Microstructure and mechanical properties of two tool steels with ultrahigh boron content

[ES] En el presente trabajo se han modificado dos aceros para herramientas convencionales por la presencia de un contenido de boro entre 0,5 y 1 % en masa. Ambos aceros se procesaron por la ruta pulvimetalúrgica, incluyendo atomización por argón y compactación isostática en caliente. El material compactado presentó una microestructura caracterizada por una distribución de partículas de borocarburos M23(C,B)6 fma y homogénea en una matriz de ferrita-martensita. Esta microestructura permanece prácticamente inalterada tras los ensayos de cambios en la velocidad de deformación durante el ensayo de compresión a temperaturas entre 750 y 1.000 °C. En el caso del acero Fe-lB-lC se obtuvo un valor para el exponente de la tensión de 4,5, que sugiere que la deformación plástica está controlada por un mecanismo de fluencia por movimiento de dislocaciones. Por otro lado, para el acero Fe-0,5B-l,5C, se obtuvieron valores para el exponente de la tensión comprendidos entre 2 y 3, que sugieren que la deformación plástica está controlada por un mecanismo de deslizamiento de fronteras de granos. En ambos casos, se encontró un valor de la energía de activación para la deformación plástica que se asoció con la energía de autodifusión del hierro a través de la red.[EN] In the present work, two selected tool steels have been modified by a boron addition of 0.5 and 1 mass %. Both steels were processed by powder metallurgy methods, including argón atomization and hot isostatic pressing. The Consolidated materials presented a microstructure consisting of a fine and homogeneous distribution borocarbides M23(C,B)6 in a ferrite-martensite matrix. No changes are observed in the microstructure after deformation by compression-strain-rate-change tests at temperatures ranging from 700 to 1,100 °C. For the Fe-lB-lC steel, a stress exponent of 4.5 was obtained, that suggests that slip creep is the controlling deformation mechanism. On the other hand, a stress exponent between 2 and 3 was obtained for the Fe-0.5B~1.5C steel that suggests that grain boundary sliding is the controlling deformation mechanism. In both cases, the activation energy for creep was related to the activation energy for iron self-diffusion.Peer reviewe

Intraoperative Defibrillation Testing of Subcutaneous Implantable Cardioverter‐Defibrillator Systems—A Simple Issue?

Background: The results of the recently published randomized SIMPLE trial question the role of routine intraoperative defibrillation testing. However, testing is still recommended during implantation of the entirely subcutaneous implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator (S‐ICD) system. To address the question of whether defibrillation testing in S‐ICD systems is still necessary, we analyzed the data of a large, standard‐of‐care prospective single‐center S‐ICD registry. // Methods and Results: In the present study, 102 consecutive patients received an S‐ICD for primary (n=50) or secondary prevention (n=52). Defibrillation testing was performed in all except 4 patients. In 74 (75%; 95% CI 0.66–0.83) of 98 patients, ventricular fibrillation was effectively terminated by the first programmed internal shock. In 24 (25%; 95% CI 0.22–0.44) of 98 patients, the first internal shock was ineffective and further internal or external shock deliveries were required. In these patients, programming to reversed shock polarity (n=14) or repositioning of the sensing lead (n=1) or the pulse generator (n=5) led to successful defibrillation. In 4 patients, a safety margin of <10 J was not attained. Nevertheless, in these 4 patients, ventricular arrhythmias were effectively terminated with an internal 80‐J shock. // Conclusions: Although it has been shown that defibrillation testing is not necessary in transvenous ICD systems, it seems particular important for S‐ICD systems, because in nearly 25% of the cases the primary intraoperative test was not successful. In most cases, a successful defibrillation could be achieved by changing shock polarity or by optimizing the shock vector caused by the pulse generator or lead repositioning.<br

Dual phase patterning during a congruent grain boundary phase transition in elemental copper

The phase behavior of grain boundaries can have a strong influence on interfacial properties. Little is known about the emergence of grain boundary phases in elemental metal systems and how they transform. Here, we observe the nanoscale patterning of a grain boundary by two alternating grain boundary phases with distinct atomic structures in elemental copper by atomic resolution imaging. The same grain boundary phases are found by computational grain boundary structure search indicating a first-order transformation. Finite temperature atomistic simulations reveal a congruent, diffusionless transition between these phases under ambient pressure. The patterning of the grain boundary at room temperature is dominated by the grain boundary phase junctions separating the phase segments. Our analysis suggests that the reduced mobility of the phase junctions at low temperatures kinetically limits the transformation, but repulsive elastic interactions between them and disconnections could additionally stabilize the pattern formation

Plastic localization phenomena in a Mn-alloyed austenitic steel

A 0.5 wt pct C, 22 wt pct Mn austenitic steel, recently proposed for fabricating automotive body structures by cold sheet forming, exhibits plastic localizations (PLs) during uniaxial tensile tests, yet showing a favorable overall strength and ductility. No localization happens during biaxial Erichsen cupping tests. Full-thickness tensile and Erichsen specimens, cut from as-produced steel sheets, were polished and tested at different strain rates. During the tensile tests, the PL phenomena consist first of macroscopic deformation bands traveling along the tensile axis, and then of a series of successive stationary deformation bands, each adjacent to the preceding ones; both types of bands involve the full specimen width and yield a macroscopically observable surface relief. No comparable surface relief was observed during the standard Erichsen tests. Because the stress state is known to influence PL phenomena, reduced-width Erichsen tests were performed on polished sheet specimens, in order to explore the transition from biaxial to uniaxial loading; surface relief lines were observed on a 20-mm-wide specimen, but not on wider ones

Analysis and prevention of dent defects formed during strip casting of twin-induced plasticity steels

Rapid-solidification experiments were conducted for understanding dent defects formed during strip casting of twin-induced plasticity (TWIP) steels. The rapid-solidification experiments reproduced the dent defects formed on these steels, which were generally located at valleys of the shot-blasted roughness on the substrate. The rapid-solidification experiment results reveal that the number of dips, the Mn content of the steel, and the surface roughness of the substrate affect the depth and size of dents formed on the solidified-shell surfaces, while the composition of the atmosphere gases and the carbon content of the steel are not factors. The formation of dents was attributed to the entrapment of gases inside the roughness valleys of the substrate surface and their volume expansion due to the temperature of the steel melt and the latent heat. The dents could be prevented when the thermal expansion of gases was suppressed by making longitudinal grooves on the substrate surface, which allowed the entrapped gases to escape. Sound solidified shells were obtained by optimizing the width and depth of the longitudinal grooves and by controlling the shot-blasting conditions.ope

Nano-mechanical properties of Fe-Mn-Al-C lightweight steels

High Al Low-density steels could have a transformative effect on the light-weighting of steel structures for transportation and achieving the desired properties with the minimum amount of Ni is of great interest from an economic perspective. In this study, the mechanical properties of two duplex low-density steels, Fe-15Mn-10Al-0.8C-5Ni and Fe-15Mn-10Al-0.8C (wt.%) were investigated through nano-indentation and simulation through utilization of ab initio formalisms in Density Functional Theory (DFT) in order to establish the hardness resulting from two critical structural features (ߢ-carbides and B2 intermetallic) as a function of annealing temperature (500 − 1050 ℃) and the addition of Ni. In the Ni-free sample, the calculated elastic properties of kappa-carbides were compared with those of the B2 intermetallic Fe3Al − L12, and the role of Mn in the kappa structure and its elastic properties were studied. The Ni-containing samples were found to have a higher hardness due to the B2 phase composition being NiAl rather than FeAl, with Ni-Al bonds reported to be stronger than the Fe-Al bonds. In both samples, at temperatures of 900 ℃ and above, the ferrite phase contained nano-sized discs of B2 phase, wherein the Ni-containing samples exhibited higher hardness, attributed again to the stronger Ni-Al bonds in the B2 phase. At 700 ℃ and below, the nano-sized B2 discs were replaced by micrometre sized needles of kappa in the Ni-free sample resulting in a lowering of the hardness. In the Ni-containing sample, the entire alpha phase was replaced by B2 stringers, which had a lower hardness than the Ni-Al nano-discs due to a lower Ni content in B2 stringer bands formed at 700 ℃ and below. In addition, the hardness of needle-like kappa-carbides formed in alpha phase was found to be a function of Mn content. Although it was impossible to measure the hardness of cuboid kappa particles in gamma phase because of their nano-size, the hardness value of composite phases, e.g. gamma + kappa was measured and reported. All the hardness values were compared and rationalized by bonding energy between different atoms

Nano-Carbides and the Strength of Steels as Assessed by Electrical Resistivity Studies

The work of Frommeyer on electrical conductivity measurements in pearlitic steels is reviewed to provide insight into microstructures developed during wi wire drawing. Electrical re conductivity measurements were made as a function of drawing strain (up to {var_epsilon} = 6.0) for wires with strength exceeding 3500MPa. The results show that electrical conductivity increases during wire wire-drawing to a maximum value, then decreases with further deformation finally reaching a steady state value that is equal to the original conductivity. The initial increase is the result of pearlite plate orientation in the direction of wire wire-drawing, which makes the path of conduction through the ferrite plates more accessible. At a critical strain the cementite plates begin to fragment and the electrical conductivity decreases to a steady state value that is the same as that observed prior to wire drawing. With increasing strain, the cementite particles are refined and the strength increases due to the reduction in inter inter-particle spacing. It is concluded that the electrical conductivity of the wires is solely dependent on the amount of iron carbides provided they are randomly distributed as plates or as particles. An estimate was made that indicates the carbide particle size is approximately 3-5 nm in the steady state range of electrical conductivity