No abstract

No abstract

Fe–Al–O-based materials are currently undergoing a great deal of development because of their many special properties. However, lack of strength at high temperatures, limited ductility at ambient temperatures and corrosion resistance have hindered a wider application of these materials. Recently, a new Fe–Al-based oxide precipitation hardened (OPH) steel was developed by the authors to improve the mechanical properties and oxidation resistance. The new OPH alloys are produced by dissolving a specific amount of oxygen in the matrix during mechanical alloying followed by precipitation of fine dispersion of aluminum or yttrium oxides during hot consolidation. A series of tests was performed to evaluate the thermomechanical properties and corrosion resistance in a 3.5% NaCl solution. The results show improved corrosion resistance, as well as mechanical properties, while the production costs of this material are lower than for traditional materials.

This paper attempts to summarise the microstructural changes which take place in aluminium bronzes during heat treatment. Another objective of this study was to map the potential of a certain type of aluminium bronzes for undergoing martensitic transformation. The methods, which were chosen for assessing the results of heat treatment with regard to their availability, included measurement of hardness and observation of microstructure using light and scanning electron microscopy, Additional tools for evaluation of microstructure comprised measurement of microhardness and chemical analysis by EDS. An important part of the experiment is observation of microstructural changes in the Jominy bar during the end-quench test. Upon completing experiments of this kind, one can define the heat treatment conditions necessary for obtaining optimum properties. In addition, the paper presents important findings on how to improve the corrosion resistance of aluminium bronzes by special heat treatment sequences.

The microstructure, mechanical, tribological, and corrosion properties of Fe–Cr–Al–Y-based oxide-precipitation-hardened (OPH) alloy at room temperature are presented. Two OPH alloys with a composition of 0.72Fe–0.15Cr–0.06Al–0.03Mo–0.01Ta–0.02Y2O3 and 0.03Y2O3 (wt.%) were prepared by mechanical alloying with different milling times. After consolidation by hot rolling, the alloys presented a very fine microstructure with a grain size of approximately 180 nm. Such a structure is relatively brittle, and its mechanical properties are enhanced by heat treatment. Annealing was performed at three temperatures (1000 °C, 1100 °C, and 1200 °C), with a holding time from 1 to 20 h. Tensile testing, wear testing, and corrosion testing were performed to evaluate the effect of heat treatment on the behavior and microstructural properties. The grain size increased almost 10 times by heat treatment, which influenced the mechanical properties. The ultimate tensile strength increased up to 300% more compared to the initial state. On the other hand, heat treatment has a negative effect on corrosion and wear resistance.