Nanoparticle enabled high performance high modulus steels. (August 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zheng, Shiqi; Rementeria, Rosalía; Kan, Wenbin; Xu, Mingjie; Huang, Jin; Huang, Yu; Pan, Xiaoqing; Apelian, Diran; Liang, Yongfeng; Lin, Junpin; Perez, Marcos; Li, Xiaochun
• Is Part Of: Scripta materialia. Number 201(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-08
• Subjects: Liquid metallurgy -- Solidification -- High modulus steel -- Nanoparticle -- Mechanical properties; Materials -- Periodicals; Metallurgy -- Periodicals; Metalen; Legeringen; Materiaalkunde; Metals, metalworking and machinery industries; Metals; Electronic journals; 620.11
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scriptamat.2021.113954
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1359-6462

Abstract

Abstract: Here we present a novel concept that uses a low volume fraction of nanoparticles to nano-treat Fe-Ti-B melts for a new high performance high modulus steel (HMS). Microstructures of the nano-treated Fe-Ti-B HMS were investigated. The nano-treated HMS consists of fine TiB2 particles and a strengthening phase of unexpected ultrafine Fe2 B lamellas. While Fe2 B phase is traditionally considered to be detrimental in steel making due to its inherent embrittlement effect, this study shows a successful conversion of the detrimental Fe2 B phase into an advantageous one. The nano-treated HMS has significantly higher tensile strength compared to its conventionally made counterpart, 950 MPa vs. 510 MPa, while retaining the high Young's modulus, low density, and ductility. This new concept effectively demonstrates the successful structural refinement in Fe-Ti-B system using nanoparticles, without changing the solidification rate, which eliminates the dilemma between achieving enhanced mechanical properties versus manufacturing for mainstream applications and enables the use of stiff HMS for lightweighting of practical applications. A new mechanism of nanoparticle-induced solute enrichment at nanoscale in alloy melts was also proposed and has implications for new manufacturing routes of metals. Graphical abstract: Image, graphical abstract