Mechanical properties of biomimetic ceramic with Bouligand architecture

Biomimetic Bouligand architecture is constructed in the ceramic to improve its toughness. Firstly, unidirectional carbon fiber-reinforced ZrB₂-SiC ceramic films are achieved through a vacuum-assisted filtration method using graphene oxide. Then, ceramic films are helically assembled at a fixed angle of 30° in the graphite die based on the fiber orientation. Finally, the spark plasma sintering method was utilized to densify helical assembly carbon fiber/ceramic films. By constructing Bouligand structure, high fracture toughness (7.4 MPa·m^0.5) and work of fracture (∼1055 J/m²) are achieved in ZrB₂-based ceramic. The toughening mechanisms mainly are crack deflection, twisting and branching, carbon fiber pulling out, and bridging.     

Foam-based cleaning of surfaces contaminated with mixtures of oil and soot

Liquid foams of intermediate stability have been shown to be very efficient in the cleaning of sensitive surfaces because of the synergy between imbibition and foam decay. While we quantified these mechanisms for contaminations with liquid oils in our previous work, we show here their extension to oils containing soot particles in an effort to simulate increasingly realistic contaminations. Using foams with a wide range of liquid fractions and with different stabilities, we show that the main cleaning mechanisms remain very similar, with the oil entraining the soot particles. However, we find much less efficient soot removal when the liquid channels of the foams are small enough to hinder efficient transport of the soot particles.     

Braking behaviours of C/C–SiC mated with iron/copper-based PM in dry,wet and salt fog conditions

C/C–SiC composites have enormous potential as a new generation of brake materials. It is worth studying the friction and wear behaviours of these materials in special environments to ensure the safe and effective braking of trains in practical applications. In this study, the braking behaviours and wear mechanisms of C/C–SiC mating with iron/copper-based PM in dry, wet and salt fog conditions are compared in detail. The results show that the coefficient of friction (COF) in the wet condition is reduced by 14.13% compared with that under the dry condition. The COF value of the first braking under salt fog condition is increased by 12.27% and 30.75% compared to the dry and wet conditions, respectively. Additionally, the tail warping phenomenon of the braking curve disappears in wet condition, which is attributed to the weak adhesion of friction interfaces and the lubrication of the water film. The main wear mechanisms of C/C–SiC mating with iron/copper-based PM under dry condition are adhesive, fatigue and oxidation wear. However, the dominant wear in wet condition is abrasive wear. The cooling and lubrication of water reduce the tendency of thermal stress, and weaken adhesive and fatigue wear. Furthermore, salt fog can accelerate the corrosion of alloy friction film, leading to the damage of friction film. Meanwhile, the third body particles formed in salt fog condition participate in the braking process. The wear mechanisms in salt fog condition are dominated by abrasive and delamination wear.     

Microstructure and mechanical properties of B4C matrix composites prepared via hot-pressing sintering with Pr6O11 as additive

High-performance B₄C-PrB₆ composites were prepared via hot-pressing sintering with matrix phase B₄C and with 2–5 wt% Pr₆O₁₁ as additive. The effects of different sintering processes and Pr₆O₁₁ content on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the composites were studied in detail. It is found that increasing sintering temperature and pressure will contribute to the densification of B₄C-PrB₆ composites. Coarse grains are formed in B₄C without additives at high temperature conditions, resulting in the decrease of the densification. Pr₆O₁₁ can effectively hinder the formation of coarse grains and finally promote the densification of the composites. The main toughening mechanisms of composites was crack deflection. The composites with 4 wt% Pr₆O₁₁ prepared at 2050 °C and 25 MPa had the best comprehensive mechanical properties. The relative density, hardness, flexural strength and fracture toughness reached to 98.9%, 37.6 GPa, 339 MPa and 4.4 MP am^1/2, respectively.     

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.     

Managing risks in public-private partnership formation projects

While sourcing by means of Public-Private Partnerships has been lauded over recent years, increasingly risks appear to jeopardise public organisations' unique societal tasks. Integrated Risk Management has not yet been applied to public organisations getting involved in PPP in the sense of understanding risk management capabilities. This article explores risk awareness and risk management practices underpinning maintenance partnership formation by means of a dual case study of two PPP projects and a short industry survey. The results suggest that organisations face several “intolerable risks” linked to project governance and project management responsibilities: insufficient representation of qualified employees, absence of a shared performance system, assignment of responsibilities and decision-making authority, impractical or inappropriate partnership agreement, and timing of the partnership initiative. Cross-case analysis revealed the role of different levels of risk awareness and senior management involvement. Drawing on these findings, a framework for risk management for PPP formation projects is developed.     

Microstructure and Wear Behaviors of Plasma-Sprayed FeCrNiMoCBSi Coating with Nano-Grain Dispersed Amorphous Phase in Reciprocating Sliding Contact

A novel FeCrNiMoCBSi amorphous/nanocrystalline coating was fabricated using a plasma spraying process. The coating was dense with a low porosity of approximately 0.99%. The coating consisted of a 67.8 vol% amorphous phase coupled with many nanocrystalline grains that were approximately 5?nm in diameter. The mechanical properties of the as-sprayed coating were determined by nanoindentation measurement, and the tribological behaviors were systematically investigated in a reciprocating sliding contact. The results show that FeCrNiMoCBSi coatings possess superior wear resistance compared to other typically similar Fe-based amorphous coatings. The tribological behaviors evolve with the combination of normal load and sliding velocity. Herein, the dominant wear mechanisms are delamination wear and oxidation wear. With an increase in normal load and sliding velocity, the abrasive wear is gradually weakened, the formation of oxide films on the worn surfaces is facilitated, and wear debris is ground to powder. The oxide films suffer from fatigue wear with induced cracks undergoing reciprocating sliding effects.     

Roles of calcium-containing alkali materials on dark fermentation and anaerobic digestion: A systematic review

The accelerated chemical-industry has caused a rapid increase of calcium-containing alkali wastes, containing a large amount of calcium, magnesium, aluminum, and iron ions and caused a great risk to environment. Anaerobic digestion or dark fermentation is one of the most promising technologies to recover biogas, such as methane and hydrogen. Nevertheless, the hydrolysis processes of lignocellulosic biomass and waste activated sludge were the rate-limiting step of the biochemical reactions, which focused on pretreatment to improve the biodegradability of substrate. In addition, when some easily acidified wastes, such as kitchen residue, fruit and vegetable waste, and high concentration organic wastewater, are used as substrate to produce hydrogen and methane, volatile fatty acid accumulation often occurs, causing the process instability. Thus, this paper reviewed the main roles of calcium-based alkali materials such as calcium oxide, calcium peroxide and calcium hydroxide on the substrate pretreatment for obtaining high biodegradability, while others (e.g. calcium carbonate, lime and red muds) used as additives for maintaining process stability, thereby increasing biogas yield from anaerobic digestion and dark fermentation.     

Can video games change attitudes towards history? Results from a laboratory experiment measuring short- and long-term effects

This study investigates a video game's effects on implicit and explicit attitudes towards depicted historical events in the short- and long-term on a sample of 148 young adults. We used, as an intervention tool, a serious game Czechoslovakia 38–89: Borderlands that deals with the expulsion of the Sudeten Germans from the former Czechoslovakia after the WWII. Results showed more negative pretest-posttest explicit attitude changes towards the expulsion on a general level (d = −0.34) and a specific level (d = −0.53) compared to the control group. Over the long-term, group differences in attitude change remained significant for the specific level (d = −0.44), but not for general one (d = −0.16). Exploratory analysis on the item level indicated that especially attitudes towards the expulsion's (un)fairness were affected by the game. However, no significant changes were found in implicit attitudes in the experimental group. This study is the first of such scale to empirically investigate video games' effects on a society's historical awareness.