Ravi Sankar Kottada

High entropy alloys (HEAs) represent a new class of materials that present novel phase structures and properties. Apart from bulk material consolidation methods such as casting and sintering, HEAs can also be deposited as a surface coating. In this work, thermal sprayed HEA coatings are investigated that may be used as an alternative bond coat material for a thermal barrier coating system. Nanostructured HEAs that were based on AlCoCrFeNi and MnCoCrFeNi were prepared by ball milling and then plasma sprayed. Splat studies were assessed to optimise the appropriate thermal spray parameters and spray deposits were prepared. After mechanical alloying, aluminum-based and manganese-based HEA powders revealed contrary prominences of BCC and FCC phases in their X-ray diffraction patterns. However, FCC phase was observed as the major phase present in both of the plasma-sprayed AlCoCrFeNi and MnCoCrFeNi coatings. There were also minor oxide peaks detected, which can be attributed to the high temperature processing. The measured porosity levels for AlCoCrFeNi and MnCoCrFeNi coatings were 9.5 ± 2.3 and 7.4 ± 1.3 pct, respectively. Three distinct phase contrasts, dark gray, light gray and white, were observed in the SEM images, with the white regions corresponding to retained multicomponent HEAs. The Vickers hardness (HV0.3kgf) was 4.13 ± 0.43 and 4.42 ± 0.60 GPa for AlCoCrFeNi and MnCoCrFeNi, respectively. Both type of HEAs coatings exhibited anisotropic mechanical behavior due to their lamellar, composite-type microstructure.

In the present study, influence of molybdenum and niobium additions on phase formation during mechanical alloying and spark plasma sintering of CoCrFeNi high entropy alloy was studied. Major FCC and minor BCC phase were observed after mechanical alloying of CoCrFeNi. However, major FCC and sigma phase were observed after spark plasma sintering. A maximum relative density of 95% was obtained with the hardness of 570 HV in CoCrFeNi HEA. The phase formation behavior was not significantly affected by the addition of molybdenum or niobium. However, addition of Mo to CoCrFeNi increased the hardness from 570 HV to 620 HV, and the hardness increased to 710 HV with combined addition of molybdenum and niobium. After sintering, major FCC phase with crystallite size of 60-70 nm was observed in all the compositions. Further, the microstructure and hardness retention was observed in CoCrFeNiMo0.2 with annealing temperature up to 800°C.

Evaluation of the diffusion coefficient of metal powders was attempted by using the power-law creep model in conjunction with the isothermal densification kinetics during spark plasma sintering (SPS). The diffusion coefficients obtained from the densification data of elemental Fe, Ni and Al powders are found to be higher than those reported in the literature. The higher values of diffusivity can be attributed to electric current effects. Our analysis demonstrates that it is possible to evaluate diffusion coefficients from experimental SPS densification data.

A hot corrosion study via molten salt deposition and its interaction with creep/fatigue play a critical role in predicting the life of gas turbine engine components. To do systematic hot corrosion studies, deposition of molten salts on specimens should be uniform with good adherence. Thus, the present study describes an in-house developed spraying setup that produces uniform and reliable molten salt deposition in a repeatable fashion. The efficacy of the present method was illustrated by depositing 90 wt. % Na2SO4 + 5 wt. % NaCl + 5 wt. % NaV O3 salt mixture on hot corrosion coupons and on creep specimens, and also by comparing with other deposition methods.

In the current work, the effect of friction stir processing on heat-affected zone (HAZ) liquation cracking resistance of aluminum-copper alloy AA 2219 was evaluated. In Gleeble hot-ductility tests and longitudinal Varestraint tests, the FSPed material, despite its very fine dynamically recrystallized equiaxed grain structure, showed considerably higher susceptibility to HAZ liquation cracking when compared to the base material. Detailed microstructural studies showed that the increased cracking susceptibility of the FSPed material is due to (i) increase in the amount of liquating θ phase (equilibrium Al2Cu) and (ii) increase in the population of grain boundary θ particles. An important learning from the current work is that, in certain materials like alloy 2219, the use of FSP as a pretreatment to fusion welding can be counterproductive.

Cold-sprayed high-entropy alloy (HEA) coatings have been generated for the first time. Mechanically alloyed (MA) AlCoCrFeNi powder was chosen as feedstock, owing to the extensive literature on this alloy. Coatings were synthesized under various gas temperature and pressure conditions. Isothermal oxidation was conducted at 1100 °C for 25 h on the coating cold-sprayed at 400 °C and 10 bar on a Ni-base superalloy substrate. The as-sprayed coating retained the MA phases and formed a protective alumina layer upon oxidation. An interdiffusion zone at the interface and unanticipated Mo diffusion from the superalloy substrate into the coating were observed after oxidation. A comprehensive characterization at the coating-substrate interface suggests that diffusion in HEAs is not sluggish. The factors governing the coating's oxidation are elucidated, and a plausible oxidation mechanism is discussed. These studies are aimed at developing oxidation-resistant HEA coatings for potential applications at high operating temperatures.

International Conference and Expo on Magnesium (iMagCon2016), first-of-its-kind international conference in India, dealing solely with magnesium and its alloys, was held during 4th to 6th February 2016. It was jointly organized by IIM Chennai Chapter and VIT University. This conference was focused on basic academic research related to magnesium, as well as connected industry challenges. Accordingly, papers presented in the conference are included in this proceeding. Two plenary lectures outlining the evolution of magnesium technology development and the state of the art in research on magnesium were delivered by Prof. Karl U Kainer, Magnesium Innovation Center, Helmholtz - Zentrum Geesthact, Germany, and Prof. Ravi Ravindran, Ryerson University, Canada. Besides, nine keynote lectures on various aspects of magnesium production, processing and characterization were delivered by internationally renowned experts. In addition to the invited lectures, about 40 contributed papers were presented spreading over eight sessions. These papers dealt with practically all aspects of magnesium technology: extraction, casting, thermo-mechanical processing, mechanical behaviour, joining, biomaterial applications, etc. Based on these presentations, 16 manuscripts were communicated by respective authors for possible inclusion in the proceedings. Among them 11 papers were finally shortlisted for inclusion in the final proceedings after going through thorough peer reviewing process. We hope that these papers will immensely benefit the research community working in the area of magnesium alloys.

The Cu-3Ag-0.5Zr alloy was produced by vacuum induction melting and subsequently processed through hot forging and rolling. Detailed microstructural characterization of solution-treated (ST) specimen shows three types of phases: Cu matrix, zirconium-rich phase, Cu-Ag-Zr intermetallic phase. Transmission electron microscopy studies together with energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy analysis established the presence of Zr-rich large particles in the ST condition. Aging at 450 C for 4.5 h after solution treatment resulted in the formation of uniformly distributed fine spherical silver precipitates with an average diameter of 9.0 ± 2.0 nm. Consequently, room temperature yield strength (YS) and ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of the aged specimen increased by 110% and 15%, respectively, compared to those of 120 and 290 MPa of the ST specimen. At elevated temperature, the YS decreased to 146 and 100 MPa at 540 and 640 C, respectively, for the aged sample. On the contrary, the YS increased to 140 MPa at 540 C, thereafter a decrease was observed with a value of 105 MPa at 640 C for the ST sample. This decrease in YS at higher temperatures is attributed to coarsening of precipitates and dissolution of the precipitates, whereas an increase in YS is attributed to in-situ aging of the samples. © 2013 ASM International.

Creep-rupture behaviour of Nimonic263 alloy coated with 87.5 wt.%Na2SO4+5 wt.%NaCl +7.5 wt.%NaVO3(3SM) and 74 wt.%Na2SO4+21.7 wt.%NaCl+4.3 wt.%NaVO3(3SM-A) was investigated in the stress range of 180–350 MPa at 800 °C. The 3SMs are responsible for the reduction in creep-rupture life. Hot corrosion products found in the crack regions of the crept specimens deformed under the influence of 3SMs. Sulphidation followed by oxidation was dominant at 250 MPa, whereas oxidation was dominant at 215 and 180 MPa. Comprehensive microstructural characterization and analysis suggest that three-salt mixtures(3SMs) accelerate oxygen and sulphur penetration along the grain boundaries during creep, and enhance the stress assisted grain boundary oxidation resulting in a reduction in creep-rupture life.

The B2-Aluminide matrix (FeAl and NiAl) with in-situ Al2O3 reinforcement were synthesized using reactive milling. The oxides (Fe2O3 and NiO) were reduced by Al during high energy milling to form Al2O3. The 20 h ball milled powders were consolidated using spark plasma sintering (SPS). To understand the densification mechanisms during SPS, sintering was performed at various temperatures (750–850 °C) and applied pressures (25–100 MPa). The creep parameters are evaluated from the densification data obtained during SPS using the model proposed by Bernard and Granger. In addition, independent constant-stress compression creep studies were conducted on the dense SPS pellets. The creep studies were performed on the composites at 800 °C at different stresses (100–500 MPa). The densification studies and compression creep studies are correlated based on the creep parameters obtained from both these studies and corroborated by TEM studies of the crept samples. This correlation is found to be valid even for the in-situ composites. Thus, the analysis of densification data can be helpful in predicting the creep behavior and useful for designing the new creep resistant alloys or composites.