A brief history of the development of metal materials
1. The past, present and future of metal materials
Phase 1 – Raw Steel Production
4300 BC: Natural gold, copper and forging and other crafts
2800 BC: The smelting of iron
2000 BC: The prosperity of bronzes, chimes and weapons (Shang, Zhou, Spring and Autumn and Warring States)
Eastern Han Dynasty: Repeated forging of steel → the most primitive deformation heat treatment process
Quenching technology: "bath with the five animals' drowning, quench with the five animals' fat" (modern water quenching, oil quenching)
King Wu's Fuchai Spear and Yue King Goujian's Sword
Bronze Dunhe Zunpan from the Shang and Zhou Dynasties
Shang Dynasty Bronze Human Face Figure
Replica of the chimes from Leigudun Tomb No. 2
In 1981, a set of chime bells from the Warring States Period was unearthed from Tomb No. 2 in Leigudun, Hubei Province, with accurate rhythm and beautiful timbre. Its number and scale are second only to Zeng Houyi's chimes, with a total range of more than five octaves. It can be modulated by itself to play various music composed of five, six and seven-tone scales. It requires five people to perform in collaboration, with all the voices singing in unison and the symphony repeating. It is worthy of being the masterpiece of ancient music.
The second stage - the foundation of metal materials discipline
Lay the foundation for metal materials disciplines: metallurgy, metallography, phase changes and alloy steel, etc.
1803: Dalton proposed the atomic theory and Avogadro proposed the molecular theory.
1830: Hessel proposed 32 crystal types and popularized the crystal index.
1891: Scientists from Russia, Germany, Britain and other countries independently created the lattice structure theory.
1864: Sorby prepared the first metallographic photograph, 9 times, but significant.
1827: Karsten isolated Fe3C from steel, and in 1888 Abel proved that it was Fe3C.
1861: Ochernov proposed the concept of critical transition temperature of steel.
End of the 19th century: Martensite research has become fashionable, Gibbs obtained the phase law, Robert-Austen discovered the solid solution properties of austenite, and Roozeboom established the equilibrium diagram of the Fe-Fe3C system.
The third stage - the great development of microorganizational theory
Alloy phase diagram, invention and application of X-ray, establishment of dislocation theory.
1912: X-rays were discovered, confirming that α(δ)-Fe is bcc and γ-Fe is fcc; solid solution law.
1931: Discovered the role of alloying elements in expanding and contracting the γ zone.
1934: Russian Polanyi, Hungarian Orowan and British Taylor each independently proposed the dislocation theory to explain the plastic deformation of steel; the crystallography of martensitic transformation.
1938: The electron microscope is invented.
1910: A stainless steel was invented, F stainless steel was invented in 1912, etc.
1990: Inventing the Brinell hardness tester, Griffith proposed that stress concentration can lead to microcracks.
The fourth stage - in-depth research on micro theory
In-depth study of microscopic theory: research on atomic diffusion and its essence; determination of steel TTT curve; bainite and martensite transformation theory formed a relatively complete theory.
Establishment of dislocation theory: The invention of the electron microscope led to the observation of the precipitation of the second phase in steel and dislocation slippage, and the discovery of incomplete dislocations, stacking faults, dislocation walls, substructures, Cottrell air masses and other phenomena, and the development of dislocation theory. Wrong theory.
New scientific instruments are constantly being invented: electron probes, field ion emission and field electron emission microscopes, scanning transmission electron microscopes (STEM), scanning tunneling microscopes (STM), atomic force microscopes (AFM), etc.
2. Modern metal materials
The research and development of advanced structural materials is an eternal theme.
Develop high-performance structural materials: from the pursuit of high strength, high temperature resistance, corrosion resistance, and wear resistance to reducing mechanical weight, improving performance, and extending service life. A wide range of applications from composites to structural materials, such as aluminum matrix composites. Develop low-temperature austenitic steel for various series of uses.
Transforming traditional structural materials: The important ways are to make the structure finer and more uniform, the materials to be purer, and to pay attention to craftsmanship. "New generation steel materials" are twice as strong as existing steel materials. The "9.11" incident in the United States exposed the poor resistance to high-temperature softening of steel structures used in construction, which promoted the development of high-strength hot-rolled fire-resistant and weather-resistant steel.
Develop other high-performance steels: Use various new processes and new methods to create new tool steels with good toughness and wear resistance. Economic alloying is a development direction of high-speed steel, and the development of various surface treatment technologies for tool materials is of great significance in the development of new tool materials.
Advanced preparation technology: such as metal semi-solid processing technology, the maturity and application of aluminum-magnesium alloy technology, the technical limits of existing steel and the strengthening and toughening of steel are the direction of efforts.
3. Sustainable development and trends of metal materials
In 2004, the "Materials Industry in a Circular Society-Sustainable Development of the Materials Industry" was proposed.
Microbial metallurgy: waste-free production, already practiced on an industrial scale in many countries. The United States uses microbial metallurgical methods to produce copper, accounting for 10% of total production, and Japan artificially cultivates ascidians to extract vanadium. Seawater is a kind of liquid mineral, and the amount of alloying elements contained in seawater exceeds 10 billion tons. Elements such as magnesium and uranium can now be extracted from seawater. About 20% of the magnesium produced in the world comes from seawater. The United States already meets 80% of its demand with this magnesium.
Recycling materials industry: Adapting to the needs of the times, integrating ecological and environmental awareness into the design of products and production processes, improving material utilization and reducing the environmental burden during production and use. Develop an industry that forms a virtuous cycle of "resources → materials → environment".
The mainstream direction of alloy development is less alloying and general-purpose alloys to form a green/ecological material system, which is conducive to the recovery and reuse of materials. It is necessary to research and develop green materials and environmentally friendly materials that are closely related to people's lives.
4. Titanium alloy is called "space metal" and "future steel"
Titanium alloys maintain high strength at both high and low temperatures, and their corrosion resistance is unmatched. Titanium is abundant in the earth (0.6%). However, the refining process is complex and costly, and its widespread application is limited. Titanium alloy will be one of the metal materials that will make important contributions to mankind in the 21st century.
5. Non-ferrous metals
Resources are facing serious problems of unsustainable development, mainly due to serious resource damage, low utilization rate and staggering waste. The deep processing technology is backward and there is a lack of high-end products; there are few innovative achievements and the degree of industrialization of high-tech achievements is not high. The development of high-performance structural materials and their advanced processing methods is the mainstream, such as aluminum-lithium alloys, rapid solidification aluminum alloys, etc. Non-ferrous metal functional materials are also the development direction.
