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- Member of: ASU Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Description
Aluminum alloys and their composites are attractive materials for applications requiring high strength-to-weight ratios and reasonable cost. Many of these applications, such as those in the aerospace industry, undergo fatigue loading. An understanding of the microstructural damage that occurs in these materials is critical in assessing their fatigue resistance. Two distinct experimental studies were performed to further the understanding of fatigue damage mechanisms in aluminum alloys and their composites, specifically fracture and plasticity. Fatigue resistance of metal matrix composites (MMCs) depends on many aspects of composite microstructure. Fatigue crack growth behavior is particularly dependent on the reinforcement characteristics and matrix microstructure. The goal of this work was to obtain a fundamental understanding of fatigue crack growth behavior in SiC particle-reinforced 2080 Al alloy composites. In situ X-ray synchrotron tomography was performed on two samples at low (R=0.1) and at high (R=0.6) R-ratios. The resulting reconstructed images were used to obtain three-dimensional (3D) rendering of the particles and fatigue crack. Behaviors of the particles and crack, as well as their interaction, were analyzed and quantified. Four-dimensional (4D) visual representations were constructed to aid in the overall understanding of damage evolution. During fatigue crack growth in ductile materials, a plastic zone is created in the region surrounding the crack tip. Knowledge of the plastic zone is important for the understanding of fatigue crack formation as well as subsequent growth behavior. The goal of this work was to quantify the 3D size and shape of the plastic zone in 7075 Al alloys. X-ray synchrotron tomography and Laue microdiffraction were used to non-destructively characterize the volume surrounding a fatigue crack tip. The precise 3D crack profile was segmented from the reconstructed tomography data. Depth-resolved Laue patterns were obtained using differential-aperture X-ray structural microscopy (DAXM), from which peak-broadening characteristics were quantified. Plasticity, as determined by the broadening of diffracted peaks, was mapped in 3D. Two-dimensional (2D) maps of plasticity were directly compared to the corresponding tomography slices. A 3D representation of the plastic zone surrounding the fatigue crack was generated by superimposing the mapped plasticity on the 3D crack profile.
ContributorsHruby, Peter (Author) / Chawla, Nikhilesh (Thesis advisor) / Solanki, Kiran (Committee member) / Liu, Yongming (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2014
Description
Al 7075 alloys are used in a variety of structural applications, such as aircraft wings, automotive components, fuselage, spacecraft, missiles, etc. The mechanical and corrosion behavior of these alloys are dependent on their microstructure and the environment. Therefore, a comprehensive study on microstructural characterization and stress-environment interaction is necessary. Traditionally, 2D techniques have been used to characterize microstructure, which are inaccurate and inadequate since the research has shown that the results obtained in the bulk are different from those obtained on the surface. There now exist several techniques in 3D, which can be used to characterize the microstructure. Al 7075 alloys contain second phase particles which can be classified as Fe-bearing inclusions, Si-bearing inclusions and precipitates. The variation in mechanical and corrosion properties of aluminum alloys has been attributed to the size, shape, distribution, corrosion properties and mechanical behavior of these precipitates and constituent particles. Therefore, in order to understand the performance of Al 7075 alloys, it is critical to investigate the size and distribution of inclusions and precipitates in the alloys along with their mechanical properties, such as Young's modulus, hardness and stress-strain behavior. X-ray tomography and FIB tomography were used to visualize and quantify the microstructure of constituent particles (inclusions) and precipitates, respectively. Microscale mechanical characterization techniques, such as nanoindentation and micropillar compression, were used to obtain mechanical properties of inclusions. Over the years, studies have used surface measurements to understand corrosion behavior of materials. More recently, in situ mechanical testing has become more attractive and advantageous, as it enables visualization and quantification of microstructural changes as a function of time (4D). In this study, in situ X-ray synchrotron tomography was used to study the SCC behavior of Al 7075 alloys in moisture and deionized water. Furthermore, experiments were performed in EXCO solution to study the effect of applied stress on exfoliation behavior in 3D. Contrary to 2D measurements made at the surface which suggest non-uniform crack growth rates, three dimensional measurements of the crack length led to a much more accurate measurement of crack growth rates.
ContributorsSingh, Sudhanshu Shekhar (Author) / Chawla, Nikhilesh (Thesis advisor) / Alford, Terry (Committee member) / Solanki, Kiran (Committee member) / Oswald, Jay (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2015
Corrosion and corrosion-fatigue behavior of 7075 aluminum alloys studied by in situ X-ray tomography
Description
7XXX Aluminum alloys have high strength to weight ratio and low cost. They are used in many critical structural applications including automotive and aerospace components. These applications frequently subject the alloys to static and cyclic loading in service. Additionally, the alloys are often subjected to aggressive corrosive environments such as saltwater spray. These chemical and mechanical exposures have been known to cause premature failure in critical applications. Hence, the microstructural behavior of the alloys under combined chemical attack and mechanical loading must be characterized further. Most studies to date have analyzed the microstructure of the 7XXX alloys using two dimensional (2D) techniques. While 2D studies yield valuable insights about the properties of the alloys, they do not provide sufficiently accurate results because the microstructure is three dimensional and hence its response to external stimuli is also three dimensional (3D). Relevant features of the alloys include the grains, subgrains, intermetallic inclusion particles, and intermetallic precipitate particles. The effects of microstructural features on corrosion pitting and corrosion fatigue of aluminum alloys has primarily been studied using 2D techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM) surface analysis along with post-mortem SEM fracture surface analysis to estimate the corrosion pit size and fatigue crack initiation site. These studies often limited the corrosion-fatigue testing to samples in air or specialized solutions, because samples tested in NaCl solution typically have fracture surfaces covered in corrosion product. Recent technological advancements allow observation of the microstructure, corrosion and crack behavior of aluminum alloys in solution in three dimensions over time (4D). In situ synchrotron X-Ray microtomography was used to analyze the corrosion and cracking behavior of the alloy in four dimensions to elucidate crack initiation at corrosion pits for samples of multiple aging conditions and impurity concentrations. Additionally, chemical reactions between the 3.5 wt% NaCl solution and the crack surfaces were quantified by observing the evolution of hydrogen bubbles from the crack. The effects of the impurity particles and age-hardening particles on the corrosion and fatigue properties were examined in 4D.
ContributorsStannard, Tyler (Author) / Chawla, Nikhilesh (Thesis advisor) / Solanki, Kiran N (Committee member) / Goswami, Ramasis (Committee member) / Liu, Yongming (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017
Description
Aluminum alloys are ubiquitously used in almost all structural applications due to their high strength-to-weight ratio. Their superior mechanical performance can be attributed to complex dispersions of nanoscale intermetallic particles that precipitate out from the alloy’s solid solution and offer resistance to deformation. Although they have been extensively investigated in the last century, the traditional approaches employed in the past haven’t rendered an authoritative microstructural understanding in such materials. The effect of the precipitates’ inherent complex morphology and their three-dimensional (3D) spatial distribution on evolution and deformation behavior have often been precluded. In this study, for the first time, synchrotron-based hard X-ray nano-tomography has been implemented in Al-Cu alloys to measure growth kinetics of different nanoscale phases in 3D and reveal mechanistic insights behind some of the observed novel phase transformation reactions occurring at high temperatures. The experimental results were reconciled with coarsening models from the LSW theory to an unprecedented extent, thereby establishing a new paradigm for thermodynamic analysis of precipitate assemblies. By using a unique correlative approach, a non-destructive means of estimating precipitation-strengthening in such alloys has been introduced. Limitations of using existing mechanical strengthening models in such alloys have been discussed and a means to quantify individual contributions from different strengthening mechanisms has been established.
The current rapid pace of technological progress necessitates the demand for more resilient and high-performance alloys. To achieve this, a thorough understanding of the relationships between material properties and its structure is indispensable. To establish this correlation and achieve desired properties from structural alloys, microstructural response to mechanical stimuli needs to be understood in three-dimensions (3D). To that effect, in situ tests were conducted at the synchrotron (Advanced Photon Source) using Transmission X-Ray Microscopy as well as in a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to study real-time damage evolution in such alloys. Findings of precipitate size-dependent transition in deformation behavior from these tests have inspired a novel resilient aluminum alloy design.
The current rapid pace of technological progress necessitates the demand for more resilient and high-performance alloys. To achieve this, a thorough understanding of the relationships between material properties and its structure is indispensable. To establish this correlation and achieve desired properties from structural alloys, microstructural response to mechanical stimuli needs to be understood in three-dimensions (3D). To that effect, in situ tests were conducted at the synchrotron (Advanced Photon Source) using Transmission X-Ray Microscopy as well as in a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to study real-time damage evolution in such alloys. Findings of precipitate size-dependent transition in deformation behavior from these tests have inspired a novel resilient aluminum alloy design.
ContributorsKaira, Chandrashekara Shashank (Author) / Chawla, Nikhilesh (Thesis advisor) / Solanki, Kiran (Committee member) / Jiao, Yang (Committee member) / De Andrade, Vincent (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017
Description
In this dissertation, micro-galvanic corrosion effects and passivation behavior of single-phase binary alloys have been studied in order to formulate new insights towards the development of “stainless-like” lightweight alloys. As a lightweight material of interest, Mg-xAl alloys were studied using aqueous free corrosion, atmospheric corrosion, dissolution rate kinetics, and ionic liquid dissolution. Polarization and “accelerated” free corrosion studies in aqueous chloride were used to characterize the corrosion behavior and morphology of alloys. Atmospheric corrosion experiments revealed surface roughness and pH evolution behavior in aqueous environment. Dissolution in absence of water using choline-chloride:urea ionic liquid allowed for a simpler dissolution mechanism to be observed, providing additional insights regarding surface mobility of Al. These results were compared with commercial alloy (AZ31B, AM60, and AZ91D) behavior to better elucidate effects associated with secondary phases and intermetallic particles often present in Mg alloys. Aqueous free corrosion, “accelerated” free corrosion and ionic liquid dissolution studies have confirmed Al surface enrichment in a variety of morphologies, including Al-rich platelet and Al nanowire formation. This behavior is attributed to the preferential dissolution of Al as the more “noble” element in the matrix. Inductively-coupled mass spectroscopy was used to measure first-order rate reaction constants for elemental Mg and Al dissolution in aqueous chloride environment to be kMg= 9.419 x 10-6 and kAl = 2.103 x 10-6 for future implementation in kinetic Monte Carlo simulations. To better understand how “stainless-like” passivation may be achieved, Ni-xCr alloys were studied using polarization and potential pulse experiments. The passivation potential, critical current density, and passivation current density were found to decay with increasing Cr composition. The measured average number of monolayers dissolved during passivation was found to be in good agreement with percolation theory, with a fitted 3-D percolation threshold of p_c^3D=0.118 compared with the theoretical value of 0.137. Using these results, possible approaches towards achieving passivation in other systems, including Mg-Al, are discussed.
ContributorsAiello, Ashlee (Author) / Sieradzki, Karl (Thesis advisor) / Buttry, Daniel (Committee member) / Chan, Candace (Committee member) / Crozier, Peter (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2018
Description
Sn and Al alloys are widely used in various industries. Environmental-induced damage resulting in whiskering in Sn and corrosion in Al account for numerous failures globally every year. Therefore, for designing materials that can better withstand these failures, a comprehensive study on the characterization of the damage is necessary. This research implements advanced characterization techniques to study the above-mentioned environmental-induced damage in Sn and Al alloys.
Tin based films are known to be susceptible to whisker growth resulting in numerous failures. While the mechanisms and factors affecting whisker growth have been studied extensively, not much has been reported on the mechanical properties of tin whiskers themselves. This study focuses on the tensile behavior of tin whiskers. Tensile tests of whiskers were conducted in situ a dual beam focused ion beam (FIB) with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) using a micro electro-mechanical system (MEMS) tensile testing stage. The deformation mechanisms of whiskers were analyzed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM).
Due to the heterogenous nature of the microstructure of Al 7075, it is susceptible to corrosion forming corrosion products and pits. These can be sites for cracks nucleation and propagation resulting in stress corrosion cracking (SCC). Therefore, complete understanding of the corrosion damaged region and its effect on the strength of the alloy is necessary. Several studies have been performed to visualize pits and understand their effect on the mechanical performance of Al alloys using two-dimensional (2D) approaches which are often inadequate. To get a thorough understanding of the pits, it is necessary for three-dimensional (3D) studies. In this study, Al 7075 alloys were corroded in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution and X-ray tomography was used to obtain the 3D microstructure of pits enabling the quantification of their dimensions accurately. Furthermore, microstructure and mechanical property correlations helped in a better understanding of the effect of corrosion. Apart from the pits, a surface corrosion layer also forms on Al. A subsurface damage layer has also been identified that forms due to the aggressive nature of NaCl. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and nanoindentation helped in identifying this region and understanding the variation in properties.
Tin based films are known to be susceptible to whisker growth resulting in numerous failures. While the mechanisms and factors affecting whisker growth have been studied extensively, not much has been reported on the mechanical properties of tin whiskers themselves. This study focuses on the tensile behavior of tin whiskers. Tensile tests of whiskers were conducted in situ a dual beam focused ion beam (FIB) with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) using a micro electro-mechanical system (MEMS) tensile testing stage. The deformation mechanisms of whiskers were analyzed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM).
Due to the heterogenous nature of the microstructure of Al 7075, it is susceptible to corrosion forming corrosion products and pits. These can be sites for cracks nucleation and propagation resulting in stress corrosion cracking (SCC). Therefore, complete understanding of the corrosion damaged region and its effect on the strength of the alloy is necessary. Several studies have been performed to visualize pits and understand their effect on the mechanical performance of Al alloys using two-dimensional (2D) approaches which are often inadequate. To get a thorough understanding of the pits, it is necessary for three-dimensional (3D) studies. In this study, Al 7075 alloys were corroded in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution and X-ray tomography was used to obtain the 3D microstructure of pits enabling the quantification of their dimensions accurately. Furthermore, microstructure and mechanical property correlations helped in a better understanding of the effect of corrosion. Apart from the pits, a surface corrosion layer also forms on Al. A subsurface damage layer has also been identified that forms due to the aggressive nature of NaCl. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and nanoindentation helped in identifying this region and understanding the variation in properties.
ContributorsVallabhaneni, Venkata Sathya Sai Renuka (Author) / Chawla, Nikhilesh (Thesis advisor) / Rajagopalan, Jagannathan (Committee member) / Solanki, Kiran (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017