Physicochemical conditions of crystallization of dunites of the Nizhnii Tagil Pt-bearing massif (Middle Urals)

Studies of primary multiphase silicate inclusions in accessory Cr-spinels from the fine-grained dunites of the Nizhnii Tagil Pt-bearing massif reveal their similarity to melt inclusions trapped by chromite during its growth. The analyzed Cr-spinels with multiphase silicate inclusions differ in composition from ore chromites of the same massif and from chromites (with melt inclusions) from ultramafic oceanic complexes but are similar to Cr-spinels in dunites from Pt-bearing alkaline ultramafic massifs (Konder and Inagli). According to petro- and geochemical data on heated multiphase silicate inclusions, the studied Cr-spinels crystallized with the participation of subalkalic picrobasaltic melts similar to the magmas of the Konder Pt-bearing massif and having almost the same chemical composition as tylaites. The differences between the compositions of olivines formed within the multiphase silicate inclusions and of the rock-forming minerals show that the studied Cr-spinels formed from an intercumulus liquid melt in the olivine crystal interstices during the cumulate crystallization of most of the Nizhnii Tagil massif dunites in the intrusive chamber. Numerical modeling based on the compositions of heated multiphase silicate inclusions in accessory Cr-spinels demonstrates that olivines and Cr-spinels from the studied dunites crystallized at 1430 to 1310 °C and then olivine formation continued to 1280 °C during the evolution of melts

Effect of multiaxial deformation on structure, mechanical properties, and corrosion resistance of a Mg-Ca alloy

This article provides a report on the effect of multiaxial deformation (MAD) on the structure, texture, mechanical characteristics, and corrosion resistance of the Mg-0.8 (wt.)% Ca alloy. MAD was carried out on the alloy in the as-cast and the annealed states in multiple passes, with a stepwise decrease in the deformation temperature from 450 to 250 °C in 50 °C steps. The cumulative true strain at the end of the process was 22.5. In the case of the as-cast alloy, this resulted in a refined microstructure characterized by an average grain size of 2.7 µm and a fraction of high-angle boundaries (HABs) of 57.6%. The corresponding values for the annealed alloy were 2.1 µm and 68.2%. The predominant mechanism of structure formation was associated with discontinuous and continuous dynamic recrystallization acting in concert. MAD was also shown to lead to the formation of a rather sharp prismatic texture in the as-cast alloy, whilst in the case of the annealed one the texture was weakened. A displacement of the basal poles {00.4} from the periphery to the center of a pole figure was observed. These changes in the microstructure and texture gave rise to a significant improvement of the mechanical characteristics of the alloy. This included an increase of the ultimate tensile strength reaching 308 MPa for annealed material and 264 MPa for the as-cast one in conjunction with a twofold increase in ductility. A further important result of the MAD processing was a reduction of the rate of electrochemical corrosion, as indicated by a significant decrease in the corrosion current density in both microstructural states of the alloy studied