The microstructural evolution of the CuZnAl shape memory alloys was studied by indirect techniques relating to the atomic migration rate of grain boundaries. Addition elements were used in a Cu-15,5Zn-8,0Al alloy to provide a comparison with the same alloy without microelement additions. The alloys were melted in an induction furnace of 24 kVA. After casting, the bulk samples of the alloys were homogenized. Then they were solution treated and hot-rolled followed by water-quenching to initiate the recrystallization. Finally, annealing produced at different temperature ranges was made in different samples in order to establish a law for the grain growth. Following the heat treatments, all annealed samples were examined by statistical metallography and the grain sizes were measured. After measurements, the same empirical law of grain growth was found for the different alloys and the ln [D-Do] x 1/T diagrams were plotted in order to establish the kinetic behavior. Based on the estimated values of the activation energy, important conclusions were obtained concerning the addition elements. Keywords: microstructural evolution of the CuZnAl, effect of B and Fe on the CuZnAl alloys, kinetics and morphology of CuZnAl. alloys IntrodutionThe alloys of the CuZnAl system with shape memory effect present two problems that hinder their employment on an industrial scale: these are the natural ageing and the grain growth observed during thermomechanical processing. The first degrades the shape memory effect, while the second, observed during thermomechanical processing of the alloy, displaces the temperatures where the thermoelastic transformations are observed. The extent of the ageing and grain growth can be reduced by control of the rate of atomic diffusion of the solute elements from the matrix to the grain boundaries. This control can be obtained indirectly by increase of the activation energy of diffusion, which can be produced through the addition of microelements in the alloy.After academic euphoria concerning the phenomenological aspects of the shape memory effect, researche on the physical metallurgy turned over to the microstructural control of the alloy, in an attempt to eliminating such typical problems as ageing and grain growth. The traditional method for the stabilization of the microstructures was the addition of alloy microelements. For shape memory copper-based alloys, several microelements have been used. Wang. et al.1 verified the influence of zirconium, titanium, boron and iron on the refinement and the stabilization of grains in an alloy of the CuZnAl system. Morris et al. 2,3 verified the influence of simultaneous use of manganese and boron on the thermoelastic effects and the mechanical properties of a CuAlNi system.For any copper alloy system, the problem is the same: determining the amount required of the microelements to be added to the alloy system, while maintaining the ability for plastic forming required for the manufacturing process. In this work, therefore, the effects of the addition of B, Fe ...

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of the stages and tempering temperatures in the microstructure, tenacity and hardness of the vacuum sintered high speed steel AISI T15. The material was uniaxial pressing at 700 MPa and sintered in a vacuum furnace at 1275°C. After that, different samples of the materials were submitted to the annealing treatment at 870°C, quenching at 1235°C and tempering (single, double and triple) at 540, 550 and 560°C. Concluded the treatments, Rockwell C measurements of hardness were accomplished and, to evaluate the toughness of the material, TRS (Transverse Rupture Strength) tests were done. Later on, the materials were submitted to the metallographic preparation for microstructure analysis in optical microscopy, SEM, EDX and X-ray diffraction. Finally, each property analyzed was evaluated and correlated with the different tempering stages and temperatures accomplished.

This investigation is concerned with the mechanical behavior of Shape Memory Alloy Hybrid Composite Beams (SMAHC), that consist of a circular bar of NiTi alloy incorporated in a 500 mm long cylindrical pipe of polypropylene (PP), with external diameter 50 mm and nominal wall thickness 7 mm, wound with a nylon/epoxy layer. The Ni-Ti alloy was characterized using: scanning electron microscopy (SEM); X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Differential thermal analysis (DSC). The nominal chemical composition of the alloy is 50.05 %Ni / 49.95%Ti, and the softer martensite is the predominant phase at room temperature. The approximate martensite (M) to Austenitic (A) phase transformation temperatures were Mstart = 32°C, Mfinal = 46°C, Astart = 38 °C and Afinal = 60°C. For temperature T<Mfinal, Ni-Ti bar presents 100% martensitic phase, whereas for T>Afinal it is fully converted in the Austenitic phase; and its elasticity modulus increases by a factor up to three times. This significant change in stiffness of Ni-Ti, without changing its mass, has motivated the application of such alloy in machine vibration control. The SMAHC beams were subjected to static three-point bending tests, in the elastic regime. Experimental results showed that, in average, at 21°C, the PP pipes effective flexural elastic modulus increased 112%, from 757 MPa to 1609 MPa, when the Ni-Ti bar and the external layer of nylon/epoxy were incorporated to the PP pipe, creating a smart beam. These last results indicate that the SMAHC beam can work as an adaptative structure.

The use of pressed and sintered aluminum, obtained by the powder metallurgy route, to produce large quantities of near-net-shaped components is increasing rapidly in the automobile industry. The production of lightweight pieces of Al by powder metallurgy has attracted increasing attention due to its unique properties. Sintering helps develop mechanical strength and other properties in commercial alloys obtained by powder metallurgy. Sintering of Al can be achieved only upon formation of a liquid phase capable of destroying the extremely stable oxide layer on the surface of the Al particles. The aim of this investigation was to analyze the effect of compaction pressure on sintering of atomized ASTM 2124 type alloy. Powder characterization was carried out using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The specimens were axially compacted at pressures of 500, 600 and 700 MPa. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was carried out to determine the sintering temperature of the alloy powder. The specimens were sintered at 570° C. Characterization of the sintered material consisted of density measurements and optical as well as SEM examinations. Nevertheless, even the low recycling cost of Al , what increases its useful time and stabilizes its value, the large amount of energy required to obtain it reduce its application.

The constant search for the improvement of the performance of materials of industrial application, evaluated under aspects of weight reduction, greater resistance, greater resistance to wear and better thermal stability, among others, associated with the search for the development of ecologically viable products, that convert the context of environmental degradation in preservation and sustainability, reflects the need to conduct research that results in new materials. The objective of this work is to obtain composites of the AA6061 aluminum alloy reinforced with different contents of coke coal blast-furnace slag by powder metallurgy. The processing of these materials was done by sieving, mixing and compacting powders of reinforced aluminum alloy with 5, 10 and 15% of blast-furnace slag. The cold uniaxial compaction was realized at a pressure of 500MPa. The obtained materials were sintered at 580°C for 3h under inert atmosphere. Unreinforced aluminum alloy samples were also produced. The characterization of the materials was realized by density and hardness measurements and three-point bending tests. The analysis of its microstructure was realized by scanning electron microscopy. As results, the composites presented a homogeneous distribution of the reinforcing particles and also a progressive improvement of the hardness and the bending strength with the increase of the slag content, producing an increase of 79% in hardness and 128% in flexural strength, when compared to the material without reinforcement obtained by the same process. Such results give the coke coal blast-furnace slag a new possibility of exploitation in the metal-mechanical sector, besides contributing with the environmental issue.

The non-ferrous SMAs (shape memory alloys) have, normally, two problems that hinder the use in industrial scale: the natural aging and grain growth. The first degrades the memory effect, while the second, observed during the alloy's mechanical processing, modifies the phase transformation temperatures. Thus, the study of recrystallization kinetics is important for enabling the control of hardened state as a function of treatment time without allowing the exaggerated grain growth. The objective of this study is to determine the recrystallization kinetics in different SMAs (Cu-14Al-4Ni, Cu-12Al-0.5Be and Ni-42Ti), based on an empirical law of J-M-A (Johnson-Mehl-Avrami), as well as their activation energies for grain growth process according to the empirical Arrhenius law.Quantitative evaluations of the grain growth kinetics over a wide range of indicated DSC (differential scanning calorimetry) temperatures have been performed. The results show that the alloy less susceptible to aging in temperatures below the recrystallization peak is the Ni-42Ti, because it presented the highest activation energy, followed by the Cu-14Al-4Ni. The equations that describe the recrystallization kinetics follow the empirical law of J-M-A. The recrystallization kinetics accompanied by hardness variation was an important tool, working as an advisor for selection of treatment time as a function of temperature.

DCT (deep cryogenic treatment) is commonly used in industry to improve the wear resistance characteristics of steels, especially. However, there are just a few researches about the effects on non-ferrous metals. The purpose of this work was to investigate how DCT affects the properties of Cu-14Al-4Ni alloy treated at different soak time and submitted to thermomechanical cycling. A comparative experimental analysis was performed of the thermal properties of alloys obtained on a vacuum furnace, treated by DCT and thermomechanically cyclized. The results indicates that thermomechanical cycling promoted the appearance and growth of the martensitic phase γ' 1 , less ductile than the martensitic phase β' 1 , which together with the induced hardening produced an increase in transformation temperatures and microhardness. The higher the number of cycles, the greater these effects. The DCT promoted an increase in the intensity of the diffraction peaks corresponding to the phase β' 1 and the maintenance of them during the thermomechanical cycling of the material, which indicates that the DCT stabilizes the martensitic phase β' 1 and, consequently, caused a reduction and stabilization of the martensitic transformation temperatures and the microhardness, when compared to the untreated material. The longer the soaking time of DCT, the greater these effects.

The non-ferrous shape memory alloys have, normally, two problems that hinder its use in industrial scale: the natural aging and grains growth. The first degrades the memory effect, while the second, observed during the processing of alloy, modifies the temperatures which the transformations occur. Thus, the study of kynetic of recrystallization is important for enabling the control of hardened state in function of treatment time, without causing excessive grain growth. Therefore, the objective of this study is to determine the kinetics of recrystallization of Cu-14Al-4Ni shape memory alloy, based on an empirical law of the formation of Jonhson-Mehl-Avrami, as well as their activation energies for grain growth process according to the empirical Arrhenius law. The alloy was vacuum melted in an induction furnace. After casting, the bulk samples of the alloy were homogenized for 24 hours, solubilized and hot rolled followed by water-quenching to initiate the recrystallization. Then, different samples were annealed at temperatures close to the peak, start and end of the DSC curve. Following the heat treatments, the samples were submitted to mechanical tests and the values of the properties were correlated to the fraction transformed for determination of recrystallization’s kinetic. For the characterization of the grain growth process, analyses in optical microscopy were accomplished and all annealed samples were examined by statistical metallography and the grain sizes were measured. After measurements, the ln[-ln(1-Yrec)] x ln(t) and the ln [D-Do] x 1/T diagrams were plotted to determine the parameters of Jonhson-Mehl-Avrami equation and the activation energy of the process, respectively. The results showed that the equation of the recrystallized fraction follows the empiric law of the formation of Jonhson-Mehl-Avrami for the considered property, as well as, also showed that the alloy Cu-14Al-4Ni is extremely sensitive to temperature variation in which the alloy is treated, having a dual kinetics of grain growth. In the first domain, between 670 and 710°C, the diagram provides a value for the activation energy equal to 39.32 KJ/mol, in the second domain, between 710 and 790°C, the diagram provides a value for the activation energy equal to 9.01 KJ/mol.