ABSTRACT
High-nitrogen ductile iron (DI) was prepared by a new method of injecting nitrogen gas into molten iron and nodularizing treatment. The microstructure and mechanical properties of the as-prepared DI for different nitrogen gas injection periods were characterized. The graphite morphology gradually deteriorated with the increase in the nitrogen gas injection time. The maximum nitrogen and pearlite contents were obtained after 20 min of nitrogen gas injection, and the corresponding tensile strength and elongation of the DI were calculated as 492 MPa and 9.5%, respectively, which were 9.3% and 22% higher than those of the DI prepared without the nitrogen gas injection treatment, respectively.
ABSTRACT
: A ductile iron wheel used for a rail-transit vehicle was treated with a recommended heat-treatment process. The ductile iron wheel after heat treatment was composed of graphite nodules and tempered sorbite with an area fraction of 98%. A friction test of the ductile iron and carbon steel wheel materials was systematically performed under different normal loads and sliding velocities. The results indicated that the wear mechanism of the ductile iron wheel changed from adhesion to abrasion with an increase in the normal load level. Adhesion was the main wear mechanism at different sliding velocities and normal load level. The impact of the normal load on the wear mechanism was greater than that of the sliding velocity. Since the ductile iron wheel material had excellent thermal property and higher carbon content, it exhibited a lower wear rate, a smaller difference value of the friction coefficient, and plastic deformation on the worn surface than those of the carbon steel wheel material. This indicates that ductile iron wheels may have a longer wear life, greater traction, and higher stability during operation than carbon steel wheels. The iron wheels have the potential for being applied in rail-transit vehicles.
ABSTRACT
To address the trade-off between strength and electrical conductivity, we propose a strategy: introducing precipitated particles into a structure composed of deformation twins. A Cu-0.3%Zr alloy was designed to verify our strategy. Zirconium was dissolved into a copper matrix by solution treatment prior to cryorolling and precipitated in the form of Cu5Zr from copper matrix via a subsequent aging treatment. The microstructure evolutions of the processed samples were investigated by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis, and the mechanical and physical behaviours were evaluated through tensile and electrical conductivity tests. The results demonstrated that superior tensile strength (602.04 MPa) and electrical conductivity (81.4% IACS) was achieved. This strategy provides a new route for balancing the strength and electrical conductivity of copper alloys, which can be developed for large-scale industrial application.
ABSTRACT
High-entropy alloys (HEAs) can have either high strength or high ductility, and a simultaneous achievement of both still constitutes a tough challenge. The inferior castability and compositional segregation of HEAs are also obstacles for their technological applications. To tackle these problems, here we proposed a novel strategy to design HEAs using the eutectic alloy concept, i.e. to achieve a microstructure composed of alternating soft fcc and hard bcc phases. As a manifestation of this concept, an AlCoCrFeNi2.1 (atomic portion) eutectic high-entropy alloy (EHEA) was designed. The as-cast EHEA possessed a fine lamellar fcc/B2 microstructure, and showed an unprecedented combination of high tensile ductility and high fracture strength at room temperature. The excellent mechanical properties could be kept up to 700°C. This new alloy design strategy can be readily adapted to large-scale industrial production of HEAs with simultaneous high fracture strength and high ductility.
