Copper precipitation at engine operating temperatures in powder-forged connecting rods manufactured with Fe–Cu–C alloys

The effect of copper precipitation on the mechanical properties of Fe–Cu–C alloys prepared for Powder Metallurgy and used to manufacture connecting rods for the automotive industry through powder forging was evaluated at engine operating temperatures, ranging between 100 °C and 150 °C. Tensile tests...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Materials science & engineering. A, Structural materials : properties, microstructure and processing Structural materials : properties, microstructure and processing, 2019-11, Vol.767, p.138383, Article 138383
Main Authors: Ilia, Edmond, Plamondon, Philippe, Masse, Jean-Philippe, L'Espérance, Gilles
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alloy powders
Automobile industry
Automotive engineering
Automotive engines
Automotive parts
Connecting Rods
Copper
Cu precipitation
Fe-Cu-C alloys
Forging
Low temperature
Mechanical Properties
Operating temperature
Powder Forging
Powder metallurgy
Precipitates
Precipitation hardening
Room temperature
Tensile tests
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The effect of copper precipitation on the mechanical properties of Fe–Cu–C alloys prepared for Powder Metallurgy and used to manufacture connecting rods for the automotive industry through powder forging was evaluated at engine operating temperatures, ranging between 100 °C and 150 °C. Tensile tests were conducted at room temperature as well as at 120 °C and 150 °C on specimens machined from connecting rods. The test results clearly indicated an improvement in the strength of Fe–Cu–C alloys at 120 °C and 150 °C. Scanning and transmission electron microscopies were employed to investigate the strengthening mechanism causing the improvement. The microscopy investigations pointed to stress-induced second phase precipitation strengthening in super-saturated Fe–Cu–C alloys even at these relatively low temperature levels as copious Cu nano precipitates were observed in the specimens submitted to tensile testing at 120 °C and components submitted to engine dynamometer testing. Clear evidence of interactions between dislocations and copper precipitates was found in both tensile specimens and components.
ISSN:0921-5093
1873-4936
DOI:10.1016/j.msea.2019.138383