Robust Metallic Actuators Based on Nanoporous Gold Rapidly Dealloyed from Gold–Nickel Precursors

Dealloyed nanoporous gold (np-Au) has applications as oxygen reduction catalysis in Li-air batteries and fuel cells, or as actuators to convert electricity into mechanical energy. However, it faces the challenges of coarsening-induced structure instability, mechanical weakness due to low relative densities, and slow dealloying rates. Here, monolithic np-Au is dealloyed from a single-phase Au₂₅Ni₇₅ solid-solution at a one-order faster dealloying rate, ultra-low residual Ni content, and importantly, one-third more relative density than np-Au dealloyed from conventional Au₂₅Ag₇₅. The small atomic radius and low dealloying potential of the sacrificing element Ni are intrinsically beneficial to fast produce high relative density np-Au, as predicted by a general model for dealloying of binary alloys and validated by experiments. Stable, durable, and reversible actuation of np-Au takes place under cyclic potential triggering in alkaline and acidic electrolytes with negligible coarsening-induced strain-shift. The thermal and mechanical robustness of bulk np-Au is confirmed by two-order slower ligament coarsening rates during annealing at 300 °C and 45 MPa macroscopic yielding strength distinctive from the typical early onset of plastic yielding. This article opens a rich direction to achieve high relative density np-Au which is essential for porous network connectivity, mechanical strength, and nanostructure robustness for electrochemical functionality.     

Effect of aging time on discontinuous precipitates,continuous precipitates and mechanical properties of AZ80A magnesium alloy

The evolution of precipitates and mechanical properties of AZ80A magnesium alloy with aging time was studied by in situ observation with SEM, TEM and tensile testing. The results show that the continuous precipitation (CP) phases near the reaction front (RF) are replaced by the discontinuous precipitation (DP) phases at the early aging stage. In DP regions, the elliptical phases coarsen obviously with the increase of aging time, which results in a slightly slow reduction of the intracrystalline hardness of DP regions. In CP regions, some small plate phases reprecipitate simultaneously with the growth of the initial precipitates, which contributes to a slight increase in the intracrystalline hardness in CP regions at the later aging stage. The aging hardening of DP regions is faster and stronger than that of CP regions. However, the age strengthening of CP regions not only compensates for the overaging softening of DP regions but also improves the strength of the alloy.     

Fast one-step carbothermal reduction and nitridation method using nano-sized Al2O3 and carbon black to prepare aluminium oxynitride powder for highly transparent ceramics

By fast heating the nano-sized Al₂O₃ and carbon black mixtures at 50°C/min to 1750°C for 30–120 min, single-phase AlON powders were successfully obtained by a fast one-step carbothermal reduction and nitridation (CRN) method. The AlON ceramics pressureless sintered at 1880°C for 150 min by these powders show high transmittances up to 83%–84%, which indicates that the proposed fast one-step CRN method is an effective and efficient way with strong robustness to synthesize single-phase AlON powder for highly transparent AlON ceramics. It was found that α-Al₂O₃ particles do not have enough time to aggregate and coalesce during heating due to the tremendously shortened heating span, which significantly inhibited particle coarsening until the formation of AlON starts. The fast-formed AlON further inhibits the coarsening of α-Al₂O₃ during dwelling. Consequently, single-phase AlON powder of small primary particles can be obtained after 30 min dwelling at 1750°C.     

Mg-5.5Zn-2Gd-0.6Zr合金的简化SIMA法等温半固态组织粗化规律

研究了简化应变诱发激活(SIMA)工艺条件下Mg-5.5Zn-2Gd-0.6Zr挤压态镁合金在不同等温温度(600,610和620℃)和不同等温时间条件下的微观组织演变规律。结果表明,在相同等温温度条件下,α(Mg)晶粒直径与等温时间之间符合关系式3 30d?d?Kt,粗化速率常数K随等温温度的升高而增大;实验合金的粗化机制符合Monson-Whitton等提出的改进的液膜迁移理论模型。分析发现,实验合金的纵向组织α(Mg)晶粒粗化速率大于其横向组织α(Mg)晶粒粗化速率,这是简化SIMA法工艺在制备半固态触变浆料时存在组织不均匀现象的根本原因。     

Role of block copolymer on the coarsening of morphology in polymer blend: Effect of micelles

The reactive compatibilization of polystyrene/ethylene‐α‐octene copolymer (PS/POE) blend via Friedel–Crafts alkylation reaction was investigated by rheology and electron microscope. It was found that the graft copolymer formed from interfacial reaction reduced the domain size and decreased the coarsening rate of morphology. The reduction of the interfacial tension is very limited according to the mean field theory even assuming that all block copolymer stays on the interface. With the help of self‐consistent field theory and rheological constitutive models, the distribution of graft copolymer was successfully estimated. It was found that large amount of copolymer had detached from the interfaces and formed micelles in the matrix. Both the block copolymer micelles in matrix and the block copolymers at the interface contribute to the suppression of coarsening in polymer blend, but play their roles at different stages of droplet coalescence. In droplet morphology, the micelles mainly hinder the approaching of droplets. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 61: 285–295, 2015     

Nickel-Based Single-Crystal Superalloys (Ni,Co)-Al-(Ta,Ti)-(Cr,Mo, W) Designed by Cluster-Plus-Glue-Atom Model and Their 1000 h Long-Term Ageing Behavior at 900 degrees CEI北大核心CSCD

It has been pointed out recently that the compositions of industrial alloys are originated from cluster-plus-glue-atom structure units in solid solutions. Specifically for nickel-based superalloys, after properly grouping the alloying elements into Al, Ni-like ((Ni) over bar, including Ni, Co, Fe, Re, Ru and Ir), gamma '- forming Cr-like ((Cr) over bar (gamma '), including Ta, Ti, V, Nb), and gamma-forming Cr-like ((Cr) over bar;(gamma), including Cr, Mo and W), the optimal formula for single-crystal superalloys has been established [Al-(Ni) over bar (12)] (Al-1(Cr) over bar (gamma ')(0.5)(Cr) over bar (gamma)(1.5)). In this work, the first generation single-crystal superalloys were investigated on the basis of the proposed formula, by using (Ni) over bar=(Ni and Co), (Cr) over bar (gamma ')=(Ta and Ti), and (Cr) over bar (gamma)=(Cr, Mo and W). Two series of alloys were designed, formulated respectively as group A: [Al-Ni11Co1] (Al1TaxTi0.5-xCr1W0.25Mo0.25), with x=0, 0.25 and 0.5 (the corresponding mass fractions of Ta and Ti are respectively 0Ta-2.65Ti, 4.82Ta-1.26Ti and 9,32Ta-0Ti), and group B: [Al-Ni12-yCo gamma](Al1Ta0.25Ti0.25Cr1W0.25MO0.25), with y=1.5, 1.75, 2 and 2.5 (the corresponding mass fractions of Co are respectively 9.43Co, 11Co, 12.57Co and 15.71Co). The single-crystal superalloys were prepared using selector technique. And then they underwent the following tests of incipient melting, standard heat treatment and 1000 h long term ageing at 900 degrees C. It is found that: (1) In group A, with increasing Ta content (decreasing Ti), all the incipient melting temperatures are increased to above 1330 degrees C, and to the highest value is between 1335 degrees C and 1340 degrees C for alloy 9.32Ta-0Ti; the gamma(')gamma(') lattice negative misfits after standard heat treatment are reduced from -0.262% (0Ta-2.65Ti) to -0.247% (9.32Ta-0Ti); the gamma(') coarsening tendency after long-term ageing is deduced, and alloy 9.32Ta-0Ti has the lowest coarsening rate (K=5.6x10(-5) mu(3)/h). (2) In group B, the Co content does not influence the incipient melting temperature (always above 1330 degrees C) and the coarsening rate of gamma(') after long-term ageing. The major role of Co is to increase the mean size of the gamma(') precipitates to about 0.55 pm and the gamma(') volume fraction to about 69% after the standard heat treatment. These two groups of alloys have their gamma(') coarsening rates approaching the level of third-generation single-crystal superalloys (K approximate to(2.08 similar to 3.82)*10(-5) mu m(3)/h).     

Coarsening of boron carbide grains during the infiltration of porous boron carbide preforms by molten silicon

This work investigates the coarsening of boron carbide grains during the infiltration of porous boron carbide preforms by molten silicon with respect to fabrication of reaction-bonded boron carbide ceramics. Experimental results reveal that the shape of boron carbide grains evolve from the irregular shape to faceted shape due to dissolution-precipitation during infiltration. For infiltration temperatures below 1750 °C, the boron carbide grains are irregular and exhibit an unimodal size distribution, which can be ascribed to the normal grain growth. The growth of the irregular grains follow a cubic law of diffusion control. In contrast, for infiltration temperatures above 1750 °C, the boron carbide grains become faceted and exhibit a bimodal size distribution, indicative of the typical abnormal grain growth. The abnormal growth of faceted grains is proposed to be controlled by coalescence-enhanced two-dimensional nucleation.     

Microstructure evolution of spray-formed hypereutectic Al-Si alloys in semisolid reheating process

The Al-27%Si alloy was prepared by the spray forming process, and its microstructure evolution during the semisolid reheating process was investigated. The results show that, the primary Si phase coarsens during the reheating process and the coarsening rate increases with the increase of reheating temperature. The eutectic phase is produced in the molten region when quenched in the cold water. The microstructure evolution in the semisolid state can be divided into three stages. The remarkable characteristic of the first stage is only a solid-state phase transformation process. However, the region around the α(Al) matrix gradually melts in the second stage. The primary Si in the liquid phase coarsens obviously, and the eutectic phase is produced in the molten region when the specimens are quenched in cold water. In the last stage, the same thing as that in the second stage happens except that all the α(Al) matrixes are melted.