ALBERT

Beschreibung: Direct evidence of the relationship between the polymorphic phase transformation from monoclinic Cu 6 Sn 5 to hexagonal Cu 6 Sn 5 and stress accumulation/release in Cu 6 Sn 5 , formed at the interface between Sn-0.7Cu lead-free solder and their Cu substrates, has been obtained. To explore this challenging phenomenon, we developed an in situ heating/isothermal observation technique in ultrahigh-voltage transmission electron microscopy that enables the observation of thick samples (around 0.5  μ m) for solder joints, including Cu/Cu 3 Sn/Cu 6 Sn 5 /Sn-0.7Cu solder interfaces prepared by a focused ion beam milling technique. The results show evidence of stress creation and release events by imaging bend contours that may arise due to the polymorphic transformations of the Cu 6 Sn 5 phase and the associated volumetric change.

Beschreibung: Effects of temperature and slag basicity on the reduction rate of iron oxide in molten synthetic electric arc furnace oxidizing slag by Al-40 wt.%Fe alloy was investigated. An alloy sample was dropped into molten slag in an MgO crucible. When the initial slag temperature was 1723 K, there was no reduction. However, when the initial slag temperature was 1773 K and the slag basicity was 1.1, the reduction was initiated and the temperature of the slag rapidly increased. When the slag basicity was 1.1, increasing the initial slag temperature from 1773 K to 1823 K increases the reaction rate. As the slag basicity increased from 1.1 to 1.4 at 1773 K, the reaction rate increased. From SEM analysis, it was found that an Al 2 O 3 or a spinel phase at the slag-metal interface inhibited the reaction at a lower temperature and a lower slag basicity.

Beschreibung: TiN and (Ti,Mg)N thin film coatings were deposited on Ti substrates by an arc-physical vapor deposition technique. The effect of cell presence on hydroxyapatite (HA) formation was investigated using surfaces with four different Mg contents (0, 8.1, 11.31, and 28.49 at.%). Accelerated corrosion above 10 at.% Mg had a negative effect on the performance in terms of both cell proliferation and mineralization. In the absence of cells, Mg-free TiN coatings and low-Mg (8.1 at.%)-doped (Ti,Mg)N surfaces led to an early HA deposition (after 7 days and 14 days, respectively) in cell culture medium (DMEM), but the crystallinity was low. More crystalline HA structures were obtained in the presence of the cells. HA deposits with an ideal Ca/P ratio were obtained at least a week earlier, at day 14, in TiN and low-Mg (8.1 at.%)-doped (Ti,Mg)N compared with that of high-Mg-containing surfaces (〉10 at.%). A thicker mineralized matrix was formed on low-Mg (8.1 at.%)-doped (Ti,Mg)N relative to that of the TiN sample. Low-Mg doping (〈10 at.%) into TiN coatings resulted in better cell proliferation and thicker mineralized matrix formation, so it could be a promising alternative for hard tissue applications.

Beschreibung: The content of TiO 2 has an important influence on both the basic structure and the crystallization behavior of titanium-bearing blast furnace (BF) slag. The results of thermodynamic calculations show that, when the mass content of TiO 2 is smaller than 25%, CaTiO 3 increases as the content of TiO 2 increases. However, when the TiO 2 content is more than 25%, the CaTiO 3 content decreases and TiO 2 gradually increases. The results of a confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) experiment show that, when the TiO 2 mass content is 10%, Ca 2 MgSi 2 O 7 and Ca 2 Al 2 SiO 7 are the main crystallized phases resulting from the molten slag. Furthermore, when the TiO 2 mass content is 20%, CaMgSi 2 O 6 , Ca(Ti,Mg,Al)(Si,Al) 2 O 7 and dendrite CaTiO 3 are the crystallized phases, while when the TiO 2 mass content increases to 30%, CaTiO 3 is the sole phase. The discrepancy between the CLSM results and the thermodynamic calculations occurs mainly due to the high melting point of the titanium-bearing BF slag. During the cooling process for the molten slag, CaTiO 3 is crystallized first, due to its high crystallization temperature. Furthermore, the molten slag is solidified in its entirety before the other phases crystallize.

Beschreibung: Forest-derived biomaterials can play an integral role in a sustainable and renewable future. Research across a range of disciplines is required to develop the knowledge necessary to overcome the challenges of incorporating more renewable forest resources in materials, chemicals, and fuels. We focus on wood specifically because in our view, better characterization of wood as a raw material and as a feedstock will lead to its increased utilization. We first give an overview of wood structure and chemical composition and then highlight current topics in forest products research, including (1) industrial chemicals, biofuels, and energy from woody materials; (2) wood-based activated carbon and carbon nanostructures; (3) development of improved wood protection treatments; (4) massive timber construction; (5) wood as a bioinspiring material; and (6) atomic simulations of wood polymers. We conclude with a discussion of the sustainability of wood as a renewable forest resource.

Beschreibung: The AA7050 alloy strips can be successfully prepared by semi-solid powder rolling. The effect and factors of particle size on the microstructure, relative density, and mechanical properties were discussed. The results show that coarse starting powders require less liquid to achieve high relative density, and the formed strips have lower elongation compared with that prepared with the fine starting powders. The strength is more related to defects, whereas elongation partially depends on the grain size. Additionally, the fracture mechanism of strips prepared with fine powders is the ductile fracture because many dimples are observed. For relative density, when the initial liquid fraction is lower than 10%, the difference of deformation degree is the main factor. When the liquid fraction is higher than 10–20%, premature solidification and more particle interfaces are the two main factors.

Beschreibung: Based on FACTSage® software, this paper focuses on the thermodynamic calculations of selective carbothermal reactions of vanadium-bearing titanomagnetite concentrates for preparing iron-based wear-resistant material directly from vanadium-bearing titanomagnetite concentrates. The calculations show that it was most likely to generate metallic iron, titanium carbide and vanadium carbide among all possible carbothermal reactions of vanadium-bearing titanomagnetite concentrates in a vacuum of 10 Pa. The equilibrium composition calculations indicate that Fe 3 O 4 can be reduced to metallic iron by carbon above 400°C, FeTiO 3 can be converted into TiC by carbon above 800°C and V 2 O 5 can be converted into VC by carbon above 600°C in a vacuum of 10 Pa. The investigations demonstrated that the percentage of ferrous oxides reduced to metallic iron was about 96%, the conversion percentage of FeTiO 3 into TiC was about 75% and the conversion percentage of V 2 O 5 into VC was about 94% after the selective carbothermal reactions of vanadium-bearing titanomagnetite concentrates at 1300°C for 3 h in a vacuum of 10 Pa.

Beschreibung: Cellulose nanomaterials (CNs) are a new class of cellulose particles with properties and functionalities distinct from molecular cellulose and wood pulp, and as a result, they are being developed for applications that were once thought impossible for cellulosic materials. Momentum is growing in CN research and development, and commercialization in this field is happening because of the unique combination of characteristics (e.g., high mechanical properties, sustainability, and large-scale production potential) and utility across a broad spectrum of material applications (e.g. as an additive, self-sustaining structures, and template structures) that CNs offer. Despite the challenges typical for materials development, CN and near-CN production is ramping up with pilot scale to industry demonstration trials, and the first commercial products are starting to hit the marketplace. This review provides a broad overview of CNs and their capabilities that are enabling new application areas for cellulose-based materials.

Beschreibung: Novel kinds of nanocomposites based on bisphenol A-aniline based polybenzoxazine matrix P(BA-a) and 0 wt.%–20 wt.% boron carbide (B 4 C) nanoparticles were produced and their properties were evaluated in terms of the nano-B 4 C content. The thermal conductivity of the P(BA-a) matrix was improved approximately three times from 0.18 W/m K to 0.86 W/m K at 20 wt.% nano-B 4 C loading, while its coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) was deceased by 47% with the same nanofiller content. The microhardness properties were significantly improved by adding the B 4 C nanoparticles. At 20 wt.% of nano-B 4 C content, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) revealed a marked increase in the storage modulus and the glass transition temperature ( T g ) of the nanocomposites, reaching 3.9 GPa and 204°C, respectively. Hot water uptake tests showed that the water-resistance of the polybenzoxazine matrix was increased by filling with nano-B 4 C nano-filler. The morphological analysis reflected that the improvements obtained in the mechanical and thermal properties are related to the uniform dispersion of the nano-B 4 C particles and their strong adhesion to the P(BA-a) matrix.

Beschreibung: This article investigates the development of porosity in titania-rich slag obtained by sintering via conventional and thermal plasma heating at 1000°C in inert atmosphere. The holder in the plasma reactor acted as the discharge anode confined within a hollow graphite cathode. Quantitative evaluation of the porosity in the conventionally sintered and plasma-sintered titania-rich slag was performed via pycnometry. Specifically, the physical dimension and morphology of the pores were characterized according to the area fraction, mean diameter, shape factor, and elongation factor. Under both conventional and thermal plasma heating conditions, porosity developed on the surface of titania-rich slag. The titania-rich slag obtained by two processes showed different porosity features in terms of the morphology and porosity. A lower porosity was observed in the plasma-sintered sample when compared with that obtained via conventional heating.

Beschreibung: The solubility of lithium metal in molten LiCl–Li 2 O mixtures has been measured at various concentrations of Li 2 O ranging from 0 wt.% to 2.7 wt.% at a temperature of approximately 670–680°C. After contacting molten lithium with molten LiCl–Li 2 O for several hours to achieve equilibrium saturation, samples were taken by freezing the salt onto a room-temperature steel rod and dissolving in water for analysis. Both volume of hydrogen gas generated and volume of titrated HCl were measured to investigate two different approaches to calculating the lithium concentration. There appeared to be no effect of Li 2 O concentration on the Li solubility in the salt. But the results vary between different methods of deducing the amount of dissolved Li. The H 2 collection method is recommended, but care must be taken to ensure all of the H 2 has been included.

Beschreibung: Decreasing pitch size in electronic packaging has resulted in a drastic decrease in solder volumes. The Sn grain crystallography and fraction of intermetallic compounds (IMCs) in small-scale solder joints evolve much differently at the smaller length scales. A cross-sectional study limits the morphological analysis of microstructural features to two dimensions. This study utilizes serial sectioning technique in conjunction with electron backscatter diffraction to investigate the crystallographic orientation of both Sn grains and Cu 6 Sn 5 IMCs in Cu/Pure Sn/Cu solder joints in three dimensional (3D). Quantification of grain aspect ratio is affected by local cooling rate differences within the solder volume. Backscatter electron imaging and focused ion beam serial sectioning enabled the visualization of morphology of both nanosized Cu 6 Sn 5 IMCs and the hollow hexagonal morphology type Cu 6 Sn 5 IMCs in 3D. Quantification and visualization of microstructural features in 3D thus enable us to better understand the microstructure and deformation mechanics within these small scale solder joints.

Beschreibung: Free-standing NiCo 2 O 4 @Ni cathodes for aprotic lithium-oxygen batteries were synthesized through a simple hydrothermal process followed by heat treatment in the air. The morphology of the NiCo 2 O 4 deposit changed from nanosheet to nanowire with the increase of hydrothermal time. Further observation revealed that the nanosheet/nanowire NiCo 2 O 4 were assembled by nanoparticles with a size of 10–20 nm. The directional assembly of the nanoparticles were not affected by the reaction time. The influence of catalyst microstructure on the electrochemical performance of Li-O 2 batteries was studied. The results of battery tests in pure oxygen indicate that the cathode material with a high specific surface area, large pore volume and broad pore size distribution can facilitate the discharge reaction, leading to an improved cell performance. As a result, the cathode based on the NiCo 2 O 4 nanowire array delivered a specific discharge capacity of 1682 mAh g −1 at 30 mA g −1 and a stable cyclability of 50 cycles with a capacity limitation of 500 mAh g −1 .

Beschreibung: The room temperature mechanical behavior of the fully bainitic steel grade 20CrMoVTiB410 was studied in the as-quenched and tempered conditions. The hardenability response of the steel during heat treatment was assessed. In the as-quenched condition itself, the steel exhibited a good combination of strength, ductility and toughness. Tempering the quenched steel till to 550°C, showed uniform mechanical properties. Tempering at 650°C showed secondary hardening behaviour, where the highest strength and least impact toughness was observed. Tempering at 700°C showed a sharp decrease in strength but with significant enhancement of toughness. The properties obtained were correlated with the microstructure and phase analysis was established using optical, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope and x-ray diffraction techniques.

Beschreibung: In present study, 6061- and A356-based nano-composites are fabricated by using the ultrasonic stirring technology (UST) in a coreless induction furnace. SiC nanoparticles are used as the reinforcement. Nanoparticles are added into the molten metal and then dispersed by ultrasonic cavitation and acoustic streaming assisted by electromagnetic stirring. The applied UST parameters in the current experiments are used to validate a recently developed magneto-hydro-dynamics (MHD) model, which is capable of modeling the cavitation and nanoparticle dispersion during UST processing. The MHD model accounts for turbulent fluid flow, heat transfer and solidification, and electromagnetic field, as well as the complex interaction between the nanoparticles and both the molten and solidified alloys by using ANSYS Maxwell and ANSYS Fluent. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are conducted to analyze the complex interactions between the nanoparticle and the liquid/solid interface. The current modeling results demonstrate that a strong flow can disperse the nanoparticles relatively well during molten metal and solidification processes. MD simulation results prove that ultrafine particles (10 nm) will be engulfed by the solidification front instead of being pushed, which is beneficial for nano-dispersion.

Beschreibung: In this article, the wrinkling behavior and thickness distribution of 5A06 aluminum alloy sheets in an annealed state with thickness of 1.0 mm and 2.5 mm was numerically and experimentally investigated under different hydraulic pressures in the hydroforming of single-layer and double-layer sheets. Note that, in double-layer sheets hydroforming, an upper-aided sheet is needed. The upper, thicker sheet synchronously deforms with the lower, thinner sheet during hydroforming. When the double-layer sheets are separated, a thinner curved sheet part will be manufactured. As can be seen from the simulation and experimental results, the upper, thicker sheet could effectively suppress the wrinkles of the lower, thinner sheet and improve the thickness distribution due to the increasing anti-wrinkle ability of the formed sheet and the interfacial friction between the double-layer sheets. In addition, the maximum hydraulic pressure can be decreased via hydroforming of double-layer sheets; this approach reduces the drawing force for large sheet parts and meets the requirement of energy conservation.

Beschreibung: Manual attribution of crystallographic phases from high-throughput x-ray diffraction studies is an arduous task, and represents a rate-limiting step in high-throughput exploration of new materials. Here, we demonstrate a semi-supervised machine learning technique, SS-AutoPhase, which uses a two-step approach to identify automatically phases from diffraction data. First, clustering analysis is used to select a representative subset of samples automatically for human analysis. Second, an AdaBoost classifier uses the labeled samples to identify the presence of the different phases in diffraction data. SS-AutoPhase was used to identify the metallographic phases in 278 diffraction patterns from a FeGaPd composition spread sample. The accuracy of SS-AutoPhase was 〉82.6% for all phases when 15% of the diffraction patterns were used for training. The SS-AutoPhase predicted phase diagram showed excellent agreement with human expert analysis. Furthermore it was able to determine and identify correctly a previously unreported phase.

Beschreibung: The present work focuses on the processing of cathode active material of spent lithium ion batteries to improve the recovery of constituent metals using reducing agents. Reductants enhance the solubility of metals, which hitherto have been solubilised to a lesser extent using only acid as leaching agent. Thus, we have investigated sulfuric acid leaching in the presence of sodium bisulfite comparing its efficiency with hydrogen peroxide. By simple acid leaching using 1 M H 2 SO 4 at 368 K and 50 g/L pulp density, 93.4% Li, 66.2% Co, 96.3% Ni and 50.2% Mn were recovered in 240 min. In the presence of 5% H 2 O 2 as a reducing agent at 368 K with 1 M H 2 SO 4 and 50 g/L pulp density, the leaching of cobalt (79.2%) and manganese (84.6%) were significantly improved in 240 min. With the addition of 0.075 M NaHSO 3 as a reducing agent, ~96.7% Li, 91.6% Co, 96.4% Ni and 87.9% Mn were recovered under similar conditions. Sodium bisulfite addition results in better recovery of cobalt and manganese by reducing them to their lower oxidation states. The HSC evaluation of thermodynamic feasibility vis-à-vis x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy characterization of residues generated by leaching with hydrogen peroxide and sodium bisulfite substantiates the governing mechanism.

Beschreibung: This paper investigated the non-isothermal crystallization kinetics of the spinel crystals in vanadium slags containing high CaO content. Experiments were performed in combination with theoretical calculation to address this issue, and statistical analyses based on the Crystal Size Distribution theory. The results indicate that low cooling rate and high CaO content benefit the growth of spinel crystals. The growth mechanism is revealed to be controlled by interface reactions and diffusion at the cooling rates of 5 K/min and 15 K/min, respectively. However, at higher temperatures (〉1673 K), the growth of spinel crystals is controlled by nucleation. While the temperature is decreased to 1523 K at the cooling rate of 5 K/min, the mean diameter of spinel crystals could reach 36.44 μm. Experimental results combining with theoretical reveal that low cooling rate benefits spinels growth, especially for the interval of 1523 K–1200 K.

Beschreibung: To maximize the recovery of iron and copper from copper slag, the modification process by adding a compound additive (a mixture of hematite, pyrite and manganous oxide) and optimizing the cooling of the slag was studied. The phase reconstruction mechanism of the slag modification process was revealed by thermodynamic calculations, x-ray diffraction, optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The results show that the synergy between the burnt lime and the compound additive promotes the generation of target minerals, such as magnetite and copper matte. In addition, the multifunctional compound additive is able to improve the fluidity of the molten slag, which facilitates the coalescence and growth of fine particles of the target minerals. As a result, the percentage of iron distributed in the form of magnetite increased from 32.9% to 65.1%, and that of the copper exiting in the form of metallic copper and copper sulfide simultaneously increased from 80.0% to 90.3%. Meanwhile, the grains of the target minerals in the modified slag grew markedly to a mean size of over 50 μm after slow cooling. Ultimately, the beneficiation efficiency of copper and iron was improved because of the ease with which the target minerals could be liberated.

Beschreibung: The high cost and time typically expended in the successful deployment of new materials into high-performance commercial products is attributable to multiple factors. The most significant of these include the heavy reliance on experiments, the persisting disconnect between multiscale experiments and multiscale models, the lack of a broadly accessible data and knowledge infrastructure that can support the implementation of a holistic systems approach, and the lack of a suitable framework for facilitating and enhancing the critically needed cross-disciplinary collaborations. The emerging discipline of materials data science and informatics (MDSI) promises to address these key technology gaps. The potential benefits to the materials innovation enterprise that could accrue from an aggressive adoption of the novel concepts and toolsets offered by MDSI are examined. A specific vision is expounded for the role of MDSI in bridging the large gap that exists between the multiscale materials experiments and the multiscale materials models.

Beschreibung: Greenhouse gas (GHG) generation is inherent in the production of aluminium by a technology that uses carbon anodes. Most of those GHG are composed of CO 2 produced by redox reaction that occurs in the cell. However, a significant fraction of the annual GHG production is composed of perfluorocarbons (PFC) resulting from anode effects (AE). Multiple investigations have shown that tetrafluoromethane (CF 4 ) can be generated under low-voltage conditions in the electrolysis cells, without global anode effect. The aim of this paper is to find a quantitative relationship between monitored cell parameters and the emissions of CF 4 . To achieve this goal, a predictive algorithm has been developed using seven cell indicators. These indicators are based on the cell voltage, the noise level and other parameters calculated from individual anode current monitoring. The predictive algorithm is structured into three different steps. The first two steps give qualitative information while the third one quantitatively describes the expected CF 4 concentration at the duct end of the electrolysis cells. Validations after each step are presented and discussed. Finally, a sensitivity analysis was performed to understand the effect of each indicator on the onset of low-voltage PFC emissions. The standard deviation of individual anode currents was found to be the dominant variable. Cell voltage, noise level, and maximum individual anode current also showed a significant correlation with the presence of CF 4 in the output gas of an electrolysis cell.

Beschreibung: The study of material failure with digital analytics is in its infancy and offers a new perspective to advance our understanding of damage initiation and evolution in metals. In this article, we study the failure of aluminum using data-enabled methods, statistics and data mining. Through the use of tension tests, we establish a multivariate acoustic-data matrix of random damage events, which typically are not visible and are very difficult to measure due to their variability, diversity and interactivity during damage processes. Aluminium alloy 6061-T651 and single crystal aluminium with a (111) orientation were evaluated by comparing the collection of acoustic signals from damage events caused primarily by slip in the single crystal and multimode fracture of the alloy. We found the resulting acoustic damage-event data to be large semi-structured volumes of Big Data with the potential to be mined for information that describes the materials damage state under strain. Our data-enabled analyses has allowed us to determine statistical distributions of multiscale random damage that provide a means to quantify the material damage state.

Beschreibung: A two-stage sequential heavy reduction (HR) method, in which the reduction amount was increased both before and after the solidification end, is presented to simultaneously improve the homogeneity and compactness of the continuous casting bloom. With bearing steel GCr15 chosen as the specific research steel, a three-dimensional thermal–mechanical finite element model was developed to simulate and analyze the thermal and mechanical behaviors of the continuous casting bloom during the HR process. In order to ensure the accuracy of the simulation, the constitutive model parameters were derived from the experimental results. The predicted temperature distribution and shell thickness were verified using a thermal infrared camera and nail shooting results, respectively. The real measured relationship between the HR pressure and amount were applied to verify the mechanical model. The explorative application results showed that the quality of the bloom center and compactness of rolled bars have both been significantly improved after the HR was applied.

Beschreibung: The mass of automotive components has a direct influence on several aspects of vehicle performance, including both fuel consumption and tailpipe emissions, but the real environmental benefit has to be evaluated considering the entire life of the products with a proper life cycle assessment. In this context, the present paper analyzes the environmental burden connected to the production of a safety-relevant aluminum high-pressure die-casting component for commercial vehicles (a suspension cross-beam) considering all the phases connected to its manufacture. The focus on aluminum high-pressure die casting reflects the current trend of the industry and its high energy consumption. This work shows a new method that deeply analyzes every single step of the component’s production through the implementation of a wide database of primary data collected thanks to collaborations of some automotive supplier companies. This energy analysis shows significant environmental benefits of aluminum recycling.

Beschreibung: Nearly 400 million years of evolution and field-testing by the natural world has given humans thousands of wood types, each with unique structure–property relationships to study, exploit, and ideally, to manipulate, but the slow growth of trees makes them a recalcitrant experimental system. Variations in wood features of two genotypes of peach ( Prunus persica L.) trees, wild-type and crinkle-leaf, were examined to elucidate the nature of weak wood in crinkle-leaf trees. Crinkle-leaf is a naturally-occurring mutation in which wood strength is altered in conjunction with an easily observed ‘crinkling’ of the leaves’ surface. Trees from three vigor classes (low growth rate, average growth rate, and high growth rate) of each genotype were sampled. No meaningful tendency of dissimilarities among the different vigor classes was found, nor any pattern in features in a genotype-by-vigor analysis. Wild-type trees exhibited longer vessels and fibers, wider rays, and slightly higher specific gravity. Neither cell wall mechanical properties measured with nanoindentation nor cell wall histochemical properties were statistically or observably different between crinkle-leaf and wild-type wood. The crinkle-leaf mutant has the potential to be a useful model system for wood properties investigation and manipulation if it can serve as a field-observable vegetative marker for altered wood properties.

Beschreibung: Samples of Fe 39 Co 39 Nb 6 B 15 Cu 1 alloy were nanocrystallized under zero field annealing (ZF) and transverse field annealing (TF) conditions. A reduction in coercivity for TF samples with respect to ZF sample (16 and 45 A/m, respectively) is observed. Kerr microscopy images show a well-defined parallel domain structure, transversally oriented to the ribbon axis for the TF sample unlike for the ZF sample, for which a complex pattern is observed with large and small domains at the surface of the ribbon. Although Mössbauer spectra are clearly different for the two studied samples, Mössbauer studies confirm that there is no significant difference between the hyperfine field distributions of TF and ZF samples but only the relative intensity of the 2nd and 3rd lines A 23 (related to the angle between the gamma radiation and the magnetic moments, α ). However, for TF annealed samples α  = 90 deg ( A 23  = 4), indicating that the magnetic moments lay on the plane of the ribbon in agreement with the well-defined domain structure observed by Kerr microscopy, ZF annealed samples show A 23  = 1.8. This value is close to that of a random orientation ( A 23  = 2) but smaller, indicating a slight preference for out of plane orientations. Moreover, it is clearly smaller than that of the as-cast amorphous samples A 23  = 2.8, with a preference to in-plane orientations. The application of the law of approach to saturation yields a larger effect of the inhomogeneities in ZF sample with respect to TF one.

Beschreibung: Based on the multiple ultrasonic generators, a new technique was reported to produce the large-scale Al alloy castings for downstream deformation processing. The effects of different configurations of ultrasonic generators on the degree and homogeneity of grain refinement were investigated during solidification. Experimental results show that a grain-refined structure with reduced macrosegregation was obtained in the large-scale cylindrical Al alloy ingot (650 mm in diameter, 4800 mm in length). Meanwhile, the role of ultrasonic treatment in the production of large-scale castings was discussed. Additionally, these results raise some new questions regarding the relationship between ultrasonic physics and grain refinement, which require further studies.

Beschreibung: The influences of high magnetic field (up to 12 T) on the morphology of Pb-Sn and Al-Al 2 Cu lamellar eutectics during directional solidification were investigated. The experimental results indicate that, along with a decrease in eutectic spacing, the banded structure forms at lower growth speeds under high magnetic field and the band spacing decreases as the magnetic field increases. Moreover, the application of a magnetic field enriches the Cu solute in the liquid ahead of the liquid/solid interface during directional solidification of an Al-Al 2 Cu eutectic alloy. The effects of high magnetic field on the eutectic points of non-ferromagnetic alloys and the stress acting on the eutectic lamellae during directional solidification have been studied. Both thermodynamic evaluation and DTA measurements reveal that the high magnetic field has a negligible effect on the eutectic points of non-ferromagnetic alloys. However, the high magnetic field caused an increase of the nucleation temperature and undercooling. The numerical results indicate that a considerable stress is produced on the eutectic lamellae during directional solidification under high magnetic field. The formation of a banded structure in a lamellar eutectic during directional solidification under high magnetic field may be attributed to both the buildup of the solute in the liquid ahead of the liquid/solid interface and the stress acting on the eutectic lamellae.

Beschreibung: Grain growth and grain refinement behavior during deformation determine the strength and ductility of ultrafine-grained materials. We used asymmetric cryorolling to fabricate ultrafine-grained copper sheets with an average grain width of 230 nm and having a laminate structure. The sheets show a high-true failure strain of 1.5. Observation of the microstructure at the fracture surface reveals that ultrafine laminate-structured grains were simultaneously transformed into both equiaxed nanograins and coarse grains under tensile deformation at room temperature.

Beschreibung: In this paper, a coupled model for carbon partitioning from martensite into austenite during the quenching process in Fe-C steels is constructed where the carbon is permitted to partition while the martensite is continuously forming. A diffusion model of carbon at the ‘martensite/austenite interface’ is created where the interface does not move during the carbon partitioning process, and the driving force for carbon partitioning originates from the chemical potential difference. The results show that the martensitic transformation and carbon partitioning affect each other, and that the cooling rate between the martensite start temperature ( M s ) and room temperature has a major effect on the volume fraction of the final retained austenite. The simulation results are shown to be in good agreement with experiments.

Beschreibung: The original method to select the optimum quench temperature for quenching and partitioning (Q&P) processing aims to determine the quench temperature which yields a maximum volume fraction of retained austenite. In the present study, the original method was reviewed and refined by comparison with experimental results. The proposed methodology is based on the use of a modified Koistinen–Marburger equation for the kinetics of the athermal martensite transformation of steels containing C, Mn, Si, Cr, and B.

Beschreibung: The objective of the present study was to investigate the mechanism of premature tensile fracture of the gas-nitrocarburized steel. For this purpose, tempered martensitic steel specimens were nitrocarburized at 853 K (580 °C) for maximum 3.5 hours, and tensile-strained at room temperature. The prolongation of nitrocarburizing time caused the high strength, the short elongation, and the heavy serrations at the yield point elongation range of the tensile flow curve. The serrations were generated by vertical cracking at the specimen surface, which started at the bottom of the gauge portion, and were propagated to the top of the gauge portion with increasing tensile strain up to the yield point elongation. The vertical cracks were triggered at the porous compound layer when the local deformation occurred by the propagation of the Lüders band from the bottom to the top of the gauge portion. The cracks readily passed through the diffusion layer with an assistance of ε -carbonitride particles, which formed at the boundaries of tempered martensite during nitrocarburizing, resulting in brittle fracture at the diffusion layer and finally in premature failure of the gas-nitrocarburized specimens.

Beschreibung: Extensive SEM work was carried out on deep-etched specimens to reveal the evolution of compacted and chunky graphite in magnesium-modified multicomponent Fe-C-Si alloys during early solidification and at room temperature. The findings of this research were then integrated in the current body of knowledge to produce an understanding of the crystallization of compacted and chunky graphite. It was confirmed that growth from the liquid for both compacted and chunky graphite occurs radially from a nucleus, as foliated crystals and dendrites. The basic building blocks of the graphite aggregates are hexagonal faceted graphite platelets with nanometer height and micrometer width. Thickening of the platelets occurs through growth of additional graphene layers nucleated at the ledges of the graphite prism. Additional thickening resulting in complete joining of the platelets may occur from the recrystallization of the amorphous carbon that has diffused from the liquid through the austenite, once the graphite aggregate is enveloped in austenite. With increasing magnesium levels, the foliated graphite platelets progressively aggregate along the c -axis forming clusters. The clusters that have random orientation, eventually produce blocky graphite, as the spaces between the parallel platelets disappear. This is typical for compacted graphite irons and tadpole graphite. The chunky graphite aggregates investigated are conical sectors of graphite platelets stacked along the c -axis. The foliated dendrites that originally develop radially from a common nucleus may aggregate along the c -axis forming blocky graphite that sometimes exhibits helical growth. The large number of defects (cavities) observed in all graphite aggregates supports the mechanism of graphite growth as foliated crystals and dendrites.

Beschreibung: During the production of high-strength 7××× aluminum alloys, hot tearing has set up serious obstacles for attaining a sound billet/slab. In this research, some typical 7××× alloys were studied using constrained rod casting together with the measurement of thermal contraction and load development in the freezing range, aiming at investigating their hot tearing susceptibility. The results showed that the hot tearing susceptibility of an alloy depends not only on the thermal contraction in freezing range, which can decide the accumulated thermal strain during solidification, but also on the amount of nonequilibrium eutectics, which can effectively accommodate the thermally induced deformation. Our investigations reveal that Zn content has very profound effect on hot tearing susceptibility. The Zn/Mg ratio of the alloys also plays a remarkable role though it is not as pronounced as Zn content. The effect of Zn/Mg ratio is mainly associated with the amount of nonequilibrium eutectics. Grain refinement will considerably reduce the hot tearing susceptibility. However, excessive addition of grain refiner may promote hot tearing susceptibility of semi-solid alloy due to deteriorated permeability which is very likely to be caused by the heavy grain refinement and the formation of more intermetallic phases.

Beschreibung: A new approach to analyze recovery kinetics is developed from a recent model, and microstructural observations are introduced to supplement hardness measurements. The approach involves two steps of data fitting, and the second step of fitting enables an estimation of the apparent activation energy for recovery. This approach is applied to commercial purity aluminum (AA1050) cold rolled to ultrahigh strain (99.6 pct reduction in thickness) and annealed at temperatures from 413 K to 493 K (140 °C to 220 °C). The annealing data fit the recovery model well, and the analysis shows that the apparent activation energy increases during recovery and approaches 190 kJ/mol at the end of recovery, suggesting that solute drag is an important rate-controlling mechanism. The recovery rate for the highly strained Al is found to be higher than that for Al deformed to a lower strain, an effect which is related to an increase in the stored energy (driving force). These findings form the basis for a discussion of recovery mechanisms and the increase in the apparent activation energy during annealing, suggesting an application of the model when optimizing the structure and strength through annealing of nanostructured materials produced by high strain deformation.

Beschreibung: Three different approaches for considering the effect of Mn on the austenite-ferrite interface migration in an Fe-0.1C-0.5Mn alloy have been coupled with a phase field model (PFM). In the first approach (PFM-I), only long-range C diffusion is considered while Mn is assumed to be immobile during the phase transformations. Both long-range C and Mn diffusions are considered in the second approach (PFM-II). In the third approach (PFM-III), long-range C diffusion is considered in combination with the Gibbs energy dissipation due to Mn diffusion inside the interface instead of solving for long-range diffusion of Mn. The three PFM approaches are first benchmarked with isothermal austenite-to-ferrite transformation at 1058.15 K (785 °C) before considering cyclic phase transformations. It is found that PFM-II can predict the stagnant stage and growth retardation experimentally observed during cycling transformations, whereas PFM-III can only replicate the stagnant stage but not the growth retardation and PFM-I predicts neither the stagnant stage nor the growth retardation. The results of this study suggest a significant role of Mn redistribution near the interface on reducing transformation rates, which should, therefore, be considered in future simulations of austenite-ferrite transformations in steels, particularly at temperatures in the intercritical range and above.

Beschreibung: In this paper, the effect of homogenization heat treatment on α value [coefficient of thermal expansion (10 −6  K −1 )] of low thermal expansion cast irons was studied. In addition, constrained thermal cyclic tests were conducted to evaluate the dimensional stability of the low thermal expansion cast irons with various heat treatment conditions. The results indicate that when the alloys were homogenized at a relatively low temperature, e.g. , 1023 K (750 °C), the elimination of Ni segregation was not very effective, but the C concentration in the matrix was moderately reduced. On the other hand, if the alloys were homogenized at a relatively high temperature, e.g. , 1473 K (1200 °C), opposite results were obtained. Consequently, not much improvement (reduction) in α value was achieved in both cases. Therefore, a compound homogenization heat treatment procedure was designed, namely 1473 K (1200 °C)/4 hours/FC/1023 K (750 °C)/2 hours/WQ, in which a relatively high homogenization temperature of 1473 K (1200 °C) can effectively eliminate the Ni segregation, and a subsequent holding stage at 1023.15 K (750 °C) can reduce the C content in the matrix. As a result, very low α values of around (1 to 2) × 10 −6  K −1 were obtained. Regarding the constrained thermal cyclic testing in 303 K to 473 K (30 °C to 200 °C), the results indicate that regardless of heat treatment condition, low thermal expansion cast irons exhibit exceedingly higher dimensional stability than either the regular ductile cast iron or the 304 stainless steel. Furthermore, positive correlation exists between the α 303.15 K to 473.15 K value and the amount of shape change after the thermal cyclic testing. Among the alloys investigated, Heat I-T3B (1473 K (1200 °C)/4 hours/FC/1023 K (750 °C)/2 hours/WQ) exhibits the lowest α 303 K to 473 K value (1.72 × 10 −6  K −1 ), and hence has the least shape change (7.41  μ m) or the best dimensional stability.

Beschreibung: The objective of the present study was to investigate the inhomogeneity of microstructure and damping capacity of a FC25 disc-brake rotor made of gray cast iron (GCI) and their interrelationship. The rotor had inhomogeneous microstructure due to different cooling rates caused by the position of inlets in a mold during casting. The volume fraction and size of graphite decreased with increasing cooling rate. A maximum deviation of the volume fraction of graphite within the rotor was approximately 2 pct, whereas that of the total perimeter of graphite per unit area was approximately 33 pct. Damping capacities measured at the first vibrational mode of both the real rotor and cantilever specimens, which were taken from four different regions within the rotor, depended on the location within the rotor. This result indicates that the damping capacity of the rotor is influenced by the inhomogeneous microstructure; particularly, the damping capacity was proportional to the total perimeter of graphite per unit area. Therefore, it was concluded that the damping of the GCI rotor used in the present study occurs primarily by the viscous or plastic flow at the interphase boundaries between the pearlite matrix and graphite particles at least at the frequencies of below 1140 Hz.

Beschreibung: The effect of high-temperature deformation and the influence of hot working parameters on microstructure evolution during isothermal hot forging of Ti-6Al-4V in the alpha phase field were investigated. A series of hot isothermal axis-symmetric compression tests were carried out at temperatures both low and high in the alpha stability field [(1153 K and 1223 K (880 °C and 950 °C), respectively], using three strain rates (0.01, 0.1 and 1.0/s) relevant to industrial press forging. The microstructures and orientation of the alpha laths were determined using optical microscopy and electron backscatter diffraction techniques. The experimental results show that there is a change in lath morphology of the secondary α phase under the influence of the deformation parameters, and that α lath thickness appears to have little influence on flow behavior.

Beschreibung: Microstructural evolutions during annealing of a plastically deformed AISI 304 stainless steel were investigated. Three distinct stages were identified for the reversion of strain-induced martensite to austenite, which were followed by the recrystallization of the retained austenite phase and overall grain growth. It was shown that the primary recrystallization of the retained austenite postpones the formation of an equiaxed microstructure, which coincides with the coarsening of the very fine reversed grains. The latter can effectively impair the usefulness of this thermomechanical treatment for grain refinement at both high and low annealing temperatures. The final grain growth stage, however, was found to be significant at high annealing temperatures, which makes it difficult to control the reversion annealing process for enhancement of mechanical properties. Conclusively, this work unravels the important microstructural evolution stages during reversion annealing and can shed light on the requirements and limitations of this efficient grain refining approach.

Beschreibung: Functionally graded materials (FGM) are successfully adopted for the design and fabrication of engineering components with location-specific properties. The present study describes the processing and characterization of A319 Aluminum functionally graded metal matrix composites (FGMMC) with 10 and 15 wt pct SiC p reinforcements. The liquid stir casting method is used for composite melt preparation followed by FGMMC formation by vertical centrifugal casting method. The process parameters used are the mold preheating temperature of 523 K (250 °C), melt pouring temperature of 1013 K (740 °C), and mold rotation speed of 1300 rpm. The study analyzes the distribution and concentration of reinforcement particles in the radial direction of the FGMMC disk along with the effects of gradation on density, hardness, mechanical strength, the variation in coefficient of thermal expansion and the wear resistance properties at different zones. Microstructures of FGMMC reveal an outward radial gradient distribution of reinforcements forming different zones. Namely, matrix-rich inner, transition, particles-rich outer, and chill zone of a few millimeters thick at the outer most periphery of the casting are formed. From 10-FGM, a radial shift in the position of SiC p maxima is observed in 15-FGM casting. The mechanical characterization depicts enhanced properties for the particle-rich zone. The hardness shows a graded nature in correlation with particle concentration and a maximum of 94.4 HRB has been obtained at the particle-rich region of 15-FGM. In the particle-rich zone, the lowest CTE value of 20.1 µ m/mK is also observed with a compressive strength of 650 MPa and an ultimate tensile strength of 279 MPa. The wear resistance is higher at the particle-rich zone of the FGMMC.

Beschreibung: As the size of databases has significantly increased, whether through high throughput computation or through informatics-based modeling, the challenge of selecting the optimal material for specific design requirements has also arisen. Given the multiple, and often conflicting, design requirements, this selection process is not as trivial as sorting the database for a given property value. We suggest that the materials selection process should minimize selector bias, as well as take data uncertainty into account. For this reason, we discuss and apply decision theory for identifying chemical additions to Ni-base alloys. We demonstrate and compare results for both a computational array of chemistries and standard commercial superalloys. We demonstrate how we can use decision theory to select the best chemical additions for enhancing both property and processing, which would not otherwise be easily identifiable. This work is one of the first examples of introducing the mathematical framework of set theory and decision analysis into the domain of the materials selection process.

Beschreibung: Al-4.5wt.%Cu-5wt.%TiB 2 in situ composite, fabricated by stir casting through a mixed salt reaction route process, needs further processing to exclude casting defects. Mushy state rolling has been developed as an easy and energy-efficient method for microstructural refinement and improvement in mechanical properties. It has been carried out at 621°C and 632°C with 20 vol.% and 30 vol.% of liquid, respectively, for up to 5% reduction in thickness. Mushy state rolling of the as-cast composite gives rise to a bimodal microstructure, which consists of very fine equiaxed grains adjacent to the rolled surface and comparatively larger elongated grains away from the rolled surface of the sample. Microhardness of the mushy state rolled sample has been observed to decrease gradually from edge to center of the rolled sample. The presence of the dislocation tangles and subgrains formed by dynamic recovery within solid-state deformed elongated grains and formation of recrystallized grains just adjacent to the second-phase particles have been examined with the help of electron backscattered diffraction and transmission electron microscopy analysis.

Beschreibung: The effect of anisotropic hardening models on springback of an S-rail part was investigated. Two advanced constitutive models based on distortional and kinematic hardening, which captured the Bauschinger effect, transient hardening, and permanent softening during strain path change, were implemented in a finite element (FE) code. In-plane compression–tension tests were performed to identify the model parameters. The springback of the S-rail after forming a 980 MPa dual-phase steel sheet sample was measured and analyzed using different hardening models. The comparison between experimental and FE results demonstrated that the advanced anisotropic hardening models, which are particularly suitable for non-proportional loading, significantly improved the springback prediction capability of an advanced high strength steel.

Beschreibung: A recent Critical Materials Strategy report highlighted the supply chain risk associated with neodymium and dysprosium, which are used in the manufacturing of neodymium-iron-boron permanent magnets (PM). In response, the Critical Materials Institute is developing innovative strategies to increase and diversify primary production, develop substitutes, reduce material intensity and recycle critical materials. Our goal in this paper is to propose an economic model to quantify the impact of one of these strategies, material intensity reduction. Technologies that reduce material intensity impact the economics of magnet manufacturing in multiple ways because of: (1) the lower quantity of critical material required per unit PM, (2) more efficient use of limited supply, and (3) the potential impact on manufacturing cost. However, the net benefit of these technologies to a magnet manufacturer is an outcome of an internal production decision subject to market demand characteristics, availability and resource constraints. Our contribution in this paper shows how a manufacturer’s production economics moves from a region of being supply-constrained, to a region enabling the market optimal production quantity, to a region being constrained by resources other than critical materials, as the critical material intensity changes. Key insights for engineers and material scientists are: (1) material intensity reduction can have a significant market impact, (2) benefits to manufacturers are non-linear in the material intensity reduction, (3) there exists a threshold value for material intensity reduction that can be calculated for any target PM application, and (4) there is value for new intellectual property (IP) when existing manufacturing technology is IP-protected.

Beschreibung: As the demand for personal electronic devices, wind turbines, and electric vehicles increases, the world becomes more dependent on rare earth elements. Given the volatile, Chinese-concentrated supply chain, global attempts have been made to diversify supply of these materials. However, the overall effect of supply diversification on the entire supply chain, including increasing low-value rare earth demand, is not fully understood. This paper is the first attempt to shed some light on China’s supply chain from both demand and supply perspectives, taking into account different Chinese policies such as mining quotas, separation quotas, export quotas, and resource taxes. We constructed a simulation model using Powersim Studio that analyzes production (both legal and illegal), production costs, Chinese and rest-of-world demand, and market dynamics. We also simulated new demand of an automotive aluminum-cerium alloy in the US market starting from 2018. Results showed that market share of the illegal sector has grown since 2007–2015, ranging between 22% and 25% of China’s rare earth supply, translating into 59–65% illegal heavy rare earths and 14–16% illegal light rare earths. There will be a shortage in certain light and heavy rare earths given three production quota scenarios and constant demand growth rate from 2015 to 2030. The new simulated Ce demand would require supply beyond that produced in China. Finally, we illustrate revenue streams for different ore compositions in China in 2015.

Beschreibung: Metal films on polymer substrates are commonly used in flexible electronic devices and may be exposed to large deformations during application. For flexible electronics, the main requirement is to remain conductive while stretching and compressing. Therefore, the electro-mechanical behaviour of 200-nm-thick Cu films on polyimide with two different microstructures (as-deposited and annealed) were studied by executing in situ fragmentation experiments with x-ray diffraction, under an atomic force microscope, and with 4-point probe resistance measurements in order to correlate the plastic deformation with the electrical behaviour. The three in situ techniques clearly demonstrate different behaviours controlled by the microstructure. Interestingly, the as-deposited film with a bi-modal microstructure is more suited for flexible electronic applications than an annealed film with homogenous 1- µ m-sized grains. The as-deposited film reaches a higher yield stress, with unchanged electrical conductivity, and does not show extensive surface deformation during straining.

Beschreibung: As the manufacturing time, quality, and cost associated with additive manufacturing (AM) continue to improve, more and more businesses and consumers are adopting this technology. Some of the key benefits of AM include customizing products, localizing production and reducing logistics. Due to these and numerous other benefits, AM is enabling a globally distributed manufacturing process and supply chain spanning multiple parties, and hence raises concerns about the reliability of the manufactured product. In this work, we first present a brief overview of the potential risks that exist in the cyber-physical environment of additive manufacturing. We then evaluate the risks posed by two different classes of modifications to the AM process which are representative of the challenges that are unique to AM. The risks posed are examined through mechanical testing of objects with altered printing orientation and fine internal defects. Finite element analysis and ultrasonic inspection are also used to demonstrate the potential for decreased performance and for evading detection. The results highlight several scenarios, intentional or unintentional, that can affect the product quality and pose security challenges for the additive manufacturing supply chain.

Beschreibung: To promote the application of high strength steels in automobile bodies, the practicability of hot hydroforming of tube by resistance heating is illustrated. From the results of experiments conducted to measure temperature distributions of the tube during the forming process, a method to improve temperature uniformity has been proposed and achieved. Validity was evaluated by examining the effects of hot gas forming on the microstructure and hardness. Results indicate an obvious temperature difference along the axial direction for two cross-sectional shapes: the temperature in the middle zone of the tube is higher than that at its ends. Both thermal convection and cross-sectional shape have only a limited effect on the temperature distribution. The main reason for non-uniform temperature distribution is the heat transition between the electrodes and the tube ends. The temperature difference decreased as the heating rate increased. In contrast, the temperature distribution was even along the circumferential direction for both cross-sectional shapes. Adjusting the contact resistance is a useful method of reducing the temperature difference. In this study, the temperature difference was successfully decreased to 20°C, while reaching a maximum temperature of 750°C, which is adequate for both forming and quenching. A rectangular component was formed to validate the practicality and efficiency of tube hot hydroforming by resistance heating. The hardness and microstructure met the requirements of 22MnB5, which demonstrates both the forming efficiency and quantity advantages of hot gas hydroforming by resistance heating.

Beschreibung: Graphene has superior mechanical properties, and previous studies have shown that it can be used as a fiber laminate in metal-graphene nanocomposites. Our research outlines the advantages and disadvantages of different Ni-graphene nanocomposite laminates. Using molecular dynamics, Ni-graphene nanocomposites are studied under mode I loading normal to the graphene laminate plane. The stress intensity factor ( \(K_{\text{I}}\) ) is predicted for the nanocomposite at varying distances between a simulated crack and the graphene sheet(s) in the Ni-matrix. We find that \(K_{\text{I}}\) of the Ni-matrix is reduced with the addition of graphene sheet. However, for a single graphene sheet in the Ni-matrix, \(K_{\text{I}}\) increases with increased spacing between the crack and the graphene sheet. This is due to the change in the crack-generated stress field in the region between the Ni-matrix containing the crack and the graphene sheet, which leads to the lower stress values at which dislocation nucleation occurs compared to single-crystal Ni. For multiple layers of graphene sheets in the Ni-matrix, we find that failure occurs exclusively by delamination at a lower stress than the one-layer case. This research concludes that fabricated Ni-graphene nanocomposites can be tuned for optimal fracture strength by the structural arrangement of graphene sheets within the Ni-matrix.

Beschreibung: Bog manganese ore, associated with the banded iron formation of the Iron Ore Group (IOG), occurs in large volume in northern Odisha, India. The ore is powdery, fine-grained and soft in nature with varying specific gravity (2.8–3.9 g/cm 3 ) and high thermo-gravimetric loss, It consists of manganese (δ-MnO 2 , manganite, cryptomelane/romanechite with minor pyrolusite) and iron (goethite/limonite and hematite) minerals with sub-ordinate kaolinite and quartz. It shows oolitic/pisolitic to globular morphology nucleating small detritus of quartz, pyrolusite/romanechite and hematite. The ore contains around 23% Mn and 28% Fe with around 7% of combined alumina and silica. Such Mn ore has not found any use because of its sub-grade nature and high iron content, and is hence considered as waste. The ore does not respond to any physical beneficiation techniques because of the combined state of the manganese and iron phases. Attempts have been made to recover manganese and iron value from such ore through smelting. A sample along with an appropriate charge mix when processed through a plasma reactor, produced high-manganese steel alloy having 25% Mn within a very short time (〈10 min). Minor Mn content from the slag was recovered through acid leaching. The aim of this study has been to recover a value-added product from the waste.

Beschreibung: X-ray tomography has provided a non-destructive means for microstructure characterization in three dimensional (3D) and four dimensional (4D) (i.e., structural evolution over time), in which projections of a material’s structure are typically reconstructed using the filtered-back-projection (FBP) method or algebraic reconstruction techniques. The reconstructed images are typically segmented to conduct microstructural quantification. The process can be quite time consuming and computationally intensive. In this paper, we present an overview of our recent work on utilizing a limited (Nyquist under-sampled) number of unique perspective radiographs for computed tomography reconstruction of heterogeneous material (e.g., composites and alloys) structural quantification, property prediction and microstructural reconstruction in 3D and 4D. The proposed approach is significantly more efficient and computationally less intensive than FBP. We first show that an inverse superposition of properly normalized attenuated intensity along different x-ray paths leads to a probability map for the material system, which provides the probability of finding a particular phase at a point in the imaged sample volume. Spatial correlation functions, which are statistical morphological descriptors of the material, are readily computed from the associated probability map. Using effective medium theory and the computed correlation functions, accurate predictions of physical properties (e.g., elastic moduli and thermal/electrical conductivity) can then be obtained. Finally, we present a stochastic reconstruction procedure that generates an accurate rendition of the 3D microstructure from a reduced number of tomographic projections. This stochastic reconstruction method can be easily adapted to reconstruct 4D structural evolution from a small number of in situ projections.

Beschreibung: The influence of the electrode immersion depth on the electromagnetic, flow and temperature fields, as well as the solidification progress in an electroslag remelting furnace have been studied by a transient three-dimensional coupled mathematical model. Maxwell’s equations were solved by the electrical potential approach. The Lorentz force and Joule heating were added into the momentum and energy conservation equations as a source term, respectively, and were updated at each time step. The volume of fluid method was invoked to track the motion of the metal droplet and slag–metal interface. The solidification was modeled by an enthalpy–porosity formulation. An experiment was carried out to validate the model. The total amount of Joule heating decreases from 2.13 × 10 5  W to 1.86 × 10 5  W when the electrode immersion depth increases from 0.01 m to 0.03 m. The variation law of the slag temperature is different from that of the Joule heating. The volume average temperature rises from 1856 K to 1880 K when the immersion depth increases from 0.01 m to 0.02 m, and then drops to 1869 K if the immersion depth continuously increases to 0.03 m. As a result, the deepest metal pool, which is around 0.03 m, is formed when the immersion depth is 0.02 m.

Beschreibung: Accelerating the pace of materials discovery and development requires new approaches and means of collaborating and sharing information. To address this need, we are developing the Materials Commons, a collaboration platform and information repository for use by the structural materials community. The Materials Commons has been designed to be a continuous, seamless part of the scientific workflow process. Researchers upload the results of experiments and computations as they are performed, automatically where possible, along with the provenance information describing the experimental and computational processes. The Materials Commons website provides an easy-to-use interface for uploading and downloading data and data provenance, as well as for searching and sharing data. This paper provides an overview of the Materials Commons. Concepts are also outlined for integrating the Materials Commons with the broader Materials Information Infrastructure that is evolving to support the Materials Genome Initiative.

Beschreibung: To lower the smelting temperature associated with the carbothermic reduction processing of laterite, the optimization of slag and alloy systems was investigated to enable the reduction of laterite ore in the molten state at 1723 K. The master Fe-Ni-Mo alloy was successfully produced at a lower temperature (1723 K). The liquidus of the slag decreased with the addition of oxide flux (Fe 2 O 3 and CaO) and that of the ferronickel alloy decreased with the addition of Mo/MoO 3 . More effective metal–slag separation was achieved at 1723 K, which reduces the smelting temperature by 100 K compared with the current electric furnace process. A small addition of Mo/MoO 3 not only decreased the melting point of ferronickel alloys but also served as a collector to aggregate the ferronickel sponges allowing them to grow larger. The FeO concentration in the slag and the nickel grade of the alloy decreased with increasing graphite reductant addition.

Beschreibung: Fluoride emissions during primary aluminum production are mitigated by dry scrubbing on alumina which, as the metal feedstock, also returns fluoride to the pots. This ensures stable pot operation and maintains process efficiency but requires careful optimization of alumina for both fluoride capture and solubility. The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area of 70–80 m 2  g −1 is currently accepted. However, this does not account for pore accessibility. We demonstrate using industry-sourced data that pores 〈3.5 nm are not correlated with fluoride return. Reconstructing alumina pore size distributions (PSDs) following hydrogen fluoride (HF) adsorption shows surface area is not lost by pore diameter shrinkage, but by blocking the internal porosity. However, this alone cannot explain this 3.5 nm threshold. We show this is a consequence of surface diffusion-based inhibition with surface chemistry probably playing an integral role. We advocate new surface area estimates for alumina which account for pore accessibility by explicitly ignoring 〈3.5 nm pores.

Beschreibung: Selective recovery of lithium from four kinds of cathode materials, manganese-type, cobalt-type, nickel-type, and ternary-type, of spent lithium ion battery was investigated. In all cathode materials, leaching of lithium was improved by adding sodium persulfate (Na 2 S 2 O 8 ) as an oxidant in the leaching solution, while the leaching of other metal ions (manganese, cobalt, and nickel) was significantly suppressed. Optimum leaching conditions, such as pH, temperature, amount of Na 2 S 2 O 8 , and solid/liquid ratio, for the selective leaching of lithium were determined for all cathode materials. Recovery of lithium from the leachate as lithium carbonate (Li 2 CO 3 ) was then successfully achieved by adding sodium carbonate (Na 2 CO 3 ) to the leachate. Optimum recovery conditions, such as pH, temperature, and amount of Na 2 CO 3 , for the recovery of lithium as Li 2 CO 3 were determined for all cases. Purification of Li 2 CO 3 was achieved by lixiviation in all systems, with purities of the Li 2 CO 3 higher than 99.4%, which is almost satisfactory for the battery-grade purity of lithium.

Beschreibung: A multicomponent multiphase solidification model has been developed to predict macrosegregation of steel ingots in three dimensions. The interpenetrating continua of liquid melt and solid grains is coupled with air for the mass, momentum, concentration, and heat transfer. Interfacial solute constraint relationships are derived to close the model by solving the solidification paths of multicomponent alloy. The upward unidirectional solidification case of a ternary Al-6.0 wt.%Cu-1.0 wt.%Si alloy is taken as a basic validation. Predictions have well captured the inverse segregation profiles induced by shrinkage during solidification. Then, the model is applied to a 36-ton steel ingot, which was experimentally investigated by temperature recording and concentration analysis. Predictions have reproduced the macrosegregation patterns in the measurements. Confidence levels of current predictions compared to the concentration measurements have been presented. General good agreements are exhibited in quantitative comparisons between measurements and predictions of carbon and sulfur variations along selected positions.

Beschreibung: A series of TiC x N y O z solid solutions were synthesized via solid-state reaction and XRD patterns exhibited a single phase of FCC structure over the whole concentration range. The structural and thermodynamic properties of TiC x N y O z solid solutions were studied using experimental method and first-principles calculations. The difference between the calculated and experimental lattice parameters could be attributed to the vacancies segregated in TiO part. The fitting formulae for lattice parameters and mixing enthalpies were firstly given for TiC x N y O z solid solution over the whole concentration range. The obtained thermodynamic data for TiC x N y O z solid solution properly explained the reaction sequence of the carbothermal reduction of TiO 2 , providing theoretical foundation for TiC x N y O z solid solution as a kind of prospective material for consuming anode utilized in USTB titanium electrolysis process.

Beschreibung: With the rapid development of the aviation industry, the turbine blade, a critical component of the aeronautical engine, has come to be widely produced by liquid-metal cooling (LMC) process. A temperature- and time-dependent heat transfer coefficient was used to represent the heat convection between the shell and the cooling liquid, and an improved Monte Carlo ray-tracing approach was adopted to handle the boundary of radiation heat transfer. Unstructured mesh was used to fit the irregular shell boundary, and the heat transfer model of directional solidification by LMC process based on finite element method (FEM) was established. The concept of local matrix was here proposed to guarantee computational efficiency. The pouring experiments of directional solidification by LMC process were carried out, then simulation and experimental results were compared here. The accuracy of the heat transfer model was validated by the cooling curves and grain morphology, and the maximum relative error between simulation and experimental cooling curve was 2 pct. The withdrawal rate showed an important influence on the shape of solidification interface, and stray grain is liable to be generated on the bottom of platform at an excessive withdrawal rate.

Beschreibung: The Hf-40 wt pct Ti (Hf-Ti) alloy was developed for neutron poison application in the spent nuclear fuel reprocessing plant. The furnace-cooled Hf-Ti sample exhibited the microstructure comprising equiaxed-α, lamellar-α, and feathery-α. The water-quenched Hf-Ti sample confirmed the presence of lath and internally twinned martensite. In comparison to the furnace-cooled sample, low corrosion current density and passivation current density values obtained for the water-quenched Hf-Ti in 6 M HNO 3 at 298 K (25 °C) indicated better passivation ability. The martensitic structure exhibited high hardness (660 HV) and negligible corrosion rate in 6 M nitric acid at 298 K (25 °C). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic (XPS) analysis confirmed that passivation behavior of this alloy was due to the protective passive film composed of TiO 2 and HfO 2 .

Beschreibung: To reveal the origin of work hardening behavior in an ultrafine-grained manganese transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) steel, specific experiments were designed with the assistance of hydrogen. Although the effect of hydrogen on the austenite transformation was negligible, the work hardening rate ( Θ ) was apparently reduced for hydrogenated samples, indicating that TRIP effect cannot account for the high Θ alone. The collaborative effect of dislocation accumulation in ferrite and austenite transformation is proposed to explain the responsible mechanism.

Beschreibung: Ti-H particles are used to increase the gas content in aluminum melts for reduced pressure foaming. This paper reports on the RPF process of AlCa alloy by adding TiH 2 , but in smaller amounts compared to traditional process. TiH 2 is completely decomposed by stirring the melt, following which reduced pressure is applied. TiH 2 is not added as the blowing agent; instead, it is added for increasing the H 2 concentration in the liquid AlCa melt. It is shown that pressure change induces further release of hydrogen from Ti phase. It is also found that foam collapse is caused by the fast bubble coalescing during pressure reducing procedure, and the instability of liquid film is related to the significant increase in critical thickness of film rupture. A combination of lower amounts of TiH 2 , coupled with reduced pressure, is another way of increasing hydrogen content in the liquid aluminum. A key benefit of this process is that it provides time to transfer the molten metal to a mold and then apply the reduced pressure to produce net shape foam parts.

Beschreibung: In Part I of this series, abnormal agglomerations of θ particles with size of about 100 to 1000 µ m were observed in friction stir welded AA2219-T8 joints. In this work, the effects of these agglomerated θ particles on the mechanical and corrosion properties of the joints are studied. Tensile testing with in situ SEM imaging was utilized to monitor crack initiation and propagation in base metal and weld nugget zone (WNZ) samples. These tests showed that cracks initiated in the θ particles and at the θ /matrix interfaces, but not in the matrix. The WNZ samples containing abnormal agglomerated θ particles had a similar ultimate tensile stress but 3 pct less elongation than other WNZ samples with only normal θ particles. Measurements using the microcell technique indicated that the agglomerated θ particles acted as a cathode causing the dissolution of adjacent matrix. The abnormal θ particle agglomerations led to more severe localized attack due to the large cathode/anode ratio. Al preferential dissolution occurred in the abnormal θ particle agglomerations, which was different from the corrosion behavior of normal size θ particles.

Beschreibung: Dissimilar aluminum alloy sheets of 2017A-T451 and 7075-T651 (6 mm thickness) were friction stir welded in a butt weld configuration. A numerical simulation of the joining process was developed to visualize the material flow patterns and temperature distribution and to correlate the microstructure to the hardness behavior. Due to the complementary downward flow of surface material into the workpiece thickness and upward flow of mid-plane and bottom-plane material, the weld nugget is composed of alternating layers of 7075 and 2017A. These layers have unique temperature histories depending on the material’s initial location within the cross section; therefore, they also have distinctive precipitate distributions. Supersaturated surface material flows into the process zone and forms a core in which GP zones reprecipitate upon cooling. Mid-plane and bottom-plane material flow toward the workpiece surface and encompass the surface material core. Within this region, the weld temperatures overage the equilibrium θ phase in 2017A, decreasing the hardness, and at the same time, dissolve the equilibrium η / T phase in the 7075, leading to reprecipitation of GP zones upon cooling and a hardness recovery.

Beschreibung: Microstructural, tensile, and fracture characterizations of cylindrically forged forms of aluminum alloys AA7085-O and AA7175-T7452 were performed. Mechanical and fracture properties were investigated along radial, circumferential, and longitudinal directions to determine directional dependency. American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) test methods (ASTM E8-04 and ASTM E1820) were employed for both the tensile and fracture characterizations, respectively. The tensile and fracture properties were related to microstructure in each direction. The strength, elongation at break, and ultimate tensile strength of AA7085-O were higher than those of AA7175-T7452. AA7175-T7452 alloy failed in a brittle manner during fracture studies. AA7085-O outperformed AA7175-T7452 on fracture energy in all of the orientations studied. Smaller grain sizes on the planes normal to circumferential and longitudinal directions showed improvement in both elongation at break and fracture energy values compared to those of radial direction. Scanning electron microscopy images demonstrated cleavage fracture in AA7175-T7452 and transgranular fracture in AA7085-O.

Beschreibung: An inverse model is proposed to construct the mathematical relationship between continuous cooling transformation (CCT) kinetics with constant rates and the isothermal one. The kinetic parameters in JMAK equations of isothermal kinetics can be deduced from the experimental CCT kinetics. Furthermore, a generalized model with a new additive rule is developed for predicting the kinetics of nucleation and growth during diffusional phase transformation with arbitrary cooling paths based only on CCT curve. A generalized contribution coefficient is introduced into the new additivity rule to describe the influences of current temperature and cooling rate on the incubation time of nuclei. Finally, then the reliability of the proposed model is validated using dilatometry experiments of a microalloy steel with fully bainitic microstructure based on various cooling routes.

Beschreibung: Creep deformation behavior of 316LN stainless steel (SS) under small punch creep (SPC) and uniaxial creep test has been assessed and compared at 923 K (650 °C). The transient and tertiary creep deformation behaviors have been analyzed according to the equation proposed for SPC deflection, \( \delta = \delta_{0} + \delta_{\text{T}} \cdot (1 - {\text{e}}^{ - \kappa \cdot t} ) + \dot{\delta }_{\text{s}} t + \delta_{3} {\text{e}}^{{\left[ {\varphi \left( {t - t_{\text{r}} } \right)} \right]}} \) on the basis of Dobes and Cadek equation for uniaxial creep strain. Trends in the variations of (i) rate of exhaustion of transient creep ( κ ) with steady-state deflection rate ( \( \dot{\delta }_{\text{s}} \) ) (ii) ‘ κ ’ with time to attain steady-state deflection rate, and (iii) initial creep deflection rate with steady-state deflection rate implied that transient SPC deformation obeyed first-order reaction rate theory. The rate of exhaustion of transient creep ( r ′) values that were determined from uniaxial creep tests were correlated with those obtained from SPC tests. Master curves representing transient creep deformation in both SPC and uniaxial creep tests have been derived and their near coincidence brings unique equivalence between both the test techniques. The relationships between (i) rate of acceleration of tertiary creep ( φ ) and steady-state deflection rate, (ii) ‘ φ ’ and time spent in tertiary stage, and (iii) final creep deflection rate and steady-state deflection rate revealed that first-order reaction rate theory governed SPC deformation throughout the tertiary region also. Interrelationship between the transient, secondary, and tertiary creep parameters indicated that the same mechanism prevailed throughout the SPC deformation.

Beschreibung: Although hot isostatic pressing (HIP) has been shown to demonstrate significant advances over more conventional manufacture routes, it is important to appreciate and quantify the detrimental effects of oxygen involvement during the HIP manufacture process on the microstructural and material properties of the resulting component. This paper quantifies the effects of oxygen content on the microstructure and Charpy impact properties of HIP’d austenitic stainless steel, through combination of detailed metallographic examination and mechanical testing on HIP’d Type 316L steel containing different concentrations (100 to 190 ppm) of oxygen. Micron-scale pores were visible in the microstructure of the HIP’d materials postmetallographic preparation, which result from the removal of nonmetallic oxide inclusions during metallographic preparation. The area fraction of the resulting pores is shown to correlate with the oxygen concentration which influences the Charpy impact toughness over the temperature range of 77 K to 573 K (−196 °C to 300 °C), and demonstrates the influence of oxygen involved during the HIP manufacture process on Charpy toughness. The same test procedures and microstructural analyses were performed on commercially available forged 316L. This showed comparatively fewer inclusions and exhibited higher Charpy impact toughness over the tested temperature range.

Beschreibung: We show that enhanced stress corrosion cracking (SCC) initiation in cold-rolled Alloy 690 with decreasing strain rate is related to the rate of short-range ordering (SRO) but not to the time-dependent corrosion process. Evidence for SRO is provided by aging tests on cold-rolled Alloy 690 at 623 K and 693 K (350 °C and 420 °C), respectively, which demonstrate its enhanced lattice contraction and hardness increase with aging temperature and time, respectively. Secondary intergranular cracks formed only in thermally treated and cold-rolled Alloy 690 during SCC tests, which are not SCC cracks, are caused by its lattice contraction by SRO before SCC tests but not by the orientation effect.

Beschreibung: A Bi 0.5 Sb 1.5 Te 3 thermoelectric material electroplated with a Ni barrier layer and a Ag reaction layer was bonded with a Ag-coated Cu electrode at low temperatures of 448 K (175 °C) to 523 K (250 °C) using a 4- μ m-thick In interlayer under an external pressure of 3 MPa. During the bonding process, the In thin film reacted with the Ag layer to form a double layer of Ag 3 In and Ag 2 In intermetallic compounds. No reaction occurred at the Bi 0.5 Sb 1.5 Te 3 /Ni interface, which resulted in low bonding strengths of about 3.2 MPa. The adhesion of the Bi 0.5 Sb 1.5 Te 3 /Ni interface was improved by precoating a 1- μ m Sn film on the surface of the thermoelectric element and preheating it at 523 K (250 °C) for 3 minutes. In this case, the bonding strengths increased to a range of 9.1 to 11.5 MPa after bonding at 473 K (200 °C) for 5 to 60 minutes, and the shear-tested specimens fractured with cleavage characteristics in the interior of the thermoelectric material. The bonding at 448 K (175 °C) led to shear strengths ranging from 7.1 to 8.5 MPa for various bonding times between 5 and 60 minutes, which were further increased to the values of 10.4 to 11.7 MPa by increasing the bonding pressure to 9.8 MPa. The shear strengths of Bi 0.5 Sb 1.5 Te 3 /Cu joints bonded with the optimized conditions of the modified solid–liquid interdiffusion bonding process changed only slightly after long-term exposure at 473 K (200 °C) for 1000 hours.

Beschreibung: In this work, new experimental vapor–liquid equilibrium (VLE) data of lead-antimony alloy (Pb-Sb alloy) in vacuum distillation are reported. The activity coefficients of components of Pb-Sb alloy were calculated by using the NRTL model. The calculated average relative deviations were ±0.1425 and ±0.2433 pct, and the average standard deviations were ±0.0009 and ±0.0007, respectively, for Pb and Sb. The VLE phase diagrams, such as the temperature composition ( T - x ) and pressure composition ( P-x ) diagrams of Pb-Sb alloy in vacuum distillation were predicted based on the NRTL model and VLE theory. The predicted results are consistent with the new experimental data indicating that VLE phase diagrams obtained by this method are reliable. The VLE phase diagrams of alloys will provide an effective and intuitive way for the technical design and realization of recycling and separation processes. The VLE data may be used in separation processes design, and the thermodynamic properties as the key parameters in specific applications.

Beschreibung: As-cast strip of 6.5 wt pct Si steel was fabricated by twin-roll strip casting. After hot rolling at 1323 K (1050 °C), thin sheets with the thickness of 0.35 mm were produced by warm rolling at 373 K (100 °C) with rolling reductions of 15, 25, 35, 45, 55, and 65 pct. Influence of warm rolling reduction on ductility was investigated by room temperature bending test. The measurement of macro-hardness showed that “work softening” could begin when the warm rolling reduction exceeded 35 pct. The room temperature ductility of the thin sheets gradually increased with the increase of warm rolling reductions, and the plastic deformation during bending began to form when the warm rolling reduction was greater than 45 pct, the 65 pct rolled thin sheet exhibited the maximum plastic deformation of about 0.6 pct during bending at room temperature, with a few small dimples having been observed on the fracture surfaces. B2-ordered domains were formed in the 15, 25, 35, 45, and 55 pct rolled specimens, and their average size decreased with the increase of warm rolling reductions. By contrast, no B2-ordered domain could be found in the 65 pct rolled specimen. It had been observed that large-ordered domains could be split into several small parts by the slip of partial super-dislocations during warm rolling, which led to significant decrease of the order degree to cause the phenomenon of deformation-induced disordering. On the basis of these results, cold rolling schedule was developed to successfully fabricate 0.25-mm-thick sheets with good surface qualities and magnetic properties from warm rolled sheets.

Beschreibung: Physical simulation of friction stir welding (FSW) by means of hot torsion tests was performed on UNS S32205 duplex stainless steel. A thermomechanical simulator Gleeble 3800 ® with a custom-built liquid nitrogen cooling system was employed to reproduce the thermal cycle measured during FSW and carry out the torsion tests. Microstructures were compared by means of light optical microscopy and electron backscatter diffraction. True strain and strain rate were calculated by numerical simulation of the torsion tests. Thermomechanically affected zone (TMAZ) was reproduced at peak temperature of 1303 K (1030 °C), rotational speeds of 52.4 rad s −1 (500 rpm) and 74.5 rad s −1 (750 rpm), and 0.5 to 0.75 revolutions, which represent strain rate between 10 and 16 s −1 and true strain between 0.5 and 0.8. Strong grain refinement, similar to the one observed in the stir zone (SZ), was attained at peak temperature of 1403 K (1130 °C), rotational speed of 74.5 rad s −1 (750 rpm), and 1.2 revolution, which represent strain rate of 19 s −1 and true strain of 1.3. Continuous dynamic recrystallization in ferrite and dynamic recrystallization in austenite were observed in the TMAZ simulation. At higher temperature, dynamic recovery of austenite was also observed.

Beschreibung: The effect of coating thickness and Mg concentration on the adhesion strength of electromagnetic levitation physical vapor deposited Zn-Mg alloy coatings on steel strip was investigated. The phase fraction of Zn, Mg 2 Zn 11 , and MgZn 2 was determined for a coating Mg concentration in the 0 to 15 wt pct range. Coatings with a Mg content less than 5 pct consisted of an Zn and Mg 2 Zn 11 phase mixture. The coatings showed good adhesion strength and ductile fracture behavior. Coatings with a higher Mg concentration, which consisted of a Mg 2 Zn 11 and MgZn 2 phase mixture, had a poor adhesion strength and a brittle fracture behavior. The adhesion strength of PVD Zn-Mg alloy coatings was found to be related to the pure Zn phase fraction. The effect of coating thickness on adhesion strength was found to be negligible. The microstructure of the interface between steel and Zn-Mg alloy coatings was investigated in detail by electron microscopy, electron diffraction, and atom probe tomography.

Beschreibung: We proposed intermittent ultrasonic-assisted equal-channel angular pressing (IU-ECAP) and used it to produce ultrafine-grained copper. The main aim of this work was to investigate the microstructure and mechanical properties of copper processed by IU-ECAP. We performed experiments with two groups of specimens: group 1 used conventional ECAP, and group 2 combined ECAP with intermittent ultrasonic vibration. The extrusion forces, microstructure, mechanical properties, and thermal stability of the two groups were compared. It was revealed that more homogeneous microstructure with smaller grains could be obtained by IU-ECAP compared with copper obtained using the traditional ECAP method. Mechanical testing showed that IU-ECAP significantly reduced the extrusion force and increased both the hardness and ultimate tensile stress owing to the higher dislocation density and smaller grains. IU-ECAP promotes conversion from low-angle grain boundaries to high-angle grain boundaries, and it increases the fractions of subgrains and dynamic recrystallized grains. Group 2 statically recrystallized at a higher temperature or longer duration than group 1, showing that group 2 had better thermal stability.

Beschreibung: Coarsening behavior and superplastic-flow response of Ti-6Al-2Sn-4Zr-2Mo-0.1Si with an ultrafine, equiaxed-alpha microstructure were interpreted in the context of classical models. Static coarsening was shown to follow modified Lifshitz–Slyosov–Wagner (LSW) kinetics. The rate of dynamic coarsening was six times more rapid than the corresponding static rate due to enhanced diffusion of solutes in the beta matrix. Last, a generalized constitutive equation was used to interpret the dependence of flow stress on strain/dynamic coarsening, strain rate, and temperature.

Beschreibung: Dendritic morphology was investigated in a directionally solidified magnesium-zinc alloy using synchrotron X-ray tomography and electron backscattered diffraction. Unexpectedly, primary dendrites grew along \( {\langle}21\overline{3}1 {\rangle}\) , rather than the previously reported \({\langle} 11\overline{2} 0{\rangle} \) and \({\langle} 22\overline{4}5 {\rangle}\) directions. Further, seven asymmetric sets of side branches formed, instead of six-fold symmetric arms, evolving with three coexisting morphologies per trunk of: traditional, seaweed structure, and free growth. The anomalous growth is attributed to the imposed thermal gradient and zinc-induced interfacial energy anisotropy variations.

Beschreibung: Coronary stents have revolutionised the treatment of coronary artery disease. While coronary artery stenting is now relatively mature, significant scientific and technological challenges still remain. One of the most fertile technological growth areas is biodegradable stents; here, there is the possibility to generate stents that will break down in the body once the initial necessary scaffolding period is past (6–12 months) (Grogan et al. in Acta Biomater 7:3523, 2011 ) and when the artery has remodelled (including the formation of neo-intima). A stent angioplasty computational test-bed has been developed by the authors, based on the Abaqus software (DS-SIMULIA, USA), capable of simulating stent tracking, balloon expansion, recoil and in vivo loading in a atherosclerotic artery model. Additionally, a surface corrosion model to simulate uniform and pitting corrosion of biodegradable stents and a representation of the active response of the arterial tissue following stent implantation, i.e. neointimal remodelling, has been developed. The arterial neointimal remodelling simulations with biodegradable stent corrosion demonstrate that the development of new arterial tissue around the stent struts has a substantial effect on the mechanical behaviour of degrading stents.

Beschreibung: Silver (Ag)-copper (Cu) bimetallic nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized by the reduction of silver nitrate and copper (II) acetate monohydrate using ethylene glycol in a microwave (MW) heating system with controlled reaction times ranging from 5 min to 30 min. The molar ratio Ag/Cu was varied from 1:1 to 1:3. The effect of reaction conditions on the bimetallic NPs structures and compositions were characterized by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The average particle size was approximately 150 nm. The surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of Ag-Cu bimetallic NPs was investigated by monitoring the SPR band peak behavior via UV/Vis spectrophotometry. The resonance peak positions and peak widths varied due to the different structures of the bimetallic NPs created under the synthesis conditions. In the MW heating method, the reduction of Cu was increased and Cu was inhomogeneously deposited over the Ag cores. As the composition of Cu becoming higher in the Ag-Cu bimetallic NPs, the absorption between 400 nm to 600 nm was greatly enhanced.

Beschreibung: The detection of Salmonella Poona from cantaloupe cubes and E. coli O157:H7 from lettuce has been explored by using a filtration method and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) based on vancomycin-functionalized silver nanorod array substrates. It is found that with a two-step filtration process, the limit of detection (LOD) of Salmonella Poona from cantaloupe cubes can be as low as 100 CFU/mL in less than 4 h, whereas the chlorophyll in the lettuce causes severe SERS spectral interference. To improve the LOD of lettuce, a three-step filtration method with a hydrophobic filter is proposed. The hydrophobic filter can effectively eliminate the interferences from chlorophyll and achieve a LOD of 1000 CFU/mL detection of E. coli O157:H7 from lettuce samples within 5 h. With the low LODs and rapid detection time, the SERS biosensing platform has demonstrated its potential as a rapid, simple, and inexpensive means for pathogenic bacteria detection from fresh produce.

Beschreibung: The polymerization kinetics of physically separated hydrophobic- and hydrophilic-rich phases of a model dental adhesive have been investigated. The two phases were prepared from neat resin containing 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate and bisphenol A glycerolate dimethacrylate (BisGMA) in the ratio of 45:55 (wt./wt.). Neat resins containing various combinations of popular photo-initiating compounds, e.g., camphoquinone (CQ), ethyl 4-(dimethylamino)benzoate (EDMAB), 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA), and diphenyliodonium hexafluorophosphate (DPIHP), were prepared. To obtain the two phases, 33 wt.% of deuterium oxide (D 2 O) was added to the neat resins. This amount of D 2 O exceeded the miscibility limit for the resins. The concentration of each component of the photo-initiating system in the two phases was quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). When combined with CQ, DMAEMA is less efficient as a co-initiator compared to EDMAB. The addition of DPIHP as the third component into either CQ/EDMAB or CQ/DMAEMA photo-initiating systems led to comparable performance in both the hydrophobic- and hydrophilic-rich phases. The addition of the iodonium salt significantly improved the photopolymerization of the hydrophilic-rich phase; the latter exhibited extremely poor polymerization when the iodonium salt was not included in the formulation. The partition concentration of EDMAB in the hydrophilic-rich phase was significantly lower than that of DMAEMA or DPIHP. This study indicates the need for a combination of hydrophobic/hydrophilic photosensitizer and addition of iodonium salt to improve polymerization within the hydrophilic-rich phase of the dental adhesive.