An ultrastrong niobium alloy enabled by refractory carbide and eutectic structure. Issue 3 (4th March 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhang, Yi; Wei, Qinqin; Xie, Pan; Xu, Xiandong
• Is Part Of: Materials research letters. Volume 11:Issue 3(2023)
• Page Start: 169
• Page End: 178
• Publication Date: 2023-03-04
• Subjects: Niobium alloys -- refractory carbide -- eutectic structure -- mechanical properties -- strengthening mechanism; Materials science -- Research -- Periodicals; Biomedical materials -- Research -- Periodicals; Composite materials -- Research -- Periodicals; Biomedical materials -- Research; Composite materials -- Research; Materials science -- Research; Periodicals; 620.1105
• DOI: 10.1080/21663831.2022.2133977
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2166-3831

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Nb alloys with high strength and relatively low density are sought for high-temperature applications. However, due to strain softening, conventional Nb alloys often exhibit insufficient high-temperature strengths. Here we report a strategy to design a novel lightweight and thermally-stable Nb alloy by combining the notion of eutectics and refractory carbide. The resulting Nb2 MoWC0.96 eutectic alloy exhibits a high-temperature specific compressive strength of 77.2 MPa/·cm 3 ·g 1 at 1673 K with a retained engineering plasticity of 37.5%, both are notably higher than the existing Nb and Nb-containing alloys. This work demonstrates that both the strength and plasticity of Nb alloys can be further optimized with refractory carbide and eutectics. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT: UF0001 IMPACT STATEMENT: Combining the notion of eutectics with refractory carbide makes high strength, large plasticity Nb alloy with good microstructural stability.