Enhancing microstructure and mechanical properties of nickel aluminium bronze alloy through tin addition

This article describes the changes in the microstructure, cooling curve characteristics and mechanical properties of cast Nickel Aluminium Bronze alloy (NAB) alloy that were produced by the addition of various amounts of Tin (Sn). The solidification parameters were recorded using a computer-aided cooling curve analysis setup, and optical and scanning electron microscopes were utilised to study the evolution of the microstructure. The chemical composition of different phases generated in the NAB alloy with and without Tin was investigated using an X-ray diffraction technique. With the addition of tin, the alloy's microstructure changed from columnar to equiaxed grain structures, and the ideal microstructure was produced at a Tin concentration of roughly 1.0 weight percent. The formation of the high temperature α and the grain boundary Sn rich phases across the alloy microstructure as a result of further addition has a considerable impact on the alloy's increased hardness (upto 69%) and tensile strength (upto 28.4%) compared to untreated NAB alloy. Influence of Sn on microstructure transformation is confirmed by the decline in alloy nucleation temperatures, the reduction in undercooling intensity, and the decrease in cooling rate during solidification. The addition of Tin to the NAB alloy caused morphological changes in the kappa (K) phases, which are also reported in the this article. In addition to this, the research makes an attempt to describe the mechanism underlying the formation of equiaxed grains and phase transformations in Sn-treated NAB alloys.

Evolution of the Corrosion Product Film on Nickel-Aluminum Bronze and Its Corrosion Behavior in 3.5 wt % NaCl Solution

The in-situ studies of the corrosion product film on nickel-aluminum bronze are significant for explaining the mechanism of its corrosion resistance. In this paper, the corrosion behavior of nickel-aluminum bronze and the formation process of the protective film in 3.5 wt % NaCl solution are systematically investigated. The results of scanning electron microscope analysis and electrochemical tests indicate that the corrosion resistance of nickel-aluminum bronze is improved due to the formation of the corrosion product film. The change of local electrochemical property on the corrosion product film during the immersion time is evaluated via in-situ scanning vibrating electrode technique, and it reveals the evolution rules of ionic flux in real time. The formation process of the protective film on different phases in nickel-aluminum bronze is observed directly by in-situ atomic force microscopy as height change measurements. The α phases at different locations present different corrosion behaviors, and the lamellar α phase within the α + κ_III eutectoid structure gets more serious corrosion attack. The κ phases establish a stable and dense protective film in short time, preventing the corrosion attack effectively. The β′ phase, however, suffers the most serious corrosion damage until a protective film is formed after 150 min of immersion.