Search

A surface modification process for steel rods based on atmospheric-pressure nitrogen plasma (APP) at room temperature was developed. Steel rods were irradiated with APP generated by dielectric-barrier discharge in a nitrogen atmosphere. Elemental analysis using an electron-probe microanalyzer revealed strong nitrogen signals at the top surface, which suggests the formation of a modified layer due to the generation of excited nitrogen sources by APP. However, no noticeable nitrogen diffusion into the steel was observed. This is because the excited nitrogen sources reacted with elemental iron emitted by APP and nitrides were deposited on the surface of the steel. The proposed APP treatment is a promising approach for modifying the surface of steel rods without heat treatment.

Multifunction cavitation (MFC) has potential as an environmentally friendly surface-modification method. In the present study, the modified surface layer and the fatigue properties for MFC-processed low-alloy steel were investigated. When the processing time was longer than 2 min, the surface roughness increased and the surface potential decreased. The maximum compressive residual stress was induced after a processing time of 2 min, and decreased for longer processing times. Electron backscatter diffraction analysis of a cross section of a sample subjected to MFC for 30 min showed that the modified layer was thicker than that for samples processed for shorter times. The fatigue life at high cycle numbers increased for the specimens processed by MFC under the conditions corresponding to the greatest compressive residual stress. MFC processing was shown to be effective in improving the fatigue properties of steel, and therefore has potential as a next-generation surface-modification method.

The harmonic structure is a recently introduced concept paving the way for engineering metallic materials to achieve excellent mechanical performance. They consist of soft coarse-grained regions (Core) that are three-dimensionally surrounded by a connected network of hard ultra-fine grained regions (Shell). The interaction in these Core–Shell regions produces a synergistic effect, during plastic deformation, leading to superior mechanical properties that are extremely important in practical applications. The current review paper is aimed at providing a critical assessment on this novel concept of microstructure design. It also involves the identification and critical discussion of key issues which deserve additional studies.

A surface-hardening treatment for AZ31 magnesium alloy using an atmospheric-pressure plasma jet (APPJ) at room temperature was developed. Magnesium is a potential engineering material because it is lightweight; however, magnesium alloys are difficult to heat-treat because of their low flaming temperature. Magnesium alloy specimens were irradiated with a localized atmospheric-pressure plasma jet generated by dielectric-barrier discharge for 180 s in air. The APPJ excited oxygen and nitrogen molecules in the ambient air, resulting in the formation of an oxynitrided layer; oxygen and nitrogen diffusion layer, on the surface of the magnesium alloy. The hardness and elemental distribution for the treated surface were examined. The top surface of the APPJ-treated magnesium alloy achieved a maximum hardness of 108 HV, which was ∼1.7 times greater than that of the untreated surface. Elemental analysis using an electron-probe microanalyzer revealed strong oxygen and nitrogen signals corresponding to the hardened region of the magnesium alloy, meaning that the hardness increased as a result of the formation of the oxynitrided layer. The proposed APPJ treatment is a promising approach for locally hardening magnesium alloys without using a heat treatment.

Rust in rust-prone steel is promoted in water by corrosive factors. Therefore, to prevent the formation of rust, it is necessary to eliminate various corrosive factors before plating or other rust prevention measures. In this study, we investigated improvement of the corrosion resistance of steel surfaces by mechanochemical-multifunction cavitation (MC-MFC) with a sodium hypochlorite solution and MFC in water. The compounds formed on the steel surface after MFC and MC-MFC were α-FeOOH and β-FeOOH. Furthermore, red rust was less likely to occur on the surface after MC-MFC; therefore, it was concluded that the amount of β-FeOOH was relatively high. In combined cycle tests conducted to evaluate the rust resistance, red and black regions were formed on the unprocessed and MC-MFC processed surfaces, respectively. The MC-MFC treated surface effectively suppressed rust formation because the amount of Fe compounds was less in the depth direction than on the untreated surface, as determined by glow-discharge optical emission spectroscopy analysis.

Austenitic stainless steel with a bimodal harmonic structure (HS) is a recently developed material that consists of a periodic arrangement of coarse-grained (CG) structures surrounded by a network of ultra-fine grains (UFG). This material is characterised by high strength and good ductility. In this study, we analysed the fatigue performance of HS materials by modifying our previous multiscale model to extend its applicability from only homogeneous materials to HS materials. A novel method was proposed to characterise the microstructural features of HS materials considering the distributions of CG and UFG. A microstructure model was developed to reproduce grain maps using these characterised microstructures. The multiscale model was successfully validated by experimental results for two types of austenitic stainless steels. The model was used to elucidate the governing microstructural factors of fatigue performance in HS materials through systematic simulations. Consequently, a higher UFG area fraction was confirmed to improve fatigue life, and a UFG area fraction of approximately 40% is suggested for optimal microstructural design to balance fatigue performance and fabricating costs. This study presents the first step in the qualitative design of the fatigue performance of HS materials to replace the expensive and inefficient experimental analyses used in previous studies.

A hydroxyapatite (HAp) surface layer was generated at room temperature on a beta-titanium alloy (Ti-29Nb-13Ta-4.6Zr, TNTZ) using fine particle peening (FPP), as a means of enhancing fatigue resistance. This material is commonly employed in bio-implants, but has a suboptimal Young's modulus. Treated specimens were assessed using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and electron backscatter diffraction, as well as by measuring the Vickers hardness. Performing FPP using shot particles made of HAp was found to transfer the particles to the TNTZ surface to rapidly produce a HAp layer that became thicker as the FPP process progressed. Room-temperature four-point bending fatigue tests in air showed that the HAp layer resulting from the FPP process increased the endurance limit of test specimens. This improved performance is ascribed to the appearance of a hardened surface layer having a significant degree of compressive residual stress. Keywords: Fine particle peening, Beta titanium alloy, Ti-29Nb-13Ta-4.6Zr, Fatigue, Hydroxyapatite, Biomaterial

Austenitic stainless steel (JIS-SUS304L) with a bimodal harmonic structure, which is defined as a coarse-grained structure surrounded by a network of fine grains, was fabricated using powder metallurgy to improve both the strength and ductility. Four-point bending fatigue tests and K-decreasing tests were conducted in air at room temperature under a stress ratio R of 0.1 to investigate fatigue crack propagation in SUS304L. The fatigue limit of this harmonic-structured material is higher than that of the material with a homogeneous coarse-grained structure. This is attributable to the formation of fine grains by mechanical milling and to the suppression of pore formation. In contrast, the threshold stress intensity range, ?Kth, for the harmonic-structured material is lower than that for the homogeneous coarse-grained material, while the crack growth rates, da/dN, are higher at comparable ?K. These results can be attributed to a reduction in the effective threshold stress intensity range, ?Keff,th, due to the presence of fine grains in the harmonic structure.

Gas blow induction heating (GBIH) nitriding was carried out for Ti–6Al–4V alloy at different temperatures, and its effect on surface characteristics, wear resistance and fatigue properties was investigated. The microstructures of the specimen surface were characterized using optical microscopy, laser microscopy, X-ray diffraction, micro-Vickers hardness tester, and nano-indentation tester. It was found that the surface characteristics of titanium alloy varied with increasing the treatment temperature of GBIH-nitriding. In this study, a nitrogen diffusion layer was formed on the titanium alloy surface GBIH-nitrided at 1073 ​K. A nitrogen compound layer and diffusion layer were created at the treatment temperature of 1173 ​K, which suppressed the wear loss to under one tenth that of the substrate. In order to examine the fatigue properties of the treated alloy, fatigue tests under four-point bending were performed. The fatigue strength of the Ti–6Al–4V alloy GBIH-nitrided at 1173 ​K was 234 ​MPa lower than that of the mirror-polished alloy. The decrease in the fatigue strength is due to the formation of the compound layer with a Young’s modulus approximately twice that of the substrate, and the grain coarsening from 7 ​μm to 300 ​μm. The results indicate that a thick nitrided layer with high hardness and the close Young’s modulus to the substrate improved the fatigue strength of the Ti–6Al–4V alloy.

Fine particle peening (FPP) using hydroxyapatite (HAp) shot particles was performed to improve the fatigue strength and form a HAp transfer layer on a beta titanium alloy (Ti–22V–4Al). The surface microstructures of the FPP-treated specimen were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, micro-Vickers hardness testing, energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, and electron backscattered diffraction. A HAp transfer layer with a thickness of 5.5 μm was formed on the surface of the Ti–22V–4Al specimen by FPP. In addition, the surface hardness of the Ti–22V–4Al was increased, and high compressive residual stress was generated on the specimen surface by FPP. Rotating bending fatigue tests were performed at room temperature in laboratory air over a wide cycle-life region (103–109 cycles). In the long cycle-life regime, the fatigue strength at 107 cycles of the FPP-treated specimen became higher than that of the untreated specimen. This result is attributed to the formation of a work-hardened layer with high compressive residual stress by FPP. However, the fatigue strength was not improved by FPP in the short cycle-life regime, because fatigue cracks were initiated at surface defects formed during the FPP process. The fatigue fracture mode of the FPP-treated specimens shifted from surface-initiated fracture to subsurface-initiated fracture at a stress amplitude level of 600 MPa.

The peening solution treatment was performed on AC4CH aluminum alloy by ultra-high-temperature and high-pressure cavitation (UTPC) processing, and the peening natural aging was examined. Furthermore, peening artificial aging treatment by low-temperature and low-pressure cavitation (LTPC) was performed, and the time course of peening natural aging and peening artificial aging were compared and investigated. It was found that when the AC4CH alloy is processed for an appropriate time by UTPC processing, compressive residual stress is applied and natural aging occurs. In addition, the UTPC processing conditions for peening natural aging treatment with high compressive residual stress and surface hardness were clarified. After peening artificial aging by LTPC processing, the compressive residual stress decreases slightly over time, but the compression residual stress becomes constant by peening natural aging through UTPC treatment. In contrast, it was found that neither natural nor artificial peening natural aging occurs after processing for a short time.

In the present work, the four-point bending loading fatigue properties of a heterogeneously distributed grain size microstructure consolidated from Ti-6Al-4V alloy powder are studied. The microstructure involved here, a so-called “harmonic structure”, possesses quasi-spherical large grain regions (“cores”) embedded in a continuous fine grain region (“shell”). Unlike the previous reports dealing with this issue, the effect of the specimen size on the fatigue characteristics is also probed, since two distinct specimen configurations are considered. Furthermore, the obtained experimental data are compared with the corresponding fatigue results derived from homogeneous coarse grain counterparts. Contrary to homogeneous structure material, discrepancies on both the fatigue strength and the fatigue crack initiation aspects are found for the harmonic structure material. Consequently, the present work aims to clarify the underlining phenomena involved in the specimen size effect detected for Ti-6Al-4V designed in the harmonic structure. A less active interface surface between the core and the shell combined with a wider critical volume in the large size specimen should be the main reasons of the fatigue strength discrepancy.

TiB-reinforced Ti-3Al-2.5V matrix composites, in which TiB whiskers are oriented parallel to the direction of heat extrusion, were fabricated via mechanical alloying and hot isostatic pressing (HIP). To investigate the near-threshold fatigue crack propagation in TiB-reinforced Ti-3Al-2.5V matrix composites, stress intensity factor K-decreasing tests were conducted for disk-shaped compact specimens having two different orientations of TiB whiskers at force ratios from 0.1 to 0.8 under ambient conditions. The crack growth rates, da/dN, for the composites incorporating TiB whiskers oriented perpendicular to the direction of crack growth were constantly lower than those obtained in the case where the orientation was parallel at the same stress intensity range ΔK, while the threshold stress intensity range, ΔKth, was higher. This effect can be explained by the increase in the degree of roughness-induced crack closure resulting from the perpendicular TiB, because fatigue cracks preferentially propagated across the boundaries between the matrix and the TiB in certain regions. In contrast, the effective threshold stress intensity range, ΔKeff,th, for composites was unaffected by the TiB orientation at low force ratios.

We fabricated fully dense titanium boride (TiB) whisker-reinforced Ti-6Al-4V alloy matrix (Ti6Al4V-TiB) composites, with a homogeneous dispersion, a TiB orientation perpendicular to the loading direction (; two-dimensional random direction) and an intimate Ti/TiB interface without an intermediate interfacial layer in the Ti-6Al-4V alloy matrix, by spark plasma sintering. Microstructural analysis allows us to present the tensile properties of the Ti6Al4V-TiB composites with the theories for discontinuous fiber-reinforced composites. The Ti6Al4V-TiB 10 vol.% composite yielded a Young’s modulus of 130 GPa, an ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of 1193 MPa and an elongation of 2.8%. The obtained experimental Young’s modulus and UTS of the Ti6Al4V-TiB composites were consistent with the theoretical values estimated by the Halpin-Tsai and Shear-lag models. The good agreement between our experimental results and these models indicates that the TiB whiskers behave as discontinuous fibers in the Ti-6Al-4V alloy matrix.

The effect of the nitrogen diffusion layer formed by gas blow induction heating nitriding on the wear resistance and the fatigue properties of a titanium alloy was investigated. The nitrogen diffusion layer deteriorated the wear resistance of a titanium alloy. This is probably because hard abrasive particles worn from the diffusion layer accelerates the wear of the material. In contrast, the diffusion layer improved the fatigue properties of a titanium alloy. This is due to the high hardness of the diffusion layer, and because the layer and the substrate share the same elastic modulus, the surface stress concentration is inhibited.

A three-dimensional grain mapping technique for polycrystalline materials, called X-ray diffraction contrast tomography (DCT), was developed at SPring-8, which is the brightest synchrotron radiation facility in Japan. The developed technique was applied to an austenitic stainless steel. The shape and location of grains could be determined by DCT using the apparatus in a beam line of SPring-8. To evaluate the dislocation structure in fatigue, the total misorientation of individual grains was measured by DCT. The average value of the total misorientation over one sample was increased with the number of cycles. In a grain, the change of the total misorientation was largest for the primary slip plane. The maximum change of the total misorientation in fatigue was larger for planes with larger Schmid factor, and the first fatigue crack initiation was occurred in a grain, which had the greatest change of the total misorientation.

Mean torsional stress is considered to have less effect on the torsional fatigue strength of steels, but several experimental results have been recently reported that mean torsional stress caused significant reduction in torsional fatigue strength in the very high cycle region for shot-peened spring steel. To investigate the effect of mean torsional stress on high strength steel, ultrasonic torsional fatigue tests with mean torsional stress were conducted for spring steel and bearing steel, which are used for mechanical components subjected to cyclic shear stress. Torsional fatigue strengths up to 109 cycles were obtained for fully-reversed torsional loading (R = -1) to pulsating torsional loading (R = 0). The results revealed that mean torsional stress caused a reduction in fatigue strength in the very high cycle region for both spring steel and bearing steel, and applying higher mean shear stress would result in transition of the fracture origin from a surface to an internal inclusion. The reduction in torsional fatigue strength was discussed from the viewpoint of the transition of the fatigue origin, and applicability of a √area p parameter model was discussed for predicting the reduction in torsional fatigue strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]