Synthesis of Diamond@SiO2@Ag composite materials for high SERS effect

Among various carbon materials, diamond stands out due to excellent physical and chemical properties. In this work, we designed Dia@SiO₂@Ag composites combining diamond micropowder and Ag nanoparticles by a simple chemical method and obtained stable substrate for surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) owing to its high surface-to-volume ratio, low density, as well as close bond between diamond and Ag. As-prepared Dia@SiO₂@Ag presented high activity to detect crystal violet and rhodamine 6G molecules, which was demonstrated by significantly enhanced SERS spectra and high enhancement factor values (10⁸-10⁹). Moreover, Dia@SiO₂@Ag also showed desired sensitivity, which was investigated by detection limit. Therefore, our study provided more theoretical support and broadened the functional applications of diamond, particularly in Raman detection.     

A tool for mass transfer evaluation in packed-bed columns for chemical engineering students

This paper presents a Microsoft Excel tool to calculate liquid-gas mass transfer coefficients in packed towers to support numerical design activities in the courses of Unit Operations for Industrial Process and Sustainable Process Design for the Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering of the University of Naples Federico II (Italy).The Mass Transfer Solver Tool (MT Solver Tool) uses several available models to estimate, separately, the values of liquid and gas mass-transfer coefficients and the wet surface area for 144 random and structured packings of interest for absorption/stripping and distillation processes. In addition, a separate spreadsheet can be used in a user-defined mode, to evaluate the mass transfer coefficients with new packing types or to interpret experimental data when the geometrical and physical characteristics of the packing are known. Eventually, the tool is supplied with a data library, where packing geometry and model fitting parameters can be retrieved.The software is aimed to support students and educators in the Unit Operations for Industrial Process and Sustainable Process Design courses. In particular, this is meant to be an example on how the accuracy of design algorithms adopted in unit operation processes is affected by the use of the underpinning correlations for mass transfer rate or pressure drops. Besides, this is aimed to encourage comparison of different correlations when exact field data are not available. Besides, chemical engineers and researchers interested in packed columns design and modelling data may also benefit from the utilization of the software. The MT Solver Tool was introduced to students in a dedicated tutorial lesson after lecturers on packed column design algorithms for distillation, absorption and stripping. Most of the students of the course participated to a group training aimed to simulate the design of an absorption column supported by the MT Solver Tool providing feedback on its application.After the training, an anonymous survey was proposed to the students to monitor the approval rating of the proposed activity and the use of the MT Solver Tool software to support numerical calculations.     

Surface generation mechanism of ceramic matrix composite in ultrasonic assisted wire sawing

Ceramic matrix composites (CMC) are highly required in many fields of science and engineering. However, the CMC parts always have poor surface finish. This study attempts to improve cutting performance of CMC material by combing the advantages of ultrasonic assisted cutting and diamond wire sawing. Cutting force, surface roughness, machined edge and tool wear are analyzed based on experimental results. It shows that the oscillatory movement of tool edges provides positive effect on particle ejection and residual material reduction. Ductile chip formation can be achieved due to the small tip radius of grits. Obvious decrease in cutting force, surface roughness and tool wear are obtained. Moreover, burrs, fuzzing and fracture are reduced. Meanwhile, both the surface characteristics and shape accuracy are significantly improved. These results provide a valuable basis for application of ultrasonic assisted wire sawing and understanding of CMC cutting mechanisms.     

Sintering,microstructure, and mechanical properties of vitrified bond diamond composite

The demand for high-performance grinding wheels is gradually increasing due to rapid industrial development. Vitrified bond diamond composite is a versatile material for grinding wheels used in the backside grinding step of Si wafer production. However, the properties of the vitrified bond diamond composite are controlled by the characteristics of the diamond particles, the vitrified bond, and pores and are very complicated. The main objective of this study was to investigate the effects of SiO₂–Na₂O–B₂O₃–Al₂O₃–Li₂O–K₂O–CaO–MgO–ZrO₂–TiO₂–Bi₂O₃ glass powder on the sintering, microstructure, and mechanical properties of the vitrified bond diamond composite. The elemental distributions of the composite were analyzed using electron probe micro-analysis (EPMA) to clarify the diffusion behaviors of various elements during sintering.The results showed that the relative density and transverse rupture strength of the composite sintered at 620 °C were 91.7% and 126 MPa, respectively. After sintering at 680 °C, the glass powder used in this study exhibited a superior forming ability without an additional pore foaming agent. The relative density and transverse rupture strength of the composite decreased to 48.2% and 49 MPa, respectively. Moreover, the low sintering temperature of this glass powder protected the diamond particles from graphitization during sintering, as determined by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectrum. Furthermore, the EPMA results indicate that Na diffused and segregated at the interface between the diamond particles and vitrified bond, contributing to the improved bonding. The diamond particles can remain effectively bonded by the vitrified bond even after fracture.     

Digital twin-based analysis of volumetric error mapping procedures

The evaluation of the volumetric accuracy of a machine tool is an open challenge in the industry, and a wide variety of technical solutions are available in the market and at research level. All solutions have advantages and disadvantages concerning which errors can be measured, the achievable uncertainty, the ease of implementation, possibility of machine integration and automation, the equipment cost and the machine occupation time, and it is not always straightforward which option to choose for each application. The need to ensure accuracy during the whole lifetime of the machine and the availability of monitoring systems developed following the Industry 4.0 trend are pushing the development of measurement systems that can be integrated in the machine to perform semi-automatic verification procedures that can be performed frequently by the machine user to monitor the condition of the machine. Calibrated artefact based calibration and verification solutions have an advantage in this field over laser based solutions in terms of cost and feasibility of machine integration, but they need to be optimized for each machine and customer requirements to achieve the required calibration uncertainty and minimize machine occupation time.This paper introduces a digital twin-based methodology to simulate all relevant effects in an artefact-based machine tool calibration procedure, from the machine itself with its expected error ranges, to the artefact geometry and uncertainty, artefact positions in the workspace, probe uncertainty, compensation model, etc. By parameterizing all relevant variables in the design of the calibration procedure, this simulation methodology can be used to analyse the effect of each design variable on the error mapping uncertainty, which is of great help in adapting the procedure to each specific machine and user requirements. The simulation methodology and the analysis possibilities are illustrated by applying it on a 3-axis milling machine tool.     

Experimental investigation on diamond wire sawing of Si3N4 ceramics considering the evolution of wire cutting performance

When diamond wire saw is used in machining silicon nitride ceramics (Si₃N₄ ceramics), the ultra-hardness of Si₃N₄ causes the saw wire to wear out, which leads to the saw wire cutting performance constantly changing during its life cycle, and thus the machined quality of Si₃N₄ ceramics is affected. Surface roughness and topography are important indicators of the quality of the machined surface. In this paper, the diamond wire saw cutting experiment of Si₃N₄ ceramics was carried out, the effect of the evolution of saw wire cutting performance on the surface roughness and topography of Si₃N₄ ceramics as-sawn slices was investigated based on the analysis of the changes of saw wire wear topography, breaking force, bow angle and kerf loss during the sawing process. The results show that the surface roughness along the saw wire motion direction and the workpiece feed direction tends to decrease and then increase with the evolution of the cutting performance of the saw wire, which accords well with the trend of the as-sawn slices surface morphology. The results of the study can provide experimental reference for the development of high precision diamond wire saw cutting technology for Si₃N₄ ceramics.     

An integrated model for analysing the effects of ultrasonic vibration on tool torque and thermal processes in friction stir welding

An integrated model of ultrasonic vibration enhanced friction stir welding (UVeFSW) is developed by integrating the thermal-fluid model with the ultrasonic field model and tool torque model. The tool torque and the heat generation rate at tool/workpiece contact interfaces are coupled with the interfacial temperature, strain rate and ultrasonic energy density. The model is used in quantitatively analysing the effects of ultrasonic vibration on tool torque and thermal processes in friction stir welding (FSW). The results show that ultrasonic vibration reduces the flow stress, which results in a decreasing of tool torque, interfacial heat generation rate and interfacial temperature. The complicated interaction of ultrasonic energy with the thermal processes in FSW leads to a gentle thermal gradient and an enhanced plastic material flow in UVeFSW. The model is validated by a comparison of the calculated thermal cycles and tool torque at various welding parameters with the experimentally measured ones.     

数据驱动的机床等待过程节能方法研究

为了降低机床等待过程中的能耗，提出了一种实时数据驱动的机床等待时间预测与节能控制方法。首先，建立了射频识别驱动的生产进度评估方法，并以生产进度数据作为输入，构建了基于堆栈降噪自编码的机床等待时间预测模型；其次，依据预测的机床等待时间，提出了机床状态切换方法，以降低机床能耗；最后，通过一个电梯零部件制造车间的案例分析，表明该方法的预测误差仅为4.1%，同时将机床等待过程能耗降低了57%，实现了制造车间的节能减排。     

二层沟槽织构对机床导轨表面润滑特性的影响

通过构建二层沟槽织构模型，仿真研究沟槽织构表面的流体动力效应。结果表明：沟槽容积相同时，与单层沟槽相比，二层沟槽的平均油膜压力可以达到单层沟槽的2.31倍；保持二层沟槽的量纲一总深度[β]1、第一层沟槽量纲一宽度[α]1不变时，随着第二层量纲一深度[β]2的增大，平均油膜压力先增大后减小，[β]2为4.4时，平均油膜压力达到最大值；第二层沟槽的量纲一宽度[α]2从0.25增大到0.45时，沟槽内的旋涡区也随之增大，平均油膜压力逐渐减小。