ALBERT

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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 .

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: The goal of this research is to fabricate near-net-shape isotropic (Nd) 2 Fe 14 B-based (NdFeB) bonded magnets using a three dimensional printing process to compete with conventional injection molding techniques used for bonded magnets. Additive manufacturing minimizes the waste of critical materials and allows for the creation of complex shapes and sizes. The binder jetting process works similarly to an inkjet printer. A print-head passes over a bed of NdFeB powder and deposits a polymer binding agent to bind the layer of particles together. The bound powder is then coated with another layer of powder, building the desired shape in successive layers of bonded powder. Upon completion, the green part and surrounding powders are placed in an oven at temperatures between 100°C and 150°C for 4–6 h to cure the binder. After curing, the excess powder can be brushed away to reveal the completed “green” part. Green magnet parts were then infiltrated with a clear urethane resin to achieve the measured density of the magnet of 3.47 g/cm 3 close to 46% relative to the NdFeB single crystal density of 7.6 g/cm 3 . Magnetic measurements indicate that there is no degradation in the magnetic properties. This study provides a new pathway for preparing near-net-shape bonded magnets for various magnetic applications.

Description: Blast furnaces are counter-current chemical reactors, widely utilized in the ironmaking industry. Hot reduction gases injected from lower regions of the furnace ascend, reacting with the descending burden. Through this reaction process, iron ore is reduced into liquid iron that is tapped from the furnace hearth. Due to the extremely harsh environment inside the blast furnace, it is difficult to measure or observe internal phenomena during operation. Through the collaboration between steel companies and the Center for Innovation through Visualization and Simulation, multiple computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models have been developed to simulate the complex multiphase reacting flow in the three regions of the furnace, the shaft, the raceway, and the hearth. The models have been used effectively to troubleshoot and optimize blast furnace operations. In addition, the CFD models have been integrated with virtual reality. An interactive virtual blast furnace has been developed for training purpose. This paper summarizes the developments and applications of blast furnace CFD models and the virtual blast furnace.

Description: Recent developments in metal matrix composite-encapsulated ceramic armor show promise in lightweight armor technology. The system contains ceramic tiles, such as alumina, sandwiched between unreinforced aluminum or aluminum metal matrix composite (Al-MMC), which has a better toughness compared to the ceramic tiles. The sandwich structures should not be quenched during the fabrication, as the large mismatch in the coefficients of thermal expansion between the ceramic tiles and the unreinforced aluminum or Al-MMC creates internal stresses high enough to fracture the ceramic tiles. However, slow cooling of most commercial alloys creates large precipitates making solute unavailable for the formation of fine precipitates during aging. Here, we develop a non-quenched, high-strength metal matrix utilizing dilute Al-Sc-Zr alloys. We demonstrate that the dilute Al-0.09 Sc-0.045 Zr at.% alloy and the same alloy containing 0–4 vol.% alumina short fibers do not result in precipitation upon slow cooling from a high temperature, and can thereafter be aged to increase their strength. They exhibit a moderate strength, but improved ductility and toughness as compared to common armor aluminum alloys, such as AA5083-H131, making them attractive as armor materials and hybrid armor systems.

Description: High strain rate compressive properties of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) matrix syntactic foams containing cenosphere filler are investigated. Thermoplastic matrix syntactic foams have not been studied extensively for high strain rate deformation response despite interest in them for lightweight underwater vehicle structures and consumer products. Quasi-static compression tests are conducted at 10 −4  s −1 , 10 −3  s −1 and 10 −2  s −1 strain rates. Further, a split-Hopkinson pressure bar is utilized for characterizing syntactic foams for high strain rate compression. The compressive strength of syntactic foams is higher than that of HDPE resin at the same strain rate. Yield strength shows an increasing trend with strain rate. The average yield strength values at high strain rates are almost twice the values obtained at 10 −4  s −1 for HDPE resin and syntactic foams. Theoretical models are used to estimate the effectiveness of cenospheres in reinforcing syntactic foams.

Description: Rapid movement of the melt pool (at a speed around 1 m/s) in selective laser melting of metal powder directly implies rapid solidification. In this work, the length scale of the as-built microstructure of parts built with the alloy AlSi10Mg was measured and compared with the well-known relationship between cell size and cooling rate. Cooling rates during solidification were estimated using the Rosenthal equation. It was found that the solidification structure is the expected cellular combination of silicon with α-aluminum. The dependence of measured cell spacing on calculated cooling rate follows the well-established relationship for aluminum alloys. The implication is that cell spacing can be manipulated by changing the heat input. Microscopy of polished sections through particles of the metal powder used to build the parts showed that the particles have a dendritic-eutectic structure; the dendrite arm spacings in metal powder particles of different diameters were measured and also agree with literature correlations, showing the expected increase in secondary dendrite arm spacing with increasing particle diameter.

Description: The field of powdered metal additive manufacturing is experiencing a surge in public interest finding uses in aerospace, defense, and biomedical industries. The relative youth of the technology coupled with public interest makes the field a vibrant research topic. The authors have expanded upon previously published finite element models used to analyze the processing of novel engineering materials through the use of laser- and electron beam-based additive manufacturing. In this work, the authors present a model for simulating fabrication of Inconel 718 using laser melting processes. Thermal transport phenomena and melt pool geometries are discussed and validation against experimental findings is presented. After comparing experimental and simulation results, the authors present two correction correlations to transform the modeling results into meaningful predictions of actual laser melting melt pool geometries in Inconel 718.

Description: Metal matrix composites (MMC) based on aluminum and reinforced with nonmetallic particles are of great practical interest due to their potentially high physico-mechanical properties. In this work, Al-Al 4 C 3 composites were obtained by a hot-compacting method. Introduction of nanodiamonds produced by detonation to the Al powder in an amount of 10 wt.% led to the formation of ~15 wt.% of aluminum carbide during hot compacting. It was found that composite materials with the diamond content of 10 wt.% in the initial powder mix have an average microhardness of 1550 MPa, whilst the similarly compacted aluminum powder without reinforcing particles shows a hardness of 750 MPa. The mechanical properties of an Al-Al 4 C 3 MMC at elevated test temperatures exceeded those of commercial casting aluminum alloys such as A356.

Description: A study on the influence of aging heat treatment conditions at 823 K for 3 h, 24 h, and 120 h, on microstructure, martensitic transformation, and magnetic and mechanical properties of Co 50 Ni 23 Ga 27− X Al X alloys ( X  = 0 and 1 at.%) was performed by using x-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, optical microscopy (OM), energy-dispersive spectrometer (EDS), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The results show that the microstructure of both aged alloys consists of martensite and fcc second γ phase in addition to ordered cubic gamma prime ( γ ′) phase precipitates in martensite. The martensitic transformation temperature peak ( M p ) elevates with prolonging aging time and decreasing valence electron concentration ( e v / a ). Saturation magnetization ( M s ) decreases, whereas both remanence magnetization ( M r ) and coercivity ( H c ) increase with aging time. Meanwhile, the aging time enhances the hardness property ( H v ) of the investigated alloys.

Description: The segregation of solutes to austenite/ferrite transformation interfaces during decarburization/denitriding of Fe-Mn-C, Fe-Mn-N, and Fe-Si-C ternary alloys was studied by using atom probe tomography. Manganese was found to segregate noticeably to the transformation interface in the presence of carbon, while no segregation could be detected in the presence of nitrogen. This result might indicate that manganese interacts little with the interface itself and that its interaction with the interstitial controls its segregation behavior. In the case of Fe-Si-C, the experiments were complicated by interface motion during quenching. Preliminary results suggest that silicon was depleted at the interface in contrast to the commonly observed segregation behavior of silicon at grain boundaries of ferrite and austenite. This observation could be explained by taking into account the repulsive interaction between silicon and carbon along with the intense segregation of carbon to the interface. This would lead to a net repulsive interaction of silicon with the interface even when considering the intrinsic tendency of silicon to segregate to the boundary in the absence of carbon. The results presented here emphasize the need to account for the interaction of all solutes present at the interface in ferrite growth models.

Description: Managing the tapping of furnaces is a challenge to most furnace operators. As a hole is made in the refractory lining and re-filled with clay, several times a day, the tap-hole is one of the weak spots in the refractory lining. Tap-hole failures are high-risk events, and steps should be taken to minimize the risks. Designing for the life–cycle of the tap-hole is proposed and discussed as a way of minimizing the risks associated with tap-hole failure. Design criteria are proposed not only for a total reline and normal operation but also for emergency conditions, as well as maintenance, and repair of the tap-hole. The criteria are discussed in the context of silicomanganese production in South Africa.

Description: In Part II of this study, approaches to improve the thermoelectric figure of merit ( ZT ) of graphene nanosheets and nanoribbons is discussed. The presence of vacancies in graphene is found to increase the ZT of zigzag graphene nanoribbons significantly. Graphene can be a promising material with much better thermoelectric performance than conventional thermoelectrics.

Description: Thermal conductivity of pristine and doped graphene nanosheets and nanoribbons has been studied as a function of their width and length using non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations. Calculations of electronic thermal conductivity are presented for these structures using density functional theory (DFT). Effects of p - and n -type doping, presence of vacancies, effect of number of layers, and temperature have been presented.

Description: DNA extraction is the key step at various research areas like biotechnology, diagnostic development, paternity determination, and forensic science . Solid support extraction is the most common method for DNA purification. In this method, Na + ions have often been applied as binding buffers in order to obtain high extraction efficiency and high quality of DNA; however, the presence of Na + ions might be interfering with the downstream DNA applications. In this study, we proposed graphite oxide (GO)/magnetite composite/cellulose as an innovative material for Na + -free DNA extraction. The total wt.% of GO was fixed at 4.15% in the GO/cellulose/magnetite composite . The concentration of magnetite within the composites were controlled at 0–3.98 wt.%. The extraction yield of DNA increased with increasing weight percentage of magnetite. The highest yield was achieved at 3.98 wt.% magnetite, where the extraction efficiency was reported to be 338.5 ng/µl. The absorbance ratios between 260 nm and 280 nm (A260/A280) of the DNA elution volume was demonstrated as 1.81, indicating the extracted DNA consisted of high purity. The mechanism of adsorption of DNA was provided by (1) π–π interaction between the aromatic ring in GO and nucleobases of DNA molecule, and (2) surface charge interaction between the positive charge magnetite and anions such as phosphates within the DNA molecules. The results proved that the GO/cellulose/magnetite composite provides a Na + -free method for selective DNA extraction with high extraction efficiency of pure DNA.

Description: Achieving a high surface finish is a major challenge for most current metal additive manufacturing processes. We report the first quantitative study of the influence of as-built surface conditions on the tensile properties of Ti-6Al-4V produced by selective electron beam melting (SEBM) in order to better understand the SEBM process. Tensile ductility was doubled along with noticeable improvements in tensile strengths after surface modification of the SEBM-fabricated Ti-6Al-4V by chemical etching. The fracture surfaces of tensile specimens with different surface conditions were characterised and correlated with the tensile properties obtained. The removal of a 650- μ m-thick surface layer by chemical etching was shown to be necessary to eliminate the detrimental influence of surface defects on mechanical properties. The experimental results and analyses underline the necessity to modify the surfaces of SEBM-fabricated components for structural applications, particularly for those components which contain complex internal concave and convex surfaces and channels.

Description: At the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), glass bead-filled polyamide (a.k.a. nylon) (GFN) is being used frequently for functional parts and systems, built using a laser-based powder bed fusion (PBF) additive manufacturing (AM) system. Since these parts have performance requirements, it is important to understand the mechanical properties of the additively-made GFN as a function of build orientation and build parameters. In addition, the performance of the AM system used to manufacture these parts must be evaluated in order to understand its capabilities, especially in order to determine the dimensional precision and repeatability of features built with this system. This paper summarizes recent APL efforts to characterize the GFN powder, the mechanical properties of parts made with GFN, and the performance of the laser PBF machine while running GFN using an AM test artifact.

Description: An as-built and solutionized Ni-based superalloy built by additive manufacturing through a direct metal laser sintering technique is characterized to understand the microstructural differences as compared to the as-wrought alloy. Initially, each layer undergoes rapid solidification as it is melted by the laser; however, as the part is built, the underlying layers experience a variety of heating and cooling cycles that produce significant microsegregation of niobium which allows for the formation of the deleterious δ-phase. The as-built microstructure was characterized through Vickers hardness, optical microscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, electron back-scattering diffraction, x-ray diffraction, and synchrotron x-ray microLaue diffraction. The isothermal formation and growth of the δ-phase were characterized using synchrotron-based in situ small angle and wide angle x-ray scattering experiments. These experimental results are compared with multicomponent diffusion simulations that predict the phase fraction and composition. The high residual stresses and unexpected formation of the δ-phase will require further annealing treatments to be designed so as to remove these deficiencies and obtain an optimized microstructure.

Description: We describe and study the thermal profiles experienced by various age-hardenable alloys during laser additive manufacturing (LAM), employing two different manufacturing techniques: selective laser melting and laser metal deposition. Using scanning electron microscopy and atom probe tomography, we reveal at which stages during the manufacturing process desired and undesired precipitation reactions can occur in age-hardenable alloys. Using examples from a maraging steel, a nickel-base superalloy and a scandium-containing aluminium alloy, we demonstrate that precipitation can already occur during the production of the powders used as starting material, during the deposition of material (i.e. during solidification and subsequent cooling), during the intrinsic heat treatment effected by LAM (i.e. in the heat affected zones) and, naturally, during an ageing post-heat treatment. These examples demonstrate the importance of understanding and controlling the thermal profile during the entire additive manufacturing cycle of age-hardenable materials including powder synthesis.

Description: While metal additive manufacturing (AM) technology has clear benefits, there are still factors preventing its adoption by industry. These factors include the high cost of metal AM systems, the difficulty for machinists to learn and operate metal AM machines, the long approval process for part qualification/certification, and the need for better process controls; however, the high AM system cost is the main barrier deterring adoption. In this paper, we will discuss an America Makes-funded program to reduce AM system cost by combining metal AM technology with conventional computerized numerical controlled (CNC) machine tools. Information will be provided on how an Optomec-led team retrofitted a legacy CNC vertical mill with laser engineered net shaping (LENS ® —LENS is a registered trademark of Sandia National Labs) AM technology, dramatically lowering deployment cost. The upgraded system, dubbed LENS Hybrid Vertical Mill, enables metal additive and subtractive operations to be performed on the same machine tool and even on the same part. Information on the LENS Hybrid system architecture, learnings from initial system deployment and continuing development work will also be provided to help guide further development activities within the materials community.

Description: The similarity between Ta and Nb chemistry makes it difficult to find the appropriate reagents and chemical reactions for the separation of the two elements. This study investigated the precipitation behavior of TaF 5 and NbF 5 with p -phenylenediamine (PPDA). PPDA preferentially precipitated Nb from a 1:1 ratio of NbF 5 and TaF 5 . Niobium recoveries of 〉80%, and only 4% Ta, were found in the precipitate of the reaction between (Nb/Ta)F 5 and PPDA in ethanol. A separation factor of 100(9) indicated the potential for successful separation of Nb and Ta in a fluoride environment. A spectrophotometric study of the formation ratio of the newly formed Nb compound indicated a 1:1 metal:ligand ratio.

Description: With increasingly strict data management requirements from funding agencies and institutions, expanding focus on the challenges of research replicability, and growing data sizes and heterogeneity, new data needs are emerging in the materials community. The materials data facility (MDF) operates two cloud-hosted services, data publication and data discovery, with features to promote open data sharing, self-service data publication and curation, and encourage data reuse, layered with powerful data discovery tools. The data publication service simplifies the process of copying data to a secure storage location, assigning data a citable persistent identifier, and recording custom (e.g., material, technique, or instrument specific) and automatically-extracted metadata in a registry while the data discovery service will provide advanced search capabilities (e.g., faceting, free text range querying, and full text search) against the registered data and metadata. The MDF services empower individual researchers, research projects, and institutions to (I) publish research datasets, regardless of size, from local storage, institutional data stores, or cloud storage, without involvement of third-party publishers; (II) build, share, and enforce extensible domain-specific custom metadata schemas; (III) interact with published data and metadata via representational state transfer (REST) application program interfaces (APIs) to facilitate automation, analysis, and feedback; and (IV) access a data discovery model that allows researchers to search, interrogate, and eventually build on existing published data. We describe MDF’s design, current status, and future plans.

Description: A materials data infrastructure that enables the sharing and transformation of a wide range of materials data is an essential part of achieving the goals of the Materials Genome Initiative. We describe two high-level requirements of such an infrastructure as well as an emerging open-source implementation consisting of the Materials Data Curation System and the National Institute of Standards and Technology Materials Resource Registry.