Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-8ctnn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-24T02:14:17.407Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Microstructure and phase evolution in spark plasma sintering of the NbCr2 Laves phase matrix composite toughened with ductile Cr phase

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 October 2018

Kewei Li Open the ORCID record for Kewei Li [Opens in a new window] ,
Fei Gao  and
Lu Wang
Kewei Li*
Affiliation:
College of Materials Science and Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China
Fei Gao
Affiliation:
College of Materials Science and Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China
Lu Wang
Affiliation:
Department of Precision Instruments, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
*
a)Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

A bulk NbCr2 Laves phase matrix composite toughened with ductile Cr phase has been fabricated by spark plasma sintering (SPS) using pre-alloyed NbCr2 and Cr powders. The sintering behaviour and phase morphological evolution of the sintered alloy were investigated. The results show that a series of microstructure evolutions along the sintering temperature occurred: elongated Cr phase with uniform dispersion of fine NbCr2 and Cr phase → coarse Cr phase with matured fine NbCr2 and Cr → coarse Cr and Nb phases with lamellar eutectics. The microstructural evolution and phase transformation along the sintering temperature are analyzed by considering the inhomogenous temperature distribution and the accelerated atomic diffusion due to the pulsed electric current applied during SPS. The room temperature fracture toughness of the sintered samples is expected to be markedly improved due to the absence of lamellar or the occurrence of ductile Cr and Nb phases.

Keywords

Laves phaseintermetallicsspark plasma sinteringmicrostructure
Type
Article
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 33 , Issue 24 , 28 December 2018 , pp. 4329 - 4339
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2018 

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

Yurchenko, N.Y., Stepanov, N.D., Shaysultanov, D.G., Tikhonovsky, M.A., and Salishchev, G.A.: Effect of Al content on structure and mechanical properties of the AlxCrNbTiVZr (x = 0; 0.25; 0.5; 1) high-entropy alloys. Mater. Charact. 121, 125 (2016).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Takata, N., Ghassemi-Armaki, H., Takeyama, M., and Kumar, S.: Nanoindentation study on solid solution softening of Fe-rich Fe2Nb Laves phase by Ni in Fe–Nb–Ni ternary alloys. Intermetallics 70, 7 (2016).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ghosh, C., Basu, J., Ramachandran, D., and Mohandas, E.: Alloy design and microstructural evolution in V–Ti–Cr alloys. Mater. Charact. 106, 292 (2015).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Luo, W., Kirchlechner, C., Fang, X., Brinckmann, S., Dehm, G., and Stein, F.: Influence of composition and crystal structure on the fracture toughness of NbCo2 Laves phase studied by micro-cantilever bending tests. Mater. Des. 145, 116 (2018).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lu, S.Q., Zheng, H.Z., and Fu, M.W.: The fracture toughness of hot-pressed NbCr2 alloys doped by rare earth yttrium. Scr. Mater. 61, 205 (2009).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lu, S., Zheng, H., Deng, L., and Yao, J.: Effect of silicon on the fracture toughness and oxidation behavior of hot pressed NbCr2 alloys. Mater. Des. 51, 432 (2013).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Aufrecht, J., Leineweber, A., Senyshyn, A., and Mittemeijer, E.J.: The absence of a stable hexagonal Laves phase modification NbCr2 in the Nb–Cr system. Scr. Mater. 62, 227 (2010).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ohta, T., Nakagawa, Y., Kaneno, Y., Inoue, H., Takasugi, T., and Kim, W-Y.: Microstructures and mechanical properties of NbCr2 and ZrCr2 Laves phase alloys prepared by powder metallurgy. J. Mater. Sci. 38, 657 (2003).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Long, Q., Wang, J., Du, Y., Holec, D., Nie, X., and Jin, Z.: Predicting an alloying strategy for improving fracture toughness of C15 NbCr2 Laves phase: A first-principles study. Comput. Mater. Sci. 123, 59 (2016).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Li, K., Hao, R., Di, C., and Gong, D.: Microstructure and mechanical properties of Laves phase NbCr2-based composites toughened with Cr phase fabricated by spark plasma sintering. J. Mater. Res. 31, 2214 (2016).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Liu, C.T., Zhu, J.H., Brady, M.P., McKamey, C.G., and Pike, L.M.: Physical metallurgy and mechanical properties of transition-metal Laves phase alloys. Intermetallics 8, 1119 (2000).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Xue, Y.L., Li, S.M., Zhong, H., and Fu, H.Z.: Characterization of fracture toughness and toughening mechanisms in Laves phase Cr2Nb based alloys. Mater. Sci. Eng., A 638, 340 (2015).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Li, K., Li, S., Xue, Y., and Fu, H.: Microstructure characterization and mechanical properties of a Laves-phase alloy based on Cr2Nb. Int. J. Refract. Met. Hard Mater. 36, 154 (2013).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
Xue, Y., Li, S., Zhong, H., Li, K., and Fu, H.: Phase selections and mechanical properties of ternary Cr–Nb–Ti alloys under rapid solidification. J. Alloys Compd. 684, 403 (2016).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
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
Ji, W., Wang, W., Wang, H., Zhang, J., Wang, Y., Zhang, F., and Fu, Z.: Alloying behavior and novel properties of CoCrFeNiMn high-entropy alloy fabricated by mechanical alloying and spark plasma sintering. Intermetallics 56, 24 (2015).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wang, F.C., Zhang, Z.H., Sun, Y.J., Liu, Y., Hu, Z.Y., Wang, H., Korznikov, A.V., Korznikova, E., Liu, Z.F., and Osamu, S.: Rapid and low temperature spark plasma sintering synthesis of novel carbon nanotube reinforced titanium matrix composites. Carbon 95, 396 (2015).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zhang, Z.H., Wang, F.C., Wang, L., and Li, S.K.: Ultrafine-grained copper prepared by spark plasma sintering process. Mater. Sci. Eng. A476, 201 (2008).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Han, B., Zhao, C., Zhu, Z.X., Chen, X., Han, Y., Hu, D., Zhang, M.H., Thong, H.C., and Wang, K.: Temperature-insensitive piezoelectric performance in Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.42Sn0.02Nb0.04)O3 ceramics prepared by spark plasma sintering. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 9, 34078 (2017).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Srinivasarao, B., Oh-ishi, K., Ohkubo, T., and Hono, K.: Bimodally grained high-strength Fe fabricated by mechanical alloying and spark plasma sintering. Acta Mater. 57, 3277 (2009).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
El-Atwani, O., Quach, D.V., Efe, M., Cantwell, P.R., Heim, B., Schultz, B., Stach, E.A., Groza, J.R., and Allain, J.P.: Multimodal grain size distribution and high hardness in fine grained tungsten fabricated by spark plasma sintering. Mater. Sci. Eng., A 528, 5670 (2011).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
Suryanarayana, C.: Mechanical alloying and milling. Prog. Mater. Sci. 46, 1 (2001).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yavari, A.R.: Reordering kinetics and magnetic properties of mechanically disordered nanocrystalline Ll2-type Ni3Al + Fe alloys. Acta Metall. Mater. 41, 1391 (1993).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hadef, F.: Synthesis and disordering of B2 TM-Al (TM = Fe, Ni, Co) intermetallic alloys by high energy ball milling: A review. Powder Technol. 311, 556 (2017).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, K.W., Li, S.M., Zhong, H., Xue, Y.L., and Fu, H.Z.: Solidification behavior and microstructural evolution of the Cr–Nb eutectic alloy. Cryst. Res. Technol. 48, 430 (2013).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bewlay, B.P., Sutliff, J.A., Jackson, M.R., and Lipsitt, H.A.: Microstructural and crystallographic relationships in directionally solidified Nb–Cr2Nb and Cr–Cr2Nb eutectics. Acta Metall. Mater. 42, 2869 (1994).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bewlay, B.P., Lipsitt, H.A., Jackson, M.R., Reeder, W.J., and Sutliff, J.A.: Solidification processing of high temperature intermetallic eutectic-based alloys. Mater. Sci. Eng., A 192–193, 534 (1995).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Munir, Z.A., Anselmi-Tamburini, U., and Ohyanagi, M.: The effect of electric field and pressure on the synthesis and consolidation of materials: A review of the spark plasma sintering method. J. Mater. Sci. 41, 763 (2006).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pei, P., Song, X.P., Liu, J., Zhao, M., and Chen, G.L.: Improving hydrogen storage properties of Laves phase related BCC solid solution alloy by SPS preparation method. Int. J. Hydrogen Energy 34, 8597 (2009).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kumar, K.S., Pang, L., Horton, J.A., and Liu, C.T.: Structure and composition of Laves phases in binary Cr–Nb, Cr–Zr and ternary Cr–(Nb, Zr) alloys. Intermetallics 11, 677 (2003).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kumar, K.S., Pang, L., Liu, C.T., Horton, J., and Kenik, E.A.: Structural stability of the Laves phase Cr2Ta in a two-phase Cr–Cr2Ta alloy. Acta Mater. 48, 911 (2000).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Song, X., Liu, X., and Zhang, J.: 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
Tu, K.N., Yeh, C.C., Liu, C.Y., and Chen, C.: Effect of current crowding on vacancy diffusion and void formation in electromigration. Appl. Phys. Lett. 76, 988 (2000).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Liu, Y., Fan, J., Zhang, H., Jin, W., Dong, H., and Xu, B.: Recrystallization and microstructure evolution of the rolled Mg–3Al–1Zn alloy strips under electropulsing treatment. J. Alloys Compd. 622, 229 (2015).CrossRefGoogle Scholar