ELectrIc current effects on the Self-Healing of Al alloys
Fig. 1: Overview of all subprojects and external partners.
Some materials exhibit self-healing properties, either during service, delaying failure, or after service, recovering damage. While well-established in polymers, these properties remain largely unexplored in metals, despite evidence of self-healing potential in certain alloys under creep conditions. The ELISHA project aims to develop self-healing Al alloys and restore creep-induced pores using electric currents or heat. Additionally, physical models will be developed to predict their creep performance.
In a first step, subproject 03 focuses on the ex situ micro-structural characterization of the as printed and heat treated LPBF printed AlCu4.5 alloy. The microstructural analysis at different heat treatment stages, as presented in this poster, forms the basis for future in situ heating and biasing experiments in a transmission electron microscope with atomic resolution.
Microstructure
Sample holder for in situ TEM experiments
Sample 1
Fig. 2: Microstructure of the as printed sample. b and c are each enlarged regions of a. d: EDX spectrum images of Al, Cu, O, Fe. The arrows indicate pores.
Fig. 4: The Lightning TEM sample holder (DENSsolutions, Delft, The Netherlands) enables simultaneous heating and biasing of samples, providing a unique platform for in situ observation of dynamic processes such as diffusion, phase transitions, and electrochemical reactions at the atomic scale.
Fig. 5: High res. images of precipitates within Al matrix and FFTs.
Contact
Cecilia Poletti
Institute of Materials Science, Joining and Forming (IMAT), Graz University of Technology, Kopernikusgasse 24, 8010 Graz
Ilse Letofsky-Papst
Institute of Electron Microscopy and Nanoanalysis (FELMI), Graz University of Technology, Steyrergasse 17, 8010 Graz
Lorenz Romaner
Montanuniversität Leoben (MUL), Franz-Josef-Straße 18, Leoben, A-8700, Austria
Anette Mütze
Institut für Elektrische Anlagen und Netze (IEAM), Inffeldgasse 18/I, 8010 Graz, Austria
