Keywords
Aluminum, Fracture, Stress Intensity Factor, LME, SCC
Abstract
When high strength aluminum alloys are subjected to liquid metals, physical and chemical reactions ensue resulting in what is known as liquid metal embrittlement (LME). A subset of environmentally-assisted cracking, LME is exhibited when a liquid metal, e.g. Hg or Ga, comes into intimate contact with a solid metal having significant susceptibility. As mechanical loads are applied, the interaction between the two metals results in a reduction in the flow properties of the solid metal. Several theories have been proposed to identify the underlying microstructural failure mechanism; however, none have been widely accepted, as failures can typically incorporate features common to several failure theories. In an effort to confirm, extend or replace the physically-based theories, fracture mechanics experiments on Al 7075-T651 in liquid mercury have been conducted. Experiments were conducted in a custom environmental chamber capable of exposing specimens to liquid environments while applying a mechanical load. Through both plane-strain fracture and stress intensity factor-dependent (SIF) tests, fracture toughness values along with incubation periods were analyzed and provided data for a load-based theory of LME. These mechanical test data, along with metallographic analysis, show that the phenomena of LME is both strongly time- and SIF-dependent.
Notes
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Graduation Date
2009
Advisor
Gordon, Ali
Degree
Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (M.S.M.E.)
College
College of Engineering and Computer Science
Department
Mechanical, Materials, and Aerospace Engineering
Degree Program
Mechanical Engineering
Format
application/pdf
Identifier
CFE0002893
URL
http://purl.fcla.edu/fcla/etd/CFE0002893
Language
English
Release Date
November 2010
Length of Campus-only Access
None
Access Status
Masters Thesis (Open Access)
STARS Citation
Keller, Scott, "Stress Intensity Factor Dependence Of Hg-al Liquid Metal Embrittlement" (2009). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 4102.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd/4102