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Part VII - Mechanisms of the Codeposition of Aluminas with Electrolytic CopperBy Charles L. Mantell, James E. Hoffmann
Mechanical inclusion, electrophoretic deposition, and adsorption were studied as mechanisms for code-position of aluminas present in copper-plating electrolytes as an insoluble disperse phase. Mechanical inclusion was not a significant factor. That codeposi-tzon of aluminas by an electrophoretic mechanism was unlikely was substantiated by measurements of the potential of the aluminas. The alumina content of the deposits was studied as a function of the pH of the bath. These tests in conjunction with sedimentation studies demonstrated the absence of an isoelectric point for the alutninas over the pH range examined. Thiourea in the electrolyte (a substance known to be adsorbed on a copper cathode during electrodeposition) affected the amount of alumina in the electrodeposit. However, no adsorption of thiourea on aluminas in aqueous dispersions was detected. If it were possible to produce a dispersion-hardened alloy of copper and alumina by electrodeposition, an alloy possessing both strength and high conductivity at elevated temperatures might be anticipated. Investigation of the mechanism of codeposition of aluminas with copper was undertaken with the hope that knowledge of the mechanism would aid in the development of such an alloy. The word "codeposit" here does not necessarily imply an electrolytic phenomenon but rather that the materials codepositing, the various aluminas, are transported to and embedded in the electrodeposited copper by some means. Mechanical inclusion in electrodeposition implies a mechanism of codeposition which is wholly mechanical in nature; the only forces acting on a particle are gravity and contact forces. Such a particle is presumed to be electrically inert and incapable of any electrical interaction with electrodes in an electrolytic plating bath. Processes for matrices containing a codeposited phase by electrodeposition from a bath containing a disperse insoluble phase frequently state that code-position is caused by mechanical inclusion.10,2,12 If settling, i.e., gravity, be the controlling mechanism for codeposition of aluminas, then assumptions may be made that 1) the content of alumina in the electrodeposit should be enhanced by increasing the particle size, 2) the geometry of the system, that is, the disposition of the cathode surfaces relative to the di- rection of the falling particles, should affect the alumina content of the electrodeposit, 3) in geometrically identical systems the chemical composition of the electrolyte employed should exercise no effect on the alumina content of the deposit, that is, the alumina content should be the same in all cathode deposits irrespective of bath composition. A bent cathode19 evaluates the clarity of filter effluent in electroplating baths by comparing the roughness of the deposit on the vertical surface with that on the horizontal surface. Two difficulties are inherent in this technique: 1) the current density on the horizontal portion of the cathode would be substantially greater than that on the vertical surface; 2) should the deposit obtained be rough, projections on the vertical face could act as horizontal planes and vitiate the relationship between the vertical and horizontal surfaces. Bath composition should have no substantial effect on the alumina content of the deposit. Two different electrolytic baths were employed. They possessed variant specific conductances and substantially different pH ranges. The experimental tanks were rectangular Pyrex battery jars 6 in. wide by 3 1/4 in. long by 9 3/4 in. deep. The cathodes were stainless steel 316 sheet of 0.030 in. thickness, cut to 7.5 by 1.75 in. and bent at right angles to form an L-shaped cathode whose horizontal surfaces measured 1.75 by 3.0 in. All edges and vertical surfaces were masked with Scotch Elec-troplaters Tape No. 470. The anodes were electrolytic cathode copper 9 in. high by 2.25 in. wide by 0.5 in. thick. To eliminate inordinately high current densities on the projecting edge of the cathode, the anode was masked 1 in. above and below the projected line of intersection of the cathode with the anode. The exposed area of the anode was equal to that of the cathode, providing both with equal average current densities. The agitator in the cell was of Pyrex glass and positioned so its center line was equidistant from cathode and anode, and a plane passed horizontally through the center of the blade would be located equidistant from the bottom of the cathode and the bottom of the deposition tank. The assembled apparatus is depicted in Fig. 1. Hatched areas on anode and cathode represent the area of the electrodes wrapped with electroplaters tape. MATERIALS The chemicals were copper sulfate—CuSO4 • 5H2O— technical powder (Fisher Scientific Co.). Spectro-graphic analysis showed substantial freedom from antimony, arsenic, and iron. Traces of nickel were present.
Jan 1, 1967
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Rock Mechanics - Drilling and Blasting at Smallwood MineBy A. Bauer, P. Calder, N. H. Carr, G. R. Harris
Since both rotary and jet piercing drills are used by the Iron Ore Co. at Smallwood, it is often desirable in planning to know in which regions of the orebody or new orebodies a particular drill will be the most economic. This makes it necessary to establish a correlation between drillability and pierceability and some physical rock properties. For rotary drills a good correlation was found with penetration rate and grinding factor index. The jet piercers were found to have a reciprocal relationship in the sense that the best rotary ground was the worst jet ground and vice versa. It is also indicated how an economic comparison could be made using these penetration rate versus grinding factor index curves, the hole size distribution curves for single pass and chambered holes and the mine distribution curve for grinding factor index. A discussion is presented on the fuel oxygen ratios to be used in jet piercing and on the site gas sampling and analysis which has been used to set up the drills. The fuel has been cut back so that stoichio-metric conditions exist, carbon monoxide is drastically reduced and pop-up or exploding holes eliminated. No decrease in penetration rate has been observed contrary to the published results of previous workers. The blasting procedure and results at Smallwood are discussed and the operation of Iron Ore Co.'s slurry pump-mix truck is also described briefly. Smallwood mine is part of the Iron Ore Co.'s Carol Lake operation and is situated in Labrador, 240 miles north of Sept-Iles, Quebec. Last year 15 million tons of crude ore were crushed to yield 6.3 million tons of concentrate and pellets. This year the figures will be 17 million tons of crude and 7% million tons of concentrate and pellets which is the full plant capacity. Carol Lake ores consist primarily of specularite and magnetite mixed with quartz. For convenience the ore has been split-into the following classifications depending on the percentage of magnetics in the sample, shown in brackets: specularite (0 to 10%), specularite-magnetite (10 to 20%), magnetite- specularite (20 to 30%), magnetite (>30%). The order of classification also represents the order of increasing grinding difficulty - the specularite generally being the easiest and the magnetite the hardest. The orebody also contains a small percentage of waste materials consisting of limonite carbonate, quartz carbonate and quartz magnetite. The first two materials are among the softest in the mine, generally softer than the specularite, and the quartz magnetite is amongst the hardest. The bulk of the material in the mine is of the specularite-magnetite and magnetite-specularite classifications. As a result of test drilling at Smallwood in 1960 with rotary, jet and percussion drills, the Iron Ore Co. purchased four JPM-4 jet piercers for the bulk of production drilling and set up an oxygen plant to supply 20 tons of oxygen per day. This oxygen is sufficient for two machines operating full time and one part time. In addition, there are two 50-R, one 60-R and one 40-R machines in use. The benches are 45 ft high and 50 ft holes are generally drilled. JET DRILLING At the onset of jet drilling in the late fall of 1962, two major problems were encountered: 1) freezing due to winter operations; experience and the use of heat at more places, such as the rotary head, has eliminated this,'" and 2) exploding or "popping" drilled holes; this happened frequently (several holes "popping" each day) and was the cause of two lost time accidents. In one instance a hole was being measured with a tape which fell down the hole causing it to "pop." Safety glasses though pulverized saved the wearer's eyesight. Various methods were then employed to detonate the holes before measuring or loading (dropping lighted rags of fusees down, or sparking across a spark gap). These methods were time consuming and far from completely successful. Consideration was given to the fuel oxygen ratio on the machines and what this would produce in the way of product gases. A fuel oxygen weight ratio of 0.35 which was quite oxygen negative was being used. Theoretically appreciable carbon monoxide would be produced at this fuel oxygen ratio. On the close down procedure of the jet which calls for low oxygen after flame out, oxygen would be left in the hole along with this carbon monoxide. This is an explosive mixture. The fuel oxygen ratio was cut back to stoichiometric
Jan 1, 1967
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Institute of Metals Division - Observations of the Early Stages of Brittle Fracture with the Field-Emission MicroscopeBy D. L. Creighton, S. A. Hoenig
The field-emission microscope has been adapted for the study of microcrack growth during the early stages of fracture in metal wires. Cracks as small as 6 1 in length can be detected and their growth can be followed to specimen failure. The system is quite useful in searching for microcracks since only sharp-edged surface defects will emit electrons under the experimental conditions. THE conditions leading to brittle fracture were discussed a number of years ago by Griffith1 and the term Griffith Cracks is often used for the small surface cracks which are responsible for brittle fracture. Griffith's theory has been modified by stroh2 and more recent results on metals are discussed by Allen,3 pp. 123-40. At present the phenomenon is not completely understood but there is general agreement that at least in certain materials the sequence leading to brittle fracture involves several stages. The initial microcracks are present because of cooling or working stresses, Hahn et al.,3 p. 95. When a stress is applied to the specimen the cracks grow slowly until the release of stored elastic energy is large enough to accelerate the crack and provide the necessary surface energy for crack growth. At this point the growth rate appears to increase rapidly to some new equilibrium velocity, and failure occurs. Since the microcracks are usually about the size of a single metallic grain (Ref. 3, p. 99) it is not easy to find them and it is very difficult to follow their growth under stress. This paper will report on the use of a cylindrical field-emission microscope for observation of the formation and growth of microcracks. I) THE FIELD-EMISSION MICROSCOPE The field-emission microscope (FEM) has a high magnification and resolution and is almost uniquely suited for observations of microcracks. Since the FEM is relatively new as a metallurgical instrument, a short description will be given here. Normally metals at room temperature do not emit electrons; however in the presence of a strong electric-field gradient, electrons can tunnel out through the reduced potential barrier. Since this tunneling is a function of the local field gradient and the local work function, the emitted electrons can be used to produce a highly magnified image of the surface by allowing them to strike a phosphor screen. Because the electron emission is dependent upon the local field gradient, smooth surfaces emit few electrons except at very high fields. On the other hand cracks, extrusions, or other surface defects, having sharp edges, emit strongly since the field gradient is very high in the vicinity of these defects. This indicates that the FEM should be most useful for detection of microcracks on otherwise smooth surfaces. A field-emission microscope was first used by Muller4 in 1936 for observation of metal surfaces, and recent reviews have been given by Muller5 and Gomer.6 The instrument has been used for metallurgical studies in the area of surface diffusion,= recrystallization,7 and grain growth 8 (Ref. 8 is directed specifically at metallurgists). In the work of Muller4,5 and Gomer 6 the specimen was in the form of a sharp metal point at the center of a phosphor-coated glais sphere. The impact of the emitted electrons on the phosphor produced a highly magnified image of the specimens. Such a system is not practical for applying a controlled stress to the specimen and a cylindrical geometry has been used in this investigation. This allowed the application of a controlled tensile stress to the wire specimen. Normally a cylindrical FEM geometry produces magnification only in the radial direction. This is the case because a smooth wire at the center of a cylinder produces a purely radial electrical field. However, if there is a break in the smooth surface of the inner cylinder, the field near the break becomes three-dimensional and the area of the break is highly magnified. The reason for this is clear if it is recalled that the field gradient depends on the relative radii of the inner and outer cylinders; if a crack forms, its edge radii are of atomic dimensions and a very high field gradient is formed near these crack edges. Since the electrons receive most of their acceleration near the crack edge and are always traveling perpendicular to the field lines, they tend to spread out and produce the magnified image observed in the cylindrical field-emission microscope. 11) BRITTLE-FRACTURE STUDIES A) Experimental Apparatus. The geometrical arrangement chosen was that used earlier by Gifford
Jan 1, 1965
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Institute of Metals Division - Influence of Constraints During Rolling on the Textures of 3 Pct Silicon-Iron Crystals Initially (001)[100]By R. G. Aspden
Crystals with an (001) [loo] initial orientation of an iron-base alloy containing 3 pct Si were cold rolled with and without the use of constraints. A major difference in the rolling and annealing textures was observed between crystals rolled with and without constraints. These data show that the contribution of constraints at grain boundaries in a poly crystalline sheet should be considered in applying textural data on single crystals to grains in an aggregate. SILICON-iron alloys with a cube texture have been recently developed and their magnetic characteristics reported.1-4 Of interest in the development of this texture were the textural changes of single crystals accompanying rolling and annealing and the influence of constraints at grain boundaries in an aggregate on the behavior of individual grains. The present study was primarily concerned with the effect of constraints during rolling on the textures of 3 pct Si-Fe crystals initially (001)[100]. Barrett and Levenson5 were among the first to observe an influence of constraints at grain boundaries on the textural changes of individual grains during deformation. They tested Taylor's6 theory of plastic deformation of face-centered-cubic metals in which deformation textures were predicted. About one-third of the grains in poly crystalline aluminum did not rotate as predicted. Grains of the same initial orientation were observed to rotate in different directions under the influence of applied stress and anisotropic flow of neighboring grains. Recently, the various inhomogeneities of flow of crystals in an aggregate have been studied7'8 and reviewed.9-11 Barrett and Levenson" rolled (001) [loo] iron single crystals inserted in close-fitting holes in copper to limit lateral flow and to simulate rolling of grains in an aggregate. Deformation bands were formed after a 90 pct reduction in thickness, and the cold-rolling texture contained two components described by rotating the (001)[100] about 35 deg in both directions around the normal of the rolling plane. No annealing textures were reported. Chen and Maddin13 rolled molybdenum single crystals initially (001) [loo]. The crystals were mounted between two hardened silicon-iron plates and 96 pct reduced in thickness by rolling at a low rate of reduction, about 0.0001 in. per pass. The deformation texture had the mean orientation of (001) [loo], and the azimuthal spread included orientations described by rotating (001) [loo] about 35 deg in both directions about the pole of the rolling plane. The presence of deformation bands were not reported by Chen and Maddin or detected in subsequent work of Ujiiye and Maddin.14 The ideal orientation of the annealing texture was (001) [loo]. Recently, Walter and Hibbard 15 reported on the textures of 3 pct Si-Fe alloy crystals initially near (001) [loo]. Each crystal was in an aggregate cut from a columnar ingot. After 66 pct reduction by rolling, the texture consisted of two symmetrical components which had the orientations described by rotating (001) [loo] about 30 deg in both directions about the pole of the rolling plane. Annealing texture was near (001) [loo]. In the above work, the textures of body-centered-cubic crystals were studied after rolling under the influence of constraints. The deformation textures varied from (001) [loo] to near the (001) [110] type and appeared sensitive to the manner in which the crystals were rolled. No textural data were available on the effect of rolling (001) [loo] crystals with and without constraints. The purpose of the present work was to evaluate the influence of constraints during rolling on the textures of 3 pct Si-Fe crystals initially (001) [loo]. Rolling and annealing textures were studied for a) crystals rolled with no constraints at different rates of reduction, and b) crystals rolled with constraints imposed by neighboring grains and by plates between which a crystal was "sandwiched". PROCEDURES AND EXPERIMENTAL TECHNIQUES Data are presented on four crystals which are representative of several crystals studied. The orientation of each crystal prior to rolling was (001) [loo] as determined by the Laue X-ray back-reflection method," i.e., each crystal had an (001) within 3 deg of the rolling plane and [100] within 3 deg of the rolling direction. These crystals were obtained from two iron-base alloys containing 3 pct Si by weight which were prepared by vacuum melting electrolytic iron and a commercial grade of silicon. Crystals 1, 2, and S-1 were cut from a large single crystal grown from the melt of one alloy by the Bridgman technique17 in an apparatus described by
Jan 1, 1960
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Part X - The 1967 Howe Memorial Lecture – Iron and Steel Division - Kinetics of Chlorination of Metal SulfidesBy F. E. Pawlek, J. K. Gerlach
The chloridizing roasting of ores is applied when metal sulfides and oxides are to be converted into soluble or volatile compounds. The chlorine required is either obtained from the admixed chlorides of sodium or calcium or added in the gaseous state. In the first part of the investigations the reaction rate of the chlorides of sodium or calcium with gas mixtures of SO,-0, or SO ,-O2 ,-SO , was measured. The rate for reactions with gas mixtures SO2-O2 is ThE chloridizing roasting of ores is applied when metal sulfides and oxides are to be converted into soluble or volatile compounds. At present the process is mainly applied to produce nonferrous metals which occur in pyrite cinders in small concentrations. Thereby the nonferrous metals are converted into water-soluble, acid-soluble, or volatile compounds whereas all the iron remains as insoluble oxide. The chlorine required is either obtained from the admixed chlorides of sodium or calcium or added in the gaseous state. The reactions occurring during the roasting process can be divided into two groups: solid-solid reaction and gas-solid reaction. The reactions between solids proceed by means of solid-state diffusion and are therefore of low velocity. The heterogeneous reactions between solids and gases of the roasting atmosphere5 are high-velocity processes and determine the velocity of the chloridizing roasting. These gas-solid reactions shall be the subject of the paper presented. In order to investigate the still little-known processes which occur during the chloridizing roasting 6-' the complex reaction is split into several partial steps. First the reactions of NaCl and CaCl, with gas mixtures of SO2 and 0, have been investigated at temperatures between 500" and 600°C by measuring the weight increase of the samples. The gas mixtures used in this series of experiments had first variable compositions, then the amount of SO 2 had been increased. Furthermore the influence of Fe 2 O3 admixtures upon these reactions, the behavior of pure Fe 2 O3 with the gaseous reactants, and the chlorination of the sulfides of lead, copper, nickel, and zinc have been investigated. FORMATION OF GASEOUS CHLORINE Pyrite cinders are never completely roasted and therefore contain still a small amount of sulfide sulfur. When heated again in air, this sulfur is converted into SO,. Accordingly the formation of chlorine can first be described by the reactions: dependent on the composition of the gas phase. If more than 1 pct SO 3 is added to the roasting gas, the reaction rate is determined only by the concentrations of the SO,. In the second part the reactions between chlorine and metal sulfides are discussed. The rate of formation of gaseous chlorine is higher by me order of magnitude than is the reaction rate between ZnS and chlorine. The reaction rate of NiS and PbS lies considerably below that of ZnS. The conversion rate of both pure Fe 2 O 3 and Fe 2 O 3 containing NaCl or CaCl2 when reacting with SO2-O2, mixtures with and without SO3 portions was measured at temperatures of 500", 550°, and 600°C. The weight increase of pressings was determined by means of a spiral balanceg and the reaction rate calculated therefrom according to Eqs. [ll to [31 and [5] to [7]. The prepared samples were suspended on a platinum filament in a vertically mounted tube of mullite (ID 4 cm, length 110 cm) which could be heated by a resistance tube furnace. The platinum filament was tied to the lower end of the spiral balance. A supremax glass tube (length 70 cm) was mounted gas-tight on top of the reaction tube. The unit was sealed up at its top by a ground-in stopper which was holding the spiral balance with the sample. The spiral balance therefore hung outside the high-temperature region of the furnace. Fig. 2 shows the experimental arrangement schematically. While lowering the sample into the reaction tube pure nitrogen was flowing through the reaction zone providing a protective atmosphere. After the sample had reached the reaction temperature within approximately 1 min, the protective gas was replaced by the sulfur dioxide-oxygen reaction mixture. It took about 30 sec until the mixture filled the tube homogeneously. A Ni/NiCr thermocouple placed in the center of the furnace where the sample hung during the measure-
Jan 1, 1968
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Institute of Metals Division - Microstructural Properties of Thermally Grown Silicon Dioxide LayersBy L. V. Gregor, C. F. Aliotta, P. Balk
The structure of silicon surfaces, thermally oxi&zed in dry oxygen and in steam, was studied using the electron microscope. It was found that the structure on the original (etched) surface is retained at the outer surface of the oxide, whereas the oxide-silicon interface is smoothed out considerably. This supports the idea that, both in oxygen and in steam, the oxidation reaction occurs at the oxide-silicon interface. Mechanical damage of the original silicon surface affects the rate of oxidation. It also changes the chemical properties of the oxide, as shown by the enhanced rate of etching in buffered HF at the locations of damage. However, the oxide at the originally damaged surfaces still exhibits a high electrical breakdown strength. Exposure of thermal oxides to P205 or BzOs vapor, which will yieldphospho- or borosilicate layers, results in complete annihilation of all fine structure on the surface. Reaction of silicon with C02 gives a surface film which probably does not consist of pure SiO,. THERMAL oxidation of silicon yields uniform and strongly adhering oxide films which are normally amorphous and continuous. Contamination and surface imperfections have been reported to cause local crystallization and the formation of pinholes."' The parabolic-rate law of film growth observed by several workers for the oxidation both in steam and in dry oxygen at higher temperatures suggests that diffusion of one or more reactants through the oxide is the rate-deter mining step. One of the dif-fusants is an oxygen species and oxide is continuously formed at the oxide-silicon interface. This was concluded for high-pressure steam oxidation by Ligenza and spitzer5 from an infrared-absorption study of the isotopic exchange of oxygen. Jorgensen arrived at the same conclusion for the oxidation in dry oxygen by measuring during oxidation the resistance change between silicon and a porous platinum marker electrode in the oxide. Recently, Pliskin and Gnall' reported similar conclusions concerning the growth mechanism from controlled etch studies using a phosphosilicate marker. The work communicated in the present paper was aimed at studying oxide growth on locally damaged silicon substrates and relating it to the chemical behavior and electrical breakdown properties of the films. Since etched and oxidized silicon surfaces normally appear to be very smooth when examined by optical microscopy except for some occasional pits, it was decided to use the electron microscope as a tool. In this way, the detection of surface roughness and damage on a scale comparable to or smaller than the thickness of the film is possible. Also, the microstructure of the original substrate surface constitutes a built-in marker which represents a minimum of perturbation to the growing oxide layer, and no foreign material is introduced. Thus information on surface reactions and additional evidence on the location of oxide formation in steam and in oxygen could be obtained. EXPERIMENTAL Electron micrographs7 were obtained using a Philips EM100 electron microscope. Collodion surface replication was used since this is a nondestructive technique and thus permits replicating the same surface at different stages of processing. In order to establish the effect of different treatments it was found essential to make successive observations of the same area by using a reference point. Reference points were conveniently provided by scribing a small v mark on the original surface with a silicon carbide tip. This procedure yields damaged and damage-free areas near the reference point. Upon replication, the samples were thoroughly cleaned before subjecting them to the next process step. Mechanically lapped silicon wafers (Dow-Corning, 100 ohm-cm p-type, cut perpendicular to the (111) direction) were chemically polished in a rotating beaker with a mixture of 1 part HF (48 pct), 2 parts glacial acetic acid, and 3 parts HNO3 (70 pct) by volume. This procedure yields a smooth surface with a faint "orange peel'' structure due to a "ripple" less than 20002i deep. Oxidation in steam or oxygen was carried out in an Electroglas tube furnace. Steam oxidations were always preceded and followed by a brief exposure to oxygen at the same temperattre. The thicknesses of the oxide films under 3000A were determined with a Rudolph Model 436-2003 ellipsometer,' whereas those over 3000A were measured using the VAMFO technique. In the present study, a solution of 300 g of N&F in 25 ml HF (48 pct) and 450 ml water was used to detect areas of increased chemical reactivity in the
Jan 1, 1965
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Institute of Metals Division - Divorced EutecticsBy L. F. Mondolfo, W. T. Collins
A study of the relationship between undercooling for nucleation and structure in Sn-Cu alloys with 0.1 to 5 pct Cu has shown that in hypereutectic allojls the halo of tin that surrounds the primary crystals of Cu3Sn5 is larger, the larger the undercooling for nucleation o,f the tin. This increase of halo size results in a decrease of coupled eutectic, and, in alloys far from the eulectic composition, may produce its complete disappeavance, with the formation of a divorced eutectic structure. This was confirnred by the excrrnination of other alloys in which divorced eutectic slructuves are formed, and leads to the conclusion that they ave only an extrenle case of halo forrtzalion , which results when the two phases freeze one at a time and solidification of the first is completed Defove the second starts. It was also found that under proper conditions of nucleation all types of eutectic structures can be formed in the sartte system , and therefore divorced eutectics, like normal and anomalous, are not characteristic of the syslett~, but are mainly controlled by nucleatiorz. Dizlovced eutectics are formed when the phase that tutcleates the eulectic vequires a large undevcooling for ils nucleation and when the cotnpositiorz of the alloy is far from the eutectic., on the side of the primary phase that does not nucleate the other phase. It is recommended that the tevm "divorced" be used in preference to degenerate because it is more desct-iptice of the morphology and mode of forinalion of the structures. ThE variety of structures found in eutectic alloys has been extensively investigated and classified. The most accepted classification is the one by ~cheil,' in which three different types of eutectic were distinguished: 1) normal, 2) anomalous, 3) degenerate (divorced). ATornlal eutectics are typified by the simultaneous growth of the two phases ("coupling") by which the two phases appear as interpenetrating crystals. The presence of a crystallization front, in which the two phases grow side by side, creates the eutectic grains, with the boundaries where the fronts meet. The presence of eutectic grains is the .distinguishing feature of a normal eutectic, according to Scheil. Straumanis and Brakss2 examined the Cd-Zn system and showed that there was a crystallographic relationship between the phases. Later, others4 also investigated additional systems and found definite crystallographic relationships in the coupled eutectics. The anornalous eutectic shows much less coupling than the normal; the two phases are intimately mixed but 'grow without a uniform crystallization front—a consistent crystallographic relationship— and the eutectic grain is conspicuously absent. As in the normal eutectics faster rates of growth result in a finer structure, but there is not the typical uniform spacing of normal eutectics. The degenerate eutectic shows no coupling; in fact the two phases attempt to minimize their area of contact and to form separate crystals. It has been suggested5" that slow cooling may favor this type of structure. Scheil believes that normal eutectics are formed when the two solid phases are present in more or less equal proportions, whereas both anomalous and degenerate eutectics form when one of the phases is present only in small amounts. spengler7 extended much farther this qualitative relationship between the eutectic type and the ratio of the two phases, and added a relationship to the melting point of the constituents. On this basis he proposed two equations for determining into which of Scheil's classifications an alloy belongs. The first equation is: where TI is the melting temperature of the lower-melting component, Tp of the higher-melting component, and Te the eutectic temperature. The second equations is: where is the volume percent of the lower-melting phase and $2 of the higher-melting phase at the eutectic composition. If 0 and/or 4 are in the range 0.1 to 1, a normal eutectic is formed; if in the range 0.01 to 0.1, anomalous; if less than 0.01, degenerate. Although the examples given by Spengler show a good agreement with the formulas, chadwick found that the Zn-Sn eutectic is normal to all growth rates, even though the volume ratio is 12/1, and Davies9 reports that the A1-AlgCo2 eutectic is normal, with a volume ratio of more than 30/1. Many more discrepancies of this type can also be found. Neither Scheil nor most of the other investigators have considered nucleation as a factor in the formation of divorced eutectics. Daviesg states that divorced eutectics form when neither phase acts as
Jan 1, 1965
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Part X – October 1969 - Papers - Residual Structure and Mechanical Properties of Alpha Brass and Stainless Steel Following Deformation by Cold Rolling and Explosive Shock LoadingBy F. I. Grace, L. E. Murr
The mechanical responses and residual defect structures in 70/30 brass and type 304 stainless steel following explosive shock loading and cold reduction by rolling have been studied. A distinct relationship was observed to exist between the residual mechanical properties and micro structures observed by transmission electron microscopy. Shock-loaded brass deformed primarily by the formation of coplanar arrays of dislocations and stacking faults at lower pressures, and twin-faults (deformation twins and €-martensite bundles) at higher pressures (> 200 kbar). The micro -structures of cold-rolled brass were characterized by dense dislocation fields elongated in the rolling direction. Stainless steel was observed to deform by the formation of dense arrays of stacking faults at lower shock pressures and twin-faults at high shock pressures (>200 kbar). Lightly cold-rolled stainless steel deformed similar to low Pressure shock-loaded stainless steel, but transformed to a' martensite in heavily cold-rolled stainless steel. Discontinuous yielding was observed for the heavily cold-rolled stainless steel, and stress reluxution in the weyield region for cold-rolled and shock -loaded stainless steel was interpreted as an indication of the ability of twin-faults and stacking faults to act as effective barriers to dislocation motion. A simple model for the formation of the planar defects and a' martetnsite is presented based on the propagating of Shochley partial and half-partial dislocations. A considerable effort has been expended over the past decade in an attempt to elucidate the response of metallic-crystalline solids to the passage of a high velocity shock wave (e.g., smith,' Dieter,2 and zukas3). While it has been possible to obtain relevant information pertaining to the residual defect structures and mechanical properties, there have been few rigorous attempts to draw a direct comparison between these structures and properties. In addition, numerous investigators have recently observed the occurrence of deformation twinning in shock deformed fcc metals (e.g., Nolder and Thomas,4 and Johari and Thomas5), but little attempt has been made to elucidate the mechanisms of formation of these defects. Comparative data for metals deformed by shock-loading and the same metals deformed by more conventional modes of deformation such as cold-reduction by rolling is also generally lacking. The present investigation therefore has the following objectives: 1) to examine the mechanical properties of some explosively shock loaded and cold-rolled fcc metals of low stacking-fault energy as a function of their residual substructures; 2) to present a simple model for the formation twin-faults and related defect structures in the low stack-ing-fault energy materials of interest (70/30 brass, ySFg= 14 ergs per sq cm; and 304 stainless steel, ySF = 21 ergs per sq cm); 3) to make some deductions with regard to the residual characteristics of dislocation and planar defect substructures in cold rolled and shock loaded 70/30 brass and type 304 stainless steel. In particular, it was desirable to characterize the residual hardening effects of particular deformation substructures. I) EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Sheet samples of 70/30 brass (0.005 and 0.15 in. thick; annealed at 659°C for 2 hr) and type 304 stainless steel (0.007 in. thick; annealed 0.25 hr at 1060°C) of nominal compositions shown in Table I were cold-rolled in one direction only to produce reductions in thickness of 15, 30, 45, 60, and 75 pct in the brass; and 5, 15, 25, 35, and 45 pct in the stainless steel. Identical sheet samples in the annealed (unrolled) state were subjected to plane compressive shock waves to various peak pressures ranging from 0 to 400 kbar in the brass and 0 to 425 kbar in the stainless steel; and with a constant peak pressure duration of approximately 2 microseconds. A detailed description of the shock loading technique has been given previously.6 Tensile specimens 1.0 in. in length and 0.125 in. in width were cut from the cold-rolled sheets (tensile axis parallel to the rolling direction), and the shock-loaded sheet specimens. Stress (load)-strain (elongation) measurements on the tensile specimens were made on a Tinius-Olsen load-compensating tensile tester using a strain rate of 2.7 x 10-3 sec-1. Tensile tests were repeated at least twice, giving essentially the same results. Stress relaxation measurements in the preyield region were also made using an initial strain rate of 5.4 x 10-4 sec-1. In addition to tensile and stress relaxation measurements, Vickers microhardness measurements were made on all samples. A total of 100 microhard-ness readings were obtained for each specimen following a light electropolish to ensure uniform surface conditions for all tests. The hardness averages ob-
Jan 1, 1970
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PART V - Papers - Structural Defects in Epitaxial GaAs1-xPxBy Forrest V. Williams
The dislocatiorl and stacking-fault structuve of epitaxial GaAs1-,PX lms been examined by chemical etching. The layers were groun in the (100) direction and etch Pils were developed on (111} planes which nad been lapped and polished on the epiLaxia1 layevs. Tile effecL of the jollolcing cariables on the quality of the epilaxial layers has been examined: doping leuel, grouth rate, and composition. High stacking-faullL densilies weve found in the GuAsi_xpx layers. These are not observed in heavily dolled epitaxial layers tzar in layers with low phosphorus compositions. The dislocatiorz density in GuAsi-x px was highest at the sub-stvate- epilaxia1 layer interface. Composilion changes introduced dislocations in the epitaxial layers. ManY semiconductor p-n junction lasers of Group TIT-Group V compounds and their alloys have been reported in the past several years. Laser action at visible wavelengths in GaAsl-x,Px was first reported by Holonyak and Bevacqua. GaAs, a direct transition semiconductor which lases, and Gap, an indirect transition semiconductor which does not lase, form a continuous series of solid solutions.2 Laser junctions can be fabricated in GaAsl-xPx crystals with phosphorus compositions up to about 40 mol pct. In addition to the production of coherent radiation in these crystals, the efficient recombination radiation of p-n junctions in this material has equally important potential in the development of low-power semiconductor lamps. To achieve a high conversion efficiency of electrical to optical energy in p-n junctions in this material, the relation of physical properties of the crystal to luminescence efficiency must be better understood. Although the electrical, optical, and device properties of GaAsl -xPx junction lasers are understandably of considerable interest, the work to date indicates that the more serious problems are the chemical and metallurgical difficulties encountered in the growth of this material.3 In addition to the problems of chemical purity, crystal imperfections, such as dislocations and stacking faults, can be expected to affect both the efficiency of the radiative recombination process and the perfection of the p-n junction.3 The last requirement, i.c., that of the perfection of the p-n junction, is a particularly troublesome one in the fabrication of laser diodes. To obtain good laser diodes, the p-n junction must be flat, which permits the radiation to be reflected from the resonant cavity boundaries. Junction planarity is extremely sensitive to the crystal perfection of the semiconductor material. Also, it is known that at high dislocation densities (-105 per sq cm) it has not been possible to build laser junctions in GaAsl-xPx . Few studies have been reported on the crystal defect structure of GaAsl-,P,. The first serious study seems to be that of Wolfe, Nuese, and Holonyak,3 who examined the dislocation structure of monocrystalline bulk (nonepitaxial) material grown by halogen vapor transport. In this paper are reported some observations on the dislocation and stacking-fault structure of GaAsl_,P, crystals grown by a vapor transport process on substrates of GaAs. EXPERIMENTAL Crystal Growth. The GaAsl-xPx crystals were grown in an open-tube flow system, using two sets of reagents. GaAs, Pr(red), and HC1 were employed in one method. The transport reaction is =950JC GaAs+HC1 = GaCl +1/4As4 +1/2H2 and the deposition reaction is 2GaAs1-xPx +GaCl3 Composition control is obtained by the flow rate of the HC1 and the vapor pressure of the P4, which is maintained in a separately controlled furnace. The second method has been described by Ruehr-wein4 and utilizes gallium, AsH3, PH3, and HC1. The same transport and deposition reactions as above are involved. Composition control is obtained solely by the flow rates of the three gases involved. All of the crystals were grown on chemically polished GaAs substrates oriented on the (100) plane. The thicknesses of the epitaxial layers were typically 100 to 300p. Revealing of Dislocations. Dislocations were re-vealed on both the( 111 ) and { l l l }b faces by chemical etching. The specimen to be examined was mounted at 54.7 deg, lapped on glass with 3-p alumina, polished on cloth with 3-p diamond paste, and, to remove work damage, chemically polished at room temperature for
Jan 1, 1968
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Institute of Metals Division - The Tensile Fracture of Ductile MetalsBy H. C. Rogers
A phenomenological study of the failure of polycry stalline ductile metals at room temperature was carried out using light and electron microscopy. Tensile fractures as well as sections of partially fractured bars of OFHC copper in particular were examined. The initiation and growth of the central crack in the neck of a tensile specimen occurs by void formation. After the formation of the central crack the f'racture may be completed in either of two ways: by further void formation or by an "allernating slip" mechanism. The first leads to a "cup-cone" failure; the second, to a "double-cup" failure. In the past decade or decade and a half there has been a great deal of emphasis on the solution of the problem of the brittle fracture of metals, particularly those which normally exhibit considerable ductility such as steel. Since the problem of the fracture of metals after large plastic strains has less immediate commercial or defense significance, there has been considerably less effort expended in describing the details of the phenomenology and determining the mechanism of this type of fracture. The present research was undertaken to increase our knowledge in this area. The problem of ductile fracture has not been neglected completely, however. Ludwik1 first found by sectioning a necked but unbroken tensile specimen of aluminum that fracture began with a large internal crack which appeared to have started in the center of the neck. Examination of the fracture indicated that the crack had propagated radially with increasing deformation until a point was reached at which the path of the fracture suddenly left this transverse plane and proceeded at approximately 45 deg to the stress axis until the surface was reached. This gives rise to the commonly observed cup-cone tensile fracture. When MacGregor2 was attempting to demonstrate the linearity of the true stress-true strain curve from necking until fracture, he found that copper was anomalous in that the stress dropped off markedly from the straight line value before fracture occurred. Radiography indicated that in the copper an internal crack was formed long before the final fracture, the stress decreasing during the growth of this crack. One of the most significant advances in the understanding of ductile fracture was the result of work by Parker, Flanigan, and Davis.3 By the use of etch-pit orientations they were able to demonstrate conclusively that the fracture surface at the bottom of the cup, although on a gross scale normal to the tensile axis, did not consist of cleavage facets as had been previously supposed by many investigators. Recently, Forscher4 has shown evidence of porosity near the tensile fracture of hydrogenated zirconium which he attributes to hydride decomposition. The workers at the Titanium Metallurgical Laboratory5 have also shown evidence of porosity in a number of the commonly used metals after heavy deformation. Many metals have relatively low ductility during creep tests at high temperature. The fractures are intercrystalline, resulting from the nucleation and growth of grain boundary voids. The work in this area has been recently reviewed by Davies and Dennison.6 It is possible that some of the observations and conclusions may have a bearing on the present study? especially since at least two studies7,' have been extended down to room temperature and below using magnesium alloys. However, since magnesium does exhibit low-temperature cleavage, these results may not be pertinent to the present one. The use of the electron microscope as an aid to the study of fractures has been extensively exploited by Crussard and coworkers.9 The examination of direct carbon replicas of the fractures of a large number of metals and alloys showed that the bulk of the fracture surface was covered with cup-like indentations of the order of 1 to 2 µ in size. These frequently had a directionality by which Crussard claims to be able to tell the direction of the crack propagation. With this rather disconnected background of information, this investigation was undertaken in the hope of presenting a unified picture of the initiation and propagation of a fracture in a ductile metal. To this end all of the techniques previously used were employed simultaneously so that there might be a good correlation of the data obtained by different techniques. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE The metal which was chosen as the starting material for this investigation was OFHC copper. Of the dozen or so materials considered, it best fulfilled the requirements of commercial availability in large sizes, good ductility, relatively high melting point compared with room temperature and
Jan 1, 1961
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Part XII - Papers - Characteristics of Beta - Alpha and Alpha - Beta Transformations in PlutoniumBy R. D. Nelson, J. C. Shyne
The ß and a ß transformations in plutonium were studied with particular emphasis on the transformation kinetics and microstructure. Significant observations are: 1) The kinetic data show conclusively that the ß — a transformation in high-purity plutonium can proceed isothermally with no athermal component. 2) Plastic deformation of the stable (3 phase retards the subsequent (3 — a transformation. 3) Plastic deformation of the stable a phase accelerates the a — ß transformation; the acceleration is attributed only to residual stresses. 4) The a and a?a volume changes occur anisotroPically in textured plutonium. 5) An apparent crystallogvaphic relationship exists between the parent and the product phases of the and (3 — a transformations. 6) Both applied uniaxial compressive stresses and uniaxial tensile stresses raise the starting temperature for the ß — a transformation. 7) A given uniaxial tensile stress favors the a — ß transformation more than an equivalent applied uniaxial compressive stress opposes the transformation. These observations of the (ß —a and a — ß phase changes in plutonium are consistent with known mar-tensitic transformations. ThIS paper elucidates some of the characteristics of the a— ß and ß —a transformations in plutonium. Because considerable conjecture exists about the mechanisms by which the phase transformations occur in plutonium, experiments have been performed to provide indirect information concerning the mechanisms responsible for the a —ß and ß -a transformations. Indirect information is of particular value in the study of plutonium because of the experimental difficulties presented by the metal. Single crystals have not been produced in any of the allotropes. The large density results in high X-ray and electron-absorption factors and consequently complicating X-ray and electron diffraction. The kinetics of ß — a and a — ß transformations of plutonium and the behavior of the transformations under a variety of conditions have been investigated in detail. Information about the mechanisms of the allo-tropic transformations of plutonium was obtained indirectly from three sources: 1) the effect of plastic deformation of the stable parent phase upon the transformation kinetics; 2) the behavior of the metal transforming under applied stresses; and 3) the microstruc-tural and crystallographic features between parent and product phases. PHASE-TRANSFORMATION CHARACTERISTICS In characterizing solid-state phase transformations in metals and alloys, it is useful to define several types of transformations. An aim of the present work was to identify the low-temperature transformations in plutonium by type, i.e., as martensitic or nonmar-tensitic. Practical definitions for these terms follow. The terms commonly used to categorize phase transformations lack universally accepted definitions. This confusion arises doubtlessly because some terms specify crystallographic or morphological character while other words have a kinetic or a thermodynamic connotation. For example, martensitic specifies certain definite crystallographic restrictions. Unfortunately, martensitic is sometimes used in an ill-defined way to imply kinetic characteristics. Further confusion attends the use of such expressions as nucleation and growth, diffusional, and massive. From time to time new systems of phase-transformation nomenclature are suggested; unfortunately none of these has gained general acceptance.1,2 The authors of the present paper have no intention of entering the controversy. We recognize that some readers may object to the nomencliture used here. For exampie, the terms military and civilian have recently been used in much the same way as martensitic and non-martensitic are used in this paper. This paper is intended to describe several specific details of the low-temperature phase transformations in plutonium. The authors have found it useful to identify these transformations as martensitic; the term was chosen as the best available to describe the experimentally observed features of the transformations studied. A martensitic transformation is one that occurs by the cooperative movement of many atoms; the rearrangement of atoms from parent to product crystal structure occurs by the passage of a mobile semico-herent growth interface. The geometric features characteristic of a martensitic transformation are a specific orientation relationship between the product and parent phase lattices, a specific habit-plane orientation for the growth interface, and a shape change with a specifically oriented shear component. There is no alloy partition between the parent and product phases in a martensitic transformation. Martensitic transformations may display either athermal kinetic behavior or thermally activated isothermal kinetic behavior. Some martensitic transformations occur isothermally, although more commonly martensitic transformations are athermal. Isothermal martensitic transformations are suppressible by rapid cooling. In athermal martensitic transformations, nucleation and growth are not thermally activated and the transformations are essentially time-independent. Nucleation, growth, or both can be thermally activated in isothermal martensitic reactions. Transformation of the parent phase into a marten-
Jan 1, 1967
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Institute of Metals Division - The Zirconium-Hafnium-Hydrogen System at Pressures Less Than 1 Atm: Part II – A Structural InvestigationBy J. Alfred Berger, O. M. Katz
Selected samples of hydrided Zr-Hf alloys were rapidly quenched to voom temperature and exrtrnined metallographically, by X-ray diffraction, and through micro hardness studies to confirm high-temperutuve data Confirming experiments sllowed that there were five phases in this Lernary system: 1) hextrgonal with lattice parameters similar to that of the initia1 Zr-Hf alloy but slightly enlarged due to dissolved hydrogen; 2) fee with properties of a brittle, intermediate, hydride compound; 3) fct with c/a crvoltnd 1.07 and which appeared as a neetilelike precipitale; 4) hexagonal, designated ?, with c/a ratio of 2.37; and 5) orthorhombic, designated X, with a = 4.67, b = 4.49, and c = 5.093 and whose tnicro-st?ruct~ival nppetrl-nnce depcncled o/i, heat lvecrt~r~ent. The tetragonrrl phase never crppeal-erl witkorct the cubic hydricle. Abpecrrtrnce of 0 and A also tlependet on the hafnium content of the zirconium. A previous paper' on the Zr-Hf-H system described the thermochemical data obtained with a high-vacuum, high-sensitivity mirrogravimetric apparatus. This data presented a fairly complete picture of the phase relationships at elevated temperatures. However, it could not establish the actual crystal structures, lattice parameters, or metallographic disposition of the hydride phases. The present complementary study utilizes X-ray powder patterns along with light and electron microscopy to characterize completely the five hydrided phases found in Zr-Hf-H alloys quenched to room temperature. Crystallographic features of the zr-Hf,2,4 zr-H,5-7 and Hf-H8 systems have been summarized in Table I. Designations of a, ß, and ? were retained in the Zr-Hf-H system for the phase regions through which the pressure-composition isotherms always sloped. However, it was not firmly agreed that these were single-phase regions.' In fact, the region designated y always contained a cubic as well as a tetragonal phase after quenching to -196°C. MATERIALS Preparation of the high-purity Zr-Hf alloys has been described.' The four zirconium alloys which were hydrided contained 37 wt pct Hf (23 at. pct), 51 wt pct Hf (37 at. pct), 73 wt pct Hf (58 at. pct), and 91 wt pct Hf (82 at. pct), respectively. These were designated B-2, B-4, B-6, and B-8. Photomicrographs of the initial alloys showed the material to be quite clean as would be expected from the precautions exercised in producing them. However, there were a number of annealing twins but no other subgrain structure. In addition to the four original alloys, fifteen hydrided samples were observed at room temperature. Hydrogen compositions are given at the top of Tables I1 to V. APPARATUS The phases present at elevated temperatures were studied by quenching hydrided samples to room temperature by two different methods, both under vacuum: 1) fast cooling of the sample tubes of the microgravimetric apparatus1'9 with flowing air and 2) rapid quenching into liquid nitrogen. The cooling rate for 1) was 750° to 250°C in 30 sec. Since the microbalance chamber was not designed to permit very rapid cooling of a hydride sample, all liquid-nitrogen quenching was done in an auxiliary experiment. The auxiliary quenching apparatus consisted of a small-bore, high-temperature furnace, a sealed SiO2 tube containing the sample, and a dewar quenching flask filled with liquid nitrogen. The hydrided sample, previously quenched in the microgravimetric reaction chamber, was placed in a platinum boat in a vacuum-degassed SiO2 tube. A zirconium wire getter and degassed SiO2 rod, to reduce the internal volume, were also in the tube. After sealing the tube under vacuum the zirconium getter was heated to absorb the last traces of gas. Only the sample was heated at the reaction temperature for the desired length of time, and then the tube dropped through the opposite end of the furnace into the dewar. A quenching rate of 200" to 400° C per sec was estimated. Analyses of samples after the auxiliary experiment also showed practically no increase in oxygen or nitrogen content from heating in the SiO2 tube. All of the samples were examined at room temperature by the X-ray powder method. The majority of the powder patterns were obtained with double nickel-filtered CuKa radiation after 8- and 16-hr exposures in an 11.48-cm-diam camera. Cobalt and chromium radiation were also used to spread out the high d value end of the Pattern. Such patterns readily identified the minor phases. NO oxide or nitride lines were found. Where sharp back-reflection lines existed it was possible to reduce the
Jan 1, 1965
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Institute of Metals Division - Hardness Anisotropy and Slip in WC CrystalsBy David A. Thomas, David N. French
The lrnrdness of WC crystals has been measured with the Knoop indenter at loads of 100 and 500 g on the (0001) and (1070) planes. The hardness as tneasitred on the basal plane is 2400 kg per sq mm and shows little anisotropy. The hardness on the prism plane, however, shows a marked orientation dependence, with a low value of 1000 kg -per sq mm when the long axis of the Knoop indenter is oriented parallel to the c axis and a high value of 2400 kg per sq mm when the indenter is perpendicular to the c axis. Slip lines (Ire observed surrounding the microhardness indentations and they show slip on (1010) planes, probably in [0001] and (1120) directions. This slip behavior can be explained by the crystal structure of TVC, which is simple hexagonal with a c/a ralio of 0.976. The hardness anisotropy call be explained by [0001]{1010} and (1130) {10l0] slii) and the resolved shear-stress analysis of Daniels and Dunn. HARDNESS anisotropy is a well-known phenomenon and has been reported for many metals, with both cubic and hexagonal structure.1-6 For hexagonal tungsten carbide, WC, a wide range of hardness values is reported in the literature. For example, Schwarzkopf and Kieffer7 give a hardness of 2400 kg per sq mm and report a value of 2500 kg per sq mm by Hinnüber. Foster and coworkerss give the average Knoop microhardness as 1307 kg per sq mm with a maximum value of 2105 kg per sq mm. Although these values and the structure of WC suggest the likelihood of hardness anisotropy, no such measurements have been made. We first detected a large apparent hardness anisotropy in WC crystals about 75 p large, in over-sintered cemented tungsten carbide. Prominent slip lines also occurred around many indentations. This report presents further observations and interpretations of hardness anisotropy and slip in WC crystals obtained from Kennametal, Inc. Both Knoop and diamond pyramid indenters were used on a Wilson microhardness tester with loads of 100 and 500 g. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS The carbide crystals tended to be triangular plates parallel to the (0001) basal plane of the hexagonal structure. The side faces were parallel to the ( 1010) prism planes. Specimens were mounted approximately parallel to these two types of faces and metallographically polished. Laue back-reflection X-ray patterns were used to orient the specimens, which werethen ground to within ±1 deg of the (0001) and (1010) planes. The Knoop hardness values measured on the basal plane are plotted in Fig. 1. There is only a small anisotropy, with a hardness range of 2240 to 2510 kg per sq mm. The additional points at angles from 52.5 to 67.5 deg confirm the sharp minimum hardness at 60-deg intervals, consistent with the sixfold hexagonal symmetry. The average hardness of all values obtained on the basal plane is 2400 kg per sq mm. While the basal plane shows only slight anisotropy, the (1010) plane exhibits marked hardness anisotropy, from 1000 to 2400 kg per sq mm. Fig. 2 shows the hardness as a function of the angle between the long axis of the indenter and the hexagonal c axis, the [0001] direction. The minimum and maximum occur when the indenter is oriented parallel and perpendicular to the [0001] direction, respectively. The anisotropy of the prism plane is contrary to that reported for hexagonal zinc and hard- However, the basal-plane anisotropy is similar to these two metals.1'2 To check the accuracy and reproducibility of the measurements, a series of fifteen impressions was made at 100-g load in the same orientation in the same area of the specimen surface. The average for all was 2040 kg per sq mm, with a range of 1950 to 2130 kg per sq mm, giving an accuracy of about ± 5 pct. Thus the slight anisotropy on the basal plane is almost within experimental error. Fig. 3 shows slip lines around the Knoop indentations on the basal plane. The slip traces are in directions of the type (1130). The presence of slip steps on the basal plane indicates that the slip direction lies out of the (0001) plane. Because WC has a c/a ratio of 0.976,' the shortest slip vector is [0001], which suggests slip systems of the type [0001] (1010). Fig. 4 shows slip lines around the Knoop intentations on the (1010) plane. These slip lines are inconsistent with [0001] slip but can be
Jan 1, 1965
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Part XI – November 1969 - Papers - The Deformation and Fracture of Titanium/ Oxygen/Hydrogen AlloysBy D. V. Edmonds, C. J. Beevers
Tensile tests were carried out on a! titanium containing 850, 1250, and 2700 ppm 0, and up to -500 ppm H. The tests were performed at -196", -78", 20°, 150°, and 300°C at a strain rate of -1.0 x 10??3 sec-1. Increasing oxygen content, increasing grain size, and decreasing test temperature resulted in enhanced embrittlement of the a titanium by the hydrogen additions. Metallographic observations showed that this can be correlated with the influence of these parameters on the introduction of cracks into the a! titanium by fracture of titanium hydride precipitates. CRAIGHEAD et al.1 reported that the hydrogen content normally found in commercial-purity a! titanium (60 to 100 ppm) was sufficient to cause a substantial lowering of the impact strength, and they attributed this embrittling effect of hydrogen to the precipitation of titanium hydride. Lenning et al.' found that in commercial-purity a titanium there is an almost complete loss of impact strength at about 200 pprn H, which is approximately half the value needed to eliminate the impact strength of high-purity a titanium. They also showed that the presence of 3000 ppm hydrogen reduces the room-temperature tensile ductility of commercial-purity material to a value of the order of 10 pct; the corresponding hydrogen concentration for high-purity titanium is over 9000 ppm. It thus appears that the detrimental effect of hydrogen on the mechanical properties of commercial-purity titanium becomes evident at much lower hydrogen contents than for high-purity titanium. The main difference between the two types of a titanium might be expected to be the higher level of interstitial impurity in the commercial-purity grade. Jaffee et a1.3 studied the influence of temperature and strain rate on the hydrogen embrittlement of high-purity and commercial-purity ! titanium. In general, the behavior was the same for both materials; embrittlement was enhanced by decreasing temperature and increasing strain rate. Recent results from tests on commercial-purity a titanium containing 850 ppm O and varying amounts of hydrogen up to -500 ppm showed that the degree of embrittlement by hydrogen is intimately related to the fracture characteristics of titanium hydride precipitates.4 The present paper considers the interrelationship between the mechanical properties and micro-structural features of commercial-purity a! titanium containing 850, 1250, and 2700 ppm 0 and varying amounts of hydrogen up to -500 ppm. 1. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Three types of commercial-purity titanium supplied by IMI* were used in the investigation, and for the *Address: Witton, Birmingham 6, United Kingdom. purpose of this paper are designated Ti 115, Ti 130, and Ti 160. The principal impurity elements are given in Table I. The material was received in the form of 12.7 mm diam bars having a fully recrystallized structure. Tensile specimens with a round cross-section of 4.5 mm diam and a gage length of 15.2 mm were machined from the bars. In order to develop the same grain size (mean linear intercept of grain boundaries) in each of the three types the specimens were annealed under a dynamic vacuum of <10?5 mm Hg, Table 11. Specimen hydriding was carried out in a modified Sieverts apparatus;' hydrogen was taken into solution at 450°C and after holding the specimens at this temperature for 24 hr they were furnace-cooled to room temperature at an average rate of -100 C deg per hr. By this method nominal hydrogen contents of 0, 50, 100, 250, and 500 ppm were introduced into specimens of Ti 115, Ti 130, and Ti 160 (100 ppm (wt) -0.5 at. pct). The actual hydrogen contents were calculated from the weight differences obtained by weighing the specimens before and after the hydriding treatment. Tensile tests were carried out at temperatures of -196", -78", 20°, 150°, and 300°C on a 10,000 kg In-stron machine at a nominal strain rate of -1.0 x 10-3 sec-1. Fractured specimens were sectioned in planes parallel to the tensile axis, mechanically polished to 0.25 µm grade of diamond paste, and then attack polished using a solution containing by volume 99 parts H2O, 1 part HF, and 1 part HNO3. Although the latter treatment unavoidably opened out cracks and voids visible after mechanical polishing, it did reveal the grain structure, titanium hydride morphology, and deformation twinning structure.
Jan 1, 1970
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Iron and Steel Division - Microstructures of Magnesiowüstite [(Mg, Fe)O] in the Presence of SiO2By Lawrence H. Van Vlack, Otta K. Riegger
Periclase-type oxides were examined microscopically after being exposed to siliceous liquids. The rate of grain growth was found to be inversely proportional to the grain diameter. Grain growth proceeds more rapidly at higher temperatures, but is retarded by increasing liquid contents. aMag-nesiowiistites with higher MgO contents grow less rapidly than those with higher FeO contents. The growth rate is reduced by the presence of a second solid phase. The silica-containing liquid penetrates as a film between the individual magnesiowus tite grains. This is independent of time, temperature, amount of liquid, or the MgO/ Fe0 ratio. When present, olivine and spinel-type phases can provide a solid-to-solid ''bridge" between magnesioustite grains. THIS paper presents the results of a study of the microstructures of periclase type oxides in the presence of a silicate liquid. The purpose was to learn more about the effect of service factors such as 1) time, 2) temperature, and 3) liquid content upon A) grain growth, and B) liquid location among the solid grains. This study was prompted by the fact that periclase refractories are known to have very little solid-to-solid contact when the phases which are present are limited to periclase and liquid. Such a micro-structure gains industrial significance because it permits fracture during service when stresses are applied at high temperatures. The details of ceramic microstructures have not received extensive attention. This is in contrast to the extensive attention given to a) the phase relationships pertaining to refractory compositions, and b) the details of the microstructures of comparable metallic materials. A brief review will be made of the pertinent phase relationships and microstructural considerations in general, as well as of refractory compositions. a) Phase Relationships. This investigation was limited to those compositions in which (Mg, Fe)O was the solid phase. MgO and FeO form a complete series of solid solutions. Pure MgO has the name of periclase. The related FeO structure is called wustite. Both have the NaC1-type structure: however, wustite possesses a cation deficiency so that the true composition is Fe<10 even in the presence of metallic iron. The phase relationships involving solid (Mg, Fe)O and a silicate liquid are shown in Fig. 1. In this case. the liquid is saturated with (Mg, Fe)o. There-fore its SiOz content is below that encountered in orthosilicate liquids. As a consequence the liquid phase specie:; are primarily the following ions: and 0-' plus occasional Fe+ ions. Two features are of importance: a) the liquid contains relatively small species and b) the liquid contains large quantities of the same species as the solid. viz., Fig. 2 shows the system, FeO-SiOz, which will be used in some of the discussions that follow. This diagram is the right side, vertical section of Fig. 1. Here, as pre\iously, the composition at the FeO end of the diagram is nonstoichiometric, varying from Feo.950 when the liquid oxide is in contact with the solid iron, to about Fe 0, when the solid oxide is in equilibrium with an atmosphere of equal proportions of CO and C02 at the solidus temperature. The Fe/O ratio will be maintained in wustite in the presence of SiO,. However, the FeM/Fe++ ratio in the liquid will be lower because of the effect OIF the SiO, on the activity of the FeO. With the addition of MgO to wustite, the over-all composition (IvZg, Fe)@, has a value of x lying between 0.9 and 1.0 when the COz/CO ratio is 1.0'. b) Microstructures. In general, published attention to refractory microstructures has been directed toward the phase analyses that accompany compositional variations. This is illustrated by Harvey6 in his work on silica brick and by wells7 in his work on periclase brick. In each case, a series of altered zones is encountered which provides a sequence of phase associations. If due consideration is given to reaction kinetics, such an examination reveals phases that are compatible with equilibrium studies. Admittedly, however, it is often necessary to determine more complicated polycomponent systems to account for all the phases present.8 Relatively little attention has been given to microstructural geometry in ceramic materials. Certainly less attention has been given to this aspect of ceramic microstructures than to the size, shape, and distribution of the constituent phases in metals. Burke has pointed out that the grain size of oxides follows the same growth rules as for metals, viz.,
Jan 1, 1962
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Institute of Metals Division - Structural Relationships Between Precipitate and Matrix in Cobalt-Rich Cobalt-Titanium AlloysBy R. W. Fountain, W. D. Forgeng, G. M. Faulring
Precipitation of the phase Co3Ti (Cu3Au type) from a Co-5 pct Ti a11oy has been investigated using single-crystal X-ray diffraction techniques. Oscillation and transmission Laue patterns of specimens aged for short-time periods at 600" C indicate the formation of titanium-rich and titanium-poor zones coherent with the {100} matrix planes. Longer aging times at 600° C establish that the equilibrium phase also forms on the {100} matrix planes as platelets. These observations are corroborated by electron metallography; electron diffraction studies show the phase Co3Ti to be ordered. A probable sequence of the precipitation reaction is discussed. A previous publication by two of the present authors reported on the phase relations and precipitation in Co-Ti alloys containing up to 30 pct Ti.1 The results of this investigation established the existence of a new face-centered cubic inter metallic phase, ranging in composition from about 17.0 to 21.7 pct Ti at temperatures below 1000° C The decomposition of the fcc supersaturated solid solution was studied employing hardness and electrical resistivity measurements. The changes in hardness upon precipitation in alloys containing 3, 6, and 9 pct* Ti were found to be associated with an initial increase in hardness followed by a plateau and then a second, more pronounced hardness increase. Investigation of this behavior by electrical resistivity measurements suggested that two different kinetic processes were involved, which, when interpreted in terms of the kinetic relation,2-4 indicated that initial precipitation was in the form of thin plates. On continued aging, the plates impinged during the growth process. The general features of these findings have been confirmed by Bibring and Manenc,5 while, in addition, they report the phase to be ordered. The present investigation was undertaken to provide more definite information on the structural relationships between the precipitate and the matrix. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Single crystals of a (20-5 pct Ti alloy were prepared from the melt employing the Bridgman technique. Poly crystalline rod, 1/2 in. in diam, prepared from vacuum-melted material, was machined to 3/8- in. diam to remove any surface contamination that may have resulted from hot-working. The crystals were grown under a purified hydrogen atmosphere in high-purity alumina crucibles heated by induction. Considerable difficulty was encountered in attempting to grow monocrystals because of the high melting point of the alloy and the high solute concentration. However, one crystal about 6 in. long was obtained which was essentially a single crystal except for one or two very small grains around the periphery. The as-grown crystal was solution heat-treated for 24 hr at 1200°Cin a purified argon atmosphere and water-quenched. One-quarter-in. slices were taken from each end of the solution heat-treated crystal for chemical analyses, and the remainder of the crystal was mounted and oriented by the back reflection Laue Method. The chemical analysis of the crystal was as follows: Pct Ti Pct 0 Pct C Pct N Pct H Pet CO 5.29 0.08 0.004 0.002 0.0003 Balance By proper tilting of the crystal, it was possible to obtain slices 1/32 in. thick of [loo] and [110] orientation. The solution heat-treated crystal slices were sealed in silica capsules for the aging treatments, with titanium sponge placed at one end of the capsule to act as a getter. All slices were water-quenched from the aging temperatures, the capsules being broken under the water to ensure a rapid quench. Thinning of the slices for transmission X-ray studies was accomplished by a combination of mechanical and electrolytic techniques, the final thickness being about 0.1 mm. Laue patterns of the solution heat-treated crystal indicated that no strain was introduced by the thinning technique. ELECTRON METALLOGRAPHY After X-ray examination, the structural changes attending the precipitation were followed by examination of direct carbon replicas of polished and etched surfaces of the single-crystal slices and extracted phases. The earliest indication of significant structural change was observed after aging at 600°C The structure of a heavily etched, solution-treated crystal is shown in Fig. l(a). Aside from the etch pit pattern, no regularity of background structure is observed. On the other hand, in the background of the specimen heated for 500 hr at 600°C, the etching pattern shows a directionality indicating the influence of minute precipitate particles, Fig. l(b). On electrolytic dissolution of this specimen in 10 pct HC1 in alcohol, a large volume of very small, flattened cubes
Jan 1, 1962
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Technical Papers and Notes - Institute of Metals Division - The Silver-Zirconium SystemBy J. O. Betterton, D. S. Easton
A detailed investigation was made of the phase diagram of silver-zirconium, particularly in the region 0 to 36 at. pct Ag. The system was found to be characterized by two intermediate phases Zr2Ag and ZrAg and a eutectoid reaction in which the -zirconium solid solution decomposes into a-zirconium and Zr2Ag. It was found that impurities in the range 0.05 pct from the iodide-type zirconium were sufficient to introduce deviations from binary behavior, and that with partial removal of these impurities an increase in the a-phase solid solubility limit from 0.1 to 1.1 at. pct Ag was observed. The phase diagram of the silver-zirconium system is of interest as an example of alloying a transition metal from the left side of the Periodic Table with a Group IB element. Silver would normally act as a univalent metal, its filled 4d-shell remaining undisturbed during the alloying. However, there is a possibility that some of the 4d electrons might transfer to the zirconium. An insight into such a question can occasionally be obtained by comparison of phase diagrams. The silver-zirconium system forms part of a more complete review of various solutes in zirconium in which these valency effects were studied.' Earlier work on the silver-zirconium system was done by Raub and Enge1,2 who investigated the silver-rich alloys. After the start of the present experhents, work on this system was reported by Kemper3 and by Karlsson4 which for the most part agrees with the phase diagram presented here. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE The alloys were prepared by arc casting on a water-cooled, copper hearth with a tungsten electrode and in a pure argon atmosphere. Uniform solute composition was attained by multiple melting on alternate sides of the same ingot. Progressive improvements in the vacuum conditions inside the apparatus during the course of the experiments reduced the Vickers hardness increase of the pure zirconium control ingot from 10 to 20 points, observed initially, to negligible amounts at the end of the experiments. Such hardness changes in zirconium are a well known indication of purity. For example, -01 wt pct additions of oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon increase hardness by 6, 10, and 3 VPN respectively. '9' Further verification that the final casting technique did not add a significant quantity of impurities was obtained when pure zirconium was arc cast and then isothermally annealed in the vicinity of the allotropic transition. The transition was always observed to take place over the same temperature range as in the original crystal bar. The alloy ingots were annealed in sealed silica capsules for times and temperatures which varied between 1 day at 1300°C and 60 days at 700°C. The best method found to prevent the reaction of the zirconium with the silica was foil wrapping of molybdenum or tantalum. With this method, samples of pure zirconium were found to be unchanged in hardness after annealing for 3 days at 1200°C. In most of the experiments the protection of these foils was supplemented by an additional layer of zirconium foil inside the molybdenum or tantalum foil. The alloys, foil, and the capsule were outgassed at pressures in the range 10 to l0-7mm Hg in the temperature range 800" to 1100°C before each anneal in order to remove hydrogen and other impurities, and to provide a suitable container for the high purity, inert atmosphere, which is essential in the annealing of zirconium. The temperature measurements were made with Pt/Pt + 10 pct Rh thermocouples calibrated frequently during the experiments against the melting points of zinc, aluminum, silver, gold, and palladium. For the longer anneals the sum of various temperature errors was generally well within ± 2°C. For short-time anneals and during thermal analysis the overall temperature error is considered to be within ± 0.5°C. The compositions of the alloys from the quenching experiments were determined by chemical analysis at Johnson Matthey and Company, Ltd., under the direction of Mr. F. M. Lever. The actual metallo-graphic samples were individually analyzed in every case, and prior to the analyses two or more sides of each specimen were examined to insure that the specimen was not segregated. The sum of the solute and solvent analyses was in each case within the range 99.9 to 100.1 pct. In the course of the experiments, minor impurities in the range 0 to 500 ppm were found to have significant effects on the zirconium-rich portion of the phase diagram. Similar effects had been encountered previously in other zirconium phase-
Jan 1, 1959
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Reservoir Engineering-Laboratory Research - Effect of Hydration of Montmorillonite on the Permeability to Gas of Water-Sensitive Reservoir RocksBy Oren C. Baptist, Carlon S. Land
Laboratory research has been conducted to evaluute the effect of clay hydration on the permeability to gas of water-sensitive reservoir sands. Samples of a .sandstone containing trace amounts of montmorillonite and a sample of montmorillonite were .studied in the laboratory to detertnine whether swelling or dispersion was the cause of permeability reduction in these samples. Heliuin, containing various amounts of water vapor, was used to hydrate the clay minerals and to determine the gas permeability at various stages of clay hydration. The amount of water adsorbed by the samples using this method is small. The nonwetting-phase permeability at higher water saturations war investigated by saturating the with water and measuring the permeability to humid helium while decreasing the water saturation, Relative-permeability curves obtained from results of these procedures were used to estimate the effect of the swelling of trace amounts of mont/tlorillonite on the permeability of the .samples. Most of the damage to the permeability when reservoir sands containing trace amounts of montmorillonite are exposed to fresh water is due to dispersion and movement of clays. Blockage of pores by the increased volume of expanded montmorillonite is believed to result in permeability damage that is small in comparison to the observed damage to the samples tested. INTRODUCTION Studies have shown that permeability is severely damaged when sands containing only small amounts of montmorillonite are contacted by fresh water.15 When samples of sands containing large amounts of montmorillonite are placed in fresh water in the laboratory, these samples may completely disintegrate, forming an unconsolidated mass of larger volume than that occupied by the dry sample." In this case, it is apparent that the swelling of montmoril-lonite has destroyed the pore structure of the sand. If only a trace of montmorillonite is present in a sand. samples may remain intact when saturated with water, although the permeability to water is a small fraction of the gas permeability of the dry sample. Many workers in the field of water sensitivity have attributed this reduction in permeability to the blocking of pores and reduction of pore size by the increased volume occupied by expanded mont- niorillonite. if the sand contains a detectable amount of montmorill'onite or mixed-layer clay containing rnontmorillonite. Logically3 the smaller amount of montmorillonite present in a sand, the smaller should he the effect of montnlorillonite swelling on permeability; however, the quantity of montmorillonite sufficient to cause severe damage by swelling is not known. Although hundreds of samples have been tested in our laboratory, no correlation has been established between the amount of montmorillonite in samples and the permeability reduction caused by fresh water. To many petroleum engineers, the phrase "clay swelling" is synonymous with "water sensitivity", or "permeability reduction" implying that any formation damage due to the hydration of clays is caused by swelling. Although all clays adsorb water on their surfaces, montmorillonite is the only clay mineral commonly found in reservoir rocks which adsorbs water between intercrystalline layers, resulting in expansion of the clay particle. As montmoril-lonite swells, the first few layers of water adsorbed between platelets are strongly held and well oriented, and the montmorillonite retains its crystalline structure, although expanded. As swelling of sodium montmorillonite continues, the platelets become farther apart and the forces orienting the platelets in the crystalline structure become weaker, resulting in a less orderly orientation of platelets. In an abundance of water, small groups of platelets may become detached from the original monl-rnorillonite particle and may be dispersed throughout the water phase. Because of its swelling properties, sodium montmorillonite is very easily dispersed in water. Particles of other clay minerals. such as illite and kaolinite may also be dispersed in water. causing water sensitivity of sands not containing montmorillonite. The presence of an immobile layer of water adsorbed on the surface of clays has been considered a possible cause of the low permeability to water of dirty sands. Grim states that the thickness of the layer of immobile water held by sodium montrnorillonite is three nlolecular layers or 7.5 A (angstroms), with some orientation of water extending to 100 A. Assuming a very thick, immobile water layer adsorbed on the surface of a pore represented by a capillary tube, the maximum effect of the water layer on permeability can be calculated. Using a pore radius of 10 ' cm and an immobile water layer of 50 A. the calculation shows the permeability to be reduced only 2 per cent. Similar calculations can be used to show that the effect of electro-osmotic counterflow is of the same order of magnitude as that of bound water. The reduction of the permeability to water by either an immobile water layer
Jan 1, 1966
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Institute of Metals Division - Growth of (110) [001] - Oriented Grains in High-Purity Silicon Iron - A Unique Form of Secondary RecrystallizationBy C. G. Dunn, J. L. Walter
Secondary recrystallization to the (110) [001] texture in high-purity silicon iron occurs if low-oxygen material is annealed in a nonoxidizing atmosphere. Any departure from these conditions results in a growth of (100) oriented grains. The nature of the matrix and secondary recrystallization structures and textures and the nature of grain boundary interactions during growth show that the low gas-metal interfacial energy of the (110) surfaces provides the driving force for growth of these grains. A type of grain growth, characterized by a driving force which derives from energy differences of {hkl} surfaces at the gas-metal interface, has been treated in recent papers.'-7 Secondary recrystallization to the cube text!:: in high-purity silicon iron provides one example. The present paper also deals with a surface energy driving force but the texture that results by secondary recrystallization is not the cube texture; it is a texture in which the (110) plane is in the plane of rolling and the [001] direction is in the direction of rolling. The phenomenon described in this paper is different from the impurity (dispersed phase)-controlled secondary recrystallization process in which the (110) [001] oriented grains grow under the action of grain boundary driving forces.8-12 It is also different from tertiary recrystallization,2 which also produces the (110) [001] texture in high-purity silicon iron, since the matrix textures and grain sizes are different. Finally, it is unlike any other form of secondary recrystallization reported in the literature. The possibility of obtaining the (110) [001] texture in high-purity silicon iron became clear in a study of the effect of impurity atoms on the energy relationships of (100) and (110) surfaces. In this study Walter and Dunn6 observed the migration of (100)/(110) boundaries, i.e., boundaries between two grains, one of which has a (100) plane and the other a (110) plane, respectively, parallel to the plane of the sheet specimen. At 1200°C the (100)/(110) boundaries advanced into (100) grains in a vacuum anneal, then reversed their direction and migrated into (110) grains in a subsequent anneal in impure argon. Finally, the direction of migration reversed once again with (110) grains growing into (100) grains in a second vacuum anneal. These results were explained in terms of a change in concentration of oxygen atoms at the gas-metal interface during the anneals. Thus, oxygen atoms were added to the surface during the anneals in impure argon to the point where ?100, the specific surface energy of the (100) oriented grains, was lower than ?110, the surface energy of (110) oriented grains. In vacuum, however, the oxygen concentration at the surface was lowered to the point where ?110 < ?100. Concerning the possibility of secondary recrystallization in high-purity silicon iron with a low initial oxygen concentration, the observed effect of adsorbed oxygen atoms has indicated6 that a good vacuum anneal would favor the rapid growth of matrix grains with the (110) plane in the plane of the sheet much more than grains in the (100) orientation. The growth of only (110) oriented grains of course would depend upon y110 being less than ?hkl, where hkl refers to any plane different from (110). The present paper is concerned with the application of the above ideas to secondary recrystallization to the (110) [001] texture in high-purity silicon iron. The matrix and secondary recrystallization textures and structures are defined and discussed. Observations of growth of nuclei for secondary recrystallization and of boundary interactions are included to provide direct information on the surface energy relationships between (110) and other (hkl) surfaces. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE As before, 2,4-6 high-purity iron and silicon were melted and cast in vacuum to provide an alloy containing 3 pct Si with less than 0.005 wt pct impurities. The oxygen content of the ingot was lower than in previous ingots, being approximately 3 ppm (by weight). The carbon content of this ingot may have been slightly higher than was found for previous ingots. The same rolling and annealing schedule used previously2 was followed in this study to obtain samples 0.012 in. (0.3 mm) thick. These samples were electropolished prior to annealing. After rolling and polishing, the oxygen content of the material was approximately 6 ppm; material used in the previous studies contained about twice this amount of oxygen.
Jan 1, 1961
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Iron and Steel Division - Evaluation of Methods for Determining Hydrogen in SteelBy J. F. Martin, L. M. Melnick, R. Rapp, R. C. Takacs
Recent studies on the determination of hydrogen in steel have shown that the hot-extraction method for removing hydrogen from a solid sample is preferable to its removal from a molten sample by vacuum fusion or by fusion in vacuum with tin. A number of techniques are available, however, for determining the hydrogen so extracted. They include: thermal conductivity, gas chromatography, pressure measurement before and after catalytic oxidation of the hydrogen to water and removal of the water, and pressure measurement before and after diffusion of the hydrogen through a palladium membrane. These techniques have been evaluated on the basis of initial cost, maintenance, speed and accuracy of analysis, and applicable concentration range. The results of this study showed that the palladium-membrane technique is best suited for routine use. FOR some time investigators have been concerned with the origin, form, and effect of hydrogen in steel. In such stdies', the analysis for hydrogen constitutes one of the most important phases. It is quite apparent that the results for hydrogen concentrations in a given steel are dependent on the method of obtaining the sample, storage of the sample until analysis, preparation of the sample, and analysis of the sample, including all the facets inherent in the calibration and operation of an apparatus for gas analysis. There are a number of means available for determining hydrogen. This is a critical study of some of the more common techniques in use today. In most conventional melting and casting methods, hydrogen concentrations of 4 to 6 parts per million (ppm) in steel are quite common. Because of the undesirable effects of hydrogen on steel there has been increased use of techniques such as vacuum melting,' vacuum casting, and ladle-to-ladle stream degassing, which lower the hydrogen content to levels on the order of 1 to 2 ppm. Therefore, the method used for determining hydrogen in steel must be sensitive and precise. In any analytical procedure for gases in metals there are two distinct operations—the extraction of the gas from the metal and the analysis of the extracted gas. To extract the gas from the steel, three methods have been employed: 1) fusion of the sample with graphite at high temperature; 2) fusion with a flux, such as tin, at a lower temperature; and 3) extraction of the hydrogen from the solid sample at a temperature below the melting point of the steel. Fusion with graphite is the least-acceptable method. The blank in this method is higher and more variable than in either of the other two methods. The hydrogen fraction of the total gas composition usually is between 10 and 50 pct; thus, a larger analytical error is possible. The vacuum-tin fusion4 extraction of hydrogen is probably the most rapid method in use today; the extraction time is usually about 10 min. However, with this system a bake-out of the freshly charged tin for 2 hr is necessary and a change of crucible and a charge of fresh tin are required after each day of operation whether one or thirty samples have been analyzed. In addition, frequent checks of blank rates are required since CO and Na are continually being given up by the steel samples dissolved in the tin bath. The composition of the gas in this method lends itself readily to analysis; although the hydroge concentration may fall to as low as 50 pct, more often it is above 90 pct, thus allowing a more precise analysis (because of less interference from other gases). In 1940 ewell' published the hot-extraction method for extracting hydrogen from the solid sample, comparing analysis for hydrogen extracted at 600°C with similar analysis for the gas extracted at 1700°C by fusion with graphite. Good agreement for hydrogen was obtained between these two methods, provided sufficient time was allowed for extraction at the lower temperature. carsone obtained good results in his comparison of this hot-extraction method with vacuum-tin fusion. Subsequent work by Geller and sun7 and Hill and ohnson' has shown that steel samples should be heated to at least 800°C to effect the release not only of the diffusible hydrogen but also of the "residual" hydrogen that may be present as methane. Since the rate of evolution of hydrogene9l0 depends on such factors as sample size and composition, thermal history, and extent of cold work, a fixed extraction time is not possible. Extraction times of 30 min are normal, but 2 hr are not unusual. Induction or resistance heating may be used in the hot-extraction method. With resistance heating the
Jan 1, 1964