Porous agarose/Gd-hydroxyapatite composite bone fillers with promoted osteogenesis and antibacterial activity

Artificial bone fillers are essentially required for repairing bone defects, and developing the fillers with synergistic biocompatibility and anti-bacterial activity persists as one of the critical challenges. In this work, a new agarose/gadolinium-doped hydroxyapatite filler with three-dimensional porous structures was fabricated. For the composite filler, agarose provides three-dimensional skeleton and endows porosity, workability, and high specific surface area, hydroxyapatite (HA) offers the biocompatibility, and the rare earth element gadolinium (Gd) acts as the antibacterial agent. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy detection showed the doping of Gd in HA lattice with the formation of Gd-HA interstitial solid solution. Attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy imaging suggested chemical interactions between agarose and Gd-HA, and the physical structure of agarose was tuned by the Gd-doped HA. Cytotoxicity testing and alizarin red staining experiments using mouse pro-osteoblasts (MC3T3-E1) revealed remarkable bioactivity and osteogenic properties of the composite fillers, and proliferation and growth rates of the cells increased in proportion to Gd content in the composites. Antibacterial testing using the gram-positive bacteria S. aureus and the gram-negative bacteria E. coli indicated promising antibacterial properties of the fillers. Meanwhile, the antibacterial properties of composite filles were enhanced with the increase of Gd content. The antibacterial fillers with porous structure and excellent physicomechanical properties show inspiring potential for bone defect repair.     

Effect of Eu3+-doping on morphology and fluorescent properties of neodymium vanadate nanorod-arrays

Tetragonal structural (t-NdVO₄) nanorod-arrays were fabricated by simple one-pot hydrothermal method. The phase, morphology and microstructure of NdVO₄ were characterized by X-ray diffractometer, scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) techniques. t-NdVO₄ nanorods are single-crystalline with a length of 100 nm and a diameter of 25 nm, which grow orientally along the direction of (112) crystalline plane and self-assemble to form nanorod-arrays. The results show that Eu³⁺-doping interrupts the formation of NdVO₄ nanorod-arrays, and then leads to the red-shift of the strongest luminescence emission of Nd³⁺ transition from ⁴D_3/2 state to ⁴I_11/2 and decreases its intensity of the fluorescence emission at 400 nm sharply. The research results have some reference values to optimize the photoluminescence performance of rare earth vanadates.     

WC-Co reinforced NiCoCrAlYTa composite coating: Effect of the proportion on microstructure and tribological properties

The properties of the working surfaces are linked to the safety and lifespan of the modern machines so that variety of coatings are used to protect the parts from breakdown. The NiCoCrAlYTa coating, which has an excellent oxidation resistance, usually undergoes more serious friction and wear due to its lower micro-hardness in contrast to the ceramic coatings. Therefore, the composite coatings reinforced by WC-Co are prepared by HVOF sprayed technology and are also characterized by scanning electron microscope, Raman spectrometer and X-ray diffraction. At the same time, the friction and wear behaviors as well as the mechanisms of different friction pairs are also discussed, in detail. The composite coatings, which mainly consist of γ-(Ni, Co), β-NiAl, γ′-Ni₃Al, WC and W₂C, are dense and uniform. With the increase of WC-17Co, the microhardness of NiCoCrAlYTa/WC-Co composite coating has enhanced from 641.4 HV_300g to 859.7 HV_300g. The wear rates of the composite coatings (10⁻⁵–10⁻⁶ mm³·N⁻¹ m⁻¹) are far lower than those of the as-sprayed NiCoCrAlYTa coating (10⁻⁴ mm³·N⁻¹ m⁻¹). Overall, the mechanical properties and tribological behaviors of the coatings are greatly improved with the addition of WC-Co.     

VC and Cr3C2 doped WCoB-TiC ceramic composites prepared by hot-pressing

The grain growth inhibitors (GGIs) VC and Cr₃C₂ doped WCoB-TiC ceramic composites were fabricated by hot-pressing. The microstructure, hardness, transverse rupture strength (TRS), fracture toughness (K_IC) and wear-resistance of WCoB-TiC ceramic composites were investigated. The results reveal that the grains can obviously become refined and the densification temperature of WCoB-TiC ceramic composites will be increased due to the VC and Cr₃C₂. The typical microstructure of WCoB-TiC ceramic composites mainly consist of bright W₂CoB₂ grains, gray TiC particles, dark TiB₂ and pores. WCoB-TiC ceramic composites doped with 0.3 wt% VC and 0.3 wt% Cr₃C₂ hot-pressing at 1420 °C show the optimum mechanical properties (hardness, TRS and K_IC are 92.6 HRA, 1976 MPa and 14.8 MPa m^1/2, respectively) and the best dry sliding wear-resistance.     

Microstructure and shear strength of Sn37Pb/Cu solder joints subjected to isothermal aging

The effects of isothermal aging on the microstructure and shear strength of Sn37Pb/Cu solder joints were investigated. Single-lap shear solder joints of eutectic Sn37Pb solder were aged for 1–10 days at 120 °C and 170 °C, respectively, and then loaded to failure in shear with a constant loading speed of 5 × 10⁻³ mm/s. The growth of the interfacial Cu–Sn intermetallic compounds (IMC) layer (Cu₆Sn₅ + Cu₃Sn) of Sn37Pb/Cu solder joints subjected to isothermal aging exhibited a linear function of the square root of aging time, indicating that the formation of Cu–Sn IMC was mainly controlled by the diffusion mechanism. And the diffusion coefficient (D) values of IMC layer were 1.07 × 10⁻¹⁷ and 3.72 × 10⁻¹⁷ m²/s for aged solder joints at 120 °C and 170 °C, respectively. Shear tests results revealed that as-reflowed solder joint had better shear strength than the aged solder joints and the shear strength of all aged solder joints decreased with increasing aging time. The presence of elongated dimple-like structures on the fracture surfaces of these as-reflowed or aged for short time solder joints were indicative of a ductile failure mode. As aging time further increased, the solder joints fractured in the mixed solder/IMC mode at the solder/IMC interface.     

Microstructure and properties of WC-12Co composite coatings prepared by laser cladding

A comprehensive study of the phase composition, microstructure evolution, microhardness and wear performance of WC-12Co composite coatings fabricated by laser cladding using coaxial powder-feed mode was presented. It was shown that a combination of high scan speed and high laser energy density made WC on the edge of WC-12Co composite powders partially melt in liquid Co and 304 stainless steel matrix, and then new carbides consisting of lamellar WC and herringbone M₃W₃C (M=Fe, Co) were formed. Meanwhile, WC-12Co composite coatings with no porosity, cracks and drawbacks like decarburization were obtained, showing high densification and good metallurgical bonding with the substrate. Furthermore, a considerably high microhardness of HV_0.3 1500-1600, low coefficient of friction of 0.55 and wear rate of (2.15±0.31)×10^-7 mm³/(N·m) were achieved owing to the synergistic effect of excellent metallurgical bonding and fine microstructures of composite coating under laser power of 1500 W.     

端面锥形参数对锥-孔组合型机械密封性能的影响

给出新型锥-孔组合型端面密封,考虑液膜压场的变化规律与环受力变形的相互作用关系,构建机械密封3D流、固耦合数学模型,并给出相关的数值计算方法,获得了膜压分布规律及端面变形情况,分析锥面结构参数在各工况下对密封性能的影响规律。结果表明：由菱形孔所引起的动压效应可使端面产生周向和径向波状变形,而静压效应随锥度Ф和锥宽比γ的变化,在端面区域范围内所起作用也发生相应变化;对压强较低和低、中转速设备,应选取Ф=5~6或Ф=2~4的收敛锥面密封,且γ=0.8~1.0。对高压和高速设备,应选用Ф=2~3的收敛锥面密封,且γ=1.0或γ=0.2;通过改变锥面结构可有效改变机械密封的特性参数,实现密封运行中的自动调节,特别适合变工况条件。另外,由于锥面结构的变化所引起平衡系数B和膜厚h的变化,低速时可弥补动压效应较小的缺陷,获得较大开启力,也可在大h下工作,故可降低密封端面对平整度和光洁度的要求。     

倾斜菱形孔端面密封的性能研究

基于流体润滑理论模型,采用数值模拟的方法分析几何参数和操作参数对机械密封泄漏率、液膜刚 度和开启力的影响规律,探讨倾斜菱形孔上、下游泵送效应对密封性能的影响机理。结果表明,双向倾斜菱形孔织 构端面能够使机械密封的动压效应显著增强,泄漏率明显降低及液膜稳定性更可靠;在较低转速时,双向倾斜菱形 孔织构可使密封端面迅速打开,能够有效减少启动时两端面间的摩擦和磨损,同时还能降低倾斜菱形孔织构密封的 泄漏率;在研究的工况条件下,非倾斜菱形孔织构密封的液膜稳定性(即变工况自适应能力)在三者(即双向、单向与 非倾斜菱形孔织构密封)中是最佳的;并得到了倾斜菱形孔端面密封的反向开孔比、孔倾角、面积比和孔深等几何参 数的优化取值范围。     

金刚石/铜电子封装复合材料的研究状况及展望

随着电子信息技术的迅速发展,电子仪器向小型化、便携化、多功能化方向发展,传统的电子封装材料已经不能满足现代集成电路电子封装的要求。金刚石/铜复合材料作为新型电子封装材料,具有高的热导率、可控的热膨胀系数、较低的密度等特点,近年来成为研究的热点。本文概述了金刚石/铜复合材料的制备工艺及优良性能,并对其未来应用进行了展望。     

Joint-site structure friction welding method as a tool for drive pinion light weighting in heavy-duty trucks

To satisfy the applied compressive stresses of friction welded drive pinion fabricated by using the joint-site structure (JSS) method, three different variants were followed: (A) the initial design with two joints was carried out. Two different burn-off lengths were examined for this variant. (B) The optimum burn-off length was considered for only one weld zone. (C) The weld zone was moved radially from the initial location and two different gap sizes were compared. The smallest gap size for the third variant led to the largest weld length. The lack of structural welding defects for this variant was assessed by ultrasonic testing. Hardness of the material after friction welding (FW) was correlated to the Continuous Cooling Transformation (CCT) diagram of the used materials and revealed the phase/microstructure transformation of the material. The simulated applied stresses on the optimized friction welded design of the drive pinion showed suitable results. The new drive pinion friction welded by the JSS method reduced the weight of the component by approx. 14%.