Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-mkpzs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T00:42:45.611Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Microstructure and mechanical properties of Laves phase NbCr2-based composites toughened with Cr phase fabricated by spark plasma sintering

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 June 2016

Kewei Li ,
Rui Hao ,
Chao Di  and
Dianqing Gong
Kewei Li*
Affiliation:
Key Laboratory of Interface Science and Engineering in Advanced Materials Ministry of Education and ShanXi Province, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China
Rui Hao
Affiliation:
Key Laboratory of Interface Science and Engineering in Advanced Materials Ministry of Education and ShanXi Province, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China
Chao Di
Affiliation:
Key Laboratory of Interface Science and Engineering in Advanced Materials Ministry of Education and ShanXi Province, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China
Dianqing Gong
Affiliation:
Key Laboratory of Interface Science and Engineering in Advanced Materials Ministry of Education and ShanXi Province, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China
*
a)Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

Laves phase NbCr2-based composites toughened with different volume fractions of Cr phase were fabricated by spark plasma sintering (SPS). The microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of these spark plasma sintered NbCr2/Cr composites were investigated. The mechanical properties evaluations indicate that the introducing of Cr phase consolidated by SPS has a beneficial effect on the mechanical properties of the NbCr2 Laves phase. When the content of Cr phase in the NbCr2 Laves phase increases to 30 wt%, the hardness measured by a Berkovich nanoindenter operated with the continuous stiffness measurements mode attains the maximum value of 13.44 GPa, which is increased by about 56% over the as-cast NbCr2 Laves phase. More importantly, the room-temperature fracture toughness of the NbCr2-30wt%Cr alloy is increased to 18.9 MPa·m1/2, which is 16 times higher than that of the as-cast NbCr2 Laves phase (1.2 MPa·m1/2). The microstructural analysis indicates that the residual of Cr phase and formation of Nb solid solution can provide remarkable toughening of the NbCr2 Laves phase by fine grain toughening, dual ductile phase toughening, and interface toughening mechanisms. A possible formation mechanism of Nb solid solution during SPS has been proposed by considering the composition distribution.

Keywords

Laves phasemicrostructuremechanical propertiesspark plasma sintering
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 31 , Issue 15 , 15 August 2016 , pp. 2214 - 2222
Check for updates
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2016 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Jiang, C.: Site preference of early transition metal elements in C15 NbCr2 . Acta Mater. 55, 1599 (2007).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kazantzis, A.V., Aindow, M., Jones, I.P., and Triantafyllidis, G.K., and De Hosson, J.Th.M.: The mechanical properties and the deformation microstructures of the C15 Laves phase Cr2Nb at high temperatures. Acta Mater. 55, 1873 (2007).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nie, X.W., Lu, S.Q., Wang, K.L., Chen, T.C., and Niu, C.L.: Fabrication and toughening of NbCr2 matrix composites alloyed with Ni obtained by powder metallurgy. Mater. Sci. Eng., A 502, 85 (2009).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Li, K.W., Li, S.M., Gao, K., and Gong, D.Q.: Synthesis and characterization of NbCr2 Laves phase produced by spark plasma sintering. J. Mater. Res. 31, 380 (2016).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shayesteh, P., Mirdamadi, S., and Razavi, H.: Study the effect of mechanical alloying parameters on synthesis of Cr2Nb–Al2O3 nanocomposite. Mater. Res. Bull. 49, 50 (2014).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Takeyama, M. and Liu, C.T.: Microstructure and mechanical properties of Laves-phase alloys based on Cr2Nb. Mater. Sci. Eng., A 132, 61 (1991).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Li, K.W., Li, S.M., Xue, Y.L., and Fu, H.Z.: Microstructure characterization and mechanical properties of a Laves-phase alloy based on Cr2Nb. Int. J. Refract. Met. Hard Mater. 36, 154 (2013).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Li, K.W., Li, S.M., Xue, Y.L., and Fu, H.Z.: Microstructure and mechanical properties of arc melted Cr–Cr2Nb hypoeutectic alloy. Mater. Sci. Technol. 29, 742 (2013).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cady, C.M., Chen, K.C., Kotula, P.G., Mauro, M.E., and Thoma, D.J.: Microstructures and mechanical properties of two-phase alloys based on NbCr2 . MRS Proc. 552 (1998). doi: 10.1557/PROC-552-KK7.4.1.Google Scholar
Aoyama, N. and Hanada, S.: Microstructure and strength of NbCr2/Cr composites. Mater. Trans. 38, 155 (1997).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stein, F., He, C., and Wossack, I.: The liquidus surface of the Cr–Al–Nb system and re-investigation of the Cr–Nb and Al–Cr phase diagrams. J. Alloys Compd. 598, 253 (2014).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Li, X.D. and Bhushan, B.: A review of nanoindentation continuous stiffness measurement technique and its applications. Mater. Charact. 48, 11 (2002).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Anstis, G.R., Chantikul, P., Lawn, B.R., and Marshall, D.B.: A critical evaluation of indentation techniques for measuring fracture toughness: I, direct crack measurements. J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 64, 533 (1981).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sakai, M. and Bradt, R.C.: Fracture toughness testing of brittle materials. Int. Mater. Rev. 38, 53 (1992).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Oliver, W.C. and Pharr, G.M.: An improved technique for determining hardness and elastic modulus using load and displacement sensing indentation experiments. J. Mater. Res. 7, 1564 (1992).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tabor, D.: The Hardness of Metals (Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1951).Google Scholar
Xiao, X., Lu, S.Q., Hu, P., Huang, M.G., Nie, X.W., and Fu, M.W.: The effect of hot pressing time on the microstructure and properties of Laves phase NbCr2 alloys. Mater. Sci. Eng., A 485, 80 (2008).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wang, X.F., Wang, K., Li, Z.D., Wang, X.F., Wang, D., and Han, F.S.: Synthesis and mechanical properties of bulk Al76Ni8Ti8Zr4Y4 alloy fabricated by consolidation of mechanically alloyed amorphous powders. J. Alloys Compd. 632, 617 (2015).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van Steenberge, N., Sort, J., Concustell, A., Das, J., Scudino, S., Suriñach, S., Eckert, J., and Baró, M.D.: Dynamic softening and indentation size effect in a Zr-based bulk glass-forming alloy. Scr. Mater. 56, 605 (2007).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jang, J.I., Yoo, B.G., Kim, Y.J., Oh, J.H., Choi, I.C., and Bei, H.: Indentation size effect in bulk metallic glass. Scr. Mater. 64, 753 (2011).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ormeci, F.C.A., Wills, J.M., Chen, S.P., Albers, R.C., Thoma, D.J., and Mitchell, T.E.: Elastic constants of a Laves phase compound: C15 NbCr2 . MRS Proc. 460, 460 (1996).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chu, F., He, Y., Thoma, D.J., and Mitchell, T.E.: Elastic constants of the C15 laves phase compound NbCr2 . Scr. Metall. Mater. 33, 1295 (1995).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Davidson, D.L., Chan, K.S., and Anton, D.L.: The effects on fracture toughness of ductile-phase composition and morphology in Nb–Cr–Ti and Nb–Si in situ composites. Metall. Mater. Trans. A 27, 3007 (1996).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lee, S., Liaw, P.K., Liu, C.T., and Chou, Y.T.: Cracking in Cr–Cr2Nb eutectic alloys due to thermal stresses. Mater. Sci. Eng., A 268, 184 (1999).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Song, X.L., Liu, X.M., and Zhang, J.X.: Neck formation and self-adjusting mechanism of neck growth of conducting powders in spark plasma sintering. J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 89, 494 (2006).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yin, Y.D., Rioux, R.M., Erdonmez, C.K., Hughes, S., Somorjai, G.A., and Alivisatos, A.P.: formation of hollow nanocrystals through the nanoscale Kirkendall effect. Science 304, 711 (2004).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed