• Progress in Superconductivity and Cryogenics
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.9-11
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• 2013

We have investigated the effect of thickness of the MgB2 film on the grain growth direction as well as on their superconducting properties. $MgB_2$ films of various thicknesses were fabricated on c-cut $Al_2O_3$ substrates at a temperature of $540^{\circ}C$ by using hybrid physical-chemical vapor deposition (HPCVD) technique. The superconducting transition temperature ($T_c$) was found to increase with increase in the thickness of the $MgB_2$ film. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the orientation of grains changed from c-axis to a-axis upon increasing the thickness of the $MgB_2$ film from 0.6 to 2.0 ${\mu}m$. $MgB_2$ grains of various orientations were observed in the microstructures of the films examined by scanning electron microscopy. It is observed that at high magnetic fields the 2.0-${\mu}m$-thick film exhibit considerably larger critical current density ($J_c$) as compared to 0.6-${\mu}m$-thick film. The results are discussed in terms of an intrinsic-pinning in $MgB_2$ similarly as intrinsic-pinning occurring in high-Tc cuprate superconductors with layered structure.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.15 no.2 s.83
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• pp.105-111
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• 2006

A study was made to investigate the microstructure and the mechanical properties of low-carbon steel, Al-Mg alloy and Ti-6Al-4V alloy each representing bcc, fcc and hcp crystal structures, respectively fabricated by equal-channel angular(ECA) pressing. After a series of ECA pressings was performed, most grains were significantly refined below ${\mu}m$ in diameter with high mis-orientation of grain boundaries irrespective of different crystal structure used. Regarding the strain hardening capability, tensile tests of ultrafine grain (UFG) dual-phase (ferrite/martensite) steel which was different from UFG ferrite-pearlite steel were carried out at ambient temperature, and corresponding mechanical properties were discussed in relation to modified C-J analysis. Low-temperature and/or high strain-rate superplasticity of the UFG Al-Mg alloy and UFG Ti-6Al-4V alloy were also studied. Based on the analysis used in this study, it was concluded that UFG alloys exhibited the enhanced mechanical properties as compared to coarse-grained (CG) counterparts.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.25 no.11
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• pp.607-611
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• 2015

The microstructural evolution of Grade 91 tempered martensite ferritic steels heat treated at $760{\sim}1000^{\circ}C$ for two hours was investigated using scanning electron microscopy(SEM), energy disperse spectroscopy(EDS), electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD), and transmission electron microscopy(TEM); a microhardness tester was also employed, with a focus on the grain and precipitate evolution process as well as on the main hardening element. It was found that an evolution of tempered martensite to ferrite($760{\sim}850^{\circ}C$), and to fresh martensite($900{\sim}1000^{\circ}C$), occurred with the increase of temperature. Simultaneously, the parabolic evolution characteristics of the low angle grain boundary(LAGB) increased with the increase of the heating temperature(highest fraction of LAGB at $925^{\circ}C$), indicating grain recovery upon intercritical heating. The main precipitate, $M_{23}C_6$, was found to be coarsened slightly at $760{\sim}850^{\circ}C$; it then dissolved at $850{\sim}1000^{\circ}C$. Besides this, $M_3C$ cementite was formed at $900{\sim}1000^{\circ}C$. Finally, the experimental results show that the hardness of the steel depended largely on the matrix structure, rather than on the precipitates, with the fresh martensite showing the highest hardness value.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2012.05a
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• pp.56.1-56.1
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• 2012

The microstructures and mechanical properties of Co-29Cr-6Mo alloy with C and N additions, produced by additive manufacturing using electron beam melting (EBM) method, were studied using X-ray diffraction, electron back scatter diffraction, transmission electron microscope, Vickers hardness tests, and tensile tests, focusing on the influences on the build direction and the various heat treatments after build. It is found that the microstructures for the as built specimens were changed from columnar to equiaxed grain structure with average grain size of approximately $10-20{\mu}m$ due to the heat treatment employing the reverse transformation from a lamellar (hcp + $Cr_2N$) phase to an fcc. Our results will contribute to the development of biomedical Ni-free Co-Cr-Mo-N-C alloys, produced by EBM method, with refined grain size and good mechanical properties, without requiring any hot workings.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.53-61
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• 2017

Magnesium alloys are of emerging interest in the automotive, aerospace and electronic industries due to their light weight, high specific strength, damping capacity, etc. However, practical applications are limited because magnesium alloys have poor formability at room temperature due to the lack of slip systems and the formation of basal texture, both of which characteristics are attributed to the hcp crystal structure. Fortunately, many magnesium alloys, even commercialized AZ or ZK series alloys, exhibit superplastic behavior and show very large tensile ductility, which means that these materials have potential application to superplastic forming (SPF) of magnesium alloy sheets. The SPF technique offers many advantages such as near net shaping, design flexibility, simple process and low die cost. Superplasticity occurs in materials having very small grain sizes of less than $10{\mu}m$ and these small grains in magnesium alloys can be achieved by thermomechanical treatment in conventional rolling or extrusion processes. Moreover, some coarse-grained magnesium alloys are reported to have superplasticity when grain refinement occurs through recrystallization during deformation in the initial stage. This report reviews the characteristics of superplastic magnesium alloys with high-strain rate and coarse grains. Finally, some examples of SPF application are suggested.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.71-74
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• 2009

The magnetic and structural properties of FINEMET (the Hitachi product name of the Fe-Si-B-Nb-Cu alloy) nanopowder with a composition of $Fe_{73.5}Si_{13.5}B_9Nb_3Cu_1$ atomic percent were investigated after annealing, chemical etching, and mechanical milling. The primary and secondary crystallization temperatures were 523 and $550^{\circ}C$, respectively. The grain size of the particles was adjusted by annealing time. Optimally annealed particles exhibited a homogenous microstructure composed of nanometer-sized crystalline grains. The grain boundary of the annealed particles was etched preferentially by chemical etching. Chemically etched particles were broken at the grain boundary by high-energy ball milling. As a result, a nanometer-sized FINEMET powder with a uniform size of crystalline grains was fabricated.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.411-416
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• 2011

In this study, powder metallurgy and severe plastic deformation by high-pressure torsion (HPT) approaches were combined to achieve both full density and grain refinement at the same time. Water-atomized pure iron powders were consolidated to disc-shaped samples at room temperature using HPT of 10 GPa up to 3 turns. The resulting microstructural size decreases with increasing strain and reaches a steady-state with nanocrystalline (down to ~250 nm in average grain size) structure. The water-atomized iron powders were deformed plastically as well as fully densified, as high as 99% of relative density by high pressure, resulting in effective grain size refinements and enhanced microhardness values.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.15-19
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• 2012

The fatigue behavior of AM60 magnesium alloy produced by equal channel angular pressing(ECAP) process was investigated through fatigue lifetime and fatigue crack propagation rate tests. The grain structure of the material was refined from 19.2 ${\mu}m$ to 2.3 ${\mu}m$ after 6 passes of ECAP at 493 K. The yield strength(YS) and ultimate tensile strength (UTS) increase after two passes but decrease with further pressing, although the grain size becomes finer with increasing pass number. The softening effect due to texture anisotropy overwhelmed the strengthening effect due to grain refinement after 2 passes. A large enhancement in fatigue strength was achieved after two ECAP passes. The current finding suggests that two passed material is better than the multi-passed material in view of the static strength and fatigue performance.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.181-187
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• 1996

Cobalt and VC powders were ball milled with M2 grade high speed steel powders under various ball to powder ratios. The powders milled under higher ball to powder ratio become finer, more irregular and have a broader size distribution, and thus possess a lower compressibility and a better sinterability regarding densification. Increasing the ball to powder ratio lowered the sintering temperature to obtain the density level necessary to isolate all the pores. Lowering the sintering temperature is very critical to maintain fine microstructure since grain and carbide coarsening are accelerated by higher sintering temperature due to more liquid phase formation. The powders obtained by ball milling at 20 to 1 ratio has the lowest compressibility but has the best sinterability, almost compatible to unmilled pure M2 powders. A sintered body over 97% theoretical density with fine microstructures having average grain size of ~10 microns was obtained from the powder by sintering at 1260 $^{\circ}C$ for 1 hour in vacuum. XRD results indicate that two types of carbides are mainly present in the sintered structure, MC and $M_{6}C$ type. The MC type carbides are more or less round shaped and mainly located at the grain boundaries whereas the $M_{6}C$ type are angular shaped and mainly located inside the grains.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.155-169
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• 2015

Plastic deformation was introduced to the austenitic (${\gamma}$) stainless steel of SS304 by air blast shot peening, ultrasonic shot peening, and ultrasonic nanocrystalline surface modification. Various deformation structures were formed. The hardness, the deformation structure and the underlying grain refinement mechanism were investigated. In the deformed region, planar dislocation arrays and deformation twin (DT), the DT-DT intersection and ${\varepsilon}$-martensite structures, and ${\alpha}^{\prime}$-martensite were formed in the respective regions of low, medium, and high strain. The grain refinement mechanism is found to be closely related to the 1) sub-division of coarse grains by DT, shear bands and their intersection, and 2) formation of nano-sized ${\alpha}^{\prime}$-martensite due to the high plastic deformation.