The results presented in this article are part of the research on fatigue life of various foundry alloys carried out in recent years in the Lukasiewicz Research Network – Institute of Precision Mechanics and AGH University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Foundry Engineering. The article discusses the test results obtained for the EN-GJS-600-3 cast iron in an original modified low-cycle fatigue test (MLCF), which seems to be a beneficial research tool allowing its users to evaluate the mechanical properties of materials with microstructural heterogeneities under both static and dynamic loads. For a comprehensive analysis of the mechanical behaviour with a focus on fatigue life of alloys, an original modified low cycle fatigue method (MLCF) adapted to the actually available test machine was used. The results of metallographic examinations carried out by light microscopy were also presented. From the analysis of the results of the conducted mechanical tests and structural examinations it follows that the MLCF method is fully applicable in a quick and economically justified assessment of the quality of ductile iron after normalizing treatment.

The paper presents the results of comparative tests of the fatigue properties conducted on two non-ferrous alloys designated as Al 6082 and

Al 7075 which, due to the satisfactory functional characteristics, are widely used as engineering materials. The fatigue tests were carried

out using a proprietary, modified low cycle test (MLCF). Particular attention was paid to the fatigue strength exponent b and fatigue

ductility exponent c. Based on the tests carried out, the results comprised within the range defined by the literature were obtained. These

results prove a satisfactory sensitivity of the method applied, its efficiency, the possibility of conducting tests in a fully economical way

and above all the reliability of the obtained results of the measurements. Thus, the thesis has been justified that the modified low cycle

fatigue test (MLCF) can be recommended as a tool used in the development of alloy characteristics within the range of low-cycle variable

loads

This study discloses the characteristic features of the modified low-cycle fatigue test used for the determination of the mechanical

properties of two types of cast iron, i.e. EN-GJL-250 and EN-GJS-600-3. For selected materials, metallographic studies were also

conducted in the range of light microscopy and scanning microscopy.

The results of studies presented in this article are an example of the research activity of the authors related to lead-free alloys. The studies covered binary SnZn90 and SnZn95 lead-free alloys, including their microstructure and complex mechanical characteristics. The microstructure was examined by both light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The identification of alloy chemical composition in micro-areas was performed by SEM/EDS method. As regards light microscopy, the assessment was of both qualitative and quantitative character. The determination of the geometrical parameters of microstructure was based on an original combinatorial method using phase quantum theory. Comprehensive characterization of mechanical behavior with a focus on fatigue life of alloys was performed by means of the original modified low cycle fatigue method (MLCF) adapted to the actually available test machine. The article discusses the fatigue life of binary SnZn90 and SnZn95 alloys in terms of their microstructure. Additionally, the benefits resulting from the use of the combinatorial method in microstructure examinations and MLCF test in the quick estimation of several mechanical parameters have been underlined.

The paper describes the studies of ternary SnZn9Al1.5 lead-free alloy from the viewpoint of its mechanical behavior as well as microstructure examined by the light and scanning electron microscopy. The authors focused their attention specifically on the fatigue parameters determined by the original modified low-cycle fatigue method (MLCF), which in a quick and economically justified way allows determination of a number of mechanical parameters based on the measurement data coming from one test sample only. The effect of the addition of 1.5% Al to the binary eutectic SnZn9 alloy on its microstructure and the obtained level of mechanical parameters was analyzed. The phases and intermetallic compounds occurring in the alloy were identified based on the chemical analysis carried out in micro-areas by the SEM/EDS technique. It was shown that the addition of 1.5% Al to the binary eutectic SnZn9 alloy resulted in a more favorable microstructure and consequently had a positive effect on the mechanical parameters of the alloy. Based on the conducted research, it was recommended to use a combinatorial method based on the phase quanta theory to quickly evaluate the microstructure and the original MLCF method to determine a number of mechanical parameters.

This paper presents the results of studies concerning the production and characterization of Al-SiC/W and Cu-SiC/W composite materials with a 30% volume fraction of reinforcing phase particles as well as the influence of corrosion and thermal shocks on the properties of selected metal matrix composites. Spark plasma sintering method (SPS) was applied for the purpose of producing these materials. In order to avoid the decomposition of SiC surface, SiC powder was coated with a thin tungsten layer using plasma vapour deposition (PVD) method. The obtained results were analysed by the effect of the corrosion and thermal shocks on materials density, hardness, bending strength, tribological and thermal properties. Qualitative X-ray analysis and observation of microstructure of sample surfaces after corrosion tests and thermal shocks were also conducted. The use of PVD technique allows us to obtain an evenly distributed layer of titanium with a constant thickness of 1.5 µm. It was found that adverse environmental conditions and increased temperature result in a change in the material behaviour in wear tests.

The study includes the results of research conducted on selected lead-free binary solder alloys designed for operation at high temperatures.

The results of qualitative and quantitative metallographic examinations of SnZn alloys with various Zn content are presented. The

quantitative microstructure analysis was carried out using a combinatorial method based on phase quanta theory, per which any

microstructure can be treated as an array of elements disposed in the matrix material. Fatigue tests were also performed using the

capabilities of a modified version of the LCF method hereinafter referred to in short as MLCF, which is particularly useful in the

estimation of mechanical parameters when there are difficulties in obtaining many samples normally required for the LCF test. The fatigue

life of alloys was analyzed in the context of their microstructure. It has been shown that the mechanical properties are improved with the

Zn content increasing in the alloy. However, the best properties were obtained in the alloy with a chemical composition close to the

eutectic system, when the Zn-rich precipitates showed the most preferred morphological characteristics. At higher content of Zn, a strong

structural notch was formed in the alloy because of the formation in the microstructure of a large amount of the needle-like Zn-rich

precipitates deteriorating the mechanical characteristics. Thus, the results obtained during previous own studies, which in the field of

mechanical testing were based on static tensile test only, have been confirmed. It is interesting to note that during fatigue testing, both

significant strengthening and weakening of the examined material can be expected. The results of fatigue tests performed on SnZn alloys

have proved that in this case the material was softened.

Lead-free alloys containing various amounts of zinc (4.5%, 9%, 13%) and constant copper addition (1%) were discussed. The results of

microstructure examinations carried out by light microscopy (qualitative and quantitative) and by SEM were presented. In the light

microscopy, a combinatorial method was used for the quantitative evaluation of microstructure. In general, this method is based on the

phase quanta theory according to which every microstructure can be treated as an arrangement of phases/structural components in the

matrix material. Based on this method, selected geometrical parameters of the alloy microstructure were determined. SEM examinations

were based on chemical analyses carried out in microregions by EDS technique. The aim of the analyses was to identify the intermetallic

phases/compounds occurring in the examined alloys. In fatigue testing, a modified low cycle fatigue test method (MLCF) was used. Its

undeniable advantage is the fact that each time, using one sample only, several mechanical parameters can be estimated. As a result of

structure examinations, the effect of alloying elements on the formation of intermetallic phases and compounds identified in the examined

lead-free alloys was determined. In turn, the results of mechanical tests showed the effect of intermetallic phases identified in the

examined alloys on their fatigue life. Some concepts and advantages of the use of the combinatorial and MLCF methods in materials

research were also presented.

The multiple direct remelting of composites based on the A359 alloy reinforced with 20% of Al2O3 particles was performed. The results of both gravity casting and squeeze casting were examined in terms of the obtained microstructure and mechanical characteristics. In microstructure examinations, the combinatorial method based on phase quanta theory was used. In mechanical tests, the modified low cycle fatigue method (MLCF) was applied. The effects obtained after both gravity casting and squeeze casting were compared. It was noted that both characteristics were gradually deteriorating up to the tenth remelting. The main cause was the occurrence of shrinkage porosity after the gravity casting. Much better results were obtained applying the squeeze casting process. The results of microstructure examinations and fatigue tests enabled drawing the conclusion that the A359 alloy reinforced with Al2O3 particles can confer a much better fatigue life behavior to the resulting composite than the A359 alloy without the reinforcement. At the same time, comparing these results with the results of the previous own research carried out on the composites based also on the A359 alloy but reinforced in the whole volume with SiC particles, it has been concluded that both types of the composites can be subjected to multiple remelting without any significant deterioration of the structural and mechanical characteristics. The concepts and advantages of using the combinatorial and MLCF methods in materials research were also presented

The article presents the study results of Sn-Zn lead-free solders with the various Zn content. The results concern the hypoeutectic, eutectic and hypereutectic alloys containing respectively 4.5% Zn, 9% Zn and 13.5% Zn. Moreover, these alloys contain the constant Ag (1%) addition. The aim of the study was to determine the microstructural conditionings of their fatigue life. In particular it was focused on answer the question what meaning can be assigned to the Ag addition in the chemical composition of binary Sn-Zn alloys. The research includes a qualitative and quantitative assessments of the alloy microstructures, that have been carried out in the field of light microscopy (LM). In order to determine some geometrical parameters of the microstructure of alloys the combinatorial method based on the phase quanta theory was applied. Moreover, for the identification necessities the chemical analyses in the micro-areas by SEM/EDS technics were also performed. Based on the SEM/EDS results the phases and intermetallic compounds existing in the examined lead-free solders were identified. The mechanical characteristics were determined by means of the modified low cycle test (MLCF). Based on this method and on the results obtained every time from only one sample the dozen of essential mechanical parameters were evaluated. The research results were the basis of analyzes concerning the effects of microstructural geometrical parameters of lead-free alloys studied on their fatigue life at ambient temperature.

This paper presents technological trials aimed at producing Ag-W, Ag-WC, Ag-W-C and Ag-WC-C composite contact materials and characterizing their properties. These materials were obtained using two methods, i.e. press-sinter-repress (PSR) at the refractory phase content of less than 30% by weight as well as press-sinter-infiltration (PSI) at the refractory phase content of ≥50% by weight). The results of research into both the physical and electrical properties of the outcome composites were shown. They include the analysis of the influence of the refractory phase content (W or WC) on arc erosion and contact resistance changes for the following current range: 6 kAmax in the case of composites with a low refractory phase content, 10 kAmax in the case of composites with the refractory phase content of ≥50% by weight.