Microstructure and mechanical properties of CaCO<Subscript>3</Subscript> whisker-reinforced cement

Composite Portland cement (PC) played an important role in various kinds of construction engineering owing to low hydration heat, low-cost, and application of solid industrial waste, but its brittleness and low strength limited its use in stress-bearing locations. The aim of this study is to improve the toughness and fracture resistance by incorporating CaCO₃ whisker in cement matrix. Effect of different content of calcium carbonate whiskers on the mechanical properties of PC was investigated. The results showed that the flexural strength, impact strength and split tensile strength were increased by 39.7%, 39.25% and 36.34% at maximum, respectively. Microstructure and elements of the whiskers in hardened cement were observed and analyzed by SEM/EDS. The mechanisms of the reinforcement of CaCO₃ whisker on cement were also discussed, and the conclusion was that the improvement could be correlated to energy-dissipating processes owing to crack bridging, crack deflection, and whisker pull-out at the crack tips.     

Preparation of MWNTs/Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> composites and their mechanical and electrical properties

Since their discovery by Iijima[1], carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been the focus in novel materials research. Theoretical and experimental studies show[2-9] that CNTs have extraordinary mechanical and electrical properties. Krishnan et al.[2] have reported that the mean value of Young’s modulus of single-wall nanotubes (SWNTs) is 1.25 TPa. Yu et al.[3] measured Yang’s modulus of multi-wall nanotubes (MWNTs) between 270 and 950 GPa and breaking strength between 11 and 63 GPa. The ele…     

Effect of aluminum addition on microstructure and properties of SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>-B<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>-Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>-CaO vitrified bond

Influence of aluminum addition on the structures and properties of SiO₂-B₂O₃-Al₂O₃-CaO vitrified bond at low sintering temperature and high strength was discussed. FTIR and XRD analyses were used to characterize the structures of the basic vitrified bond with different contents of aluminum. The bending strength and the thermal expansion coefficients were also tested. Meanwhile, the microstructures of composite specimens at sintering temperature of 660 °C were observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The experimental results showed that the properties of vitrified bond with 1wt% aluminum were improved significantly, where the bending strength, Rockwell hardness, and thermal expansion coefficient of the vitrified bond reached 132 MPa, 63 HRB, and 6.73×10^-6 °C^-1, respectively.     

Effect of wet surface treated nano-SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> on mechanical properties of polypropylene composite

Nano-SiO2/polypropylene composite was prepared by melt-blending process. The nano-SiO2 particles were organized by wet process surface treatment with silane coupling agent KH-570. The effect of mass fraction of nano-SiO2 particles and dosage of KH-570 on the toughening and strengthening of PP matrix were investigated based on the fractography of impact notch and the analysis of crystal structure by X-ray and dispersive structure of nano-SiO2 by TEM. Results show that the impact and flexural strength and modulus of the composite are improved obviously with low loading of nano-SiO2 （3 wt%-5 wt%）, and the izod impact strength of PP increases twice with 4 wt% nano-SiO2. The nano-SiO2 particles treated can disperse into the matrix resin, which has evident heterogeneous nucleation effects on the crystallization of PP. The optimal toughening and strengthening effects of PP matrix can be obtained when the content of nano-SiO2 and KH-570 are 4 wt% and 3 wt%, respectively.     

Fabrication and mechanical properties of Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>/TiAl composites

Al₂O₃/TiAl composites were successfully fabricated by hot-press-assisted exothermic dispersion method with elemental powder mixtures of Ti, Al TiO₂ and Nb₂O₅, and the microstructure and mechanical properties were investigated. The results indicate the fine Al₂O₃ particles tend to disperse on the grain boundaries. The grain size of TiAl matrix decreases and the hardness increases with increasing Nb₂O₅ content. The bending strength and fracture toughness reach to a maximum when Nb₂O₅ content is 6 wt%, under 642 MPa and 6.69 MPa·m^1/2, respectively. Based on the fractography and the observation of crack propagation path, it is concluded that the strengthening and toughening of such composites at room temperature can be attributed to the refinement of the TiAl matrix, the deflection behavior in the crack propagation and the dispersion of Al₂O₃ particles.     

Effect of MnO<Subscript>2</Subscript> on properties of SiC-mullite composite ceramics for solar sensible thermal storage

For improving the properties of SiC-mullite composite ceramics used for solar sensible thermal storage, MnO₂ was introduced as sintering additive when preparing. The composite ceramics were synthesized by using SiC, andalusite, α-Al₂O₃ as the starting materials with non-contact graphite-buried sintering method. Phase composition and microstructure of the composites were investigated by XRD and SEM, and the effect of MnO₂ on the properties of SiC composites was studied. Results indicated that samples SM1 with 0.2 wt% MnO₂ addition achieved the optimum properties: bending strength of 70.96 MPa, heat capacity of 1.02 J·(g·K)^-1, thermal conductivity of 9.05 W·(m·K)^-1. Proper addition of MnO₂ was found to weaken the volume effect of the composites and improve the thermal shock resistance with an increased rate of 27.84% for bending strength after 30 cycles of thermal shock (air cooling from 1 100 °C to RT).     

Mechanical property and microstructure of alkali-activated Yellow River sediment-coal slime ash composites

This work focuses on the production of a new composite material using Yellow River sediment and coal slime ash via alkali-activating method. XRD, FTIR and SEM/EDS were used to characterize the alkali-activated products and microstructure of the composite material. Compressive strength was tested to characterize the mechanical property of the composite material. It is found that the compressive strength of the Yellow River sediment-coal slime ash composites increases as the added Ca(OH)₂ content grows. The compressive strength increases fast in the early stage but slowly after 28 days. The strength of the composites can be significantly improved via the addition of small amount of NaOH and gypsum. The products (C-S-H, ettringite and CaCO₃), especially C-S-H, make much contribution to the enhancement of strength. The highest strength of the composites can reach 14.4 MPa after 90 days curing with 5% Ca(OH)₂, 0.2% NaOH and 7.5% gypsum. The improved properties of the composites show great potential of utilizing Yellow River sediment for inexpensive construction materials.     

多尺度纤维复合增强水泥基材料的力学性能

为改善水泥基材料抗拉强度低、韧性差以及易开裂等性能缺陷,采用微米级碳酸钙晶须和厘米级短切耐碱玻璃纤维复合增强高性能水泥基材料,并对不同纤维增强水泥基材料的基本力学性能进行研究.结果表明:微观碳酸钙晶须和宏观耐碱玻璃纤维均有利于水泥基材料力学性能的提高,且提高程度与纤维(或晶须)掺量及长度相关;采用碳酸钙晶须和耐碱玻璃纤...     

Serviceability and reinforcement of low content whisker in portland cement

In order to explore the serviceability and reinforcement of CaCO₃ whisker in portland cement matrix, the durability of CaCO₃ whisker and effect of low whisker content(0%–4.0%) on the working performance and mechanical properties of portland cement were investigated. The experimental results show that CaCO₃ whiskers have a good stability and serviceability in cement, and should not significantly alter the rheological properties of the cement paste. The flexural and compressive strength of portland cement reinforced by CaCO₃ whiskers was increased by 33.3% and 12.83%, respectively.     

Fabrication and properties of degradable PPC/EVOH/starch/CaCO<Subscript>3</Subscript> composites

Thermally stable and biodegradable composites from poly （propylene carbonate） （PPC）, poly （ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol） （EVOH）, starch and CaCO3 were fabricated by melt blending. Differential scanning calorimetry （DSC）, differential thermal analysis/thermal gravimetric analysis （DTA/TGA）, tensile test and scanning electron microscope （SEM） were performed to investigate the miscibility, thermal behavior and tensile properties of the PPC/EVOH/Starch/CaCO3 composites. DSC results indicate that the introduction of EVOH could improve the compatibility between PPC and starch to some extent because of the interfacial interaction between PPC and EVOH, leading to an increase in tensile strength. The tensile strength began to decrease when more starch was added due to the aggregation of starch particles. SEM examination showed the good interracial bonding between the fillers and polymeric components. The incorporation of both EVOH and fillers can greatly increase the thermal stability of PPC matrix. The PPC/EVOH/Starch/CaCO3 composites can be melt processed and can be used as a common biodegradable material for a wide application.     

Fabrication and microstructure of C<Subscript>a</Subscript>TiO<Subscript>3</Subscript> coating by laser cladding

In order to explore the way to improve the adhesion of the calcium phosphate bioceramic coating to Ti substrate, the CaTiO3 coating was fabricated on Ti substrate by laser cladding (LC) using powders of CaCO3 and CaHPO4, and then the composition and microstructure of the coatings were investigated. During LC, CaCO3 can hardly react with Ti, and the coating fabricated using CaCO3 powder is mainly composed of the process of CaO, the decomposition product of CaCO3. Moreover, the coating has a loosened structure and part of it has peeled off from the substrate. CaHPO4 reacts vigorously with Ti, and the coating fabricated using CaHPO4 mainly consists of CaTiO3 which is one of the reaction products between Ti and CaHPO4. Chemical bonding is formed at the interface between coating and substrate, which may enhance the adhesion of the CaTiO3 coating to Ti substrate. Furthermore, CaTiO3 dendrite and eutectic of CaTiO3 and Ca2P2O7 are found on the surface of the coating, implying that a transition can be formed between CaTiO3 and some calcium phosphate bioceramic. So CaTiO3 coating fabricated using CaHPO4 can be a potential candidate to improve the adhesion between calcium phosphate coating and Ti substrate. However, there are also pores and cracks existing in the coating, which may degrade the mechanical properties of the coating.     

Effect of Grain Size of CaCO3 and SiO2 on the Formation of C3S Under Different Conditions

The effect of grain size of CaCO3 and SiO2 on the formation of C3S under various conditions, such as rapid heating rate（800 ℃/min）, normal heating rate（30 ℃/min） and in the presence or absence of ZnO, was studied. The results show that the decomposition temperature of CaCO3, the temperature of appearance of liquid phase and the f-CaO content descend when the grain size of CaCO3 and SiO2 becomes smaller, which attributes to the reactive activity enhancement of powders due to the decrease of the particle size. When the grain size of CaCO3 and SiO2 is below 1 μm, the rate of the formation of C3S is greatly raised. A rapid sintering rate and the presence of ZnO have an important effect on the formation of C3S and can lower the temperature of the formation of C3S by about 50 ℃.     

Effect of diatomite additive on the mechanical and dielectric properties of porous SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>-Si<Subscript>3</Subscript>N<Subscript>4</Subscript> composite ceramics

Porous SiO₂-Si₃N₄ composite ceramics with high porosity and excellent mechanical properties were fabricated by pressureless-sintering at relatively low temperature of 1 500 °C using diatomite as pore forming agent. The effects of diatomite on flexural strength, fracture toughness, shrinkage, porosity and phase transformation of the porous ceramics were investigated in detail. Compared with that of the ceramic without adding diatomite, the porosity of the ceramic with 10% diatomite is increased by about 27.4%, the flexural strength and fracture toughness reaches 78.04 MPa and 1.25 MPa·m^1/2, respectively. As the porosity increases, the dielectric constant of porous SiO₂-Si₃N₄ ceramic decreases obviously from 3.65 to 2.95.     

Microwave sintering of Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>-ZrO<Subscript>2</Subscript>-WC-Co cermets

Composite powders of nanocrystalline WC-10Co (15wt%),Y2O3 (8mol%) stabilized nanocrystalline ZrO2 (30wt%),industrial cobalt powder (4.5wt%) and submicron Al2O3 (55wt%) composite powders were fabricated by high-energy ball-milling process.The nanocomposite powders were consolidated by microwave sintering process at temperature ranged 1300℃-1550℃ for 15min,respectively.The optimum consolidation conditions,such as temperature,were researched during microwave sintering process.Vickers Hardness of the consolidated cermets was measured by using a Vickers indentation test,and density of specimens was also determined by Archimedes’ principle.Microwave sintering process could not only increase the density of Al2O3-ZrO2-WC-Co cermets and reduce the porosity,but also inhibit abnormal grain growth.     

The influence of mo additive on the microstructure and property of Ti/Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> composite

The influence of Mo on the microstructure, bending strength and HV of Ti/Al₂O₃ composite was studied, and the influence mechanism was analyzed. The results indicate that after the addition of Mo, the composite organization is finer and phases distribution is better-proportioned which make the microstructure denser, the bending strength and HV of composite are also increased to a degree. But the bending strength increases first then decreases with the increasing of Mo content, so the appropriate Mo content for the Ti/Al₂O₃ composite is to be further confirmed. WANG Zhi: Born in 1962 Funded by Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 50232020) and Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province (No. 2002F21)     

Effect of Na<Subscript>2</Subscript>CO<Subscript>3</Subscript> and CaCO<Subscript>3</Subscript> on coreduction roasting of blast furnace dust and high-phosphorus oolitic hematite

Iron was recovered from blast furnace dust and high-phosphorus oolitic hematite in the presence of Na₂CO₃ and CaCO₃ additives. The functions of Na₂CO₃ and CaCO₃ during the coreduction roasting process were investigated by XRD and SEM-EDS analyses. Results indicate that these additives not only hinder the reduction of fluorapatite, CaCO₃ also decreases the P content of direct reduced iron (DRI) by increasing the reduction alkalinity. P remains as fluorapatite in the slag, which can be removed by grinding and magnetic separation under optimal conditions. The Na₂CO₃ promotes hematite reduction and improves the iron recovery (ε_Fe) by replacing the FeO from fayalite, which results in quick growth and aggregation of metallic iron and improvement of ε_Fe in DRI. A DRI with 91.88 mass% Fe, and 0.065 mass% P can be achieved at a recovery of 87.86 mass% under the optimal condition.     

Composite cathode Bi<Subscript>1.14</Subscript>Sr<Subscript>0.43</Subscript>O<Subscript>2.14</Subscript>-Ag for intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells

Composites consisting of strontium stabilized bismuth oxide （Bi1.14Sr0.43O2.14, SSB） and silver were investigated as cathodes for intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells with doped ceria electrolyte. There were no chemical reactions between the two components. The microstructure of the interfaces between composite cathodes and Ce0.8Sm0.2O1.9 （SDC） electrolytes was examined by scanning electron microscopy （SEM）. Impedance spectroscopy measurements show that the performance of cathode fired at 700 ℃ is the best. When the content of Ag2O is 70 wt%, polarization resistance values for the SSB-Ag cathodes are as low as 0.2 Ωcm^2 at 700℃ and 0.29 Ωcm^2 at 650℃. These results are much smaller than some of other reported composite cathodes on doped ceria electrolyte and indicate that SSB-Ag composite is a potential cathode material for intermediate temperature SOFCs.     

Preparation and properties of crystallizable Glass/Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> composites for LTCC material

The investigated low temperature Co fired ceramics(LTCC) composite of 60wt% CaO-Al2O3-B2O3-SiO2 glass and 40wt% α-Al2O3 as a filler is a non-reactive system, which is a critical part of the low temperature Co fired ceramics process. Through a study on densification process, the phase transformation and microstructure can be revealed. Its composites typically consist of CaO-Al2O3-B2O3-SiO2 glass and α-Al2O3 powders of average particle size (D50=3.49 mm). The sintering behavior, phase evaluation, sintered morphology, and microwave dielectric properties were investigated. In the fire range of 800 to 900 ℃, the composites were crystallized after completion of densification. It is found that the composites start to densify at 825 ℃, simultaneously, the dielectric constant (εr) reaches its maximum. With increasing heat-treatment temperatures, due to the loose microstructure of the material, tanδ increases slightly. The last of the sintered samples were identified as partly Anorthite at 850 ℃. At that temperature it has εr of 7.9 and tanδ less than 1×10-3, and can be used as a promising LTCC material.     

Microstructure and mechanical properties of TiB<Subscript>2</Subscript>-Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> composites

Effects of Al2O3 and Ni as the additives on the sinterability, microstructure and mechanical properties were systematic studied. The experimental results show that only a relative density about 96.2% of hot-pressing TiB2-30%Al2O3 can be attained due to the plate-like TiB2 particle and its random orientation and excessive Al2O3 grain growth. When sintering temperature is higher than 1 700 ℃, TiB2 grain growth can be found, which obvious improves flexural strength of TiB2 matrix but decreases toughness. It seems that mechanical properties of TiB2-Al2O3 composites are mainly depended on relative density besides grain growth. otherwise, they will be determined by relative density and TiB2 matrix strength together. Anyway, Al2O3 addition can weaken the grain boundary and thus improve the toughness of the materials. A flexural strength of 529 MPa, Vickers hardness of 24.8 GPa and indentation toughness of 4.56 MPa·m1/2 can be achieved inTiB2-30vol% Al2O3.