Thesis (M.Sc.(Applied Science: Metallurgy))--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Abstract in English. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 249-257).

The impact of B substitution in Ni50Mn35In15-xBx Heusler alloys with x = (0, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.1 1.5, and 2) on the structural, magnetic, transport, and parameters of magnetocaloric effect has been studied by means of room temperature XRD-diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermomagnetic measurements (in a magnetic field up to 5 T and temperature interval 5-400 K). Direct adiabatic temperature (ΔTAD) measurements have been carried out for an applied magnetic field change (ΔH) of 1.8 T. The partial substitution of In by B in Ni50Mn35In15-xBx Heusler alloys induced a non-linear temperature shift of the magnetostructural transition while Curie temperature (TC) was found to be nearly constant (TC ~ 320 K) for all compounds. The transition temperatures (T-x) phase diagram has been constructed for H = 0.005 T. The MCE parameters were found to be larger or comparable to parameters observed in other MCE materials, such as Ni50Mn34.8In14.2B and Ni50Mn35In14X (X=In, Al, and Ge) Heusler alloys. It has been demonstrated that the martensitic transformation temperature and the corresponding ∆SM can be tuned through a slight variation in composition of B in NiMnInB alloys. A magnetoresistance associated with martensitic transformation was found to be -60% for x = 0.75 at T = 240 K for a magnetic field change of 5 T. The maximum absolute value of ΔTAD = 2.5 K was observed at the magnetostructural transition for Ni50Mn35In14.5B0.5. The roles of the magnetic and structural changes on the transition temperatures are discussed.

Kyoto University (京都大学) / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(工学) / 甲第16502号 / 工博第3495号 / 新制||工||1529(附属図書館) / 29159 / 京都大学大学院工学研究科材料工学専攻 / (主査)教授 辻 伸泰, 教授 白井 泰治, 教授 乾 晴行 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当

The effect of austenitising and tempering practice on the microstructure and mechanical properties of two martensitic stainless steels was examined with the aim of supplying heat treatment guidelines to the consumer or fabricator that, if followed, would result in a martensitic structure with minimal retained austenite, evenly dispersed carbides and a hardness of between 610 HV and 740 HV (hardness on the Vickers scale) after quenching and tempering. The steels examined during the course of this examination conform in composition to medium-carbon AISI type 420 martensitic stainless steel, except for the addition of 0.13% vanadium and 0.62% molybdenum to one of the alloys. The effect of various austenitising and tempering heat treatments was examined. Steel samples were austenitised at temperatures between 1000°C and 1200°C, followed by quenching in oil. The as-quenched microstructures were found to range from almost fully martensitic structures to martensite with up to 35% retained austenite after quenching, with varying amounts of carbide precipitates. The influence of tempering, double tempering, and sub-zero treatment was investigated. Optical and scanning electron microscopy was used to characterise the as-quenched microstructures, and X-ray diffraction analysis was employed to identify the carbide present in the as-quenched structures and to quantify the retained austenite contents. Hardness tests were performed to determine the effect of heat treatment on mechanical properties. As-quenched hardness values ranged from 700 HV to 270 HV, depending on the amount of retained austenite. Thermodynamic predictions (using the CALPHAD™ model) were used to explain these microstructures based on the solubility of the carbide particles in the matrix at various austenitising temperatures. The carbide particles were found to be mainly in the form of M7C3 at elevated temperatures, transforming to M23C6 on cooling. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Materials Science and Metallurgical Engineering / unrestricted

Les alliages de titane sont actuellement très utilisés comme implants orthopédiques de part leurs bonnes propriétés mécaniques, leur bonne résistance à la corrosion ainsi que leur excellente biocompatibilité. Cependant, l’alliage Ti-6Al-4V qui est le plus utilisé présente un module d'élasticité élevé (110GPa), ce qui peut provoquer le phénomène de « stress shielding » et finalement causer l’échec de l’implantation. De plus, l’utilisation à long terme de ce type d’alliage est remise en question à cause de la présence de certains éléments (Al et V) considérés comme cytotoxiques et/ou allergènes. Les alliages -métastables à base de titane peuvent être des candidats de remplacement intéressants grâce à l’addition d'éléments biocompatibles tel que Nb, Zr et Sn.L'alliage superélastique biocompatible de composition Ti-24Nb-4Zr-8Sn (% massique) a été étudié dans le cadre de cette thèse. Cet alliage montre des propriétés intéressantes telles qu’un bas module d’élasticité, une résistance mécanique élevée et une ductilité relativement importante.Dans ce travail de thèse, différents traitements thermomécaniques ont été réalisés afin d’obtenir des textures cristallographiques différentes. Les influences de changement de texture sur les propriétés mécaniques et la superélasticité ont été ainsi préalablement étudiées. La transformation martensitique a été caractérisée par des essais in situ de diffraction des rayons X sous rayonnement synchrotron (SXRD) pendant une sollicitation mécanique et par analyse mécanique dynamique (DMA) sous différentes contraintes statiques. De plus, les microstructures de déformation ont été observées par EBSD et MET pour caractériser précisément les mécanismes de déformation plastique, en particulier le maclage. / Titanium alloys have already been extensively used as orthopedic implants due to the good mechanical properties, corrosion resistance and excellent biocompability. However, the most widely used Ti-6Al-4V alloy exhibits high elastic modulus (110GPa) which would cause the stress shield effect and eventually lead to the implantation failure. Furthermore, elements of Al and V are proved to be toxic for long-term application. Low modulus metastable  titanium alloy can be a suitable candidate through proper addition of non-toxic alloying element such as Nb, Zr and Sn.The present investigated Ti-24Nb-4Zr-8Sn alloy is a new -type metastable alloy potentially interesting for biomedical applications. This alloy displays high strength, low elastic modulus, high ductility, superelastic property and good biocompatibility according to previous investigations.In this work, the as-cold rolled Ti-24Nb-4Zr-8Sn alloy was subjected to different thermo-mechanical treatments in order to introduce different crystallographic texture. Influences of texture change on mechanical properties and superelasticity have been preliminarily studied. Martensitic transformation which is responsible for the superelasticity has been characterized by both in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction and dynamic mechanical analysis. Moreover, deformed microstructures have been observed by EBSD and TEM to characterize precisely the plastic deformation mechanisms, and particularly the twinning.

The feasibility of in-situ alloying of AISI 410L martensitic stainless steel with nitrogen during Nd-YAG laser cladding was investigated with the aim of achieving a nitrogen content of at least 0.08 wt% and fully martensitic microstructures in the final clad deposit. Two in-situ nitrogen alloying techniques were studied. In the first set of experiments, the absorption of nitrogen from nitrogen-rich gas atmospheres was studied. Laser cladding with commercially available AISI 410L powder was performed using nitrogen-rich shielding and carrier gas. A marginal increase in deposit nitrogen content was observed, with the clad deposit displaying low hardness and mostly ferritic microstructures. Poor nitrogen absorption from nitrogen-containing atmospheres during Nd-YAG laser cladding is generally attributed to the short thermal cycle and to suppression of plasma formation above the weld pool. In the remaining experiments, Si3N4 powder was investigated as an alternative source for nitrogen during cladding. The addition of Si3N4 to the AISI 410L powder feed resulted in clad microstructures consisted of columnar -ferrite grains with martensite on the grain boundaries, higher hardness and an increase in deposit nitrogen content (to a maximum of 0.064 wt% nitrogen). Higher nitrogen contents in the clad deposit, however, significantly increased the volume percentage porosity in the clad layer. This prompted an investigation into the feasibility of raising the nitrogen solubility of the alloy through additions of manganese and nickel to the powder feed. Thermodynamic modelling revealed that the addition of manganese to AISI 410L powder increases the nitrogen solubility limit due to its negative interaction parameter with nitrogen. The addition of up to 3.5 wt% manganese to AISI 410L powder containing Si3N4 significantly increased the nitrogen solubility in the deposit. A martensitic microstructure with 0.12 wt% nitrogen and a peak hardness of 410 HV was achieved without any adverse increase in porosity in the clad layer. The clad nitrogen content easily exceeded the minimum requirement of 0.08 wt%. High nickel concentrations in AISI 410L stainless steel expand the austenite phase field at the expense of -ferrite and alter the solidification mode from ferritic to austenitic-ferritic. The addition of up to 5.5 wt% nickel, or combinations of nickel and manganese, to the nitrogen-alloyed AISI 410L powder feed raised the deposit nitrogen content, but not to the same extent as those deposits alloyed with manganese only. Since more austenite is present on cooling in nickel-alloyed AISI 410L deposits, less nitrogen is rejected to the liquid phase on solidification, resulting in higher nitrogen contents and less porosity in the room temperature microstructures. The amount of dilution during single-track laser cladding is mainly influenced by the specific energy per unit mass delivered by the laser beam. The clad height is strongly influenced by the powder deposition rate, whereas the bead width is influenced by the wettability of the deposits during laser cladding. During multi-track cladding, the observed percentage porosity is a function of the aspect ratio of the individual beads making up the clad layer, the deposition rate and the clad height. High deposition rates result in thicker layers, increasing the distance that N2 gas bubbles have to travel to escape to the atmosphere, while a high aspect ratio favours interbead porosity. The results suggest that in-situ nitrogen alloying during laser cladding should preferably be performed at low deposition rates to ensure higher clad nitrogen contents and hardness, lower clad heights, less dilution and less porosity. / Dissertation (MEng)--University of Pretoria, 2016. / Materials Science and Metallurgical Engineering / MEng / Unrestricted

No description available.

Zirconia based ceramics are strong, hard, inert, and smooth, with low thermal conductivity and good biocompatibility. Such properties made zirconia ceramics an ideal material for different applications form thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) to biomedicine applications like femoral implants and dental bridges. However, this unusual versatility of excellent properties would be mediated by the metastable tetragonal (or cubic) transformation to the stable monoclinic phase after a certain exposure at service temperatures. This transformation from tetragonal to monoclinic, known as LTD (low temperature degradation) in biomedical application, proceeds by propagation of martensite, which corresponds to transformation twinning. As such, tetragonal to monoclinic transformation is highly sensitive to mechanical and chemomechanical stresses. It is known in fact that this transformation is the source of the fracture toughening in stabilized zirconia as it occurs at the stress concentration regions ahead of the crack tip. This dissertation is an attempt to provide a kinetic-based model for tetragonal to monoclinic transformation in zirconia. We used the phase field technique to capture the temporal and spatial evolution of monoclinic phase. In addition to morphological patterns, we were able to calculate the developed internal stresses during tetragonal to monoclinic transformation. The model was started form the two dimensional single crystal then was expanded to the two dimensional polycrystalline and finally to the three dimensional single crystal. The model is able to predict the most physical properties associated with tetragonal to monoclinic transformation in zirconia including: morphological patterns, transformation toughening, shape memory effect, pseudoelasticity, surface uplift, and variants impingement. The model was benched marked with several experimental works. The good agreements between simulation results and experimental data, make the model a reliable tool for predicting tetragonal to monoclinic transformation in the cases we lack experimental observations.

No description available.