| EPSRC Reference: |
EP/C512820/1 |
| Title: |
Investigating The Behaviour Of Aluminium In Steels:- A New Role For The Steelmaker's Friend |
| Principal Investigator: |
Brydson, Professor RMD |
| Other Investigators: |
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| Researcher Co-Investigators: |
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| Project Partners: |
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| Department: |
Institute of Materials Research |
| Organisation: |
University of Leeds |
| Scheme: |
Standard Research (Pre-FEC) |
| Starts: |
01 May 2005 |
Ends: |
31 August 2008 |
Value (£): |
170,521
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| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
| Materials Characterisation |
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| EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
| Manufacturing |
Transport Systems and Vehicles |
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| Related Grants: |
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| Panel History: |
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
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Aluminium has been added to steels for many decades primarlily to produce grain refined clean (low inclusion content) steels. Despite this, the metaurgical effects of the Al, which remains in solid solution after oxides and nitrides has been formed during processing, remain unclear. Recent studies have concentrated on using much larger Al additions, upto 1/2%, to promote microstructures with improved forming characteristics. In additon, exceptional level: of impact toughness have been demonstrated in similar steels. These levels of toughness are such that the complex rolling currently used to produce tough fine grained structural steels could be avoided with consequent major benefits to the costs of rolling, perhaps saving upto 20%. However, the mechanisms I which a) the toughness improvement occurs and b) the role of Al in changing microstructure appear to linked to the segregation behaviour of Al in solid solution. Calculation using semi-empirical electron density alloying theories indicates Al should be as effective in segregation terms as the more well knoll elements responsible for structure-sensitive phenomena as temper embrittlement, eg Sb, As and P, or creep rupture ductility (P, Sb, Sri). The proposed research seeks to investigate the role of Al in solid solution firstly by carrying out high resolution TEM/PEELS studies to allow more positive evidence of Al segregation and its effect in changing grain boundary structure and secondly by an assessment of the changes in mechanical properties and transformation behaviour.
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Key Findings |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Impacts |
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| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
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| Date Materialised |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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| Project URL: |
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| Further Information: |
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| Organisation Website: |
http://www.leeds.ac.uk |