<i>In situ</i> study on aging behavior of WE54 alloy using synchrotron radiation

Abstract

In situ synchrotron radiation was conducted to characterize the aging process of two kinds of WE54 alloys which were subjected to solid solution treatment (T4) and T4 with a subsequent cold rolling deformation (T4-D) respectively. Results of the in situ aging at 300 ℃ show that the strengthening precipitate phase Mg3(Nd, Y) (β1) in T4-D alloy nucleates after aging for 3 min. After aging for 9 min, the intensity of β1 is reduced, and Mg14Nd2Y (β) diffraction peaks are observed, which indicates that β1 is transferred to β. After aging for 36 min, this phase transformation reaches a stable state, and β phase dominates the aging process. For T4 alloy, the nucleation of β1 begins at 6 min, and the transformation from β1 to β begins at 18 min. After the phase transformation, β phase begins to dominate the aging process at 78 min. Ex situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is also carried out to observe the detailed distribution of β1 and β. Combining the synchrotron radiation and TEM results, it is found that the pre-deformation promotes the aging process and the formation of netlike precipitations, which enhances the aging strengthening effect.

Keywords

• WE54 alloy
• pre-deformation
• precipitates
• synchrotron radiation
• aging hardening