• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.28-33
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• 2011

The thermal shock properties of SiC materials were investigated for high temperature applications. In particular, the effect of thermal shock temperature on the flexural strength of SiC materials was evaluated, in conjunction with a detailed analysis of their microstructures. The efficiency of a nondestructive technique using ultrasonic waves was also examined for the characterization of SiC materials suffering from a cyclic thermal shock history. SiC materials were fabricated by a liquid phase sintering process (LPS) associated with hot pressing, using a commercial submicron SiC powder. In the materials, a complex mixture of $Al_2O_3$ and $Y_2O_3$ powders was used as a sintering additive for the densification of the microstructure. Both the microstructure and mechanical properties of the sintered SiC materials were investigated using SEM, XRD, and a three point bending test. The SiC materials had a high density of about 3.12 Mg/m3 and an excellent flexural strength of about 700 MPa, accompanying the creation of a secondary phase in the microstructure. The SiC materials exhibited a rapid propagation of cracks with an increase in the thermal shock temperature. The flexural strength of the SiC materials was greatly decreased at thermal shock temperatures higher than $700^{\circ}C$, due to the creation of microcracks and their propagation. In addition, the SiC materials had a clear tendency for a variation in the attenuation coefficient in ultrasonic waves with an increase in thermal shock cycles.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.52-57
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• 2020

In this study, we report the microstructure and characterization of Ta₂₀Nb₂₀V₂₀W₂₀Ti₂₀ high-entropy alloy powders and sintered samples. The effects of milling time on the microstructure and mechanical properties were investigated in detail. Microstructure and structural characterization were performed by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The mechanical properties of the sintered samples were analyzed through a compressive test at room temperature with a strain rate of 1 × 10^-4 s^-1. The microstructure of sintered Ta₂₀Nb₂₀V₂₀W₂₀Ti₂₀ high-entropy alloy is composed of a BCC phase and a TiO phase. A better combination of compressive strength and strain was achieved by using prealloyed Ta₂₀Nb₂₀V₂₀W₂₀Ti₂₀ powder with low oxygen content. The results suggest that the oxide formed during the sintering process affects the mechanical properties of Ta₂₀Nb₂₀V₂₀W₂₀Ti₂₀ high-entropy alloys, which are related to the interfacial stability between the BCC matrix and TiO phase.

• Composites Research
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.31-36
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• 2000

The effect of several important processing variables was investigated on formation of porous mullite with acicular microstructure. Experimental results demonstrated that microstructure and porosity of porous mullite are depending on concentration of $AlF_3$, holding time at $900^{\circ}C$ and starting material. Acicular mullite was developed by increasing amount of $AlF_3$ and holding time at $900^{\circ}C$. Mullite began to be formed at $1200^{\circ}C$ and the resultant microstructure sintered at this temperature is similar to those at higher temperatures. Porosity increases with increase in amounts of $AlF_3$ and holding time at $900^{\circ}C$ . Therefore, it is found that microstructure of reaction-sintered porous mullite can be controlled by governing the amount of $AlF_3$ and holding time at $900^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.365-372
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• 2010

The evolution of sinterability, microstructure and mechanical properties for the spark plasma sintered(SPS) Ti from commercial pure titanium(CP-Ti) was studied. The densification of titanium with 200 mesh and 400 mesh pass powder was achieved by SPS at $750{\sim}1100^{\circ}C$ under 10 MPa pressure and the flowing $H_2$+Ar mixed gas atmosphere. The microstructure of Ti sintered up to $800^{\circ}C$ consisted of equiaxed grains. In contrast, the growth of large elongated grains was shown in sintered bodies at $900^{\circ}C$ with the 400 mesh pass powder and the lamella grains microstructure had been developed by increasing sintering temperature. The Vickers hardness of 240~270 HV and biaxial strength of 320~340 MPa were found for the specimen prepared at $950^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.53-57
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• 2017

In this study, we report the microstructure and the high-temperature oxidation behavior of Fe-Ni alloys by spark plasma sintering. Structural characterization is performed by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The oxidation behavior of Fe-Ni alloys is studied by means of a high-temperature oxidation test at $1000^{\circ}C$ in air. The effect of Ni content of Fe-Ni alloys on the microstructure and on the oxidation characteristics is investigated in detail. In the case of Fe-2Ni and Fe-5Ni alloys, the microstructure is a ferrite (${\alpha}$) phase with body centered cubic (BCC) structure, and the microstructure of Fe-10Ni and Fe-20Ni alloys is considered to be a massive martensite (${\alpha}^{\prime}$) phase with the same BCC structure as that of the ferrite phase. As the Ni content increases, the micro-Vickers hardness of the alloys also increases. It can also be seen that the oxidation resistance is improved by decreasing the thickness of the oxide film.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.28 no.9
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• pp.522-527
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• 2018

This study investigates the effects of isothermal holding temperature and time on the microstructure, hardness and Charpy impact properties of medium-carbon bainitic steel specimens. Medium-carbon steel specimens with different bainitic microstructures are fabricated by varying the isothermal conditions and their microstructures are characterized using OM, SEM and EBSD analysis. Hardness and Charpy impact tests are also performed to examine the correlation of microstructure and mechanical properties. The microstructural analysis results reveal that granular bainite, bainitic ferrite, lath martensite and retained austenite form differently in the specimens. The volume fraction of granular bainite and bainitic ferrite increases as the isothermal holding temperature increases, which decreases the hardness of specimens isothermally heat-treated at $300^{\circ}C$ or higher. The specimens isothermally heat-treated at $250^{\circ}C$ exhibit the highest hardness due to the formation of lath martensite, irrespective of isothermal holding time. The Charpy impact test results indicate that increasing isothermal holding time improves the impact toughness because of the increase in volume fraction of granular bainite and bainitic ferrite, which have a relatively soft microstructure compared to lath martensite for specimens isothermally heat-treated at $250^{\circ}C$ and $300^{\circ}C$.

• Metals and materials international
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.1376-1385
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• 2018

Ultrasonic melt treatment (UST) was applied to an A390 hypereutectic Al-Si alloy in a temperature range of $750-800^{\circ}C$ and its influence on the solidification structure and the consequent increase in strength was investigated. UST at such a high temperature, which is about $100^{\circ}C$ above the liquidus temperature, had little effect on the grain refinement but enhanced the homogeneity of the microstructure with the uniform distribution of constituent phases (e.g. primary Si, ${\alpha}-Al$ and intermetallics) significantly refined. With the microstructural homogeneity, quantitative analysis confirmed that UST was found to suppress the formation of Cu-bearing phases, i.e., $Q-Al_5Cu_2Mg_8Si_6$, $Al_2Cu$ phases that form in the final stage of solidification while notably increasing the average Cu contents in the matrix from 1.29 to 2.06 wt%. A tensile test exhibits an increase in the yield strength of the as-cast alloy from 185 to 208 MPa, which is mainly associated with the solute increment within the matrix. The important role of UST in the microstructure evolution during solidification is discussed and the mechanism covering the microstructure-strengthening interrelationship of the ultrasonically treated A390 alloy is proposed.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.207-213
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• 2022

In this study, variations in the microstructure and hardness of a low-carbon SCM415 steel with austenitizing temperature and cooling rate are investigated. When the austenitizing temperature is lower than the A₁ temperature (738.8 ℃) of the SCM415 steel, the microstructures of both the air-cooled and water-cooled specimens consist of ferrite and pearlite, which are similar to the microstructure of the initial specimen. When heat treatment is conducted at temperatures ranging from the A₁ temperature to the A₃ temperature (822.4 ℃), the microstructure of the specimen changes depending on the temperature and cooling rate. The specimens air- and water-cooled from 750 ℃ consist of ferrite and pearlite, whereas the specimen water-cooled from 800 ℃ consists of ferrite and martensite. At a temperature higher than the A₃ temperature, the air-cooled specimens consist of ferrite and pearlite, whereas the water-cooled specimens consist of martensite. At 650 ℃ and 700 ℃, which are lower than the A₁ temperature, the hardness decreases irrespective of the cooling rate due to the ferrite coarsening and pearlite spheroidization. At 750 ℃ or higher, the air-cooled specimens have smaller grain sizes than the initial specimen, but they have lower hardness than the initial specimen owing to the increased interlamellar spacing of pearlite. At 800 ℃ or higher, martensitic transformation occurs during water cooling, which results in a significant increase in hardness. The specimens water-cooled from 850 ℃ and 950 ℃ have a complete martensite structure, and the specimen water-cooled from 850 ℃ has a higher hardness than that water-cooled from 950 ℃ because of the smaller size of prior austenite grains.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.283-290
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• 2022

A Cu-15Ag-5P filler metal (BCuP-5) is fabricated on a Ag substrate using a high-velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) thermal spray process, followed by post-heat treatment (300℃ for 1 h and 400℃ for 1 h) of the HVOF coating layers to control its microstructure and mechanical properties. Additionally, the microstructure and mechanical properties are evaluated according to the post-heat treatment conditions. The porosity of the heat-treated coating layers are significantly reduced to less than half those of the as-sprayed coating layer, and the pore shape changes to a spherical shape. The constituent phases of the coating layers are Cu, Ag, and Cu-Ag-Cu3P eutectic, which is identical to the initial powder feedstock. A more uniform microstructure is obtained as the heat-treatment temperature increases. The hardness of the coating layer is 154.6 Hv (as-sprayed), 161.2 Hv (300℃ for 1 h), and 167.0 Hv (400℃ for 1 h), which increases with increasing heat-treatment temperature, and is 2.35 times higher than that of the conventional cast alloy. As a result of the pull-out test, loss or separation of the coating layer rarely occurs in the heat-treated coating layer.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.382-389
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• 2022

A typical trade-off relationship exists between strength and elongation in face-centered cubic metals. Studies have recently been conducted to enhance strength without ductility reduction through surface-treatment-based ultrasonic nanocrystalline surface modification (UNSM), which creates a gradient microstructure in which grains become smaller from the inside to the surface. The transformation-induced plasticity effect in Fe-Mn alloys results in excellent strength and ductility due to their high work-hardening rate. This rate is achieved through strain-induced martensitic transformation when an alloy is plastically deformed. In this study, Fe-6%Mn powders with different sizes were prepared by high-energy ball milling and sintered through spark plasma sintering to produce Fe-6%Mn samples. A gradient microstructure was obtained by stacking the different-sized powders to achieve similar effects as those derived from UNSM. A compressive test was performed to investigate the mechanical properties, including the yielding behavior. The deformed microstructure was observed through electron backscatter diffraction to determine the effects of gradient plastic deformation.