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Shimizu, Kazuyuki*; Nishimura, Katsuhiko*; Matsuda, Kenji*; Nunomura, Norio*; Namiki, Takahiro*; Tsuchiya, Taiki*; Akamaru, Satoshi*; Lee, S.*; Tsuru, Tomohito; Higemoto, Wataru; et al.
International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 95, p.292 - 299, 2024/12
Times Cited Count：0 Percentile：0.00(Chemistry, Physical)Zero-field muon spin relaxation experiments were conducted on Al-0.06%Mn, Al-0.06%Cr, Al-0.02%Fe, and Al-0.02%Ni alloys (at.%) across the temperature ranging from 5 to 300 K. The temperature-dependent variations of the dipole field widths (
) elucidated four distinct peaks for the prepared alloys. Atomic configurations of the muon trapping sites corresponding to the observed peaks below 200 K were meticulously characterized utilizing first-principles calculations for the trapping energies of hydrogen in proximity to a solute and solute-vacancy pair. This comprehensive analysis facilitated the establishment of a linear correlation between the muon peak temperature and the hydrogen trapping energy. However, significant deviations from this linear relationship were observed for the fourth peaks above 200 K in Al-Mn, Al-Cr, Al-Fe, and Al-Ni alloys. This discrepancy can be interpreted by considering the disparate distribution functions of muon and hydrogen within the tetrahedral site, wherein two of the four Al atoms are substituted by the solute element and vacancy (solute-vacancy pair).
Higa, Ryota*; Fujihara, Hiro*; Toda, Hiroyuki*; Kobayashi, Masakazu*; Ebihara, Kenichi; Takeuchi, Akihisa*
Materials Transactions, 65(8), p.899 - 906, 2024/08
Times Cited Count：0 Percentile：0.00(Materials Science, Multidisciplinary)It is indispensable to suppress hydrogen embrittlement (HE) to develop the strength of the Al-Zn-Mg alloy. Because intergranular fracture (IGF) is mainly observed when HE occurs in the alloy, we need to understand the IGF initiation to suppress HE. In the present study, we investigated the stress, strain, and H concentration, which influence the IGF initiation, in actual fractured regions by simulation of a crystal plasticity finite element method and H diffusion analysis in a 3D image-based model, which was created based on 3D polycrystalline microstructure data obtained from X-ray imaging technique. Combining the simulation and in-situ observation of the tensile test sample by X-ray CT, we examined the stress, strain, and H concentration, and discussed the IG crack initiation condition. As a result, it is revealed that stress normal to grain boundary induced by crystal plasticity dominates IG crack initiation while the accumulation of H due to stress has little impact on it.
-phase in Al-Mg-Si alloys during aging treatmentAhmed, A.*; Uttarasak, K.*; Tsuchiya, Taiki*; Lee, S.*; Nishimura, Katsuhiko*; Nunomura, Norio*; Shimizu, Kazuyuki*; Hirayama, Kyosuke*; Toda, Hiroyuki*; Yamaguchi, Masatake; et al.
Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 988, p.174234_1 - 174234_9, 2024/06
Times Cited Count：8 Percentile：95.58(Chemistry, Physical)This study aims to clarify the growth process of the-phase in Al-Mg-Si alloys from the point of view of morphology evolution. For this research, the -phase orientation relationship, shape, growth process, misfit value, and interfacial condition between the -phase and Al matrix were investigated using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), focus ion beam (FIB), and optical microscope (OM). Results include the identification of {111} facets at the edges of the -phase, as well as the proposal of two new three-dimensional shapes for the -phase. We purposed the morphology evolution during the growth process of Mg
Si crystal and calculated the misfit to understand the unstable (111) facet has a higher misfit value as compared to the (001) and (011) facets. Our observations provide how they influence the behavior of MgSi crystals.
MnShimizu, Kazuyuki*; Nishimura, Katsuhiko*; Matsuda, Kenji*; Akamaru, Satoshi*; Nunomura, Norio*; Namiki, Takahiro*; Tsuchiya, Taiki*; Lee, S.*; Higemoto, Wataru; Tsuru, Tomohito; et al.
Scripta Materialia, 245, p.116051_1 - 116051_6, 2024/05
Times Cited Count：1 Percentile：59.42(Nanoscience & Nanotechnology)Hydrogen at the mass ppm level causes hydrogen embrittlement in metallic materials, but it is extremely difficult to experimentally elucidate the hydrogen trapping sites. We have taken advantage of the fact that positive muons can act as light isotopes of hydrogen to study the trapping state of hydrogen in matter. Zero-field muon spin relaxation experiments and the density functional theory (DFT) calculations for hydrogen trapping energy are carried out for AlMn. The DFT calculations for hydrogen in AlMn have found four possible trapping sites in which the hydrogen trapping energies are 0.168 (site 1), 0.312 (site 2), 0.364 (site 3), and 0.495 (site 4) in the unit of eV/atom. Temperature variations of the deduced dipole field width () indicated step-like changes at temperatures, 94, 193, and 236 K. Considering their site densities, the observed change temperatures are interpreted by trapping muons at sites 1, 3, and 4.
Fujihara, Hiro*; Toda, Hiroyuki*; Ebihara, Kenichi; Kobayashi, Masakazu*; Mayama, Tsuyoshi*; Hirayama, Kyosuke*; Shimizu, Kazuyuki*; Takeuchi, Akihisa*; Uesugi, Masayuki*
International Journal of Plasticity, 174, p.103897_1 - 103897_22, 2024/03
Times Cited Count：8 Percentile：95.88(Engineering, Mechanical)Hydrogen(H) embrittlement in high-strength aluminum(Al) alloys is a crucial problem. H accumulation at the interface of precipitates in Al alloy is considered to cause embrittlement. However, there is no quantitative knowledge regarding the interaction between H distribution and stress field near cracks. In this study, using a multi-modal three-dimensional image-based simulation combining the crystal plasticity finite element method and H diffusion analysis, we tried to capture the stress distribution near the crack, its influence on the H distribution, and the probability of crack initiation in the experimental condition. As a result, it was found that grain boundary cracks transition to quasi-cleavage cracks in the region where the cohesive energy of the semi-coherent interface of MgZn precipitates decreases due to H accumulation near the tip. We believe the present simulation method successfully bridges nanoscale delamination and macroscale brittle fracture.
Tang, J.*; Wang, Y.*; Fujihara, Hiro*; Shimizu, Kazuyuki*; Hirayama, Kyosuke*; Ebihara, Kenichi; Takeuchi, Akihisa*; Uesugi, Masayuki*; Toda, Hiroyuki*
Scripta Materialia, 239, p.115804_1 - 115804_5, 2024/01
Times Cited Count：9 Percentile：82.42(Nanoscience & Nanotechnology)Stress corrosion cracking (SCC) behaviors induced by the combination of external and internal hydrogen (H) in an Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy were systematically investigated via in situ 3D characterization techniques. SCC of the Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy could initiate and propagate in the potential crack region where the H concentration exceeded a critical value, in which the nanoscopic H-induced decohesion of 
-MgZn precipitates resulted in macroscopic cracking. External H that penetrated the alloy from the environment played a crucial role during the SCC of the Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy by generating gradient-distributed H-affected zones near the crack tips, which made Al alloys in water environment more sensitive to SCC. Additionally, the pre-existing internal H was driven toward the crack tips during plastic deformation. It was involved in the SCC and made contributions to both the cracks initiation and propagation.
Higa, Ryota*; Fujihara, Hiro*; Toda, Hiroyuki*; Kobayashi, Masakazu*; Ebihara, Kenichi; Takeuchi, Akihisa*
Keikinzoku, 73(11), p.530 - 536, 2023/11
In Al-Zn-Mg alloys, suppression of hydrogen embrittlement is necessary to improve their strength. In this study, the distribution of stress, strain, and hydrogen concentration in the actual fracture region was investigated using the crystal plasticity finite element method and hydrogen diffusion analysis based on a model derived from three-dimensional polycrystalline microstructural data obtained by X-ray CT. In addition, the distributions of stress, strain, and hydrogen concentration were compared with the actual crack initiation behavior by combining in-situ observation of tensile tests using X-ray CT and simulation. The results show that stress loading perpendicular to the grain boundary due to crystal plasticity dominates grain boundary crack initiation. It was also found that internal hydrogen accumulation due to crystal plasticity has little effect on crack initiation.
Shimizu, Kazuyuki*; Toda, Hiroyuki*; Fujihara, Hiro*; Yamaguchi, Masatake; Uesugi, Masayuki*; Takeuchi, Akihisa*; Nishijima, Masahiko*; Kamada, Yasuhiro*
Corrosion, 79(8), p.818 - 830, 2023/08
Times Cited Count：3 Percentile：30.94(Materials Science, Multidisciplinary)7xxx aluminum alloys are representative high-strength aluminum alloys; however, mechanical property degradation due to hydrogen hinders further strengthening. We propose the dispersion of Mn-based second-phase particles as a novel technique for preventing 7xxx aluminum alloy hydrogen embrittlement. In this study, the deformation and fracture behaviors of high hydrogen 7xxx alloys containing 0.0% Mn and 0.6% Mn are observed in situ using synchrotron radiation X-ray tomography. The obtained macroscopic hydrogen embrittlement is quantitatively analyzed based on hydrogen partitioning in alloys. Adding 0.6% Mn, generating second-phase particles with high hydrogen trapping abilities, significantly suppresses hydrogen-induced quasicleavage fracture.
muon spin relaxation method and first-principles calculationsTsuru, Tomohito; Nishimura, Katsuhiko*; Matsuda, Kenji*; Nunomura, Norio*; Namiki, Takahiro*; Lee, S.*; Higemoto, Wataru; Matsuzaki, Teiichiro*; Yamaguchi, Masatake; Ebihara, Kenichi; et al.
Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A, 54(6), p.2374 - 2383, 2023/06
Times Cited Count：2 Percentile：30.94(Materials Science, Multidisciplinary)Although hydrogen embrittlement susceptibility of high-strength Al alloys is recognized as a critical issue in the practical use of Al alloys, identifying the hydrogen trapping or distribution has been challenging. In the present study, an effective approach based on experiment and simulation is proposed to explore the potential trap sites in Al alloys. Zero-field muon spin relaxation experiments were carried out for Al-0.5%Mg, Al-0.2%Cu, Al-0.15%Ti, Al-0.011%Ti, Al-0.28%V, and Al-0.015%V (at.%) in the temperature range from 5 to 300 K. The temperature variations of the dipole field widths have revealed three peaks for Al-0.5%Mg, four peaks for Al-0.2%Cu, three peaks for Al-0.011%Ti and Al-0.015%V. Atomic configurations of the muon trapping sites corresponding to the observed peaks are well assigned using the first-principles calculations for the trap energies of hydrogen around a solute and solute-vacancy pair. The extracted linear relationship between the muon peak temperature and the trap energy enables us to explore the potential alloying elements and their complex that have strong binding energies with hydrogen in Al alloys.
Toda, Hiroyuki*; Tsuru, Tomohito; Yamaguchi, Masatake; Matsuda, Kenji*; Shimizu, Kazuyuki*; Hirayama, Kyosuke*
Kagaku, 75(10), p.48 - 53, 2020/10
Highly-concentrated precipitations play therefore dominant role in mechanical properties and hydrogen embrittlement of aluminum alloys. It has been considered that the coherent interface between matrix and precipitation does not contribute to the crack initiation and embrittlement due to its coherency. Here, we discovered the origin of unprecedented quasi-cleavage fracture mode. Hydrogen partitioning at various defect sites is investigated comprehensively combined with experiment, theory and first-principles calculations. We demonstrate that despite low excess free volume, the aluminum-precipitation interface is more preferable trap site than void and grain boundary. The cohesivity of the interface deteriorates significantly with increasing occupancy while hydrogen atoms are trapped stably up to extremely high occupancy equivalent to spontaneous cleavage.
Si and Al
FeCu intermetallic compounds in aluminum alloy; First-principles calculationsYamaguchi, Masatake; Tsuru, Tomohito; Ebihara, Kenichi; Itakura, Mitsuhiro; Matsuda, Kenji*; Shimizu, Kazuyuki*; Toda, Hiroyuki*
Materials Transactions, 61(10), p.1907 - 1911, 2020/10
Times Cited Count：20 Percentile：67.86(Materials Science, Multidisciplinary)no abstracts in English
Bendo, A.*; Matsuda, Kenji*; Nishimura, Katsuhiko*; Nunomura, Norio*; Tsuchiya, Taiki*; Lee, S.*; Marioara, C. D.*; Tsuru, Tomohito; Yamaguchi, Masatake; Shimizu, Kazuyuki*; et al.
Materials Science and Technology, 36(15), p.1621 - 1627, 2020/09
Times Cited Count：11 Percentile：49.79(Materials Science, Multidisciplinary)Metastable phases in aluminum alloys are the primary nano-scale precipitates which have the biggest contribution to the increase in the tangible mechanical properties. The continuous increase in hardness in the 7xxx aluminum alloys is associated with the phase transformation from clusters or GP-zones to the metastable 
phase. The transformation which is structural and compositional should occur following the path of the lowest activation energy. This work is an attempt to gain insight into how the structural transformation may occur based on the shortest route of diffusion for the eventual structure to result in that of phase. However, for the compositional transformation to occur, the proposed mechanism may not stand, since it is a prerequisite for the atoms to be at very precise positions in the aluminum lattice, at the very beginning of structural transformation, which may completely differ from that of the GP-zones atomic arrangements.
Tsuru, Tomohito; Shimizu, Kazuyuki*; Yamaguchi, Masatake; Itakura, Mitsuhiro; Ebihara, Kenichi; Bendo, A.*; Matsuda, Kenji*; Toda, Hiroyuki*
Scientific Reports (Internet), 10, p.1998_1 - 1998_8, 2020/04
Times Cited Count：47 Percentile：86.18(Multidisciplinary Sciences)Age-hardening has been one and only process to achieve high strength aluminum alloys since unlike iron and titanium, pure aluminum does not have other solid phases during heat treatment. Highly-concentrated precipitations play therefore dominant role in mechanical properties and hydrogen embrittlement of aluminium alloys. It has been considered that the coherent interface between matrix and precipitation does not contribute to the crack initiation and embrittlement due to its coherency. Here, we discovered the origin of unprecedented quasi-cleavage fracture mode. Hydrogen partitioning at various defect sites is investigated comprehensively combined with experiment, theory and first-principles calculations. We demonstrate that despite low excess free volume, the aluminum-precipitation interface is more preferable trap site than void and grain boundary. The cohesivity of the interface deteriorates significantly with increasing occupancy while hydrogen atoms are trapped stably up to extremely high occupancy equivalent to spontaneous cleavage.
Bendo, A.*; Matsuda, Kenji*; Lervik, A.*; Tsuru, Tomohito; Nishimura, Katsuhiko*; Nunomura, Norio*; Holmestad, R.*; Marioara, C. D.*; Shimizu, Kazuyuki*; Toda, Hiroyuki*; et al.
Materials Characterization, 158, p.109958_1 - 109958_7, 2019/12
Times Cited Count：31 Percentile：86.84(Materials Science, Multidisciplinary)Characterization of precipitates in Al-Zn-Mg alloys, using a combination of electron diffraction, bright field transmission electron microscopy and atomic scale scanning transmission electron microscopy imaging revealed the presence of an unreported 
orientation relationship between the -MgZn phase and the Al lattice with the following orientation relationship (0001) 
(120)
and (
) (001), plate on (120). The precipitate interfaces were observed and analyzed along two projections 90
to one-another. The precipitate coarsening was through the common thickening ledge mechanism. The ledges were significantly stepped along one lateral direction. An interface relaxation model using density functional theory was carried out to explain the precipitate behavior.
Shimizu, Kazuyuki*; Hayashida, Hirotoshi*; Toda, Hiroyuki*; Kai, Tetsuya; Matsumoto, Yoshihiro*; Matsumoto, Yoshihisa*
Nihon Kinzoku Gakkai-Shi, 83(11), p.434 - 440, 2019/11
Times Cited Count：1 Percentile：5.20(Metallurgy & Metallurgical Engineering)Matsuda, Kenji*; Yasumoto, Toru*; Bendo, A.*; Tsuchiya, Taiki*; Lee, S.*; Nishimura, Katsuhiko*; Nunomura, Norio*; Marioara, C. D.*; Lervik, A.*; Holmestad, R.*; et al.
Materials Transactions, 60(8), p.1688 - 1696, 2019/08
Times Cited Count：20 Percentile：67.08(Materials Science, Multidisciplinary)no abstracts in English
Bendo, A.*; Maeda, Tomoyoshi*; Matsuda, Kenji*; Lervik, A.*; Holmestad, R.*; Marioara, C. D.*; Nishimura, Katsuhiko*; Nunomura, Norio*; Toda, Hiroyuki*; Yamaguchi, Masatake; et al.
Philosophical Magazine, 99(21), p.2619 - 2635, 2019/07
Times Cited Count：31 Percentile：82.25(Materials Science, Multidisciplinary)Nishimura, Katsuhiko*; Matsuda, Kenji*; Lee, S.*; Nunomura, Norio*; Shimano, Tomoki*; Bendo, A.*; Watanabe, Katsumi*; Tsuchiya, Taiki*; Namiki, Takahiro*; Toda, Hiroyuki*; et al.
Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 774, p.405 - 409, 2019/02
Times Cited Count：3 Percentile：15.03(Chemistry, Physical) hydrogen partitioning controlToda, Hiroyuki*; Yamaguchi, Masatake; Matsuda, Kenji*; Shimizu, Kazuyuki*; Hirayama, Kyosuke*; Su, H.*; Fujihara, Hiro*; Ebihara, Kenichi; Itakura, Mitsuhiro; Tsuru, Tomohito; et al.
Tetsu To Hagane, 105(2), p.240 - 253, 2019/02
Times Cited Count：0 Percentile：0.00(Metallurgy & Metallurgical Engineering)no abstracts in English
Yamaguchi, Masatake; Ebihara, Kenichi; Itakura, Mitsuhiro; Tsuru, Tomohito; Matsuda, Kenji*; Toda, Hiroyuki*
Computational Materials Science, 156, p.368 - 375, 2019/01
Times Cited Count：46 Percentile：82.94(Materials Science, Multidisciplinary)The segregation of multiple hydrogen atoms along aluminum (Al) grain boundaries (GBs) and fracture surfaces (FSs) was investigated through first-principles calculations considering the characteristics of GBs. The results indicate that hydrogen segregation is difficult along low-energy GBs. The segregation energy of multiple hydrogen atoms along GBs and FSs and the cohesive energy was obtained for three types of high-energy Al GBs. With increasing hydrogen segregation along the GBs, the cohesive energy of the GB decreases and approaches zero with no decrease in GB segregation energy. The GB cohesive energy decreases in parallel with the volume expansion of the region of low electron density along the GB.
