain and dislocation structures as well as the L12 precipitates at superplastic deformation is studied. The dynamic recrystallization at superplastic deformation is confirmed. The superplastic flow behavior of the proposed alloy is modeled via a mathematical Arrhenius-type constitutive model and an artificial neural network model. Both models exhibit good predictability at low and high strain rates of superplastic deformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, two successive methods were used to improve the grain structure and the mechanical and physical properties of Al 5052 aluminum alloy. The modifying elements, 0.99 wt.% of titanium (Ti) and 0.2 wt.% of boron (B), were added during the casting process. After solidification, single- and double-pass friction stir processing (FSP) were performed to achieve additional grain refinement and disperse the newly formed phases well. The addition of Ti–B modifiers significantly improved the mechanical and physical properties of the Al 5052 aluminum alloy. Nevertheless, only a 3% improvement in microhardness was achieved. The ultimate strength (US), yield strength (YS), and elastic modulus were investigated. In addition, the electrical conductivity was reduced by 56% compared to the base alloys. The effects of grain refinement on thermal expansion and corrosion rate were studied; the modified alloy with Ti–B in the as-cast state showed lower dimension stability than the samples treated with the FSP method. The grain refinement significantly affected the corrosion resistance; for example, single and double FSP passes reduced the corrosion rate by 11.4 times and 19.2 times, respectively. The successive FSP passes, resulting in a non-porous structure, increased the bulk density and formed precipitates with high bulk density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanical properties and microstructure of as-cast and homogenized AA7075 were investigated. This alloy was modified by adding transition elements 0.3%Sc + 0.5%Zr, 1%Ti + 0.2%B, and 1%Fe + 1%Ni for use in additive manufacturing applications. After adding Ti + B and Sc + Zr, the structure became uniform and finer with the formation of the Al3(Sc, Zr) and TiB2 phases. Coarse structures were obtained with the formation of an extremely unfavorable morphology, close to a needle-like structure when Fe + Ni was added. The mechanical properties of the modified alloys were increased compared to those of the standard alloy, where the best ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and yield strength (YS) were obtained in the AA7075-TiB alloy compared to the standard alloy in as-cast and homogenized conditions, and the highest hardness value was provided by Fe + Ni additives. The effect of the laser melting process on the microstructure and mechanical properties was investigated. Single laser melts were performed on these alloys using 330 V and a scanning speed of 8 mm/s. During the laser melting, the liquation of the alloying elements occurred due to non-equilibrium solidification. A change in the microstructures was observed within the melt zone and heat-affected zone (HAZ). The hardness of the laser-melted zone (LMZ) after adding the modification elements was increased in comparison with that of the standard alloy. Corrosion testing was performed using a solution of 100 mL distilled water, 3.1 g NaCl, and 1 mL HCl over 5, 10, and 30 min and 1 and 2 h. The corrosion resistance of the alloy modified with FeNi was low because of the non-uniform elemental distribution along the LMZ, but in the case of modification with ScZr and TiB, the corrosion resistance was better compared to that of the standard alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of isothermal multidirectional forging (IMF) on the microstructure evolution of a conventional Al–Mg-based alloy was studied in the strain range of 1.5 to 6.0, and in the temperature range of 200 to 500 °C. A mean grain size in the near-surface layer decreased with increasing cumulative strain after IMF at 400 °C and 500 °C; the grain structure was inhomogeneous, and consisted of coarse and fine recrystallized grains. There was no evidence of recrystallization when the micro-shear bands were observed after IMF at 200 and 300 °C. Thermomechanical treatment, including IMF followed by 50% cold rolling and annealing at 450 °C for 30 min, produced a homogeneous equiaxed grain structure with a mean grain size of 5 µm. As a result, the fine-grained sheets exhibited a yield strength and an elongation to failure 30% higher than that of the sheets processed with simple thermomechanical treatment. The IMF technique can be successfully used to produce fine-grained materials with improved mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]