TY - CONF A1 - Lemiasheuski, Anton A1 - Bajer, Evgenia A1 - Oder, Gabriele A1 - Göbel, Artur A1 - Hesse, Rene A1 - Bettge, Dirk T1 - Development of an Automated 3D Metallography System (RASI) and its Application in Microstructure Analysis N2 - Many microstructural features exhibit non-trivial geometries, which can only be derived to a limited extent from two-dimensional images. E.g., graphite arrangements in lamellar gray cast iron have complex geometries, and the same is true for additively manufactured materials and three-dimensional conductive path structures. Some can be visualized using tomographic methods, but some cannot be due to weak contrast and/or lack of resolution when analyzing macroscopic objects. Classic metallography can help but must be expanded to the third dimension. The method of reconstructing three-dimensional structures from serial metallographic sections surely is not new. However, the effort required to manually assemble many individual sections into image stacks is very high and stands in the way of frequent application. For this reason, an automated, robot-supported 3D metallography system is being developed at BAM, which carries out the steps of repeated preparation and image acquisition on polished specimen. Preparation includes grinding, polishing and optionally etching of the polished surface. Image acquisition comprises autofocused light microscopic imaging at several magnification levels. The image stacks obtained are then pre-processed, segmented, and converted into 3D models, which in the result appear like microtomographic models, but with high resolution at large volume. Contrasting by classical chemical etching reveals structures that cannot be resolved using tomographic methods. The integration of further imaging and measuring methods into this system is underway. Some examples will be discussed in the presentation. T2 - Euromat 2023 CY - Frankfurt a. M., Germany DA - 04.07.2023 KW - Metallography KW - 3D Reconstruction KW - Roboter KW - Automation KW - Microstructure PY - 2023 AN - OPUS4-58202 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Maaß, Robert T1 - Elastic Microstructures in Metallic Glasses N2 - Metallic glasses (MGs) are disordered solids that exhibit a range of outstanding mechanical, thermomechanical, and functional properties. Whilst being a promising class of structural materials, well-defined and exploitable structure-property relationships are still lacking. This offsets them strongly from the crystalline counterparts, for which length-scale based property determination has been key for decades. In recent years, both atomistic simulations and experiments have nurtured the view of heterogeneities that manifest themselves either as a structural partitioning into well-relaxed percolated network components and more frustrated domains in atomistic simulations, or as spatially-resolved property fluctuations revealed with atomic force microscopy. These signatures depend sensitively on the processing history and likely reflect emerging medium-range order fluctuations at the scale of 1-10 nanometers. Here we demonstrate and discuss the emergence of spatially resolved property fluctuations at length scales that are one to two orders of magnitude larger. Such long-range decorrelation length scales are hard to reconcile in a monolithic glass but may offer the perspective of experimentally easy-to-access length-scale based structure-property relationships. Whilst long-range property fluctuations can be seen in both the plastic and elastic response, we focus here on high-throughput elastic nanoindentation mapping across the surface of a Zr-based model glass. After a deconvolution of surface topography and curvature effects, the spatially-resolved elastic response reveals an elastic microstructure with a correlation length of ca. 150-170 nm. Analytical scanning-transmission electron microscopy (STEM) is used to link the elastic property fluctuations to the chemistry and structure of the MG. In concert, nano-elastic mapping and STEM suggests that structural variations in the glass are responsible for the unexpectedly large length scales. We discuss these findings in terms of the materials processing history and the perspective of exploiting nanoindentation-based spatial mapping to uncover structural length scales in atomically disordered solids. T2 - 7th International Indentation Workshop – IIW7 CY - Hyderabad, India DA - 17.12.2023 KW - Metallic glass KW - Nanoindentation KW - Microstructure PY - 2023 AN - OPUS4-60692 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Madia, Mauro T1 - Damage Tolerant Approach in Additively Manufactured Metallic Materials N2 - Damage tolerance counts as one of the most widespread approach to fatigue assessment and surely as one of the most promising in understanding the process-structure-property-performance relationships in additively manufactured metallic materials. Manufacturing defects, surface roughness, microstructural features, short and long crack fatigue propagation, residual stresses and applied loads can be taken into consideration in a fracture mechanics-based fatigue assessment. Many aspects are crucial to the reliable component life prediction. Among those a prominent role is played by an accurate measurement and modelling of the short crack fatigue behavior, and reliable statistical characterization of defects and residual stresses. This work aims at addressing the issues related to both experimental testing, fatigue and fatigue crack propagation, and fracture mechanics-based modelling of fatigue lives. Examples will be provided on an additively manufactured AISI 316 L. T2 - TMS2021 VIRTUAL CY - Online meeting DA - 15.03.2021 KW - AISI 316L KW - Additive Manufacturing KW - Damage Tolerance KW - Microstructure KW - Defects KW - Residual Stress PY - 2021 AN - OPUS4-52293 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Agudo Jácome, Leonardo T1 - Navigating the Nanoworld: Understanding Materials Properties with the Transmission Electron Microscope N2 - The field of materials science is defined as “the study of the properties of solid materials and how those properties are determined by a material’s composition and structure.”. Many –if not most– of the materials that are produced nowadays owe their properties to structures engineered down to the nanoscopic level. This need has been partly realized thanks to the understanding of materials’ building blocks via characterization techniques that reach this level of resolution. Transmission electron microscopy, since its first implementation in the early 1930s (in Berlin), has been implemented to achieve imaging –and spectral– analysis at lateral resolutions down to the atomic level. In this contribution, a series of practical examples will be presented, where applied materials are characterized by a range of transmission electron microscopy techniques to understand structural and functional properties of a wide range of materials. Among these materials examples will be presented on structural conventionally and additively manufactured metallic alloys, high entropy alloys, dissimilar aluminum-to-steel welds, magnetic nanoparticles, ceramic coatings, high temperature oxidation products. Addressed will be either the effect of processing route or that of the exposure to experimental conditions similar to those found in the respective intended applications. T2 - UA/UAB/UAH MSE Graduate Seminar CY - Online meeting DA - 19.01.2022 KW - Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) KW - Characterization KW - Microstructure KW - 3D PY - 2022 AN - OPUS4-54238 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Agudo Jácome, Leonardo T1 - The Al4-xZr5(Ox-y) Trojan horse in the AlMo0.5NbTiTa0.5Zr refractory high entropy superalloy N2 - Unlike conventional alloys, which typically consist of one main element, high-entropy alloys (HEAs) contain five or more principal elements, which broaden chemical complexity and with it a realm of synergistic mechanisms. The AlMo0.5NbTa0.5TiZr HEA initiated a subclass of Al-containing refractory (r)HEAs that has recently drawn attention [2]. The alloy has a superalloy-resembling B2/bcc nanostructure, which inspired its name refractory high entropy superalloy (RSA). With high-temperature (HT) compressive strengths beyond conventional Ni-based superalloys, this nanostructure could be used for improved HT structural applications. However, in the application-relevant HT regime the Al-Zr-rich B2 phase decomposes to form a hexagonal Al-Zr-based intermetallic (Al4-xZr5; x: 0..1) [3,4]. This work explores the fascinating yet fatal micromechanisms associated to this phase transformation, in the context of creep, annealing and oxidation experiments performed between 800 and 1200 °C. The material was produced by arc-melting and heat treatment in argon, which lead to grain boundaries decorated with up to 7%. Interrupted constant-load creep tests were performed under vacuum (at 10-4 Pa), at 900–1100 °C with external tensile stresses of 30–120 MPa. Oxidation experiments were separately conducted for 24 hours at 800 and 1000 °C in both dry (21% O2 + 79% N2) and humid (8% O2 + 74% N2 + 18% H2O) air. After the experiments, the samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy to reveal degradation mechanisms. Crystallographic texture, orientation relationships and stabilization of an oxygen-containing iso structure (Al4-xZr5(Ox-y); y: 0..x) of the Al-Zr-rich intermetallic are found and discussed. T2 - BCC Superalloy Network Opening Workshop CY - Reutte, Austria DA - 08.02.2024 KW - High entropy alloy KW - Superalloy KW - Degradation KW - Electron microscopy KW - Microstructure PY - 2024 AN - OPUS4-59833 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Suárez Ocano, Patricia T1 - Creep Properties of the Refractory Chemically Complex AlMo 0.5 NbTa 0.5 TiZr Alloy N2 - The development of refractory CCAs has been explored for potential use in high temperature applications. An example of this is the AlMo0.5NbTa0.5TiZr alloy, which resembles the well-known γ/γ’ microstructure in Ni-Base superalloys with cuboidal particles embedded in a continuous matrix. The aim of this work is to evaluate the alloy’s mechanical behavior under tension in the temperature range 800-1000°C, by applying creep tests under vacuum (excluding oxidation effects). Some little temperature influence on minimum creep rate @ 1000 and 1100 °C was found and at a first glance, and Norton plots shows that deformation is probably both diffusion and dislocation controlled. However, further work is needed to stablish deformation and degradation micro mechanisms in the studied creep regime. T2 - SPP Kick-Off Meeting 2nd Phase CY - Online meeting DA - 14.04.2021 KW - Creep behavior KW - Chemically complex alloy KW - Microstructure PY - 2021 AN - OPUS4-53389 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Suárez Ocano, Patricia T1 - Effect of the heat treatment in the microstructure of a refractory chemically complex alloy N2 - A set of some unexpected and interesting microstructures has put the so-called complex concentrated alloys (CCAs) in the eye of the scientific community. The AlMo0.5NbTa0.5TiZr refractory (r)CCA, aimed at substituting Ni-base superalloys in gas turbine applications, belongs to this alloy family. After a two-stage heat treatment, this rCCA morphologically resembles the typical a two-phase microstructure of the latter. The objective of this work consists in determining the effect of the two stages of the heat treatment on the microstructure of the AlMo0.5NbTa0.5TiZr alloy to eventually improve it in terms of homogeneity and porosity. T2 - Third International Conference on High Entropy Materials (2020) CY - Berlin, Germany DA - 27.09.2020 KW - Annealing KW - Hot isostatic pressing KW - Refractory chemically complex alloy KW - Microstructure PY - 2020 AN - OPUS4-53386 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Ferrari, Bruno T1 - Microstructural evolution of PBF-LB/M Inconel 718 during solution-aging heat treatments - an in-situ x-ray diffraction study N2 - Inconel 718 (IN718) is a traditional age-hardenable nickel-based alloy that has been increasingly processed by additive manufacturing (AM) in recent years. In the as-solidified condition, IN718 exhibits chemical segregation and the undesired Laves phase, requiring a solution annealing (SA) prior to aging. The material produced by AM does not respond to the established thermal routines in the same way as conventionally produced IN718, and there is still no consensus on which routine yields optimal results. This work aims to provide a fundamental understanding of the heat treatment (HT) response by continuously monitoring the microstructural evolution during SA via time-resolved synchrotron x-ray diffraction, complemented by ex-situ scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The samples were produced by laser powder bed fusion to a geometry of 10x20x90 mm³, from which Ø1x5 mm³ cylindric specimens were extracted. Two different scanning strategies – incremental 67° rotations, Rot, and alternating 0°/67° tracks, Alt – were used, leading to two different as-built conditions. 1-hour SAs were carried out in the beamline ID22 of the ESRF at 50 KeV. Two SA temperatures, SA1 = 1020 °C, and SA2 = 1080 °C were tested for each scanning strategy. Data were processed using the software PDIndexer. In the as-built state, all samples showed typical subgrain columnar cell structures with predominant Nb/Mo segregation and Laves phase at the cell walls, as seen by SEM. The Alt scan induced higher intensity on the Laves peaks than the Rot scan, suggesting a greater content of Laves. Chemical homogenization in the SA was largely achieved during the heating ramp (Fig. 1). SA2 eliminated the Laves peaks just before reaching 1080 °C, and mitigated differences between Rot and Alt samples. On the other hand, SA1 induced the precipitation of the generally detrimental δ phase, also observed by SEM. Furthermore, the Rot scan showed higher δ peak intensities than the Alt scan, indicating a higher content of δ in the latter. No signs of recrystallization were observed in any of the investigated SAs. T2 - FEMS EUROMAT 2023 CY - Frankfurt a. M., Germany DA - 03.09.2023 KW - Additive Manufacturing KW - X-Ray Diffraction KW - Inconel 718 KW - Heat Treatments KW - Microstructure PY - 2023 AN - OPUS4-58392 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Ávila Calderón, Luis T1 - Low cycle fatigue behavior of DED-L Ti-6AL-4V N2 - Laser powder-based directed energy deposition (DED-L) is a technology that offers the possibility for 3D material deposition over hundreds of layers and has thus the potential for application in additive manufacturing (AM). However, to achieve broad industrial application as AM technology, more data and knowledge about the fabricated materials regarding the achieved properties and their relationship to the manufacturing process and the resulting microstructure is still needed. In this work, we present data regarding the low-cycle fatigue (LCF) behavior of Ti-6Al-4V. The material was fabricated using an optimized DED-L process. It features a low defect population and excellent tensile properties. To assess its LCF behavior two conventionally manufactured variants of the same alloy featuring different microstructures were additionally tested. The strain-controlled LCF tests were carried out in fully reversed mode with 0.3 % to 1.0 % axial strain amplitude from room temperature up to 400°C. The LCF behavior and failure mechanisms are described. For characterization, optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and micro-computed tomography (µCT) were used. The low defect population allows for a better understanding of the intrinsic material’s properties and enables a fairer comparison against the conventional variants. The fatigue lifetimes of the DED-L material are nearly independent of the test temperature. At elevated test temperatures, they are similar or higher than the lifetimes of the conventional counterparts. At room temperature, they are only surpassed by the lifetimes of one of them. The principal failure mechanism involves multiple crack initiation sites. T2 - Ninth International Conference on Low Cycle Fatigue (LCF9) CY - Berlin, Germany DA - 21.06.2022 KW - AGIL KW - Additive Manufacturing KW - Ti-6Al-4V KW - Low-Cycle-Fatigue KW - Microstructure PY - 2022 AN - OPUS4-55123 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Suarez Ocano, Patricia T1 - Influence of heat-treatment-induced microstructural evolution on the Low Cycle Fatigue behavior of 316L stainless steel fabricated by Laser Powder Bed Fusion N2 - Additive manufacturing, particularly the laser powder bed fusion (PBF-LB/M) process, has gained significant attention in recent years due to its ability to produce complex geometries with enhanced mechanical properties. Among the various materials used, 316L stainless steel is highly favored for cyclically loaded components due to its exceptional mechanical strength, high-temperature performance, and corrosion resistance, making it widely applicable across various industries. 316L SS fabricated by PBF-LB/M (PBF-LB/M/316L) exhibits a unique hierarchical microstructure, with high density of low-angle grain boundaries (LAGBs), nano-dispersed silicates, chemical micro-segregations, and solidification-induced cellular structures. Particularly, the submicron-sized cellular features enriched with chromium (Cr) and molybdenum (Mo), along with high dislocation densities, contribute to a superior strength-ductility balance compared to conventionally manufactured 316L SS. The dispersed silicate particles act also as a strengthening phase, impeding dislocation movement and enhancing plastic deformation resistance. This study explores the effect of heat treatments on the low-cycle fatigue (LCF) behavior of PBF-LB/M/316L at room temperature (RT) and 600 °C. First, three heat treatment conditions were applied to the as-built material: 450 °C for 4 hours (HT450/4), 800 °C for 3 hours (HT800/3), and 900 °C for 1 hour (HT900/1) to investigate their influence on microstructural evolution. Microstructural analysis revealed that the HT450/4 condition preserved the cellular structure with high dislocation density, while the HT800/3 condition showed partial dissolution of cells together with reduction in segregated elements along the cell walls and a reduced dislocation density. The HT900/1 condition resulted in complete segregation and cellular structure dissolution with comparable dislocation density to HT800/3 while maintaining the crystallographic texture and grain morphology. Intermetallic χ phase was mostly observed at the grain boundaries in HT800/3, but not in HT900/1. Fully reversed LCF tests were conducted under strain-controlled conditions with a strain amplitude of 0.8 %. Tests were interrupted at specific intervals to analyze the interaction between hierarchical microstructural features and deformation mechanisms in the three heat-treated conditions. Due to the pronounced dislocation cell structures and elemental segregation, the microstructure of the HT450/4 condition significantly impact deformation and damage mechanisms during cyclic loading, which in turn, differ from the conventional produced counterparts. The results provide insights into the relationship between microstructural features and fatigue performance, highlighting key deformation and failure mechanisms under cyclic loading. T2 - FEMS 2025 EUROMAT 18th European Congress and Exhibition on Advanced Materials and Processes CY - Granada, Spain DA - 14.09.2025 KW - Additive manufacturing KW - 316L stainless steel KW - Heat treatments KW - Low Cycle Fatigue KW - Microstructure PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-64238 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -