Advanced Materials & Processes - January 2015

JANUARY 2015 | VOL 173 | NO 1
ADVANCED MANUFACTURING
3D PRINTING
OF STEEL ALLOYS
P. 20
26 COMPUTATIONAL THERMODYNAMICS
FOR MAGNESIUM ALLOY R&D
TECHNICAL SPOTLIGHT
31 THIXOMOLDING UPDATE
METALLURGY LANE
38 STAINLESS STEEL PART I
2
A DV A N C E D M AT E R I A L S & P RO C E S S E S | J A N U A RY 2 0 1 5
20
ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING OF STEEL ALLOYS
USING LASER POWDER-BED FUSION
Mahdi Jamshidinia, Alber Sadek, Wesley Wang, and Shawn Kelly
To expand the materials available for use in 3D printing, parameters that consider welding metallurgy
and laser powder interaction must be developed.
Courtesy of William Rafi
38 40 43
METALLURGY LANE 2015 ASM PROGRESS ASM NEWS
STAINLESS STEEL: PART 1 REPORT AND The monthly publication about ASM
Charles R. Simcoe members, chapters, events, awards,
STRATEGIC PLAN afiliates, and other Society activities.
The discovery of steel that does not rust Learn about ASM International’s
occurred afer research into high priorities and plans for the coming year.
chromium alloys began.
3
JANUARY 2015 | VOL 173 | NO 1
FEATURES
26 COMPUTATIONAL THERMODYNAMICS
AND KINETICS FOR MAGNESIUM ALLOY
DEVELOPMENT
Alan A. Luo, Weihua Sun, Wei Zhong, and Ji-Cheng Zhao
Computational thermodynamics and CALPHAD
modeling prove useful for selecting and developing
magnesium alloys.
26
31 TECHNICAL SPOTLIGHT
ENVIRONMENTALLY-FRIENDLY INJECTION
MOLDING
Thixomolding is a clean and safe process for semi-solid
injection molding of magnesium alloys.
34 TECHNICAL SPOTLIGHT
HYBRID INDUCTION ARC WELDING
A new welding process uses a hybrid approach to
31 34
reduce or eliminate weld distortion and increase
productivity.
Advanced Materials & Processes (ISSN 0882-7958,

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ON THE COVER: Asteroidea Electrica, frst place winner of the 2014 Department of Engineering photo competition to “change of address” cannot be replaced. Claims for
at The University of Cambridge, UK, sponsored by ZEISS. The image is a false colored, low magnifcation electron nondelivery must be made within 60 days of issue.
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4
IMAGINING A HAPPY AND

ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | JANUARY 2015
ASM International
9639 Kinsman Road, Materials Park, OH 44073 PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR
Tel: 440.338.5151 • Fax: 440.338.4634
Frances Richards, Senior Editor

[email protected]
H appy New Year from ASM International! We are truly
excited about the year ahead and hope you are too.
With the economy picking up, China doing away with its
Julie Lucko, Editor quotas on rare earths, and recent manufacturing reports
[email protected]
posting positive numbers, 2015 is already shaping up to
Barbara L. Brody, Art Director
be a solid year. Of course, nothing is guaranteed and we
Annie Beck, Production Manager
[email protected] are always skating on the edge of precariousness with
Press Release Editor pockets of war and unrest around the world. But relatively speaking, things
[email protected] seem to be on a positive trend at least in the world of manufacturing and
EDITORIAL COMMITTEE materials science.
Yu-Ping Yang, Chair, EWI Looking back over the past year, materials engineering was constantly
Jaimie Tiley, Vice Chair, U.S. Air Force making headlines. From Tesla Motors’ “gigafactory” for lithium-ion batteries
Research Lab
Mario Epler, Past Chair, Carpenter (construction began last summer in Nevada) to 3D printing of everything
Technology Corp. from jet engine parts to human tissue, materials were all over the news. We
Craig Clauser, Board Liaison
Kathryn Dannemann, Board Liaison
continue to watch aluminum make gains in the automotive industry with
Laura Addessio, PCC Structurals Inc. Ford’s F-150 and the newly announced Jaguar XE, and carbon fiber is making
Arvind Agarwal, Florida International inroads as well, for example in BMW’s i3 electric vehicle. Even more prom-
University
Gerald Bruck, Siemens Westinghouse ising for carbon fiber adoption are the changes taking
“The true sign of
Power Corp. place in aerospace designs. Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner
Steven Claves, Alcoa Inc. intelligence is not
sports an airframe made of nearly half carbon fiber
Adam Farrow, Los Alamos National Lab knowledge but
Nia Harrison, Ford Motor Co. reinforced plastic and other composites, the Airbus A350
Alan Luo, The Ohio State University
imagination.”
XWB will include fuselage and wings made of carbon fi-
Roger Narayan, UNC-NCSU — Albert Einstein
Somuri Prasad, Sandia National Lab ber composites, and Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Joint Strike
Fei Ren, Temple University Fighter will employ 6600 kg of carbon fiber composites per platform. All in
Michael Rigsbee, North Carolina State
University
all, use of carbon fibers in industrial applications is forecast to rise 12.6% per
Kumar Sridharan, University of Wisconsin year through 2018, according to research firm IHS Chemical.
Amazing materials innovations are also taking place in the medical realm.
ASM BOARD OF TRUSTEES Perhaps among the most promising and interesting developments are new
Sunniva R. Collins, President
bioabsorbable materials. For example, researchers at Fraunhofer Institute,
Jon D. Tirpak, Vice President
Craig D. Clauser, Treasurer Germany, are working on metal-ceramic composite suture anchors that “melt
C. Ravi Ravindran, Immediate Past President away” inside the body afer their work is done. The team is using powder
Iver Anderson
Kathryn Dannemann injection molding to make the tiny anchors out of a mix of 60% iron alloy and
Mitchell Dorfman 40% beta-tricalcium phosphate ceramic. The iron corrodes slowly to ensure
James C. Foley
mechanical strength while the ceramic decomposes quickly and stimulates
Jacqueline M. Earle
John R. Keough bone growth to help the body accept the implant. Lab testing is now under-
Zi-Kui Liu way to monitor use and degradation in the human body.
Tirumalai S. Sudarshan
David B. Williams In other news closer to home, ASM has ambitious plans in place for 2015.
Terry F. Mosier, Secretary and You’ve probably noticed our freshly redesigned magazine and we hope you
Interim Managing Director like it! Our goal with the new design is to lend a fresher, more modern look
STUDENT BOARD MEMBERS and feel to your favorite materials science news source, but to keep ofering
Virginia K. Judge, Anthony Lombardi, the same high quality, trusted technical content. Feel free to let us know how
Myrissa N. Maxfeld we’re doing and if you have any suggestions. For a look ahead at overall So-
Individual readers of Advanced Materials & Processes may,
ciety goals, be sure to read our annual Progress Report included in this issue.
without charge, make single copies of pages therefrom for per- We wish you all a fantastic 2015!
sonal or archival use, or may freely make such copies in such
numbers as are deemed useful for educational or research
purposes and are not for sale or resale. Permission is granted
to cite or quote from articles herein, provided customary
acknowledgment of the authors and source is made. [email protected]
6
MARKET SPOTLIGHT
MANUFACTURING EXECUTIVES WORRY

ABOUT MINERALS SUPPLY FEEDBACK
The National Mining Association (NMA), Establishment of new mines in
Washington, recently surveyed senior the U.S. currently takes seven to
manufacturing executives highlighting 10 years. According to the survey,
EXPLORING THE MYSTERY
the importance of domestic minerals 76% of manufacturing executives
and metals in manufacturing supply say the existing permitting process
OF WROUGHT IRON
I thoroughly enjoyed the historical
chains. Conducted by Edelman is unacceptable, and 95% believe
article about wrought iron
Berland, results show that a large it to be a serious threat to U.S.
(“Metallurgy Lane,” February 2014),
majority of respondents are concerned competitiveness. Approximately 90%
which I recently came across.
about mineral availability. The growing support streamlining the process to
Perhaps the author can answer a
global population and development less than three years. Other developed
question that has been on my mind
of new technologies and products nations such as Canada and Australia
for some time: Why don’t wrought
that rely on greater combinations complete the permitting process in two
iron railroad rails rust away?
of minerals have increased the to three years.
Stephen Kurtin
manufacturing industry’s demand for
raw materials. As a result of the survey, NMA will
[Your question applies to all wrought
continue to seek public policies
iron products. The best answer is
Of the large percentage of respondents that provide a more predictable and
that wrought iron contains several
who note minerals and metals supply efficient permitting process to feed
percent slag by weight. This slag
as a top concern for their organizations, the manufacturing supply chain.
is elongated in the direction of hot
91% express worries about minerals The U.S. House of Representatives
working and is visible only under
and supply chain disruptions outside recently passed The Strategic and
the microscope. The surface ferrite
of their control, citing geopolitics and Critical Minerals Production Act for
begins to rust upon exposure to
increasing global demand as the most the third time, and NMA urges the
the atmosphere, which leaves the
pressing factors. U.S. manufacturers Senate to take up similar legislation
slag particles standing in relief.
currently rely on foreign countries to bolster domestic manufacturing
Eventually, enough slag is exposed
for more than half of the minerals industries.
at the surface to form a continuous
and metals they use. Further, most of
coating that protects the ferrite
the executives surveyed also believe The survey included more than
from further rust. In the April 2014
minerals and metals demand will only 400 senior executives in the
issue (“Feedback” column), one
increase in the next five to 10 years. manufacturing industry or industries
reader pointed out that a wrought
In other findings, 80% of respondents impacted heavily by manufacturing.
iron pillar* in Delhi, India, has been
note the importance of sourcing Respondents were screened to
exposed to the weather for more
minerals and metals domestically, ensure their role in minerals and
than 1600 years without rusting. I
with the most important reasons cited metals procurement for their
hope this answers your question.—
as job creation, national security, and company. For more information, visit
Charles R. Simcoe]
international competitiveness. mineralsmakelife.org.
*ASM Historical Landmark.

FAST FACTS ABOUT U.S. MINERALS
• For every job in metals mining, an estimated 2.3 additional jobs are generated. We welcome all comments and
• The U.S. is 100% reliant on foreign countries for 17 critical and strategic minerals. suggestions. Send letters to frances.
• $8.1 billion worth of minerals are imported from foreign countries. [email protected].
• The U.S. contains $6.2 trillion worth of untapped mineral resources.
Source: naturalresources.house.gov
9
OMG!
ANATOMICAL BODY PARTS
PRODUCED BY
3D PRINTING
The 3D Printed Anatomy Series,
developed at Monash University,
Australia, is thought to be the first
commercially available resource of
Workers build a plastic thatch roof in Ecuador. Courtesy of Flickr, Reuse Everything
its kind. The kit contains no human
Institute.
tissue, yet provides all the major body
parts required to teach anatomy of the
limbs, chest, abdomen, head, and neck.
PLASTIC BOTTLES in Maqui Pacuna, a nature preserve in
Professor Paul McMenamin says the RECYCLED INTO GREEN Ecuador, is that dust and dirt gradually
accumulates on the thatch structures,
simple kit could dramatically improve ROOFS turning them into naturally occurring
trainee doctors’ and other health David Saiia, a professor at Duquesne green roofs (NOGRs). The soil also helps
professionals’ knowledge and could University, Pittsburgh, came up with difuse the direct sunlight and adds
even contribute to development of new an alternative to tin thatched roofs years to the life of the roof. duq.edu.
surgical treatments. commonly used in South America:
Afer scanning real anatomical Plastic thatch, sourced from soda-
specimens with either a CT or surface bottle waste. The tops and bottoms UNSTICKING NATURE’S
laser scanner, body parts are 3D printed of the bottles are sliced of and the STRONGEST GLUE
either in a plaster-like powder or in remaining body is flattened and cut An international team of scientists
plastic, resulting in high resolution, into strips, which are then adhered to led by Newcastle University, UK, and
accurate color reproductions. a cross-strip using ultrasonic sealing funded by the U.S. Ofice of Naval
“Radiographic imaging, such as CT, is machines. Plastic thatch combines the Research, has unlocked the secret of
a sophisticated means of capturing waterproof qualities of tin with better one of nature’s strongest adhesives—
information in very thin layers. By ventilation. It also allows light to filter barnacle glue, as seen along the top
taking this data and making a 3D in and mufles sound. Further, it is of this page. Researchers have shown
rendered model, we can then color that made of local waste materials and will for the first time that barnacle larvae
model and convert it to a file format provide livelihood fabricating, selling, release an oily droplet to clear the
that the 3D printer uses to recreate a and installing roofs, which are expected water from surfaces before sticking
body part to scale,” says McMenamin. to last more than a decade. Another down using a phosphoprotein
www.monash.edu.au. bonus, discovered by a pilot adhesive. Research associate Nick
Aldred says the findings could pave the
way for development of novel synthetic
bioadhesives for use in medical
implants and microelectronics. The
research will also be important in the
production of new anti-fouling coatings
for ships. www.ncl.ac.uk.
Are you working with or have you

discovered a material or its properties
that exhibit OMG - Outrageous
Materials Goodness?
Send your submissions to
Julie Lucko at
Michelle Quayle is pictured with part of the 3D Printed Anatomy Series. [email protected].
10
METALS | POLYMERS | CERAMICS

this initiative could open up numerous The deprotection step can lead to four
opportunities for the military to apply distinct chemical functionalities of
single-piece structures to large combat the radical polymer, two of which are
vehicles and other applications. promising for increasing conductivity.
alcoa.com, arl.army.mil. For more information: Bryan Boudouris,
765.496.6056, [email protected],
RADICAL POLYMERS www.purdue.edu.
CONDUCT ELECTRICITY
Alcoa manufactured the world’s
An emerging class of electrically SHAPE-SHIFTING MATERIAL TO
largest single-piece forged conductive plastics called radical HELP CORRECT FACIAL DEFECTS
aluminum hull for combat vehicles polymers may bring low cost, transparent A newly developed shape-shifing material
as part of a joint Alcoa-U.S. Army solar cells, flexible and lightweight that molds itself to fill gaps in bone while
initiative. Courtesy of U.S. Army. batteries, and ultrathin antistatic coatings promoting bone growth could more
for consumer electronics and aircraf. efectively treat defects in the facial region,
Researchers have established the solid- according to researchers at Texas A&M
WORLD’S LARGEST SINGLE-
state electrical properties of one such University, College Station. Melissa Grunlan,
PIECE FORGED ALUMINUM polymer, called PTMA, which is about 10 associate professor in the university’s
HULL PROTECTS TROOPS times more electrically conductive than Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Alcoa Inc., Cleveland, produced the world’s common semiconducting polymers. “It’s is working with colleagues at Texas A&M
largest single-piece forged aluminum a polymer glass that conducts charge, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy,
hull for combat vehicles to improve troop which seems like a contradiction because N.Y. Together they created a polymer foam
protection as part of a joint initiative with glasses are usually insulators,” said that is malleable afer treating with warm
the U.S. Army. Alcoa manufactured the Bryan Boudouris, an assistant professor saline, allowing it to precisely fill a bone
single-piece part, which was codesigned of chemical engineering at Purdue defect before hardening into a porous,
with the Army Research Laboratory, with the University, West Lafayette, Ind. spongelike scafold that promotes new
goal of replacing today’s assembled hulls. bone formation.
The polymer is easy to manufacture
Based on early modeling and simulation, and resembles Plexiglas. To create it, The team envisions the material as a
single-piece underbody structures could researchers use a procedure called treatment for cranio-maxillofacial bone
provide two times better protection deprotection, which involves replacing a defects—gaps in bone occurring in the
against blasts—such as those caused by specific hydrogen atom in the pendant head, face, or jaw areas. The polymer
improvised explosive devices (IEDs)—than group with an oxygen atom, converting it foam acts as a scafold while promoting
traditional hulls, primarily by eliminating into a so-called radical group. The oxygen healing by allowing bone cells to migrate
welded seams. In addition to survivability atom in PTMA has one unpaired electron into the area and repair damaged tissue.
benefits, single-piece hulls can be in its outer shell, making it amenable Ultimately the scafold dissolves, leaving
optimized to reduce vehicle weight and to transporting charge. “You have to behind new bone tissue, says Grunlan.
assembly time, and therefore overall cost. control the deprotection process very well For more information: Melissa Grunlan,
The Army is now blast testing the hull to because it makes the conductivity vary 979.845.2406, [email protected],
demonstrate its durability. If successful, by orders of magnitude,” says Boudouris. www.engineering.tamu.edu/biomedical.
BRIEFS
Momentive Specialty Chemicals Inc., Columbus, Ohio, won the People’s Choice
Award for the “Most Innovative Composite Part” at the Society of Plastics
Engineers Automotive Composites Conference & Exhibition. The winning
component was a lightweight, carbon fber epoxy door and window frame profle
produced by Benteler-SGL for 2013 and later Porsche 911 GT3 Cup coupes.
momentive.com.
11
TESTING | CHARACTERIZATION
PHOTO CONTEST
CELEBRATES MICROSCOPY
The University of Cambridge, UK,
announced the 2014 winners of its
Department of Engineering photo
competition sponsored by ZEISS,
headquartered in Germany. The
annual competition aims to show the
breadth of engineering research at the
university, from nanoscale objects to
major infrastructure. First place was
awarded to Indrat Aria, for his image
entitled Asteroidea Electrica, pictured
The new electromagnetic levitator aboard the ISS suspends liquid metals in
weightlessness as they cool and solidify in ESA’s Columbus laboratory. Courtesy on the cover of this issue. The Electron
of German Aerospace Center, DLR. Microscopy Prize was given to Tanvir
Qureshi for his image of a bridge forming
in self-healing concrete. The sample was
MICROGRAVITY METALS EML processes one sample at a time. Each
collected from the cement’s self-healing
sample is suspended in weightlessness,
RESEARCH HOLDS PROMISE FOR supported by magnetic repulsion, and
zone, where flowerlike bridges efectively
MATERIALS MODELS then heated to liquefaction. No
expand and heal the cracks. www.cam.
A new European Space Agency (ESA) ac.uk, zeiss.com.
containers are used to hold the metals
facility aboard the International Space during experiments, so measurements
Station (ISS) will serve as a furnace can be taken in the purest form. One
capable of levitating and heating of the studies in this first batch of EML
metals up to 3632°F. The microgravity investigations is called Thermolab. This
environment allows the observation of 15-nation collaboration led by Hans
fundamental physical processes that Fecht, a professor at Ulm University,
occur as liquid metals cool. ESA’s final Germany, includes a number of samples
Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV-5) with multiple experiments per sample
mission to the space station delivered occurring during the next two to five
the Materials Science Laboratory years. Thermolab will investigate
Electromagnetic Levitator (MSL-EML) and temperatures and physical properties of
its first batch of new materials science industrial alloys in the liquid phase to help
investigations. EML research will provide improve models of industrial casting and
Self-Healing Concrete, the Electron
insight into how liquid metals cool solidification processes for materials used Microscopy Prize winner of the University
without the influence of gravity or the in aerospace, automotive, and consumer of Cambridge’s annual photo contest.
mold that encases the cooling metals. electronics applications. www.esa.int. Courtesy of Tanvir Qureshi.
BRIEFS
Neil Sarkar, a researcher at the University of Waterloo’s Centre for Integrated RF
Engineering (CIRFE), Ontario, received the Douglas R. Colton Medal for Research
Excellence from CMC Microsystems for research and development of the world’s
frst single-chip atomic force microscope. The $1000 microscope opens new
possibilities in nanoscale research and manufacturing. www.uwaterloo.ca. Single-chip desktop atomic force
microscopy on a penny.
12
SURFACE ENGINEERING
platform—successfully demonstrating a
FABRICATION PROCESS desktop printer-sized fabrication platform
PRODUCES HIGHLY ALIGNED for HAPFs in a commercially viable form
POLYMER FILMS factor. mit.edu.
Researchers from Massachusetts
Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge,
demonstrated a novel automated VARIABLE GLASS COATINGS
fabrication process consisting of a three- TO STOP CONDENSATION
step sol-gel extrusion, structure freezing ON WINDOWS The Megatron lets scientists create
and drying, and mechanical drawing Triple glazing is intended to keep as new combinations of materials.
process, which results in production of much of the expensive heating energy Courtesy of Fraunhofer IST.
highly aligned polymer films (HAPFs). inside houses as possible, but a drop
Although HAPFs are in demand, previous in outside temperature causes the
deliberately contaminate the coating
fabrication methods were limited to outermost pane to cool down significantly
material with niobium in order to make
manual, lab-scale batch processes. overnight, and moisture in the air is
it conductive. “Unlike conventional
deposited as condensation, resulting in
sputtering systems, Megatron allows
By manipulating the polymers’ molecular misty windows.
us to vary the doping concentration to
chains first by disentanglement followed
any required level. It also enables us to
by macroscopic plastic deformation- The Megatron sputtering system,
increase the coating rate and obtain a
induced alignment, material properties developed by researchers at the
smoother surface,” says IST group leader
can be improved. This high-throughput Fraunhofer Institute for Surface
Volker Sittinger.
platform uses Couette flow for enhanced Engineering and Thin Films IST, Germany,
chain disentanglement; a constant- opens the way to the development of
The system allows entirely new coatings
force adaptive-thickness mechanical entirely new coating systems for a variety
to be created by combining materials in
drawing system that aids in uniform film of applications. In the case of triple
a film that cannot be mixed in the form of
production; and an automated scalable glazing on windows, researchers
a target, and were previously impossible
to produce. For example, a combination
of tungsten and titanium dioxide could
be used to create self-cleaning surfaces
for interior spaces. When UV light hits a
film of pure titanium dioxide, it breaks
down any organic particles found there.
If the titanium dioxide film is doped
SEM images demonstrate drastic changes in polyethylene surface morphology resulting with tungsten, the organic dirt particles
from fabrication. The initial polymer particulate material resembles tightly wound balls
are broken down and detached when
of string (a). Compared to the extruded sample (b), polymer disentanglement as a result
of the high shear rate Couette-based extrusion process is evident. SEM images of 50× (c), exposed to natural daylight. www.ist.
and 100× (d) drawn flms. Film structure is uniform fbrous with minimal defects. Scale bar fraunhofer.de/en.html.
represents 100 µm (a), and 2 µm (b-d). Courtesy of Technology.
A TEAM AT PLYMOUTH
UNIVERSITY, UK, FOUND
BRIEFS THAT IN-MOLD GEL-COATING
Kloeckner Metals, Roswell, Ga., will exclusively distribute physical vapor COULD REDUCE STYRENE
deposition (PVD)-coated stainless and aluminum sheet products made by Double LEVELS BY MORE THAN 98%
Stone Steel, whose process of PVD titanium ion coating improves stainless steel PROVIDING A ROUTE TO
performance by enhancing corrosion, scratch, and wear resistance. Compared to REDUCED ENVIRONMENTAL
electroplating or painting, the PVD process does not discharge gas, water waste, IMPACT. plymouth.edu.
or other residues. doublestonesteel.com, kloecknermetals.com.
14
PROCESS TECHNOLOGY
A new process developed by KIT enables

coating of electrode foils at record speed.
Courtesy of M. Schmitt/KIT.
batteries can be manufactured at much

lower costs. Afer three years of research,
the team headed by Wilhelm Schabel
Rocket engine parts made by 3D manufacturing in copper alloy undergo and Philip Scharfer of the Thin Film
hot-fre testing at NASA Glenn with Aerojet Rocketdyne. Courtesy of NASA. Technology group of the KIT Institute of
Thermal Process Engineering increased
ratios and injector operability points. the speed of intermittent production
TESTING 3D COPPER PARTS All were deemed fully successful and of the electrode foils representing the
FOR ROCKETS the work is a major milestone in the actual energy storage systems to 100
NASA’s Game Changing Development development and certification of diferent meters per minute. Up to now, 25 to 35
Program in the Space Technology and materials used in the 3D printing process. meters per minute had been the industrial
Mission Directorate recently co-funded a nasa.gov. state of the art. Within the “Competence
groundbreaking test series with Aerojet E” project, scientists developed a
Rocketdyne (AR) at NASA’s Glenn Research revolutionary coating technology that
Center, Cleveland. Working with NASA, AR NEW SLOT DIE PROCESS makes it possible not only to produce
successfully completed the first hot-fire SLASHES BATTERY continuous coatings, but also patterns
tests on an advanced rocket engine thrust PRODUCTION COSTS featuring high precision. kit.edu/english.
chamber assembly made of copper alloys. Scientists at the Karlsruhe Institute of
This was the first time a series of rigorous Technology (KIT), Germany, boosted the
tests confirmed that 3D manufactured manufacturing speed of electrode foils HARPER
copper parts could withstand the heat coated in batches by a factor of three. INTERNATIONAL,
and pressure required of combustion This record-breaking performance was BUFFALO, N.Y.,
engines used in space launches. NASA achieved by a patent-pending, flexible FINALIZED A
and AR conducted 19 hot-fire tests on four slot die process that enables production CONTRACT FOR A
injector and thrust chamber assembly of any pattern with high precision and RESEARCH SCALE
configurations, exploring various mixture at high speeds. As a result, lithium-ion HIGH-TEMPERATURE
REACTOR TO SUPPORT
UNIVERSITY OF
BRIEFS COLORADO BOULDER’S
General Electric (GE) will build a $32 million manufacturing facility outside of DEVELOPMENT OF
Pittsburgh to drive innovation and implementation of advanced manufacturing MAGNESIUM FOR
technologies such as digital fabrication, rapid prototyping, and open innovation. LIGHTWEIGHT VEHICLE
The facility will focus on improving capabilities and usage of additive PARTS.
manufacturing across GE while advancing materials sciences and inspection harperintl.com.
technologies. Construction will be complete by September 2015. ge.com.
16
ENERGY TRENDS
of graphene to create a hybrid that could

greatly cut the cost of generating energy
with fuel cells.
Researchers discovered that boiling down

a solution of GQDs and graphene oxide
sheets (exfoliated from common graphite)
combined them into self-assembling
Color-enhanced image reveals how the structure of zinc-antimonide changes as nanoscale platelets that could then be
lithium ions enter the anode. Courtesy of Anmin Nie. treated with nitrogen and boron. The
hybrid material combines the advantages
of each component—an abundance of
the anode, in this case a promising new
FIGURING OUT material called zinc antimonide, but also
edges where chemical reactions take
WHY RECHARGEABLE provides a clue as to why most anodes
place and excellent conductivity between
BATTERIES FAIL made of layered materials eventually
GQDs provided by the graphene base. The
Michigan Technological University, boron and nitrogen collectively add more
fail. “We showed that the ions cause a
Houghton, researcher Reza Shahbazian- catalytically active sites to the material
lot of local stress and phase transitions,”
Yassar wants to better map lithium than either element would contribute
says Nie. For more information: Reza
ion’s journey from cathode to anode alone. For more information: James Tour,
Shahbazian-Yassar, 906.487.3581,
and back again with an ultimate aim to [email protected], jmtour.com.
[email protected], www.mtu.edu.
make better batteries, with more power
and a longer life. Using transmission
electron microscopy, Anmin Nie, a senior INEXPENSIVE REPLACEMENT
postdoctoral researcher in Shahbazian- FOR RARE METAL AS FUEL-CELL
Yassar’s research group, recently CATALYST
documented what can happen to anodes Graphene quantum dots created at Rice
as lithium ions work their way into them. University, Houston, grab onto graphene
platelets like barnacles attach themselves
“We call it atomic shufling,” says to the hull of a boat. But they enhance
Shahbazian-Yassar. “The layered structure the base material’s properties while doing
of the electrode changes as the lithium so, making them better than platinum
goes inside, creating a sandwich structure. catalysts for certain reactions within fuel Electron microscope image shows fake-
There is lots of localized expansion and cells. like nanoplatelets made of graphene
contraction in the electrode crystals, quantum dots drawn from coal and
graphene oxide sheets, modifed with
which helps the lithium blaze a trail.” The Rice lab of chemist James Tour
boron and nitrogen. The nanoplatelets
created dots known as GQDs from coal feature enough edges to make them
The atomic shufling not only helps last year and now combined these suitable as catalysts for applications like
explain how lithium ions move through nanoscale dots with microscopic sheets fuel cells. Courtesy of the Tour Group.
BRIEFS
A123 Systems LLC, Livonia, Mich., a manufacturer of advanced Nanophosphate
lithium-ion batteries and systems, completed the sale of its facilities for the
production of certain battery materials to Johnson Matthey, UK, a specialty
chemicals manufacturer. The facilities in Changzhou, China, produce lithium iron
phosphate (LFP), the cathode material that A123 has historically used across its
product portfolio. a123systems.com, matthey.com.
18
NANOTECHNOLOGY
source that fits into the tiny space of a

computer chip.
The method, which generates “mixed

up” photon pairs from devices that are
smaller than 1 mm2 in area, could form
the core of next-generation quantum
optical communication and computing
technology. One of the properties of
light exploited within quantum optics
is photon polarization, essentially the
direction in which the electric field
LUT’s prototype motor has an output power of 40 W and achieves nearly 70% associated with the photon oscillates.
eficiency. Courtesy of LUT.
The research team set out to find a way
to directly mix up, or cross-polarize, the
copper and also environmentally photons via a nonlinear optical process
ELECTRIC MOTOR DESIGN friendlier. Therefore, replacing on a chip.
REPLACES COPPER IN copper with nanotube wires should
WINDINGS significantly reduce the CO 2 emissions To generate the cross-polarized photons,
Researchers at Lappeenranta University related to the manufacturing and researchers used two diferent laser
of Technology (LUT), Finland, constructed operation of electrical machines,” says beams at diferent wavelengths—
the world’s first prototype electrical motor professor Juha Pyrhönen. one vertically polarized and another
using electrically conductive carbon www.lut.fi/web/en. horizontally polarized. The approach,
nanotube yarn in the motor windings, however, came with a potential pitfall: The
potentially significantly enhancing classical process between the two pump
performance. The test motor has an COUPLED WAVEGUIDES ON beams could destroy the photons’ fragile
output power of 40 W, rotates at CHIPS ENHANCE QUANTUM quantum state. To address this challenge,
15,000 rpm, and achieves almost 70% COMPUTING the team pioneered a new approach
eficiency. Commercial devices capable of based on a micro-ring resonator—a tiny
encrypting information in unbreakable optical cavity with a diameter on the order
“If we keep the electrical machine codes are only possible due to recent of tens to hundreds of micrometers—
design parameters unchanged and quantum optics advances, especially that operates in such a way that energy
only replace copper with future the generation of photon pairs— conservation constraints suppress
carbon nanotube wires, it is possible tiny entangled particles of light. An classical efects while amplifying quantum
to reduce the Joule losses in the international team of researchers, led by processes. For more information: Roberto
windings to half the present-day professor Roberto Morandotti of INRS-EMT Morandotti, 514.228.6924,
machine losses. Carbon nanotube in Canada, is introducing a new method [email protected],
wires are significantly lighter than to achieve a diferent type of photon pair www.inrs.ca.
Light hits a gold particle, which then

emits light into a glass fber—in only BRIEFS
one direction. Courtesy of TU Vienna. Researchers at the Vienna University of Technology, Austria, developed a new
type of optical switch by coupling gold nanoparticles to ultra-thin glass fbers.
They used the property of spin-orbit coupling of light, which enables light to be
focused in a single direction. The nanoparticles emit light into these fbers in a
specifc manner so that the light travels in either the lef or right direction.
www.tuwien.ac.at/en.
19
CORPORATE SPOTLIGHT
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represents the highest standard in and indicating systems of the SL testers is traceable to the
hydraulically powered universal National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
testing machines. It features a patented dual-pressure hydrau-
lic loading system and a rugged four-column construction for For consistent accuracy, robustness, and unparalleled reliabil-
exceptional load frame rigidity. In addition, it has a space- ity, the Tinius Olsen SL series still sets the standard of excel-
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ing height design. [email protected], 215.675.7100.
20
ADDITIVE
A D V A N C E D M A N U FA C T U R I N G
MANUFACTURING
O S
OF STEEL ALLOYS
O S USING
S
LASER POWDER-BED FUSION
In order to expand the choice of materials available for use in
additive manufacturing, parameters that consider welding metallurgy,
laser powder interaction, and post processing must be developed.
Mahdi Jamshidinia, Alber Sadek, Wesley Wang, and Shawn Kelly*, EWI, Columbus, Ohio
Automotive heat exchanger

made by additive manufacturing.
Courtesy of EOS and Within.
*Member of ASM International

21
A
dditive manufacturing (AM) such as heat treatment. This article continues until the complete
is commonly defned as the describes the outcomes of process 3D design is manufactured layer-by-
production of a functional development of a steel and stain- layer.
engineering component built one less steel alloy that are not standard Coupon fabrication was
layer at a time from computer aided materials for L-PBF equipment. performed using a commercially
design (CAD) data. Applicable metal Two steel alloys including AISI available L-PBF machine (M280
AM technologies produce a volume 420 and AISI 4140 were fabricated Direct Metal Laser Sintering from
of material in a layerwise fashion by an L-PBF process. The infuence EOS, Germany) in EWI’s AM
by melting a material feedstock of both processing parameters and laboratory. A liquid argon dewar
(powder, wire) with an energy source heat treatment on the microstruc- provided the shield gas and the
(laser, electron beam, electric arc) tural characteristics of AISI 420 were oxygen level in the process chamber
that follows a tool path derived from investigated. The mechanical prop- was maintained below 0.1%.
the CAD model. erties of AISI 4140 produced by AM Powders were also screened through
The ability of AM processes such were also measured and compared an 80 µm sieve for use in the M280.
as laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) with properties of the conventionally General parameters used for the
to create complex geometries has manufactured alloy. two materials in this study are shown
caused rapid growth in a number of in Table 1.
industries. Energy savings, less ma- Methods and materials AISI 420 coupons were heat
terial waste, faster design-to-build A schematic of the L-PBF process treated and hardened by heating to
time, design optimization, reduction or direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) 1000°C±10°C with a heating rate of
in manufacturing steps, and product equipment is illustrated in Fig. 1[1]. 12°C/min, and holding time of 15
customization are the most import- The build platform is preheated to minutes, followed by oil quenching.
ant advantages of AM. a temperature that is usually below Tempering at 550°C for 30 minutes
Manufacturers can purchase 100°C and a recoating system achieved high hardness.
turnkey solutions from equipment spreads a thin layer (20-80 µm) of Tensile testing of AISI 4140
providers that include the machine, powder over the platform. Next, was performed at room temperature
process parameters, and even pow- a laser beam scans the powder according to ASTM E8 standard
der. This approach enables produc- bed according to a tool path using a 0.25-in. diameter gage
tion of complicated parts quickly, generated from the part’s 3D CAD specimen, with a loading rate of
but the choice of materials available model. Depending on the L-PBF 0.02 in./min (1.27 mm/min). The
is very limited. Demand for addition- machine, laser power outputs range Charpy notched bar impact test
al materials and a desire to explore from 200 to 1000 W of maximum was performed at -18°C according
other applications requires devel- continuous output. The absorption to ASTM E23. Both the tensile
opment of material parameters with of laser energy melts the metal and Charpy impact tests were
an understanding of welding metal- powder, resulting in a metallurgical investigated along and normal to
lurgy, laser powder interaction, and bond between the current and the build direction. All tensile and
post-process manufacturing steps pre-deposited layers. This process Charpy impact tests were conducted
Fig. 1 — Schematic of L-PBF process (left); EOSINT M280 (right)[1].

22
TABLE 1—PROCESS PARAMETERS USED FOR L-PBF OF AISI 4140 STEEL

AND AISI 420 STAINLESS STEEL

Scanning speed, Layer Preheat temp.
Material Coupon ID Power, P (W) P/v (J/mm)
v (mm/s) thickness (µm) (°C)
a 200 1000 0.200
AISI 420 stainless steel b 300 1000 0.300 30 35
c 300 800 0.375
a 317 1000 0.317
AISI 4140 b 350 867 0.403 40 80
c 283 600 0.471
TABLE 2—CHEMICAL COMPOSITION (WT%), PARTICLE SIZE

AND PACKING CHARACTERISTICS OF AISI 4140 POWDER
C Mn P S Si Cr Mo Fe N O
0.44 0.9 <0.01 <0.02 0.21 1 0.21 bal 0.03 0.02
Tap density 4.8 g/cm3 >270 Mesh D10 D50 D90 <22 µm
Apparent density 4.0 g/cm3 5% 34.3 µm 42.2 µm 72.7 µm 0%
TABLE 3—CHEMICAL COMPOSITION (WT%), PARTICLE SIZE

AND PACKING CHARACTERISTICS OF AISI 420 POWDER
C Si Mn P S Cr Ni Mo N Fe
0.42 0.54 0.33 0.014 0.01 13.3 0.37 0.06 0.092 bal
on samples with a machined surface input, respectively. Each individual (a)

fnish. Hardness was measured laser scan is indicated in the
according to ASTM E18 by using a metallographic cross-sections by
normal load of 150 Kg. a solidifcation line. The as-built
microstructure exhibits homogenous
Materials characteristics cellular dendrite structure, which
Both the AISI 420 stainless steel grew epitaxially along the build
and AISI 4140 steel powders were direction. Some columnar dendrites
were large enough to traverse (b)
produced by Carpenter Powder
Products, Reading, Pa. Table 2 several individual layers.
shows the chemistry, particle The as-built microstructure
size characteristics, and packing was martensitic in all cases, with
characteristics of the AISI 4140 some retained austenite. However,
powder (from vendor certifcation). depending on the level of heat
A LECO CS400 analyzer performed input, various amounts of austenite
carbon and sulfur analysis. Nitrogen were formed with different
(c)
and oxygen were measured by morphologies. The moderate heat
the inert gas fusion method. The input sample retained much more
powder had a distribution of -270 austenite in the shape of separated
mesh/+22µm. Chemical analysis and longitudinal islands. Each feature
powder size distribution of AISI 420 consisted of very fne, parallel
are shown in Table 3. cylindrical retained austenite grains. 100 mm
The microstructure of AISI 420
AISI 420 results coupons after quench and temper Fig. 2 — Effect of heat input on
Figure 2 compares the heat treatment is shown in microstructure of as-built AISI 420
Fig. 3. Heat treatment eliminates stainless steel: (a) Low heat input
microstructure of the as-built AISI
(P=200 W, v=1000 mm/s);
420, where the a, b, and c indexes the original dendrite structure
(b) Moderate heat input (P=300 W,
represent coupons fabricated and fusion boundaries resulting in v=1000 mm/s); and (c) High heat input
by low, moderate, and high heat formation of recrystallized grains. All (P=300 W, v=800 mm/s).
23
(a) (b) (c)
25 mm
Fig. 3 — QT heat treatment infuence on AISI 420 microstructure: (a) Low heat input (P=200 W, V=1000 mm/s);
(b) Moderate heat input (P=300 W, V=1000 mm/s); and (c) High heat input (P=300 W, V=800 mm/s).
quench-temper (QT) samples refect formation of fne

martensite with precipitation of carbides.
The precipitation of carbides (M23C6) with different
sizes was observed. The size and shape of carbides are
a function of both heat input and initial microstructure.
Lower and moderate heat input (Figs. 3a and b) result
in fne carbide particles compared to higher heat input
(Fig. 3c), which has very large carbide particles.
Figure 4 shows the infuence of heat treatment on
the hardness of AISI 420. Heat treatment increases
hardness, which can be caused by the formation of a
fner microstructure. On the other hand, the volume
fraction and size of the carbide particles present in the Fig. 4 —Heat input and heat treatment infuence the hardness
stainless steel and the amount of retained austenite of 420 stainless steel.
24
TABLE 4—INFLUENCE OF MANUFACTURING PROCESSES ON MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF AISI 4140

Toughness (Charpy
Yield strength (MPa) Tensile strength (MPa) Elongation (%)
energy, J)
1365 (XY) 1526 (XY) 13.8 (XY) 34.8 (XY)
L-PBF 4140 steel (as-built)
1281 (Z) 1438 (Z) 12.4 (Z) 32.1 (Z)
Conventional 4140 steel 420-900 610-1050 12-15 28-50
play a major role in determining laser powder bed-fusion (L-PBF)

hardness, strength, toughness, process helped develop the
corrosion resistance, and wear corresponding process windows
resistance[2]. Because a higher regarding the structural integrity
percentage of spheroidal carbide of coupons, where systematic
was formed at a low heat input, defects such as lack of fusion and
maximum increase in hardness was porosity were minimized. In both
observed in this coupon. The black cases (AISI 420 and AISI 4140),
solid line shows the typical hardness densities exceeding 99% theoretical
range of AISI 420. were produced. Through precise
control of the L-PBF parameters, it
Mechanical properties is possible to produce the desired
of AISI 4140 shape of martensitic stainless steel
grade 420 with an acceptable
Ultimate tensile strength, 0.2%
microstructure and hardness values.
yield strength, and elongation (%)
A heat treatment cycle that results
were measured and compared along
in the formation of a fne martensite
the Z and normal to XY of the build
microstructure with precipitation of
direction (Fig. 5). The difference in
spheroidal carbides was designed
mechanical properties is related to the
and implemented. Initial studies
establishment of a unidirectional heat
of the microstructure reveal a
transfer along the build direction in the
relationship between the formation
AM of metals. As a result, elongated
of an ultrafne microstructure and
grains form along the build direction.
improved mechanical properties in
Table 4 compares the mechanical
AISI 4140. ~AM&P
properties of additively manufactured
AISI 4140 with those of conventional
AISI 4140. As-built additively For more information:
Mahdi Jamshidinia is an applications
manufactured AISI 4140 exhibits engineer – additive manufacturing, EWI,
mechanical properties equivalent or 1250 Arthur E. Adams Dr., Columbus,
superior to conventionally processed OH 43221, 614.688.5153,
(and heat treated) steel. Based on [email protected], www.ewi.org.
initial microstructural characterization,

Acknowledgment
the formation of small solidifcation
This work was funded under EWI’s
Fig. 5 — Anisotropy in mechanical grains and ultrafne cell structures internal research and development
properties of AM AISI 4140: in AM AISI 4140 steel improves program.
(a) ultimate tensile strength; (b) 0.2% mechanical properties. Future work
yield strength; and (c) elongation, %.
will focus on the microstructural References:
characteristics of an AM AISI 4140. 1. http://www.eos.info/en.
2. A. Rajasekhar, et al., Infuence
of Austenitizing Temperature on
Conclusions Microstructure and Mechanical
Properties of AISI 431 Martensitic
Studying the additive Stainless Steel Electron Beam Welds,
manufacturing of AISI 420 stainless Materials & Design, Vol 30, p 1612-1624,
steel and AISI 4140 steel using a 2009.
26
COMPUTATIONAL
THERMODYNAMICS AND
KINETICS FOR MAGNESIUM
ALLOY DEVELOPMENT
Computational thermodynamics and CALPHAD modeling prove useful
for selecting and developing new magnesium alloys.
Alan A. Luo, FASM*, Weihua Sun, Wei Zhong, and Ji-Cheng Zhao*, The Ohio State University, Columbus
L
ightweighting is a well-known
strategy for increasing
energy effciency and reduc-
ing greenhouse gas emissions.
Magnesium, the lightest structural
T, oC
metal, will thus see increased

use in a wide range of structural
and functional applications for
energy generation and storage,
propulsion, and transportation[1].
Current industrial applications for
magnesium alloys are confned to Fig. 1(a) — Calculated Mg-Al phase diagram.
nonstructural or semi-structural
compositions are listed as wt% materials and products[4]. This
components, due to the limited
unless otherwise stated. section demonstrates examples
mechanical properties of conven-
of applying computational
tional Mg-Al-based alloys such
as AZ91 (Mg-9Al-1Zn) and AM60
Computational thermodynamics and CALPHAD
(Mg-6Al-0.3Mn). New magnesium thermodynamics modeling in the development of

new creep-resistant magnesium
alloys are being developed with and alloy design
alloys using the Pandat code and its
higher strength, ductility, and Originated from the early work
PanMagnesium database[5].
creep resistance at room and of Kaufman and Bernstein[4], the
elevated temperatures[2-3]. CALPHAD (CALculation of PHAse
This article summarizes an Diagrams) technique—based on
Mg-Al system
ongoing effort to establish computational thermodynamics Aluminum is the most widely
a scientifc foundation of of alloy systems—has matured used alloying addition in
computational thermodynamics over the past few decades. Many magnesium for strengthening
and kinetics of magnesium alloys commercial software packages, and castability. Figure 1(a) shows
to achieve accelerated design such as Thermo-Calc, FactSage, the calculated Mg-Al phase
and optimization of these alloys and Pandat, have become diagram. Two eutectic reactions are
for weight reduction in the important integrated important to the phase constitution
transportation industries. All computational materials of Mg-Al binary alloys:
engineering (ICME) tools used 1) 450°C L —> Al + Mg2Al3
*Member of ASM International in the development of new 2) 436°C L —> Mg + Mg17Al12
27
Commercial cast and wrought magnesium alloys
(AZ91, AM60, and AZ31) contain less than 10% Al,
and the microstructure of these Mg-Al based alloys is
generally characterized by formation of the Mg17Al12
phase. The low eutectic temperature (436°C) of
the Mg17Al12 phase limits the application of Mg-Al
alloys to temperatures below 125°C, above which
the discontinuous precipitation of the Mg17Al12
phase leads to substantial creep deformation[2].
Therefore, possible approaches for improving creep
resistance in Mg-Al based alloys include: suppressing
the formation of the Mg17Al12 phase; pinning grain
boundary sliding; and slowing solute diffusion in the
magnesium matrix.
Fig. 1(b) — Calculated Mg-Al-Ce liquidus projection and
solidifcation paths of experimental Mg-Al-Ce alloys.
Mg-Al-Ce system
Earlier experimental work[6, 7] shows that adding TABLE 1 — SCHEIL SIMULATION (VOL%) OF
rare earth elements (RE) in the form of mischmetal MG-AL-CE ALLOYS (BASELINE: AM50 ALLOY)
can improve the creep resistance of Mg-Al based
Alloy (Al,Mg)2Ce Al11Ce3 Mg17Al12 Mg12Ce
alloys, especially when aluminum content is low (less
AM50 — — 4.3 —
than 4%). This led to the development of AE series
AE42 0.9 0.2 1.8 —
alloys, AE42 (Mg-4Al-2RE) and AE44 (Mg-4Al-2RE),
AE44 2.0 0.1 1.0 —
where the mischmetal RE generally contains more
AE416 9.5 0 0 0.7
than 60% Ce (balance La, Nd, and Pr). Figure 1(b)
shows the calculated liquidus projection of the Mg-
Al-Ce system in the Mg-rich corner. Generally, the shows that 15% Ce is required to completely suppress
liquidus temperature decreases with Al addition (up the formation of the Mg17Al12 phase in the Mg-4Al alloy
to at least roughly 10%) and Ce (also up to at least based on the Scheil model[8], which can be used as
roughly 10%), with the following two type II invariant guidance to design the ternary alloy, avoiding Mg17Al12
reactions marked at 871K (598°C) and 835K (562°C), phase formation in elevated temperature applications.
respectively: Figure 1(b) also shows the solidifcation sequence of
the AE416 (Mg-4Al-16Ce) alloy as follows:
1) 598°C L + (Al,Mg)2Ce —> Mg + Mg12Ce
1) Nucleation of (Al,Mg)12Ce phase:
2) 562°C L + (Al,Mg)2Ce —> Mg + Al11Ce3
L —> L + (Al,Mg)2Ce
The calculated solidifcation paths of AE42 and 2) Binary eutectic reaction:
AE44 alloys using the Scheil model, based on the L —> L + Mg + (Al,Mg)2Ce
assumption of complete mixing in the liquid but no 3) Type II invariant reaction:
diffusion in the solid, are superimposed in the phase L + (Al,Mg)2Ce —> L + Mg + Mg12Ce
diagram shown in Fig. 1(b). Based on simulation 4) Binary eutectic reaction: L —> Mg + Mg12Ce
results, the solidifcation sequence for both alloys is
The eutectic temperatures for Al11Ce3, (Al,Mg)2Ce,
as follows:
and Mg12Ce phases are calculated as 560°C, 622°C,
1) Nucleation of primary magnesium: L — > L + Mg and 867°C, respectively, which are all signifcantly
2) Binary eutectic reaction: L —> L + Mg + higher than that of the Mg17Al12 phase (436°C). The
(Al,Mg)2Ce Scheil model was also used to calculate the fraction
3) Type II invariant reaction: of phases formed in the three AE alloys according
L + (Al,Mg)2Ce — > L + Mg + Al11Ce3 to the above solidifcation paths. Calculation results
4) Ternary eutectic reaction: are summarized in Table 1 and compared with
L —> Mg + Al11Ce3 + Mg17Al12 commercial AM50 (Mg-5Al-0.3Mn) alloy. In AE alloys,
Adding 2-4% Ce to Mg-Al alloys results in the 4-5% Al is generally needed for die castability, while
formation of Al11Ce3 in addition to the Mg17Al12 phase it is very expensive to use 16% Ce (e.g., AE416
in the Mg-Al binary system. More detailed calculation alloy) to suppress formation of Mg17Al12. On the
28
in a slightly different solidifcation path:

1) Nucleation of primary magnesium: L —> L + Mg

2) Binary eutectic reaction: L —
> L + Mg + (Mg,Al)2Ca
3) Ternary eutectic reaction :
L —> Mg + (Mg,Al)2Ca + Mg2Ca
Both (Mg,Al)2Ca (C36) and Mg2Ca (C14) phases have
high eutectic temperatures and are benefcial to the
creep resistance of Mg-Al-Ca alloys, likely due to the
grain boundary strengthening mechanism[10].
The Scheil model was also used to calculate the
fractions of (Mg,Al)2Ca, Mg2Ca, and Mg17Al12 phases
formed in all the AX alloys according to the above
solidifcation paths, and results are summarized in
Table 2. It only requires 2.8% Ca to completely
Fig. 1(c) — Calculated Mg-Al-Ca liquidus projection and the suppress the formation of Mg17 Al12 in the Mg-5Al
solidifcation paths of the experimental Mg-Al-Ca alloys. alloy[3], which compares to 15% Ce needed in the
Mg-4Al alloy. Therefore, Ca is more effective (and less
expensive) than rare earth elements (such as Ce) in
other hand, AE44 alloy has a signifcantly lower
suppressing the Mg17 Al12 phase formation in Mg-Al
fraction of Mg17Al12, and thus, much better high-
based alloys. AX53 alloy is presently being evaluated
temperature strength compared with AE42 or AM50
by General Motors for automotive powertrain
alloy. Therefore, the AE44 alloy was selected for
applications.
the Corvette engine cradle application where the
operating temperature approaches 150°C [9].
High-throughput diffusion multiples for
Mg-Al-Ca system atomic mobility database development
While the thermodynamic characteristics and
The Mg-Al-Ca system was investigated to replace
equilibrium phase diagrams for magnesium and its
the more expensive AE alloys. Figure 1(c) shows
alloys are reasonably well understood, the phase
the calculated liquidus projection of the Mg-Al-Ca
transformation and diffusion behavior of these alloys
system, superimposed by the solidifcation paths
is not yet clear[11]. Diffusion multiples can be used
of three Mg-Al-Ca alloys, AX51 (Mg-5Al-1Ca), AX52
to generate plenty of diffusion data to fll this gap.
(Mg-5Al-2Ca), and AX53 (Mg-5Al-3Ca), calculated
A diffusion multiple is an assembly of several metal
using the Scheil model. Based on simulation results,
blocks arranged in a predesigned geometry to allow
the solidifcation sequence for AX51 and AX52 alloys
many diffusion couples and triples to be assembled in
are as follows:
a single sample[12,13].
1) Nucleation of primary magnesium: L —> L + Mg To study major magnesium alloy systems, diffusion
2) Binary eutectic reaction: L —
> L + Mg + (Mg,Al)2Ca multiples provide large amounts of binary diffusion
3) Type II invariant reaction: profles for nine binary systems (Mg-Al, Mg-Zn, Mg-
L + (Mg,Al)2Ca — > L + Mg + Mg17Al12 Sn, Mg-Ca, Mg-Sr, Mg-Mn, Al-Zn, Al-Mn, and Mn-Zn)
4) Binary eutectic reaction: L —> Mg + Mg17Al12 as input to diffusivity extraction. Figure 2(a) shows
AX53 alloy has a different ternary eutectic reaction an example of an Mg-Mn diffusion multiple heat
o
where Mg2Ca is formed instead of Mg17Al12, resulting treated at 600 C for 48 hours. No intermetallics layer
TABLE 2 — SCHEIL SIMULATION AND EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS OF SECOND PHASES

OF MG-AL-CA ALLOYS (BASELINE: AM50 ALLOY)
Scheil calculation, vol% Measurement, vol%
Alloy
(Mg,Al)2Ca Mg2Ca Mg17 Al12 Total fraction Total fraction
AX51 2.0 0 2.7 4.7 5.5
AX52 4.1 0 0.9 5.0 5.8
AX53 5.8 0.1 0 5.9 6.2
AM50 — — 4.3 4.3 4.8
29
Fig. 2(b) — Comparison
of interdiffusion
coeffcients obtained
from the forward
simulation[13] (red lines)
with those obtained
by the Sauer-Freise
method[14] (blue lines).
Fig. 2(a) — Mg-Mn diffusion multiple.
is observed and the concentration profle is measured

across the Mg-Mn interface using EPMA (electron
probe micro-analysis). By using the forward simulation
method[13], the interdiffusion coeffcients are extracted,
as shown in Fig. 2(b). This is thought to be the frst
time that the interdiffusion coeffcients of the hcp
(Mg) phase of an Mg-Mn system are reported. Results
clearly show that the forward simulation method can
be used to extract impurity diffusion coeffcients,
whereas the Sauer-Freise method[14] shows wide scatter
of data near pure Mg.
A preliminary atomic mobility database of
Mg alloys of the Mg-Al-Zn-Mn-Sn-Ca-Sr system is Fig. 3 — Calculated interdiffusion coeffcients in the Mg rich
established based on assessment of diffusion data region of Mg-Al system along with experimental data[15,17].
in the literature using the CALPHAD approach. The
self-diffusion, impurity diffusion, and interdiffusion Fig. 4(a) —
Predicted
coeffcients are input to generate the atomic mobility.
number density
Empirical methods for estimating the self-diffusion of Mg2Sn
and impurity diffusion coeffcients are used to obtain precipitate in
the unavailable data. Most of the literature data are on Mg-1.3 at%
o Sn and Mg-
the diffusion of the Mg-Al binary system below 420 C.
1.9 at% alloys
Impurity diffusion coeffcients of Zn and Sn in hcp (Mg) along with
are reported. For Mn, Ca, and Sr, no experimental data experimental
exist yet. Because Al, Mn, Ca, Sn, and Sr do not have data[19].
a stable hcp structure, the related atomic mobility
parameters are estimated using empirical methods.
Due to the scarcity of literature data, this preliminary
database is still at its early stage and will be improved alloys during the aging process. This model features
with ongoing diffusion experiments. Figure 3 shows the capability of simulating nucleation, growth, and
the calculated interdiffusion coeffcients in the Mg rich coarsening simultaneously. The PanMagnesium
region of the Mg-Al system along with experimental thermodynamic database and the preliminary atomic
data. It clearly demonstrates the need for more mobility database are used to generate driving
diffusion experiments to clarify the discrepancy. force, phase equilibria, and diffusivity for quantitative
simulation.
Precipitation simulation using KWN model Coupling to the PanMagnesium thermodynamic
The classic KWN (Kampmann-Wagner-numerical) database and the preliminary atomic mobility
precipitation model[18] implemented in the database described above, the precipitation of
o
PanPrecipitation module of the Pandat software is Mg2Sn at 200 C in two supersaturated Mg-Sn alloys is
used to simulate the precipitation of magnesium simulated. The shape of the Mg2Sn precipitate is not
30
simulation based on the classical KWN model has

been demonstrated in Mg-Sn alloys, showing good

agreement with experimental results.~AM&P
Acknowledgments
The authors acknowledge the longtime collaboration with
Drs. Anil Sachdev and Bob Powell of General Motors Research
and Development Center (Warren, Mich.). Drs. Chuan Zhang
and Weisheng Cao of CompuTherm LLC (Madison, Wis.)
provided support in modeling work using Pandat. This study
is based in part upon work supported by the DOE’s Offce of
Energy Effciency and Renewable Energy (EERE) under Award
Number DE-EE0006450. The views and opinions of authors
Fig. 4(b) — Predicted radius of Mg2Sn precipitate in Mg- expressed herein do not state or refect those of the U.S.
1.3 at% Sn and Mg-1.9 at% alloys along with experimental government or any agency thereof.
data[19].
References
spherical according to experimental observations[19]. By 1. T.M. Pollock, Science, Vol 328, p 986, 2010.
assuming a shape-preserved growth, the precipitate’s 2. A.A. Luo, Int. Mater. Rev., Vol 49 (1), p 13, 2004.
3. A.A. Luo, B.R. Powell, and A.K. Sachdev, Intermetallics, Vol 24,
shape could be treated as a sphere. The conversion
p 22, 2012.
method described by Zhang, et al.[20], is used to
4. Y.A. Chang, et al., Prog. Mater. Sci., Vol 49, p 313, 2004.
calculate the equivalent particle size. Figure 4(a) shows 5. http://www.computherm.com.
that the calculated number density for the two Mg- 6. W.E. Mercer II, SAE Technical Paper 900788, Society of
Sn alloys is in agreement with the experimental data. Automotive Engineers, Warrendale, PA, 1990.
Figure 4(b) shows the predicted radius for Mg-1.9 at% 7. P. Bakke and H. Westengen, Magnesium Technology,
The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (TMS), Warrendale,
Sn alloy at 240 hours is 128 nm, which is consistent
PA, p 291, 2005.
with the experimental value of 112 nm. However, for 8. A.A. Luo, Proceedings of the 2nd World Congress
the Mg-1.3 at% Sn alloy, the simulated radius at on Integrated Computational Materials Engineering,
1000 hours is 160 nm, which is lower than the M. Li, et al., eds., TMS, Warrendale, PA, p 3-8, 2013.
experimental value of 197 nm, but still within the 9. J. Aragones, et al., SAE Technical Paper No. 2005-
experimental error range. 01-0340, SAE International, Warrendale, PA, 2005.
10. A.A. Luo, M.P. Balogh, and B.R. Powell, Metall. Mater. Trans.
A, Vol 33, p 567, 2002.
Summary 11. U.S. Department of Energy Funding Opportunity
Computational thermodynamics and CALPHAD Announcement (FOA) Number: DE-FOA-0000793, CFDA
modeling, when combined with critical experimental Number: 81.086, 2013.
validation, can be used to guide the selection 12. J.C. Zhao, Combinatorial Approaches as Effective Tools
in the Study of Phase Diagrams and Composition-Structure-
and development of new magnesium alloys. It is
Property Relationships, Prog. Mater. Sci., Vol 51, p 557-631,
demonstrated that Ca is more effective than RE elements 2006.
(such as Ce) in suppressing the formation of the 13. Q. Zhang and J.-C. Zhao, Intermetallics, Vol 34, p 132-
Mg17Al12 phase in binary Mg-Al alloys and introducing 141, 2013.
more thermally stable phases in the ternary alloys, thus 14. F. Sauer and V.Z. Freise, Elektrochem., Vol 66, p 353, 1962.
improving their creep resistance and strength at elevated 15. C. Kammerer, et al., Magnesium Technology, M.
Alderman, et al., Eds., TMS, Warrendale, PA, p 505-509,
temperatures. AE44 alloy is used in engine cradle
2014.
applications and AX53 alloy is being developed by GM 16. S. Brennan, et al., Metall. Mater. Trans. A, Vol 43(11), p 4043-
for automotive powertrain applications. 4052, 2012.
The diffusion-multiple method, assembling several 17. K.N. Kulkarni and A.A Luo, J. Phase Equilib. Diff., Vol 34(2), p 104-
metal/alloy blocks in a predesigned geometry, 115, 2013.
allows many diffusion couples and triples in a single 18. R. Kampmann and R. Wagner, Decomposition of Alloys:
The Early Stages, Proceedings of the 2nd Acta-Scripta
sample and is a high-throughput technique for
Metallurgica Conference; P. Haasen, V. Gerold, and R. Wagner,
extracting diffusivities for multicomponent alloy Eds., Pergamon Press, p 91-103, 1983.
systems. A preliminary atomic mobility database of 19. C.L. Mendis, et al., Phil. Mag. Lett., Vol 86(7), p 443-
Mg alloys is established based on literature data and 456, 2006.
estimation from empirical methods. A precipitation 20. C. Zhang, et al., JOM, Vol 66(3), p 389-396, 2014.
31
TECHNICAL SPOTLIGHT
ENVIRONMENTALLY-FRIENDLY INJECTION
MOLDING PROCESS MAKES STRIDES
T hixomolding is an
environmentally clean and
safe commercial process for
semi-solid injection molding of
magnesium alloys. The process is
similar to plastic injection molding
but with higher temperature
and faster shot velocity (Fig. 1).
It was introduced in the 1990s
by Thixomat Inc., Ann Arbor,
Mich., and cofounders[1] and
is based on semi-solid metals
discoveries made by Merton
Fig. 1 — Schematic of Thixomolding machine.
Flemings and his students, Robert
Mehrabian and David Spencer,
at Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, Cambridge[2]. It was
further adapted to Mg by basic
patents held by researchers
at The Dow Chemical Co.,
Midland, Mich.[3] Today more
than 465 Thixomolding machines
have been built and sold by
Japan Steel Works for use in 13 Fig. 2 — EBSD as Thixomolded: Grain Fig. 3 — EBSD Thixomolded +
countries.[4] size – 5 µm, yield strength – 140 MPa, thermomechanically processed +
elongation – 6%, fatigue strength – annealing: Grain Size – 2 µm, yield
70 MPa, toughness – 15 MPam 0.5, strength – 250 MPa, elongation – 12%,
ADVANTAGES AND texture – MRD of 1.8 max. Courtesy of fatigue strength – 150 MPa, toughness –
APPLICATIONS Tracy Berman. 28 MPam 0.5, texture – MRD of 3.7 max.
Courtesy of Tracy Berman.
Since the Thixomolding
process was frst commercialized low porosity, and higher ductility
more than 20 years ago, several and fatigue strength. The process as laptop computers, cameras,
advantages have been identifed also offers fexibility in part design DLP projectors, and cell phones
in comparison to conventional with the potential to consolidate drove Thixomolding’s early use.
casting. The most important are several parts into one, and In the U.S., parts for machine
environmental friendliness and features fne as-molded grain size and hand tools, automotive
safety, due to no open foundry, of roughly 5 µm (Fig. 2). Further, applications, and sports
no SF6 cover gas, and no sludge Thixomolding is portable—the equipment have supplemented
or dross. In addition, net shaping integrated melting and molding the business in E/C parts. Many
of complex parts requires little or machine can be easily moved to commercial applications for this
no machining. The process offers a new site and quickly resume technology exist (see sidebar).
tight dimensional control, long production. Lightweighting is the dominant
die life (due to 80°C cooler metal Electronic and communication driver for Thixomolded Mg part
temperatures than die casting), (E/C) applications in Japan, such use and is supplemented by its
32
stiffness, electromagnetic shielding, nanoMAG invented a new

thermal conductivity, and vibration alloy, BioMg 250 bioabsorbable

damping virtues. Magnesium magnesium alloy. It is based on
compares favorably to aluminum microalloying essential nutrients
and steel not only for strength and and bone growth agents for the
density, but also with regard to body and has twice the strength of
bending, torsion, and denting. traditional bioabsorbable polymer
Simple part-for-part replacement implants. The alloy is expected
of die castings offers improved to achieve new bone generation
material properties. However, the full and load-bearing fracture fxing
beneft of net shape Thixomolding followed by bioabsorption.
comes from signifcantly less Company sources say it could
machining involved and the eliminate expensive, painful,
ability to replace many parts of an and infection-prone secondary
assembly with just one Thixomolded operations often required to
Fig. 4 — DonJoy “OA nano” orthopedic
component. For example, a 50:1 knee brace. remove titanium or stainless steel
reduction in subassemblies was implants, for example. Exposure for
accomplished in an electronic check- elongation and fatigue strength 52 weeks in vivo (in rabbit knees) at
sorting part application[4]. and increasing fracture toughness the NSF ERC at the North Carolina
(Fig. 3). In a heat treatment study Agricultural and Technical State
OTHER PROCESSING AND conducted with researchers at University shows bioabsorption
ALLOY DEVELOPMENTS the University of Michigan, low and new bone growth around the
In 2007, research efforts textures were found to improve BioMg 250 implants (Figs. 5 and 6).
began to address value-added cold formability[7].
products under National Science The new technology discovered LOOKING AHEAD
Foundation sponsorship[6]. The through this study was adopted Commercial use of Thixomolded
fne grain size and eutectic in the biomedical market. As one Mg is expected to continue
microstructure of Thixomolded example, the DonJoy “OA nano” to expand in the E/C market,
Mg alloys were found to be Mighty Light orthopedic knee brace especially in complex shapes at
ideal precursors for applying was developed, claimed to be the thinner wall sections down to
thermomechanical processing world’s lightest OA knee brace (Fig. 4). 0.5 mm where its superior bend/
to generate micron-sized grains Other applications for biomedical dent resistance over aluminum
dispersed with nanometer- instruments and aircraft container is benefcial. Use in automobiles
sized phases. Thus, strength brackets are being explored. and the aerospace industry, for
can be increased by 100 MPa in During an extension of this lightweighting, can be enhanced by
sheet product, while doubling NSF project, Thixomat’s subsidiary higher temperature Mg alloys such
THIXOMOLDING APPLICATIONS
Automobiles Electronic/Communication Sporting goods Handheld tools
Seat backs Laptop computers Sunglasses Drills
Steering column brackets Cell phones Gun scopes Saws
Mirror parts and brackets Digital projectors Fishing reels Chainsaws
Lazy Susan bins Digital cameras Snowboard clamps Nailers
Foldable car tops Camcorders Motorcycle wheels
Windshield wiper boxes TV surrounds Go-cycle bicycle
Lift gate mechanisms Walkmans LED maglite
Cup holders MP3 players
Brackets for trucks Defense detectors
LED light fxtures Radar detectors
Electronic boxes Check sorters
E-book readers
33
as AXJ810-TH—with creep and For more information: Stephen E.
ignition resistance due to calcium LeBeau, FASM, is CEO, Thixomat
addition. The ongoing quest Inc./nanoMAG LLC, 13753 Otterson
Ct., Livonia, MI 48150, 734.261.2800,
to improve fuel economy in the
[email protected],
automotive sector will also continue www.thixomat.com.
to generate renewed interest in
lightweight materials. References:
1. R. Decker, R. Carnahan, D.
In the biomedical feld,
Dawson, and strategic partners
thermomechanically processed The Dow Chemical Co., Lindberg Fig. 5 — SEM showing reaction layer and
Mg is expected to fnd additional Corp., Comalco, and G. Spalding. new bone encapsulating bioabsorbing
applications external to the 2. D. Spencer, R. Mehrabian, and BioMg 250 in rabbit knee.
body. The bioabsorbable BioMg M. Fleming, Metall. Trans., Vol 3,
250 will now enter a sequence p 1925-1932, 1972.
3. R. Busk, et al., U.S. Patent
of larger animal tests and
Numbers 4,694,882, 4,964,881,
clinical studies leading to FDA 5,040,589, The Dow Chemical Co.
approval. Commercialization 4. Private communication with K.
of a bioabsorbable Mg alloy Kitamura, Thixomolding Executive
that features the mechanical Director at Japan Steel Works.
properties of metals as well as 5. R. Kilbert, and S. LeBeau,
Thixomolding Design Overview,
safe, predictable bioabsorption
SME, PMMA Newsletter, Vol 2, 2003.
rates will beneft the orthopedic 6. NSF STTR Project No. 0847198,
medical practice. ~AM&P Project Manager P. Balan. Fig. 6 — SEM-EDS scan of Ca confrming
7. T. Berman, et al., Magnesium new bone encapsulating bioabsorbing
Technology, p 599, 2011. BioMg 250 in rabbit knee.
34
TECHNICAL SPOTLIGHT
HYBRID INDUCTION ARC WELDING

REDUCES WELD DISTORTION AND BOOSTS PRODUCTIVITY
A new welding process known as

hybrid induction arc welding
(HIAW) or high deposition arc
welding (HiDep) uses a hybrid
approach to reduce—or even
eliminate—weld distortion and
greatly increase productivity.
Operating directly in front of the arc
welding torch, a portable induction
coil heats the surfaces of the weld
to, or near, the melting point
(Fig. 1). Heat generated by the
welding arc is primarily used to melt
the welding wire. This novel process
HiDep weld in progress—5/8-in. EH-36 marine steel, butt joint 1/8-in. weld gap.
operates at speeds two to four
times faster than conventional arc used to remove weld distortion
welding and substantially reduces and form metal was modifed to
weld distortion. The technique develop the new system.
uses a simple square joint for butt The basic HiDep process
welding, so there is no need for features two components—an
weld joint preparation (such as induction heating coil and an arc
beveling) for butt joints, even in welding torch. The high frequency
thick parts. induction heating process uses
There has been recent interest a metal conductor or coil, which
in adding auxiliary heat sources is placed close to the surface
such as industrial lasers, arc plasma of the metal part to be heated.
torches, and multiple arc welding The ac current fowing through Fig. 1 — Schematic diagram of the
wires/torches to traditional arc the coil induces a current in the HiDep welding process.
welding processes due to their part, similar to how a transformer
improvement over conventional operates. The induced fow conventional arc welding, this
arc welding for both reducing of electricity, or eddy current, would require a V-groove or
distortion and increasing welding generates heat by electrical bevel edge preparation, but the
speed. Systems that use lasers or resistance. Water cooling HiDep system can weld simple
plasma are referred to as hybrid passages inside the coil allow the square joint confgurations,
arc welding processes (e.g., laser use of very high current and heat signifcantly reducing the time
hybrid arc welding). For the HiDep generation is up to 95% effcient. and cost of weld preparation. In
system, induction is the best Induction power levels of 35 to higher strength/higher fracture
auxiliary heating method because 140 kW are possible, so the heat toughness steels, such as EH-
it is much more economical than generated by induction can be 36 marine steel or A709-Gr 50
using a laser, features better equal to—or signifcantly higher structural steels, the strength,
performance characteristics, and than—the welding arc heat. ductility, and fracture toughness of
incurs signifcantly lower operating The new process has been the weld and heat-affected zone
and maintenance costs. A portable used on steel for butt weld (HAZ) exceed typical code and
induction heating system widely joints up to 0.75 in. thick. For standards requirements.
35
When the weld cools, coil, the process has been
Reduced weld distortion uniform temperature applied to straight butt welds.
The primary heating distribution generates uniform Balanced heating also virtually
mechanism for the welding arc shrinkage resulting in nearly eliminates longitudinal
is radiant heat transfer from equal distribution of thermal distortion for welding large
the arc plasma to the metal strains (arrows in Fig. 3b), and steel plates (Fig. 4).
components. A signifcant almost zero weld distortion.
amount of energy is lost to the The image shows a HiDep butt Mechanical properties
surrounding environment. The weld that lays flat with nearly The HiDep welding process
surfaces of the weld closer to the zero angular distortion. Using demonstrates good mechanical
arc reach a higher temperature a 3- to 4-in. linear induction properties in butt welds on plain
than other areas of the weld
(Fig. 2a). When the weld cools,
the higher temperature regions
shrink more than the colder
regions (arrows in Fig. 2b), which
results in thermal strains called
weld distortions.
Induction heat is much
more uniformly distributed
in the weld joint, heating
surfaces nearly to the melting
point before the welding arc
arrives (Fig. 3a). By using an
independently controllable
heat source, the hybrid Fig. 2 — Arc welding distortion.
approach offers significant
flexibility in the amount and
distribution of heat input to
the weld. The weld process
controller balances the weld
heating to provide nearly
uniform heating of the weld
joint. Induction power levels
available can easily equal or
exceed the heat energy of the
welding arc, which is difficult
and expensive to achieve with
other hybrid heat sources, such
as laser. Fig. 3 — HiDep weld—low distortion.
Fig. 4 — HiDep weld—two 8 × 20 ft steel

plates. Fig. 5 — Weld test results for qualifcation to shipbuilding standards.
36
carbon structural steels such as

ASTM A-36. In addition, weld
testing on plate thicknesses from
0.20 up to 0.75 in. of higher strength
marine (EH-36) and structural
(ASTM A709-Gr 50) steels exhibits
good strength, ductility, and fracture
toughness (Fig. 5). Hobart Metal Cor
6 welding wire was used during
testing, along with an argon-10%
CO2 shielding gas mixture.
Process modeling
Any new welding process
requires signifcant testing on a
variety of materials, thicknesses, Fig. 6 — Modeling thermal output for 5/8 in. (top) and 3/8 in. (bottom) steel.
and joint designs. However,
HiDep involves different
operating characteristics than include induction coils, weld equipment. The HiDep controller
conventional arc welding. gaps, and standoff distances of uses a standard Parker ACR9000
Consequently, signifcant work the induction coil from the weld system for power, cooling, and
has been done to develop and the pieces being welded. other controls.
numerical models that will The library of numerical models Work to develop complete
provide the capability to apply will eventually be expanded systems, including options for
HiDep beyond application areas with the goal to include models adaptive fll, seam tracking, and
that have been tested to date. for several different common coil height stand-off control
The main difference between weld joints. is ongoing. The welding and
HiDep and traditional arc induction power supplies and
welding is induction heating. Welding equipment other equipment can be fully
Numerical models were Developers of the HiDep integrated into a new system
developed by Gatekey process took advantage of with robotic or mechanized
Engineering, Canal Winchester, several features in the Miller welding operation, or can be
Ohio, to provide information Auto-Axcess power supply, retroftted into an existing
about the electromagnetic which is the core of the system. Commercial systems
field, as well as heat generation equipment. Over several years, for butt seam welding of plate
and flow, in HiDep welds. commercial portable induction will be available in late 2015,
Fully coupled electromagnetic robotic systems for weld and for other joint designs as
and thermal models of butt distortion removal and metal the process is developed and
joint welds using HiDep have forming were developed and tested. The induction coil is an
been tested and verified with deployed by the HiDep team. EnergynTech system integrated
laboratory data. A complete These portable systems use with cooling and power.
model for butt welding of steel the ToccoTron 25 kW and Miller Ruggedized coil confgurations
was also completed (Fig. 6). ProHeat 35 kW induction power are being tested for butt seam
In addition, models of T-fillet supplies—equipment widely welding.
weld joint configurations specifed within the welding
are in progress. Testing and industry for both welding and Looking forward
verification of T-fillet HiDep weld pre-heating. Consequently, Work is ongoing to develop
on selected thicknesses and many industrial operations other induction coil designs for
configurations for steel is already stock supplies and have curved path welding and for
expected to be complete trained maintenance personnel other types of weld joint designs
by mid-2015. These models available for the primary HiDep including fllet welds. A new
37
process for cutting metal, hybrid Productivity improvement Acknowledgment
induction-plasma should also be possible for The National Renewable Energy
(HI-P) cutting, is also in pipelines and large petroleum Laboratory, Department of Energy
(DOE) Small Business Innovation
development. Much of storage structures.
Research (SBIR) Program, DOE
the equipment used for Development of higher Energy Effciency and Renewable
HiDep welding is also used power induction systems Energy Program, Offce of Naval
for HI-P cutting. Use of for the HiDep process is Research SBIR Program, National
portable robots such as underway. Initial modeling Shipbuilding Research Program,
the RTT mobile welding indicates that single-pass Miller Electric Co., Hobart
Brothers Co., A. Zahner Co.,
system will further expand welding of steel plates 0.75
EnergynTech Inc., and Gatekey
the applications for welding in. thick or greater could Engineering Inc. all contributed
in shipbuilding and heavy reach travel speeds of 10 ft toward development of the HiDep
fabrication, as well as per minute or faster. Induction welding process and HI-P cutting
other fields such as large power levels of 70 to 140kW process.
sculptures and specialized could substantially increase
For more information: Jerald
architectural structures. welding speed for high
Jones is chief technical offcer,
HiDep welding could also productivity of heavy steel EnergynTech Inc., 11354 W. 13th
be used in the transportation structures. Heat testing of other Ave., Lakewood, CO 80215,
sector to provide very low materials, including aluminum, 303.279.5286,
distortion and increased stainless steel, titanium, and [email protected],
productivity in both freight nickel alloys indicates that it www.energyntech.com.
and passenger rail car and should be possible to use the
locomotive fabrication. HiDep process. ~AM&P
38
METALLURGY LANE
Metallurgy Lane, authored by ASM life member Charles R. Simcoe, is a yearlong series dedicated to the early history of the U.S. metals
and materials industries along with key milestones and developments.
STAINLESS STEEL: THE STEEL THAT DOES NOT RUST — PART 1

ONE OF THE GREATEST ADVANCES IN MODERN METALLURGY WAS THE DISCOVERY OF A STEEL
THAT DOES NOT RUST, WHICH OCCURRED AFTER RESEARCH INTO HIGH CHROMIUM STEELS BEGAN.
F
rench researchers began adding all-austenitic microstructure was seen, it Albert Portevin and an Englishman, W.
chromium or nickel to heat treated occurred at ambient temperature. Giesen. Portevin studied the straight
alloy steels during the 1880s and iron-chromium alloys with both low and
1890s, while German researchers began These three categories continue to high carbon. Giesen did most of his work
combining chromium with nickel in the define the range of today’s stainless on the iron-chromium-nickel austenitic
1890s. These alloy additions were in steels. Guillet’s studies covered the steels, which had to be low carbon. Both
the 2% to 5% range and required heat metallographic and mechanical published their results in the same edition
treatment to achieve higher strength. properties that could be measured of the Iron and Steel Institute’s Carnegie
during his era. However, he completely Scholarship Memoirs, Vol 1, 1909.
Before 1895, there was no process for missed the fact that some of his alloys
producing low-carbon chromium to be were resistant to corrosion in both acids
added to iron. Further, controlling carbon and the normal atmosphere. They were DISCOVERY OF
is the most important factor in making “stainless.” Because Guillet was the first STAINLESS STEEL
chromium steels. At this point, German to publish on alloys that would later be The first researcher to discover the
chemist Hans Goldschmidt invented classified as stainless steels, Carl Zapfe groundbreaking property of corrosion
the thermite process, which combines in his classic Stainless Steels book (ASM resistance was Philip Monnartz of
chromium ore with aluminum powder in a International, 1949) awarded him first Germany. He began his work in 1908 and
heavy-walled container to generate enough place in the discovery of these alloys. published in the journal Metallurgie in
heat to separate the chromium metal 1911. Quoting from Zapfe, “His research
without carbon contamination. This paved Two other researchers who studied iron- disclosed the stainlessness of stainless
the way to studying alloys with much higher chromium and iron-chromium-nickel steels—and provided as brilliant a
chromium content and low carbon. alloys just a few years afer Guillet include piece of work as stands in the literature
the well-known French metallurgist on stainless steels.” First, Monnartz
The first metals researcher to make
use of this new low-carbon chromium
was a Frenchman named Leon Guillet.
He published his research during 1904-
1906 covering the full range of chromium
additions that would later be alloys within
the commercial range of stainless steel.
Guillet’s work showed three basic alloy
types: One was low carbon with high
chromium that could not be hardened and
therefore called ferritic. Another was higher
carbon that could be hardened as any
Hans Goldschmidt Leon Guillet was the frst Philip Monnartz, the
alloy steel and called martensitic. Finally, invented the thermite metallurgist to study inventor of stainless steel.
he studied alloys with both chromium process. iron-chromium and iron-
and nickel. With suficient nickel, these chromium-nickel alloys.
alloys were austenitic. The first time an
39
“IT’S NOT SURPRISING
determined that when the chromium this alloy a few years later for steam
content exceeded 12%, the steel resisted turbine blades.
attack by nitric acid and did not corrode
in the normal atmosphere. Next, he found
THAT IT TOOK SO Another American, Elwood Haynes,
that the metal surface needed to be LONG TO DISCOVER worked on stainless steel with a higher
prepared to form a protective film. This carbon content to produce a martensitic
extremely thin film was the formation of STAINLESS STEEL. microstructure upon quenching from
an oxide with a combination of iron and
chromium when the chromium exceeded
WHAT’S SURPRISING a high temperature. Haynes was an
automobile manufacturer with an interest
12%. The tightly adherent film prevented IS THAT IT WASN’T in developing alloys for spark plugs. He
further oxidation or corrosion. had already invented Stellite, a cobalt-
DISCOVERED SOONER.” chromium-tungsten-carbon alloy used to
He also found that low carbon content make hard and wear-resistant surfaces,
is necessary to prevent formation of long to discover stainless steel. What’s such as valve seats. He applied for a
chromium carbides and that carbon surprising is that it wasn’t discovered sooner.” patent in 1911 on a stainless steel alloy
can be controlled by adding stronger that contained 13% chromium with 0.30%
carbide formers, such as titanium, carbon, but it was held up for many years
columbium, vanadium, molybdenum, STAINLESS STEEL due to interference with a British patent.
or tungsten to form carbides of these APPLICATIONS ABOUND
alloys rather than of chromium. Finally, The years from 1904 to 1911 were a major The British patent was held by Harry
Monnartz learned that the addition of discovery period, while the following Brearley who had been searching for a
2% to 3% molybdenum greatly increased decade witnessed development of wear and corrosion-resistant alloy for gun
the corrosion resistance of austenitic alloys for specific applications. The first barrels. This led him to a 13% chromium,
stainless. His research provided the basic patent for a stainless steel alloy was 0.25% carbon hardenable stainless steel. He
information for all future developments in German #246015, issued in 1910 to W. promoted his alloy—the forerunner of AISI
practical alloys for the many applications Borchers and P. Monnartz, although the 420—for cutlery. It was a natural application
that would develop for stainless steel. first application for stainless steel was for hardened knives and his employers
for lead-in wires for electric lamp bulbs. were in Shefield, UK, the capital of tool
For his discovery, Monnartz must be The research was done by Christian and knife making. Brearley is credited with
considered the one true inventor of stainless Dantsizen at the General Electric Research starting the first production of hardenable
steel. While the other researchers, especially Laboratories in Schenectady, N.Y. Using stainless. The British military found that
Guillet, were the pioneers of iron-chromium very low-carbon chromium made by the Brearley’s alloy was the answer for aircraf
and iron-chromium-nickel steels, they Goldschmidt thermite process, he engine exhaust valves and requisitioned the
completely missed the only property that developed an alloy containing 14% to available supply for the years 1914-1919.
makes these alloys useful today. The mystery 15% chromium and 0.07% to 0.15% Thomas Firth and Sons made 50 tons for
is this: How did they not notice that some carbon. His goal was resistance to knives before the war, a production lot
of their alloys were so dificult to etch for oxidation at high temperature and considered to be the dawn of the stainless
metallographic examination? As Zapfe the chromium provided that in a steel industry.
quipped, “It’s not surprising that it took so ferritic microstructure. GE would use
One of the most important patents
issued for stainless steel went to Eduard
Maurer and Benno Strauss working at
the Friedrich Krupp Works in Essen,
Germany. Their German patent #304159
issued in 1912 included, for the first time,
austenitic stainless steel. One of their
alloys contained 20% chromium and 7%
nickel. With slight modification, this alloy
became 18-8, the single most important
stainless steel alloy ever produced.
Elwood Haynes invented Harry Brearley launched Eduard Maurer patented
martensitic stainless steel the production of the frst austenitic For more information: Charles R.
with 13% chromium and martensitic stainless for stainless steel in 1912. Simcoe can be reached at crsimcoe1@
0.30% carbon. cutlery and tableware. gmail.com. For more metallurgical history,
visit metals-history.blogspot.com.
43
ASMNEWS
President Collins Appoints Committee Council Chairs
ASM International President Sunniva R.

Collins, FASM, appointed a chair to each
of the Society’s general committees and councils. All
appointments were unanimously approved by the
Board of Trustees. Terms began September 1, 2014.
Congratulations to all of our ASM International leaders!
Ackerson Asphahani Bahr

Committee/Council chairs include:
Mr. Thomas Ackerson, laboratory director, IMR
Metallurgical Services, was appointed chair of the
Chapter Council.
Dr. Aziz I. Asphahani, FASM, chief executive oficer,
QuesTek, continues as chair of the Investment & ASM
Materials Education Foundation Investment Committee.
ASMNEWS
Prof. David F. Bahr, FASM, professor, Purdue
Black Chawla Clauser
University, was appointed chair of the ASM & TMS Joint
Commission on Metallurgical and Materials Committee.
Dr. Amber Black, applications engineer,
Precision Technologies Inc., continues as chair of the
Volunteerism Committee.
Prof. Krishan K. Chawla, FASM, professor,
University of Alabama at Birmingham, continues as
chair of the International Materials Review Committee.
Essock Freed Grice
Mr. Craig Clauser, president, Craig Clauser
Engineering, serves as Treasurer and chair of the Dr. Deidre Hirschfeld, manager, Sandia National
Finance Committee. Laboratories, was appointed chair of the College &
Ms. Diana Essock, FASM, president, Metamark University Committee.
Inc., was appointed chair of the Women in Materials Dr. Elizabeth Hofman, senior engineer, Savannah
Engineering Committee. River National Laboratories, was appointed chair of the
Dr. Robert L. Freed, principal consultant, DuPont New Products and Services Committee.
Co., continues as chair of the Education Committee. Mr. Jayant Jamuar, techonomist, Mass
Mr. Daniel R. Grice, manager, metallurgical services, International, continues as chair of the India Council.
IMR Test Labs, continues as co-chair of the Emerging Dr. Padma Kodali, Caterpillar Inc., was appointed
Professionals Committee. chair of the Action in Education Committee.
In This Issue
43 45 46 47 50
President Collins Board Student Board Members Chapter
Appoints Council Nominations Member in the News
Chairs Applications News
Submit news of ASM and its members, chapters, and afiliate societies to Frances Richards, editor, ASM News | ASM International
9639 Kinsman Road | Materials Park, OH 44073 | P 440.338.5151 ext. 5563 | F 440.338.4634 | E [email protected]
Contact ASM International at 9639 Kinsman Road, Materials Park, OH 44073 | P 440.338.5151 ext. 0 or 800.336.5152 ext. 0 (toll free in U.S. and
Canada) | F 440.338.4634 | E [email protected] | W asminternational.org
44
HIGHLIGHTS COMMITTEE COUNCIL CHAIRS

Hirschfeld Hofman Jamuar Kodali Korthuis Lin
Mason Narayan Niedzinski Petrova Powell Simpson

ASMNEWS
Taylor Thome Ulvan Vander Voort Wong Yang
Mr. Chadwick Korthuis, quality Mr. James Powell, mechanical engineer, Solar
leader, Chart Energy & Chemical, Turbines Inc., was appointed chair of the Materials
was appointed chair of the Technical Property Database Committee.
Books Committee. Mr. Ron Simpson, materials and processes engineer,
Dr. Hua-Tay Lin, FASM, Bombardier, was appointed chair of the Web Committee.
distinguished professor, Guangdong Dr. Douglas J. Taylor, consultant, DTX, continues as
Zinkle University of Technology, was chair of the Membership Committee.
appointed chair of the Journal of Materials Engineering & Mr. Andrew J. Thome, product metallurgist,
Performance Committee. Carpenter Technology Corp., was appointed co-chair of
Mr. Paul Mason, president, Thermo-Calc Sofware, the Emerging Professionals Committee.
was appointed chair of the Alloy Phase Diagram Dr. Erhan Ulvan, technical manager, Acuren Group,
Committee. was appointed chair of the Canada Council and the
Prof. Roger J. Narayan, FASM, professor, UNC-NCSU Failure Analysis Committee.
Dept. of Biomed Eng., continues as chair of the Emerging Mr. George Vander Voort, FASM, consultant,
Technologies Committee. Vander Voort Consulting LLC, was appointed chair of the
Mr. Michael Niedzinski, director of standardization Handbook Committee.
USA and product development manager, Space and Mr. Terry Wong, principal engineer, Rocketdyne,
Defense Constellium, was appointed chair of the Aeromat continues as chair of the Content Committee.
Organizing Committee. Dr. Yu-Ping Yang, senior engineer, EWI, was appointed
Dr. Roumiana Petrova, FASM, senior university chair of the AM&P Editorial Committee.
lecturer, New Jersey Institute of Technology, continues as Mr. Steve Zinkle, FASM, chief scientist, Oak Ridge
chair of the ASM & MS&T Programming Committee. National Laboratory, was appointed chair of the Awards
Policy Committee.
45
BOARD NOMINATIONS HIGHLIGHTS
ASM Vice President
and Board of Trustees
Nominations
ASM is seeking nominations for the position of vice
president as well as three trustees. The Society’s 2016 For more than 100 years, ASM International has
vice president and trustee elects will serve as a voice for recognized the achievements of individuals and
the membership and will shape ASM’s future through organizations that contribute to materials science
implementation of the ASM Strategic Plan. and engineering. Continue this great tradition by
Qualifcations: Members must have a well-rounded nominating candidates for ASM Awards!
understanding of the broad activities and objectives
of ASM on a local, Society, and international level, and [
the issues and opportunities that ASM will face over the
next few years. Further, they must also have a general
appreciation for international trends in the
engineered materials industry.
Duties: The duties of board members include various
assignments between regular meetings. Trustees also
We especially look forward
ASMNEWS
assume the responsibility of making chapter visits and
serving as a board liaison to ASM’s various committees to nominations for 2015
and councils. Honorary Membership,
Guidelines: Nominees for vice president must have Distinguished Life
previously served on the ASM Board, and those selected Membership, and Medal for
to serve as trustees should be capable of someday the Advancement of
assuming the ASM presidency. Research awards.
Deadline for nominations is March 15. For more Award Deadline: February 1
information visit asminternational.org/vp-board-
nominations, or contact Leslie Taylor, 440.338.5151, ext. Edward DeMille Campbell Memorial Lecturer
5500 or [email protected]. Distinguished Life Membership
William Hunt Eisenman Award
2015 Bradley Stoughton Gold Medal
Award for Young Teachers Historical Landmarks
Honorary Membership
Winner receives $3000 • Deadline March 1
Medal For The Advancement of Research
This award recognizes excellence in young teachers
Allan Ray Putnam Service Award
in the fields of materials science, materials engineering,
Albert Sauveur Achievement Award
design, and processing.
Albert Easton White Distinguished Teachers Award
Do you know a colleague who:
J. Willard Gibbs Phase Equilibria Award
• Is a teacher of materials science, materials
Silver Medal Award
engineering, design, and processing
Emerging Professionals Achievement Award
• Has the ability to impart knowledge and enthusiasm
to students Nomination Forms, Rules and Past Recipient Lists
• Is 35 years of age or younger by May 15 of the year in can be found at asminternational.org.
which the award is made
• Is an ASM Member For more information contact:
Christine Hoover
Visit the ASM website at
Awards Administrator
asminternational.org/membership/awards/nominate
[email protected]
for complete rules and nomination forms.
46
HIGHLIGHTS STUDENT BOARD MEMBERS

IMS Joins ASM, HTS and TSS in Seeking Student Members

We’re looking for Material Advantage student members to provide insights and ideas
to the ASM, HTS, TSS and IMS Boards
We are pleased to announce the continuation and
expansion of our successful Student Board Member Opportunities Specific to each Society:
Programs. In addition to ASM, HTS, and TSS, IMS is also ASM International
• Attend four Board meetings (June 17-19, October 5-7
seeking student board members. Each Society values the
during MS&T15, and March and June 2016)
input and participation of students and is looking for their
• Term begins June 1
insights and ideas.
ASM Heat Treating Society
An opportunity like no other! • Attend two Board meetings (October 19 during HTS
• All expenses to attend meetings paid for by the Conference and Exposition and spring 2016)
respective Society • Participate in four teleconferences
• Take an active role in shaping the future of your • Term begins in September
professional Society ASM Thermal Spray Society
• Actively participate in your professional Society’s • Attend one Board meeting in the U.S. in November
Board meetings or December
• Gain leadership skills to enhance your career • Participate in two teleconferences
ASMNEWS
• Add a unique experience to your resume • Receive a one-year complimentary membership in

• Represent Material Advantage and speak on behalf Material Advantage
• Term begins in October
of students
International Metallographic Society
• Work with leading professionals in the field
• Attend one Board meeting (August 2-6)
Application deadline is April 1. Visit asminternational.
• Participate in monthly teleconferences
org/students3 for complete form and rules. • Term begins in August
Board Nominations Sought

Nominations Sought for Heat Treating Society
ASM Thermal Spray Society Board Seeks Board Nominations
The ASM TSS Nominating Committee is currently The ASM HTS Awards and Nominations Committee is
seeking nominations to fill two board member seeking nominations for three directors, a vice president,
positions. Candidates for these director positions a student board member, and a young professional board
may come from any segment of the thermal spray member. Candidates must be an HTS member in good
community, but ideally will have a focus on the standing. Nominations should be made on the formal
service or government research segments. Nominees nomination form and can be submitted by a chapter, council,
must be a member of the ASM Thermal Spray Society committee, HTS member, or an afiliate society. The HTS
and must be endorsed by five TSS members. Board Nominating Committee may consider any HTS member,
members whose terms are expiring may be eligible even those who have served on the HTS Board previously.
for nomination and possible re-election on an equal Nominations for Board Members are due April 1.
basis with any other candidate. Nominations must be For more information and the nomination form, visit
received no later than March 1. the HTS website at hts.asminternational.org and click on
Forms can be found at tss.asminternational.org. Membership and Networking and then Board Nominations;
Contact Luc Pouliot, ASM TSS Nominating Committee or contact Joanne Miller at 440.338.5151 ext. 5513,
Chair, at [email protected] for more information. [email protected].
For information on upcoming ASM courses, contact Liz Halderman,

ASM Lifelong Learning Representative at [email protected].
47
GIBBS AWARD WINNER ANNOUNCED HIGHLIGHTS
Ravindran Dedicates
ASM Historical Landmark HTS Award Deadlines
at Dehli Iron Pillar ASM HTS/Bodycote
Dedication of the Delhi Iron Pillar, a 2013 ASM “Best Paper in Heat Treating” Contest
Historical Landmark, took place in New Delhi on The ASM Heat Treating Society established the Best
December 3, 2014. The event was organized by Paper in Heat Treating Award in 1997 to recognize a
the INAE, Archaeological Survey of India, IIM, ASM paper that represents advancement in heat treating
International, and the ASM India Council. technology, promotes heat treating in a substantial
way, or represents a clear advantage in managing
the business of heat treating. The award, endowed
by Bodycote Thermal Process-North America, is
open to all full-time or part-time students enrolled
at universities (or their equivalent) or colleges. The
winner will receive a plaque and a check for $2500.
Deadline extended to February 1.
Prior to the dedication, (from lef to
right) professors Baldev Raj,
FASM, Ravi Ravindran, FASM,
Nominations Sought for
George H. Bodeen Heat Treating
ASMNEWS
and S. Ranganathan reviewed
the preparation for the ASM-HLM Achievement Award
Delhi Iron Pillar Event at the National ASM’s Heat Treating Society (HTS) is currently
Institute for Advanced Studies (NIAS). seeking nominations for the George H. Bodeen Heat
Treating Achievement Award, which recognizes
Prof. John Gordon Speer, distinguished and significant contributions to the field
FASM, Receives 2015 of heat treating through leadership, management, or
J. Willard Gibbs Phase engineering development of substantial commercial
Equilibria Award impact. Deadline for nominations is February 1.
ASM is pleased to announce that
Prof. John Gordon Speer, FASM, First ASM HTS/Surface Combustion
Department of Metallurgical and Emerging Leader Award
Materials, Colorado School of Mines, to be Presented in 2015
is the 2015 J. Willard Gibbs Phase The ASM HTS/Surface Combustion Emerging
Equilibria Award recipient. He is Leader Award recognizes an outstanding early-
cited “for innovative applications of to-midcareer heat treating professional whose
fundamental phase transformation accomplishments exhibit exceptional achievements
principles in ferrous systems, development of a in the heat treating industry. The award was created
quenching and partitioning process (Q&P), and in recognition of Surface Combustion’s 100-year
contributions to phase equilibria education.” anniversary in 2015. Nominations must be submitted
The Gibbs Award was established in 2007 to to ASM Headquarters no later than April 1.
recognize outstanding contributions to the field of phase
equilibria. The award honors J. Willard Gibbs, one of For nomination rules and forms for all three awards,
America’s greatest theoretical scientists. Gibbs laid the visit the Heat Treating Society website at
thermodynamics foundations of phase equilibria with hts.asminternational.org and click on Membership
his brilliant essay, “On the Equilibrium of Heterogeneous & Networking and HT Awards. For additional
Substances,” published in 1876 and in 1878 in the information, or to submit a nomination, contact
Transactions of the Connecticut Academy. Joanne Miller at 440.338.5151, ext. 5513, or email
Prof. Speer will receive his award at MS&T15 in [email protected].
October, in Columbus, Ohio.
48
HIGHLIGHTS MEMBERS IN THE NEWS

The Power of One | Membership Drive Narayan wins North Carolina’s Top
Science Award
ASM Helps Reconnect In November, Governor Pat McCrory’s ofice announced
Colleagues and Classmates Prof. Jagdish (Jay) Narayan, FASM, as the winner of the 2014
Ben Ruchte, Materials Engineer, North Carolina Award
Structural Integrity Associates in Science. Narayan is
the John Fan Family
ASM is an organization that provides Distinguished Chair
value to its members in a variety of formats ranging Professor in the
from textbooks and classes to workshops and materials science
seminars. These are all successful in part due to the and engineering
wealth of knowledge that has gone into each. That department at
said, it’s also important for current ASM members North Carolina
to make a push to bring in new people through the State University.
membership drive. This will help maintain the flow of Governor Pat McCrory presents
The North Carolina
knowledge for years to come. award to Prof. Narayan.
Award is the highest
A great way for current members to help recruit civilian honor bestowed by the state. Referred to as the
others is by talking to and reconnecting with coworkers
ASMNEWS
“Nobel Prize of North Carolina,” the award is celebrating

and college classmates. For example, I use ASM’s its 50th anniversary in 2014. Narayan was recognized
Heat Treater’s Guide on a daily basis for a number of for his pioneering contributions in nanomaterials and
applications at our failure analysis laboratory. Just nanotechnology impacting society, particularly related to
recently, I reached out to an old college friend and talked thin film science for epitaxy across the misfit scale, laser
with him about using this guide for some work he is processing of novel functional materials, and control of
doing for a steel manufacturer. I have also reconnected defects and interfaces in nanostructured materials to
with a former coworker who showed great interest in improve performance and eficiency.
the microstructural characterization of the high-energy
piping components for power plants. I brought to his Chen receives 2014
attention ASM’s Metallurgy for the Non-Metallurgist Materials Theory Award
course, which he ended up completing. The Materials Research Society
Not only is it great to catch up with old friends, but (MRS) named Long-Qing Chen,
ultimately these eforts help to strengthen and rekindle FASM, professor at The Pennsylvania
networks of knowledge that can translate to one’s own State University, as the recipient of
personal career development. Many members and its Materials Theory Award for his
potential members work for a wide variety of companies “pioneering work in the development
that provide diverse products and services, but what of the phase-field method and its applications in the
they have in common is basic engineering principles and computational modeling of mesoscale structures and
an overall understanding of materials. their dynamics in inhomogeneous materials.” The award,
I believe that materials engineers, scientists, endowed by Toh-Ming Lu and Gwo-Ching Wang, recognizes
and technicians all have an essential role in exceptional advances made in materials theory.
developing the materials of today and the future,
and are responsible for taking performance to Cramb named President
the next level. ASM continues to support these of Illinois Institute of
endeavors with a rich history over the past 100 Technology
years and remains instrumental in many industries The Board of Trustees of Illinois
by providing knowledge on enhancements to Institute of Technology (IIT), Chicago,
current materials technologies and by being at the unanimously elected Alan W. Cramb,
forefront of future technologies. FASM, to be the ninth president of
49
MEMBERS IN THE NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
the university. He has served as provost and senior vice of Alpha Sigma Mu, the international honor society for
president for academic afairs since 2008 and will succeed materials science and engineering. The honor recognizes
John L. Anderson on August 1. Cramb is also the Charles his pioneering and seminal contributions, mentoring, and
and Lee Finkl Professor of Metallurgical and Materials global leadership in the field of science, engineering, and
Engineering at IIT. He received his B.Sc. with honors in applications of advanced materials and technologies for
metallurgy from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, aerospace and energy systems.
UK, and his Ph.D. in metallurgy and materials science
from the University of Pennsylvania. Cramb is the author Suresh inducted into
of more than 200 publications, holds two patents, and is Institute of Medicine
the recipient of many academic and industry honors. In October, Carnegie Mellon
University President Subra Suresh,
Alpha Sigma Mu FASM, was inducted into the Institute
Distinguished Life Member of Medicine (IOM), making him the only
Award Honors Singh university president to be elected to
Dr. Mrityunjay Singh, FASM, chief all three national academies—IOM, the National Academy
scientist, Ohio Aerospace Institute, of Sciences, and the National Academy of Engineering.
Cleveland, and president-elect of the Suresh is one of only 16 living Americans to be elected
American Ceramic Society, received
ASMNEWS
to all three national academies, and the first CMU
the Distinguished Life Member Award faculty member to hold membership in all three. Before
Fred E. Schmidt, FASM, president of Alpha becoming president of CMU in 2013, he served as director
Sigma Mu, and Dr. Singh of the National Science Foundation.
In Memoriam
Harvey Walter Schadler, FASM, of for war service in 1939, and was called for active duty
Niskayuna, N.Y., died on November 30, 2014, in 1942. He developed steel grades for oxygen cylinders
in Albany, N.Y., at age 83. He was born on for pilots flying at high altitudes and received the Navy
January 4, 1931, in Cincinnati and attended Commendation Medal. Afer the war, he rejoined US Steel
Cornell University as a John McMullen and retired in 1977. Queneau received the Edgar C. Bain
Scholar, graduating magna cum laude with Award in 1977 from the Pittsburgh Chapter.
a B.S. in physical metallurgy in 1954. Schadler earned a Ph.D.
in metallurgical engineering from Purdue University in 1957 Arthur E. Schneider, Jr., Life Member,
and received their Distinguished Engineering Alumnus Award of Mattapoisett, Mass., passed away on
in 1992. Upon graduation, Schadler moved to Schenectady, December 2, 2014, at age 78. Raised in
N.Y., and worked at the General Electric Corporate Research Michigan, he graduated from Wayne State
and Development Center. He held many positions there and University in Detroit and was active with
retired in 1996 as a technical director. the Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity and alumni
association. He was first employed as a metallurgical
Dr. Bernard Queneau, FASM, Life engineer with General Motors at the Fisher Body Division
Member, of Pittsburgh, passed away on in Michigan and worked in heat treating, failure analysis,
December 7, 2014, one day afer being and corrosion analysis with a focus on the formability of
honored as a Distinguished Eagle Scout. In body steels. He then worked at Continental Screw Co. in
October, he delivered a technical paper at New Bedford, Mass., and the Reed-Rico Rolled Thread
MS&T at the age of 102. He earned both his Die Co. in Holden, on fastener design and developing
B.S. and M.S. in metallurgical engineering from Columbia thread-rolling dies. Schneider was a member of the Detroit
University in 1932 and 1933, and his Ph.D. in metallurgical Chapter, then Worcester, and in later years the Rhode Island
engineering from the University of Minnesota in 1936. He Chapter, where he was recently recognized for his lifetime
joined ASM in 1934. Queneau worked for US Steel until 1938, accomplishments in metallurgical engineering.
returned to Columbia as an assistant professor, volunteered
50
HIGHLIGHTS CHAPTER NEWS

North India Chapter Debuts will continue to organize technical programs following a
ASM International launched a North India Chapter at a successful International Conference on Advanced Heat
special dinner at Vasant Vihar Club on September 26, 2014. Processing, held December 4-6, 2014, in Gujarat.
The event included a technical talk on “Material Needs of the
Indian Defense Sector: An Update” by Dr. K. Muraleedharan,
director, Tech Materials Group, DRDO. New oficers include
L.Pugazhenthy, president; Rakesh Gupta and Anil Gupta,
vice presidents; and Ankit Gupta, secretary. The Chapter
Dharma Maddala, senior scientist, Alcoa Technical Center,

demonstrates the classifcation of materials based on their
properties.
Pittsburgh Hosts Materials Mini-Camp

ASMNEWS
Valery Rudnev, FASM, Inductoheat Inc., answers questions at

This year’s camp was sponsored by several local
the well-attended heat processing conference organized by the companies including MatCo, Vesivius, American Stress
new North India Chapter. Technologies, and Zircar Ceramics, as well as the ASM
51
CHAPTER NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
Foundation, ACerS, and AIST. Roughly 350 students from engineering museum emphasizing the beginnings of radio
17 schools enjoyed 10 demonstrations including heat and steam power. The facility preserves the original Massie
treatment, corrosion, casting, refractory materials, and coastal wireless station, which was moved from Point
polymers. Presentations were led by master teacher Bob Judith, R.I. This station, built in 1907 to communicate with
Wesolowski. During the event, one MS&T participant marine shipping, is the oldest originally equipped wireless
stated she is currently a materials science graduate station anywhere. It demonstrates the beginnings of the
student at the University of Akron and chose the major electronics industry including radio, TV, cellphones, Satcom,
afer attending a materials camp several years ago. the Internet, computers, and other marvels of electrical and
materials engineering.
Detroit Tours ASM Birthplace Museum director
On November 10-11, 2014, ASM president Sunniva Robert Merriam
Collins visited the Detroit Chapter and several materials- demonstrates a
Handy Talkie, built by
related institutions. She delivered a talk and live
Motorola in 1944 and
demonstration on orbital welding applications during a used in World War II.
dinner meeting. The next day, she was hosted by Chapter
chair Manish Mehta and several committee members at
the headquarters of Park Metallurgical/HeatBath Corp.,
ASMNEWS
a 100-year-old chemical and heat treating company in
Detroit owned by William Park Woodside in the early 20th
century. Woodside founded the Steel Treaters Society
in 1913 in Detroit, which eventually became the global
materials information society ASM is today. Key Content Updates for 2014
ASM continues to expand the breadth and depth of
its online materials science and engineering content,
delivering relevant, peer-reviewed information and
insight via regular updates. All updates are automatically
included with each online database subscription. Key
updates in 2014 include:
• ASM Alloy Phase Diagram Database: More than 1500
diagrams added, bringing the total to more than
ASM President Sunniva Collins addresses the Detroit Chapter. 39,000 binary and ternary diagrams and associated
phase data
Gujarat Highlights ASM Benefts • ASM Handbooks Online: Added four NEW volumes,
In September 2014, the Gujarat exclusively focused on practical and theoretical heat
Chapter’s most active student member, treatment information
Viraj Dave, gave a lecture to raise • ASM Medical Materials Database: Two NEW modules—
awareness of ASM among college Surgical and Neurological devices and associated
students. Dave is in his final year of materials
studying mechanical engineering at • ASM Micrograph Database: Nearly 200 NEW
Charotar University of Science and micrographs and associated data, with a focus on
Technology, Gujarat, India. He delivered the lecture to 120 composites
participants who came from diferent area colleges. • ASM-NACE Corrosion Analysis Network: Updated
regularly, now features more than 21,000 documents
Rhode Island Enjoys Museum Tour from ASM, NACE, ASTM, and SSPC
The Rhode Island Chapter held its September For more information, contact Denise Sirochman at
2014 meeting at the New England Wireless and Steam [email protected], 800.336.5152 or
Museum in East Greenwich, an electrical and mechanical 440.338.5151 ext. 5230.
52
PRODUCTS & LITERATURE

Choices, Their Performance and

Selection. Central to recent progress
in material-driven innovations
and applications is improving
the ability to define materials in
terms of composition, structure,
and performance. This free white
paper affirms the value of materials
The EM TIC 3X ion beam milling characterization in product and
system, from Leica Microsystems Inc., process development activities
Bufalo Grove., Ill., is now available nanomechanical testing system to in technology-based industries.
with a docking port for vacuum cryo enable full-scale studies of nanoscale lucideon.com/testing.
transfer. The new port enables transfer material behavior on a wide range
at vacuum and/or cryo conditions of specimen geometries, including Altatech, a division of Soitec, France,
with the Leica EM VCT100 vacuum cryo thin films, nanostructures, MEMS, and launched the Orion Lightspeed
transfer system. Room temperature or various device components. The system inspection system, capable of
cryo sections can be taken directly from features NanoScript measurement pinpointing the size and location of
the ion beam milling system, loaded and control sofware, which enables nanoscale defects inside compound
into the vacuum cryo transfer system, real-time experimental control based semiconductor materials and
and transferred to the next preparation on recorded or calculated data. A transparent substrates. The system
step. The new system enables high- gantry design and enclosure cabinet improves the performance and cost
quality surface preparation of hard, provide excellent positional accuracy eficiency of identifying defects within
sof, porous, heat sensitive, brittle, as well as acoustic and vibration III-V materials, transparent substrates,
and heterogeneous materials for isolation to establish an optimal testing and thin circuit layers on top of
microstructure analysis by means of environment. A vacuum tray ofers transparent substrates. Inspection
scanning electron microscopy and convenience for mounting samples, is performed using synchronous
atomic force microscopy. and built-in safety features protect the Doppler detection technology, which
leica-microsystems.com. head assembly during translation of the determines the exact size and position
X-Y stages. bruker-nano.com. of defects by making direct physical
measurements with resolution below
Continental Structural Plastics (CSP),
Lucideon, UK, published a new white 100 nm. The system can handle
Auburn Hills, Mich., introduces its Tough
paper, Understanding Materials substrates up to 300 mm. soitec.com.
Class A (TCA) Ultra Lite, a 1.2 specifc
gravity (SPg) SMC formulation
that gives engineers the ability to AD INDEX
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Epsilon Technology Corp. 53
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53
EDITORIAL PREVIEW
FEBRUARY 2015
Advances in Microscopy/
Metallography/Materialography
Highlighting:
• Measurement of Decarburization
• Jacquet-Lucas Award Winner
• ITSC 2015 Show Preview
Advertising Bonus:
• Signet Ad Study
Special Supplement:
International Thermal Spray and Surface Engineering
newsletter covering coatings in the aerospace and
defense industries.
Bonus Distribution:
• AeroMat, ITSC 2015, and IMS Regional
May 11-15, Long Beach, Calif.
• M&M 2015 + IMS Annual Meeting

August 2-6, Portland, Ore.
Advertising closes January 5
MARCH 2015
Modern Materials for
Energy/Automotive/Power Generation
Highlighting:
• Materials Research for Advanced Power Engineering
• Joining Dissimilar Materials
• Corrosion Resistant Alloys
Special Supplement:
HTPro newsletter covering heat treating technology,
processes, materials, and equipment, along with Heat
Treating Society news and initiatives.
Advertising closes February 4

54
STRESS RELIEF
3D PRINTING DINOSAUR FOSSILS
MakerBot, Brooklyn, N.Y., introduced T-Rex Skeleton, an anatomically
correct, scaled model of a full Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton. The T-Rex
lived in North America more than 65 million years ago. The giant has
long been a favorite of 3D modelers, but is dificult to sculpt and 3D print.
In addition to the T-Rex skeleton, the company also introduced a T-Rex
skull. Both fairly complex models showcase advanced sculpting and are
geared toward education, functional use, and scientific content. The
T-Rex skeleton model contains 19 files for a total of 79 pieces, which are
numbered, labeled, and come with assembly instructions. makerbot.com.
Two new 3D printable models, a T-Rex skeleton and

a T-Rex skull, were released by MakerBot. Courtesy of Business Wire.
CALCULATING THE STRENGTH OF SPIDER-MAN’S WEB

Spider webs are notoriously strong, with spider silk reported as
having a tensile strength of up to 1.75 GPa. Carbon nanotubes
(CNTs) are even stronger, handling 63 GPa or more. Though
according to the 1986 Oficial Handbook of the Marvel Universe,
Spidey’s webs are made of a nylon-like material that can
support a measly 0.5 GPa. But can the strength of a specific
material alone account for the properties of Spidey’s web?
The structure of the web is also clearly important. But what is
the web actually made of? One hypothesis is that the web may
be made of carbon nanotubes. If so, we may see something
Spidey-esque sooner rather than later. For more information:
Suveen Mathaudhu, [email protected], ncsu.edu.
Cover image of Amazing Spider-Man #520 by Mike Deodato.
Courtesy of marvel.com.
FIGHTING AIR POLLUTION WITH POETRY

Simon Armitage, poetry professor at the University of Shefield, UK, collaborated with
science professor Tony Ryan to create a catalytic poem called In Praise of Air—printed
on material containing a formula invented at the university that is capable of purifying
its surroundings. This inexpensive technology could also be applied to billboards and
advertisements alongside congested roads to cut pollution. The 10 × 20 m (38 × 66 ft)
piece of material that the poem is printed on is coated with microscopic pollution-
eating particles of titanium dioxide, which use sunlight and oxygen to react with
nitrogen oxide pollutants and purify the air. “This poem alone will eradicate the nitrogen
oxide pollution created by about 20 cars every day,” says Ryan. For more information:
Tony Ryan, [email protected], www.shefield.ac.uk.
56
SUCCESS ANALYSIS
SPECIMEN NAME: NSL ANALYTICAL SERVICES INC.
and several other specialized materials testing services
were added to meet the needs for product improvements
and research. In 2013, the company invested more than
$1.6 million in an expanded and dedicated metallurgical
testing facility just down the street from the analytical
lab. The facility has more than 43,000 ft2 of testing space
for instruments and evaluations.
SUCCESS FACTORS
X-ray analysis can be used for ceramic and glass materials. Company leaders say they can trace success to their
anchors of “trust, technology, and turnaround.” With the
development of an underlying and robust quality system,
VITAL STATISTICS the lab is able to keep a continuous focus on testing quality.
In business since 1945, NSL Analytical is not only one of By actively participating in Nadcap committees, ISO, and
the oldest independent materials testing laboratories in the ASTM standards organization, the company is helping
the U.S., but also one of the most comprehensive under guide the industry in testing methodologies. Investments
one roof. Unlike some other labs that only ofer certain continue to me made in a computerized LIMS system
services in specific geographic areas, NSL is known for its (laboratory information management system), state-of-
broad range of testing capabilities to serve the aerospace, the-art instrumentation, and ongoing training of chemists,
nuclear, refractory, medical, and metalworking industries, metallurgists, and technicians.
among others. The company’s success can be attributed to
delivering consistent results demanded by these industries.
Another advantage is the ability to produce results in three ABOUT THE INNOVATORS
to five days in most cases, rather than weeks. Traditionally, many companies have had to split their
testing needs between several different suppliers to
The company began as a chemistry lab offering meet various requirements, but NSL is able to identify,
trace element analysis. Over the years, metallurgical characterize, and perform other related functions
evaluations, failure analysis, mechanical testing, in one stop using a wide range of capabilities and
consulting services, polymers testing, thermal analysis, strategic partnerships.
WHAT’S NEXT
NSL’s technical team and the collective power of its
scientists to solve challenging problems is helping facilitate
growth into new and emerging markets.
Contact Details
NSL Analytical Services Inc.
4450 Cranwood Parkway, Cleveland, OH 44128
Analyzing samples on the GC-MS in the NSL organic lab. 800.497.6765, nslanalytical.com

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What are some of the testing capabilities of NSL Analytical Services?

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What factors have contributed to the success of NSL Analytical Services?

JANUARY 2015 | VOL 173 | NO 1

Advanced Materials & Processes (ISSN 0882-7958,

Check out the Digital Edition online at amp.digitaledition.asminternational.org

IMAGINING A HAPPY AND

Frances Richards, Senior Editor

MANUFACTURING EXECUTIVES WORRY

*ASM Historical Landmark.

Are you working with or have you

METALS | POLYMERS | CERAMICS

A new process developed by KIT enables

batteries can be manufactured at much

of graphene to create a hybrid that could

Researchers discovered that boiling down

source that fits into the tiny space of a

The method, which generates “mixed

Light hits a gold particle, which then

TINIUS OLSEN’S SL SERIES:

Automotive heat exchanger

*Member of ASM International

Fig. 1 — Schematic of L-PBF process (left); EOSINT M280 (right)[1].

TABLE 1—PROCESS PARAMETERS USED FOR L-PBF OF AISI 4140 STEEL

AND AISI 420 STAINLESS STEEL

TABLE 2—CHEMICAL COMPOSITION (WT%), PARTICLE SIZE

TABLE 3—CHEMICAL COMPOSITION (WT%), PARTICLE SIZE

on samples with a machined surface input, respectively. Each individual (a)

quench-temper (QT) samples refect formation of fne

TABLE 4—INFLUENCE OF MANUFACTURING PROCESSES ON MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF AISI 4140

play a major role in determining laser powder bed-fusion (L-PBF)

initial microstructural characterization,

metal, will thus see increased

(Mg-6Al-0.3Mn). New magnesium thermodynamics modeling in the development of

Commercial cast and wrought magnesium alloys

in a slightly different solidifcation path:

1) Nucleation of primary magnesium: L —> L + Mg

TABLE 2 — SCHEIL SIMULATION AND EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS OF SECOND PHASES

Fig. 2(b) — Comparison

Fig. 2(a) — Mg-Mn diffusion multiple.

is observed and the concentration profle is measured

simulation based on the classical KWN model has

been demonstrated in Mg-Sn alloys, showing good

stiffness, electromagnetic shielding, nanoMAG invented a new

thermal conductivity, and vibration alloy, BioMg 250 bioabsorbable

as AXJ810-TH—with creep and For more information: Stephen E.

HYBRID INDUCTION ARC WELDING

A new welding process known as

When the weld cools, coil, the process has been

Fig. 4 — HiDep weld—two 8 × 20 ft steel

carbon structural steels such as

process for cutting metal, hybrid Productivity improvement Acknowledgment

STAINLESS STEEL: THE STEEL THAT DOES NOT RUST — PART 1

“IT’S NOT SURPRISING

ASM International President Sunniva R.

Ackerson Asphahani Bahr

HIGHLIGHTS COMMITTEE COUNCIL CHAIRS

Hirschfeld Hofman Jamuar Kodali Korthuis Lin

Mason Narayan Niedzinski Petrova Powell Simpson