Nb-silicide based composites have excellent potential for future high-temperature structural applications. Nb-silicide composites possess Nb together with high-strength silicides, such as Nb5Si3 and Nb3Si. Alloying elements such as Ti and Hf, are added to obtain a balance of properties such as creep performance and oxidation resistance. In Nb-silicide composites generated from Nb-rich binary Nb-Si alloys, Nb3Si is unstable and experiences eutectoid decomposition to Nb and Nb5Si3. The present paper describes a low temperature eutectoid phase transformation during which (Nb)3Si decomposes into (Nb) and (Nb)5Si3, where the (Nb)5Si3 possesses the hP16 structure, as opposed to the tI32 structure observed in binary Nb5Si3.

The defect structures in polytwinned (PT) FePd have been studied after room temperature deformation by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Interactions between gliding dislocations and mechanical twins with the {101}-conjugated PT-interfaces have been identified. Based on crystallographic analyses of shear transfer of dislocations and microtwins across the PT-interfaces in FePd boundary reactions have been identified that are consisted with the TEM observations. A model has been proposed, which is suitable to rationalize significant contributions to strain-hardening from these defect-interface interactions in PT-FePd.

Nb-silicide based in-situ composites combine a ductile Nb-based solid solution with high-strength silicides, and they show great promise for aircraft engine applications. The Nb-silicide controls the high-temperature creep behavior of the composite. Previous work has shown that the silicide composition has an important effect on the creep rate, with particular attention on the role of Ti and Hf additions. The aim of the present study is to understand the effects of the substitutional elements on the stability of the silicide phase, ordering in the crystal lattice, including the hP16-tI32 transition, and the creep behavior of the monolithic phases. To pursue this goal monolithic alloys with a range of compositions were prepared and the creep rates were measured at temperatures of 1100–1350°C. The stress sensitivities of the creep rates of the monolithic phases were also determined.

This paper provides a review of recent progress on point defect and solute hardening in binary and ternary B2 intermetallics. As is the case for disordered metallic solutions, the presence of point defects and solute atoms in ordered intermetallic compounds results in solid solution hardening (SSH). However, factors unique to ordered systems are often responsible for unusual hardening effects. Binary compounds with identical crystal structures can exhibit significantly different hardness behavior. Ternary solute additions to ordered compounds can give rise to apparent solid solution softening as well as unexpectedly rapid hardening. These effects arise from the interaction of multiple defect types as well as the presence of multiple sublattice sites available for solute occupation. Therefore, before the SSH behavior of ordered intermetallics can be properly studied, it is necessary to develop an understanding of the types and quantities of the point defects which are present. Three recent studies by the authors are reviewed. Much of the work was done on NiAl and FeAl in binary form as well as with ternary additions. Defect concentrations over wide ranges in alloy composition and quenching temperature were determined using the ALCHEMI (atom location by channeling enhanced microanalysis) technique combined with vacancy measurements. Hardness values were also measured. It was found that most of the observed SSH effects could be rationalized on the basis of the measured point defect concentrations.

By using an appropriately oriented seed from the TiAl-Si system (Ti-43Al-3Si), the TiAl/Ti3Al lamellar structure has been successfully aligned parallel to the growth direction for TiAl ingots of the Ti-Al-Nb, Ti-Al-Nb-Si, Ti-Al-Ta-Si systems on the basis of the recently proposed method to predict the appropriate compositions. The Al equivalents for Nb and Ta are reevaluated in order to extend the proposed method to large addition (above a several at. %) of these alloying elements. These DS ingots with the lamellar structure all aligned parallel to the loading axis exhibit creep properties far better than conventionally produced TiAl ingots so far reported.

During ordering process, anti-site ordering proceeds in atomistic scale and anti-phase domain structure evolves in microstructural scale. In order to describe both the processes, a hybridized calculation of the Phase Field Method(PFM) and Cluster Variation Method(CVM) is attempted. The main objective of the present study is focused on the time evolution of atomic configuration during L10 ordering processes below and above the spinodal ordering temperature and their resultant microstructures. In order to investigate the interplay between atomistic and microstructural processes, we conducted two types of calculations. One is for a homogeneous system without an anti-phase boundary and the other is for an inhomogeneous system in which microstructure is formed by anti-phase domains.

For the homogeneous system, the relaxation curve of Long-Range-Order parameter(LRO) indicates a transient appearance of an L12-like atomic configuration below the spinodal ordering temperature. Such an L12–like state corresponds to a saddle point configuration in the CVM free energy surface. When the composition of an alloy is located near L10 + L12 phase field in the phase diagram, the L12–like phase becomes highly ordered state.

For the inhomogeneous system, it is implied that the appearance of the L12-like phase affects the resultant microstructure by providing the nucleation sites for the L10 ordered phase.

Understanding the microstructural evolution in metallic alloys helps to control their properties and improve their performance in industrial applications. The emphasis of our study is the coarsening mechanisms of lamellar structures.

Coarsening of lamellar structure is modeled numerically using Monte Carlo Potts method. The initial microstructure consists of alternating lamellae of phase A and phase B with the spacing proportional to their volume fraction. Faults are introduced to the lamellae to induce instability in the system. We find that an isotropic lamellar structure degenerates via edge spheroidization and termination migration into nearly equiaxed grains with a diameter which is 2 to 3 times larger than the original lamellar spacing. The duration of this process is comparable with the time it would take Ostwald ripening to produce grains of the same size. Eventually grain growth reaches the asymptotic regime of coarsening described by a power-law function of time. Lamellae with anisotropic grain boundaries coarsen more slowly and via discontinuous coarsening mechanism. This produces larger grains upon degeneration of lamellae. Discontinuous coarsening was observed in lamellar alloys as well as termination migration.

Direct access to a T2-Moss eutectic microstructure with a nominal composition of Mo-9Si-18B (at.%) was obtained using an optical floating zone method at a growth rate of less than 5mm/h. The Mo-9Si-18B two-phase alloy has relatively high 0.2% proof stress at 1500°C of about 700 MPa and fracture toughness at room temperature (RT) of ∼11 MPaVm. The (Mo,Nb)-19.5Si-B alloys with (Mo,Nb)ss-T1-T2 three-phase eutectic microstructure have lower yield stress at 1500°C and fracture toughness at RT lower than the Mo-9Si-18B two-phase alloy. The dense short rod-type morphology of Moss in the Mo-9Si-18B alloy may be pulled out of T2 matrix and crack bridging may play a crucial role in toughening. Due to the limited ductility of Mo at RT, its morphology is more important rather than its volume fraction in improving the fracture toughness of multi-phase alloys.

Silicide coating on the Mo-9Si-18B alloys with the T2-Moss two-phase microstructure using a halide-activated pack cementation was also examined. The B-doped Mo5Si3 layer with the D8m structure was formed on the substrate after oxidation at 1500°C for 24 hours. The substrate is the source of B atoms. A steady-state weight gain was observed at 1300–1500°C and their steady-state constants are almost equal to those of MoSi2. The weight loss was saturated in 16–26 cycles at 1500°C. It was about -0.4mg/cm2, suggesting thermal stress resistance of the coated Mo-9Si-18B two-phase alloys is sufficient in the present condition.

We present a detailed investigation of the role of the disorder degree on magnetic properties for melt spun and die cast intermetallic Nd-Fe-Al-based alloys. For melt spun alloys, the roll speed was varied between 30 m/s and 5 m/s, which resulted in a clear dependence of coercivity on increasing roll speed, showing a steep decrease (from 250 kA/m to 10 kA/m). The results are interpreted in terms of a gradual transition from fully disordered microstructure (30 m/s sample) to short range ordered one (i.e., a clustered microstructure at 5 m/s), which is a consequence of a diminished cooling rate. On the other hand, die-cast alloy affords cluster formation due to this very low cooling rate compared with the melt spinning process and in consequence, coercivity values of 284 kA/m were observed. Further alloying addition (B, Cu, Dy) on the original Nd-Fe-Al composition, exhibited coercivity enhancement (up to 388 kA/m) due to the presence of small Nd-based crystallites, which act as pinning centers.

B2-aluminide thin films can be used as protective layers to prevent mechanical, thermal and chemical impact on the main components and as intermediate thermal or diffusion barrier layers for semiconductor contacts. Laser irradiation can induce phase transformation due to thermal interaction with sample surface. Moreover, with laser interference, the laser power can be distributed periodically on interference points or lines. The scale of the pattern, sub-micrometer to dozens of micrometer, can be varied easily to the typical scale of grain sizes. In this work, B2-structured NiAl and RuAl thin films with periodic pattern are prepared from corresponding elemental bi-films by laser interference irradiation. The micro-nano-structured surface constitutes of a line-like pattern with a period of about 5 micrometer. There occur melting and re-solidification processes during laser interaction with sample surface. The line-like patterns possess fine grains with a size of about 20 nm in Ni/Al and 5 nm in Ru/Al bi-films. The appearance of B2-structured NiAl and RuAl phases are confirmed by TEM. It is proposed that the phase transformation from initial metastable solid solution to the B2 phases can be induced by laser irradiation.

Since the maximum shape recovery temperature of the binary Ti-Ni alloys is limited to be around 400K, the increase in martensitic transformation temperature (Ms) of Ti-Ni should be done by alloying for the demand of high temperature applications. Although most of additional elements are known to decrease Ms of Ti-Ni, substitutional elements having large atomic size are expected to increase Ms. In this study, phase constitution, phase transformation temperature, lattice parameter of B2 phase and Vickers hardness were investigated for Ti-Ni alloys containing several platinum-group metals (PGM). The alloy systems investigated were the pseudobinary systems of TiNi-TiRh, TiNi-TiIr and TiNi-TiPt where the PGM atoms substitute for the Ni-sites of TiNi. The phase transformation and phase constitution were assessed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It was found by XRD that TiNi can contain a large amount of the PGMs as Ti(Ni, Rh), Ti(Ni, Ir) and Ti(Ni, Pt). Lattice parameters monotonously increase with increasing amount of PGMs. With increasing Pt content, Ms slightly decreases when less than 10mol%Pt while continuously increases as the rate of 26K/mol%Pt when more than 10mol%Pt. On the other hand, Ms decreases and then disappears with increasing Rh or Ir content. Hardness ranges from HV180 to HV570 and the maximum values in the pseudobinary systems lie around 20–30mol%PGM, suggesting solid solution hardening caused by the substitution of PGMs.

In this paper we present a mechanical test methodology to explore specimen size effects in Ni3Al, where the overall test sample dimensions artificially limit the volume for substructure evolution and hence the availability of jogs/kinks along individual dislocation lines. The test methodology consists of using Focused Ion Beam milling to micromachine cylindrical compression samples that have diameters ranging from 5 to 20 microns into the surface of a bulk sample, which is followed by nanoindentation using a flat-ended tip to measure the mechanical properties of the microsamples in uniaxial compression. The initial test results show that there is a strong increase in the flow stress with decreasing sample size, although misfit between the flat indenter tip and the top surface of the compression samples complicates complete interpretation of the mechanical test results at this time.

Nearly equiatomic FePd (Fe-52at.%Pd) alloys have been deformed by cold-rolling to 60% thickness reduction. Ordering and disordering was studied during isochronal and isothermal annealing by residual resistometry (REST) in the deformed as well as in the recrystallized state. In both cases a first order phase transition with a broad thermal hysteresis is observed. Resistivity values corresponding to thermal equilibrium of LRO-states, however, result lower in the deformed case. This is interpreted as a consequence of internal stresses leading to a preference of one variant of ordered domains and consequently to a higher degree of LRO.

A detailed study by an isothermal small-step annealing treatment yields two counteracting exponential processes during order-order relaxation with an activation energy of 2.7eV and 2.4eV, respectively.

The changes of a fully lamellar microstructure caused by annealing at 700 and 800°C for up to 10,000 hours in air have been investigated for a Ti-46.5at.%Al-4at.%(Cr,Nb,Ta,B) sheet material. Changes in morphology as well as in chemical composition and volume fraction of constitutional phases were recorded by means of transmission electron microscopy. Thermodynamic equilibrium calculations performed with the software package ThermoCalc provide baseline information upon both the chemical composition and the amount of constitutional phases of the investigated multi-component alloy. It could be demonstrated that due to high cooling rates which are required to adjust a “defect-free” undisturbed fully lamellar microstructure, composition and amount of the α2 phase are far from the thermodynamic equilibrium. However, during high temperature exposure the composition as well as the amount of α2 phase move towards the values predicted by the calculation. Furthermore, former perfectly shaped γ/α2 lamellae interfaces are disturbed, α2 lamellae decompose and new phases appear instead. Dislocations emitted from dissolving α2 lamellae move into the γ lamellae. Mechanisms responsible for decomposition of lamellae and formation of new phases are explained by thermodynamic equilibrium calculations and diffusion considerations. Finally, results of tensile tests conducted at room temperature and 700°C on long-term annealed specimens are presented and discussed. This work is a basis for understanding microstructural changes and their impact on mechanical properties of γ-TiAl based alloys with a fully lamellar microstructure during service at elevated temperatures.

The TiAl-based (Ti-46Al-7Nb-1.5Cr (at%)) intermetallic alloy was tensile tested in vacuum and air as a function of temperature to investigate microstructural effect on the moisture-induced embrittlement. The reduction in tensile strength (or elongation) due to testing in air diminishes as testing temperature increases. From the fracture strength (or elongation)-temperature curves, it was found that the near gamma grain microstructure was most resistant, and the dual-phase microstructure most susceptible to moisture-induced embrittlement. Also, the moisture-induced embrittlement of the TiAl-based intermetallic alloy with fully lamellar microstructure depends on the lamellar spacing, and reduced with decreasing lamellar spacing.

The combination of bright-field and weak-beam transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques has been used to analyse the dislocation systems activated in LaNi5 and derivatives after absorption/desorption hydrogen cycling.

The TEM results are discussed and compared with those obtained from the modelling of the anisotropic diffraction peak broadening using only two dislocation slip systems of the hexagonal structure (1).

Directional solidification of Cr-Cr3Si eutectic alloys has been carried out using a high temperature optical floating zone furnace. Uniform and well-aligned lamellar structures were obtained over a fairly wide range of intermediate growth rates but not at very low or very high growth rates where degenerate and cellular structures, respectively, were obtained. The lamellar spacing was found to increase with decreasing solidification rate, in agreement with the Jackson-Hunt theory. In addition, for a fixed growth rate, the lamellar spacing was found to increase with increasing rotation rate. Lamellar structures could also be produced at off-eutectic compositions, but only for a limited range of growth conditions. The Cr-rich lamellae are effective in stopping indention cracks nucleated in the brittle Cr3Si phase.

Eutectic alloys in the Ru-Al-Mo system were directionally solidified by a cold crucible Czochralski technique. The solidification microstructures and composition of the phases were examined and used to estimate a partial liquidus projection. Preliminary results from compression and hardness testing indicate that the hardness of RuAl varies significantly with composition. The Ru-rich alloys in which RuAl is in equilibrium with the hcp (Ru,Mo) solid solution were found to have the lowest hardness values.

Nb-Ti-Si “in-situ” metal ceramic composites consist of Nb3Si and Nb5Si3 intermetallic phases in a body centered cubic Nb solid solution, and show promising potential for elevated temperature structural applications. The addition of Cr has also been shown to increase the oxidation resistance at high temperatures. In this study, the LENS™ (Laser Engineered Net Shaping) process is being implemented to construct the Nb-Ti-Cr alloy system from elemental powder blends. Advantages of the LENS™ process include the ability to produce near net shaped components with graded compositions as well as a more uniform microstructure resulting from the negative enthalpy of mixing associated with the silicide phases. This study focuses on characterization of the microstructure of the Nb-27Ti-5Si-10Cr (at%) system using SEM and TEM analysis.

In this paper, our recent results on the plastic deformation behaviors of Ni3X-type hcp-based GCP compounds, such as D0a-Ni3Nb, D019-Ni3Sn and D024-Ni3Ti, are summarized. The similarity and difference of their plastic behavior are discussed focusing on the correlation with the characteristic features of their crystal structures. The criterion for the occurrence of yield stress anomaly (YSA) by slip on the basal plane is also discussed.