Influence of alloy element partitioning on strength of primary α phase in Ti-6Al-4V alloy

The partitioning effect of Al(α-phase stabilizer) and V elements(β-phase stabilizer) on strength of the primary α phases in the α/β Ti-6 Al-4 V alloy with the bimodal microstructure was investigated.It was found that partitioning of Al and V elements took place in the Ti-6 Al-4 V alloy during the recrystallization process,leading to the variation of the content of Al and V elements in the primary α phases with changing the volume fraction of the primary α phase.Nanoindentation tests reveal a general trend that the strength of the primary α phases increases with decreasing the volume fraction of the primary α phases,and such trend is independent on the loading direction relative to the c-axis of the α phase.The enhanced strength is attributed to the increase of the content of Al element in the primary α phase,but it is not dominated evidently by the change of the V content.The solid solution strengthening contributed from both the elastic strain introduced by the solute atoms and the variation of the density of states was estimated theoretically.     

再生微粉对超高性能混凝土力学性能和微观结构的影响

研究了两种类型的再生微粉(混凝土粉和砖粉)取代部分硅灰对超高性能混凝土(Ultra-high Performance Concrete,UHPC)力学性能和微观结构的影响。结果表明:混凝土粉的掺入降低了UHPC的力学性能,而砖粉取代15%硅灰时,UHPC的28 d抗压强度和抗折强度分别达到了130 MPa和24 MPa,略高于基准组;相较于混凝土粉,在UHPC中掺入15%的砖粉能够优化混凝土的内部结构;砖粉良好的微集料填充作用和火山灰效应增强了界面过渡区的黏结性能和水化产物的纳观力学性能,从而改善UHPC的微观结构。     

Microstructure,mechanical properties,and fracture behaviour of Ti(C,N)-based cermets with a composite structure

Ti(C,N)-based cermets with a composite structure were designed to maintain the balance between strength and toughness. The cermets with the composite structure comprised coarse particles and the matrix, and the coarse particles included fine hard phases compounded in the matrix. A new hard phase grain with a four-layered structure was found. The composite structure of the cermet can contribute to high toughness, and the grain with the four-layered structure in the composite structure imparts high strength and toughness. As the granule size increases, the fracture toughness of the cermets increased, but the hardness and transverse rupture strength (TRS) showed the opposite trend. The toughening mechanisms of the cermet were crack branching, crack bridging, crack deflection, and formation of tear ridges.     

Micromechanical properties of hydroxyapatite nanocomposites reinforced with CNTs and ZrO2

This study examined the mechanical properties, wettability, and tribology of hydroxyapatite (HA)–zirconia (ZrO₂)–carbon nanotube (CNTs) ceramic nanocomposites (with various CNT ratios (x): 1, 5, and 10 wt%). HA–ZrO₂–CNT-x powders were hydrothermally synthesized. Hot isostatic pressing (HIP) and cold isostatic pressing were used to manufacture solid and dense tablets; consolidation was performed by sintering the nanocomposites under Ar gas at 1150 °C during HIP. The microstructure and morphology of the nanocomposites were characterized via transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffractometry, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy. The effects of ZrO₂ and CNTs on the mechanical characteristics of the nanocomposites were examined via nanoindentation, reciprocating wear, and Vickers hardness tests. The microhardness of HA–ZrO₂–CNT-1% and HA–ZrO₂–CNT-5% increased by 36.8% and 66.67%, respectively, compared with that of pure HA. The nanohardness of the HA–ZrO₂–CNT-1%, HA–ZrO₂–CNT-5%, and HA–ZrO₂–CNT-10% samples was 8.3, 9.65, and 8.02 Gpa, and the corresponding elastic modulus was 83.72, 114.34, and 89.27 GPa, respectively. Both of these parameters were higher than those of pure HA. However, in the nanocomposite reinforced with 10% CNT, as opposed to those with lower CNT ratios, their values were lower. Additionally, HA–ZrO₂–CNT-10% was the most hydrophilic nanocomposite synthesized in this study with a contact angle of 48.8°.     

Nanomechanical characterization of RB-SiC ceramics based on nanoindentation and modelling of the ground surface roughness

Reaction bonded silicon carbide (RB-SiC) ceramics are the primary structure and mold materials for the optical industry and mostly are machined by means of ultra-precision grinding to achieve a satisfactory surface quality. However, it is not easy to attain the theoretical prediction of surface quality, particularly surface roughness, because of different mechanical characterization of Si/SiC phases inside the RB-SiC ceramics. In this work, the nanoindentation tests were performed to investigate the nanomechanical characterization of individual phase inside the RB-SiC ceramics. On the basis of the nanoindentation results of RB-SiC, a theoretical model was established to predict surface roughness in the ultra-precision grinding process, which considered the different removal mechanisms of Si matrix and SiC particles. The comparison of the prediction results of existing and novel models and single-factor experimental results shows that the novel model was well consistent with the experiment.     

Preparation and elastic–plastic indentation response of MgAlON transparent ceramics

MgAlON transparent ceramic was prepared via pressureless sintering and post hot isostatic pressing. The in-line transmittance of MgAlON ceramic exceeds 80% in the range 0.39–4.67 μm, and the ceramic was fully dense with average grain sizes ∼55 μm. The mechanical properties at the grain boundary (GB) and the center of the grain (CG) of MgAlON ceramic was investigated by nanoindentation at forces of 1 × 10²–3 × 10⁵ μN. The results indicated that the hardness values of MgAlON ceramic were sensitive to the testing forces and measurements position. The hardness at GB zone was lower than that at CG zone, which was probably ascribed to weaker interatomic bonding force in GB area. The Meyer's index of the hardness in GB and CG regions is 1.87 and 1.82, respectively. There is a weaker ISE in GB area of MgAlON as a result of larger plasticity and smaller elasticity. The hardness values of GB and CG regions are ∼13.36 GPa and ∼13.58 GPa, respectively.     

Creep compliance mapping by atomic force microscopy

We present a method for mapping the spatial distribution of viscoelastic properties of heterogeneous samples using the atomic force microscope (AFM). By applying a force step load protocol to induce time dependent sample indentations we measured the local creep compliance of the sample. The creep compliance was quantified in terms of the standard linear solid model to give maps of the instant glassy modulus, the equilibrium rubbery modulus, and the retardation time. To reduce the influence of plastic deformations, the sample was preformed with an initial preload step. Different polymer samples with a homogeneous or a heterogeneous material composition on a microscopic scale were investigated.     

Mechanical properties of WC–Co coatings with different decarburization levels

In this study, two kinds of WC–Co coatings with different decarburization levels were deposited by high-velocity oxy-fuel(HVOF) spraying using the ultrafine WC–Co composite powder and commercial micronsized powder, respectively. The hardness and elastic modulus were measured on the top surface and cross sections of the prepared coatings by the nanoindentation method. The results show that the ultrafine-structured coating has much higher density and inhibited decarburization than the conventional coating, which thus results in higher hardness and elastic modulus values than the micronsized coating. The wear resistance of thermal-sprayed cermet coatings greatly depends on the cross-sectional hardness and elastic modulus which reflects the bond strength between splats to some extent. Based on the analysis, a better understanding of the microstructure and properties in cermet coating materials was obtained.     

The effect of two types of C-S-H on the elasticity of cement-based materials: Results from nanoindentation and micromechanical modeling

It has long been recognized, in cement chemistry, that two types of calcium-silicate-hydrate (C-S-H) exist in cement-based materials, but less is known about how the two types of C-S-H affect the mechanical properties. By means of nanoindentation tests on nondegraded and calcium leached cement paste, the paper confirms the existence of two types of C-S-H, and investigates the distinct role played by the two phases on the elastic properties of cement-based materials. It is found that (1) high-density C-S-H are mechanically less affected by calcium leaching than low density C-S-H, and (2) the volume fractions occupied by the two phases in the C-S-H matrix are not affected by calcium leaching. The nanoindentation results also provide quantitative evidence, suggesting that the elastic properties of the C-S-H phase are intrinsic material properties that do not depend on mix proportions of cement-based materials. The material properties and volume fractions are used in a novel two-step homogenization model, that predicts the macroscopic elastic properties of cement pastes with high accuracy. Combined with advanced physical chemistry models that allow, for a given w/c ratio, determination of the volume fractions of the two types of C-S-H, the model can be applied to any cement paste, with or without Portlandite, Clinker, and so on. In particular, from an application of the model to decalcified cement pastes, it is shown that that the decalcification of the C-S-H phase is the primary source of the macroscopic elastic modulus degradation, that dominates over the effect of the dissolution of Portlandite in cement-based material systems.     

基于原子力显微镜和分子动力学的纳米压痕技术研究

利用原子力显微镜对真空蒸发镀膜技术制得的单晶铜薄膜试件进行了纳米压痕试验。通过进行各种压痕深度下的试验,获得了压痕深度对试件力学性能的影响关系。试验得到的试件弹性模量为67.0 GPa±6.9 GPa。试件的硬度值随着压痕深度的减小而不断增大,表现出强烈的尺寸效应。在原子力显微镜试验的同时,使用分子动力学仿真方法对单晶铜薄膜的纳米压痕过程进行了研究。仿真结果表明单晶铜薄膜的纳米压痕的力学机理不是位错在晶体中运动产生的塑性变形,而是非晶态产生的变形,从而解释了尺寸效应产生的原因。