Processing and mechanical properties of magnesium-lithium composites containing steel fibers
Deformation-processed metal-metal composites (DMMC) of Mg-Li alloys containing steel reinforcing fibers were prepared by infiltrating a preform of steel wool with the molten matrix. The Li content was varied to control the crystal structure of the matrix; Mg-4 wt pct Li is hexagonal close packed (hcp), while Mg-12 wt pct Li is body-centered cubic (bcc). The low carbon steel used as the reinforcing fiber is essentially bcc. The hcp/bcc and bcc/bcc composites were subsequently deformed by rolling and by extrusion/swaging and mechanically tested to relate the tensile strength of the composites to true deformation strain. The hcp/bcc composites had limited formability at temperatures up to 400 °C, while the bcc/bcc composites had excellent formability during sheet rolling at room temperature but limited formability during swaging at room temperature. The tensile strengths of the hcp/bcc composite rod and the bcc/bcc composite sheet and rod increased moderately with deformation, though less than predicted from rule-of-mixtures (ROM) calculations. This article presents the experimental data for these DMMC materials and comments on the possible effect of texture development in the matrix and fiber phases on the deformation characteristics of the composite material.
Microstructures and Mechanical Properties of Mg-Li-Zn Alloys as Processed by ECAE
Magnesium alloys and very light metals that can be used for structural application. A variety of Mg-Li-Zn alloys including Mg-11%Li-1%Zn, Mg-9%Li-1%Zn, Mg-9%Li-1%Zn-0.2%Mn, Mg-9%Li-1%Zn-1%Al-0.2%Mn and Mg-9%Li-3%Al-1%Zn-0.2%Mn were processed by equal channel angular extrusion (ECAE) to see how effective is this process in refining the grain structure. After 4 passes of the ECAE process, TEM studied the microstructural diversifications, especially showing the existence of compounds, MgLiZn, MgZn2 and ZnO. The room temperature and high temperature mechanical properties were also investigated. After the ECAE process, the room temperature strength was found enhanced at a modest cost of reduction in elongation.
Deformation of pearlite
Pearlite with its lamellae oriented mainly parallel to the longitudinal direction was prepared by Bolling's method of transformation in a steep temperature gradient. The Fe-0.7 pct Mn-0.9 pct C pearlite was drawn into wire and also into strip in dies designed to minimize macroscopically nonuniform deformation. Cross sections of the drawn wires and strip were examined by conventional and high-voltage transmission electron microscopy and were analyzed by quantitative metallography for a) average interlamellar spacing, b) distribution of interlamellar spacings, and c) orientation relationship between the cementite lamellae and the slip systems in the ferrite. The strength of pearlite is proportional to the reciprocal square root of the average interlamellar spacing, and the proportionality constant analogous to the Hall-Petch constant (k) is related to the strength of the cementite lamellae. If the stress for the propagation of slip through the cementite is assumed constant, a Hall-Petch type of equation can be derived for the strengthening of the pearlite against slip in the ferrite by piled-up groups of dislocations. Evidence for the plastic deformability of cementite is presented; sufficiently thin cementite plates were fully plastic. The exponential strain hardening of drawn pearlitic wires and of rolled pearlite is explained in terms of locally inhomogenous deformation revealed by the lack of fragmentation of the lamellae.