Influence of fly ash blending on hydration and physical behavior of belite–alite–ye’elimite cements

A cement powder, composed of belite, alite and ye’elimite, was blended with 0, 15 and 30 wt% of fly ash and the resulting blended cements were further characterized. During hydration, the presence of fly ash caused the partial inhibition of both AFt degradation and belite reactivity, even after 180 days. The compressive strength of the corresponding mortars increased by increasing the fly ash content (68, 73 and 82 MPa for mortars with 0, 15 and 30 wt% of fly ash, respectively, at 180 curing days), mainly due to the diminishing porosity and pore size values. Although pozzolanic reaction has not been directly proved there are indirect evidences.     

Nanosmearing due to process shear – Influence on powder and tablet properties

The objective of the study was to investigate the influence of process shear, blend composition and mixing order on thin film nanosmearing of lubricant and glidant on particle surfaces as a function of powder and tablet properties. Multiple pharmaceutical blends containing avicel 200 and micronized acetaminophen were prepared at three different mixing orders at a shear rate of 80 rpm and a shear strain of 640 rev. Chemical analysis such as inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICPMS), scanning electron microscopy with X-ray microanalysis/energy dispersive spectroscopy (FESEM/EDS) and focused ion beam (FIB) were done for sheared powder samples. Powder hydrophobicity and tablet dissolution were carried out to test for powder and finished product properties. Experimental techniques were developed to interpret the general aspects of % area nanosmearing distribution obtained from EDS mapping combined with cameo imaging. Their % area distributions on particle surfaces were quantified for the first time. Applied process shear on powder particles had a significant effect on powder and tablet properties. The nanoscale investigation measured in terms of extent of nanosmearing (% area), amount and thickness of nanosmearing clearly showed that nanosmeared structures influenced the powder hydrophobicity and drug release rate.     

Influence of microstructure on strength and fracture toughness ofβ-Sialon

-Sialon (Si_6–z Al _z O _z N_8–z ) withz = 0.5 was fabricated by hot-pressing of a spray dried mixture of –Si₃N₄ and aluminium-isopropoxide solution. Phase composition, flexural strength and microstructure of a sintered body were investigated. Phases identified by XRD were -Sialon and a small amount of O-Sialon. The flexural strength (three-point bending) was about 1500 MN m^–2. This value, about three times higher than that of -Sialon fabricated from -Si₃N₄ and -Al₂O₃ powder, was mainly due to the homogeneous microstructure without large defects such like clusters of large grains. -Sialon was heat treated at 2000 °C for 2 h in 4 M Pa N₂ to develop elongated -Sialon grains with high aspect ratio. Microstructure, flexural strength and fracture toughness (K _Ic) of it were investigated. Both strength andK _Ic were lower than those of hot-pressed sample, even though an elongated microstructure was achieved. This fact showed that the toughening of -Sialon with elongated grains could not be achieved without grain boundary phase which resulted in a crack deflection.     

Effect of glass–ceramic microstructure on its in vitro bioactivity

Two routes were used to obtain a glass–ceramic composed of 43.5 wt % SiO₂ – 43.5 wt % CaO – 13 wt % ZrO₂. Heat treatment of a glass monolith produced a glass–ceramic (WZ1) containing wollastonite-2M and tetragonal zirconia as crystalline phases. The WZ1 did not display bioactivity in vitro. Ceramizing the glass via powder technology routes formed a bioactive glass–ceramic (WZ2). The two glass–ceramics, WZ1 and WZ2, were composed of the same crystalline phases, but differed in microstructure. The in vitro studies carried out on WZ2 showed the formation of an apatite-like layer on its surface during exposure to a simulated body fluid. This paper examined the influence of both chemical and morphological factors on the in vitro bioactivitity. The interfacial reaction product was examined by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Both instruments were fitted with energy-dispersive X-ray analyzers. Measurements of the pH made directly at the interface of the two glass–ceramics were important in understanding their different behavior during exposure to the same physiological environment.     

Effects of nucleating agents on crystallization and microstructure of fluorophlogopite mica-containing glass–ceramics

The alteration of crystallization behavior, microstructure, and thermal properties of fluorophlogopite mica-containing glass–ceramics by nucleating agent is systematically studied. TiO₂, TiO₂ + ZrO₂, and ZrO₂ have been doped as the nucleating agents in the SiO₂–MgO–Al₂O₃–B₂O₃–K₂O–MgF₂ (BMAPS) glass system and prepared by the melt-quench technique. The glass without nucleating agent is also prepared to ascertain the influence of nucleating agent. Addition of nucleating agents effectively increases the softening as well as glass transition temperatures. From the DSC study, it is found that the fluorophlogopite mica crystallization exotherm exhibited in the temperature range 800–850 °C and the activation energy varies in the range 167–182 kJ/mol. The opaque mica glass–ceramics are derived from these BMAPS glasses by a controlled heat treatment process and heat treatment at 1050 °C is found to be optimum. The mica crystals were identified as fluorophlogopite for all the four BMAPS glasses by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and subsequently confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy. Excellent matching with fluorophlogopite crystal was obtained in Zirconia-containing glass–ceramic as perceived from the XRD and FTIR studies. The microstructure of interlocked card-like mica flake crystals is found to form as seen from scanning electron microscopy, and such microstructure is obtained when ZrO₂ has been used as nucleating agent. Glass–ceramic without nucleating agent possesses Vickers hardness value 4.58 Gpa and it is increased with addition of the nucleating agent (5.67–6.56 GPa), ZrO₂-containing glass–ceramic possess lower hardness (5.67 GPa) and better machinability. Therefore, ZrO₂ is the most efficient nucleating agent to generate fluorophlogopite mica in these glass–ceramics useable for SOFC applications.     

Influence of temperature and thickness on the off-axis behaviour of short glass fibre reinforced polyamide 6.6 – cyclic loading

This paper investigates the anisotropic properties of short glass fibre reinforced polyamide 6.6 (PA66-GF35) under tension–tension and tension–compression cyclic loading. Tensile fatigue tests were carried out on dog-bone specimens, machined out from injection-moulded plates 80 × 80 mm, of three different thicknesses t (1 and 3 mm) at three different nominal fibre orientation angles θ (0°, 30° and 90°). The tests were carried out at RT as well as at 130 °C.The Tsai–Hill failure criterion, modified to account for cyclic loading, is applied to the fatigue data for estimating the fatigue strength parameters of the material under investigation. Results are compared to the strength parameters obtained under quasi-static loading in a previous part of this work [De Monte M, Moosbrugger E, Quaresimin M. Influence of temperature and thickness on the off-axis behaviour of short glass fibre reinforced polyamide 6.6 – quasi-static loading. Composites: Part A, 2010;41(10):1368–79]. The experimental results highlight how specimen thickness remarkably affects mechanical properties: the thinner the specimen the higher will be the degree of anisotropy. Also temperature strongly reduces the fatigue strength under cyclic loading. The Tsai–Hill criterion allows for an adequate fitting of experimental data at the investigated temperatures and load ratios.     

Influence of retrogression and reaging on microstructure and properties of 8090 Al–Li alloy

Abstract

An investigation was made into the influence of a retrogression and reaging treatment on the microstructure, tensile properties, and stress corrosion cracking resistance of 8090 Al–Li alloy. The results show that retrogression of the material at 230°C for 40 min or 325°C for 1·5 min, and then reaging to the peak aged condition, can result in an improved combination of tensile strength and stress corrosion cracking resistance. Through retrogression and reaging treatment, the alloy almost achieves the strength of the peak aged state and the stress corrosion cracking resistance of the overaged state. Transmission electron microscopy indicates that the δ′ phase dissolves during retrogression and reprecipitates during reaging, thus increasing the strength. The T₂ phase precipitates and grows during both retrogression and reaging, which results in the increase of stress corrosion cracking resistance.

MST/1670     

Influence of temperature and thickness on the off-axis behaviour of short glass fibre reinforced polyamide 6.6 – Quasi-static loading

This paper investigates the anisotropic behaviour of mechanical properties of a short glass fibre reinforced polyamide 6.6 (PA66-GF35) under quasi-static loading. For this purpose tensile tests were carried out on dog-bone specimens, machined out from injection moulded plates 80 × 80 mm, of three different thicknesses t (1–3 mm) at eight different orientation angles. The tests were performed at room temperature as well as at 130 °C. Material elastic constants were estimated from fitting experimental tensile moduli according to the theory of elasticity for orthotropic materials. A fit on geometrical tensile strengths with the Tsai–Hill failure criterion provided instead the material strength parameters. Both specimen thickness and temperature appear to have a strong influence on mechanical properties and degree of anisotropy.     

Influence of Nb addition on microstructure,electrical, dielectric properties,and aging behavior of MnCoDy modified Zn–V-based varistors

The microstructure, electrical properties, dielectric characteristics, and DC accelerated aging behavior of the MnCoDy modified Zn–V-based varistors were investigated for Nb amount of 0.0–0.25 mol% by sintering at 900 °C. The microstructure of the MnCoDy modified Zn–V-based varistors consisted of ZnO grain as a main phase and Zn₃(VO₄)₂, ZnV₂O₄, and DyVO₄ as the secondary phases. The Nb addition led to the increase of grain size, whereas it does not have an effect on the sintered density. The nonlinear coefficient improved with the increase of Nb amount up to 0.1 mol%, whereas the further Nb additions impaired it. A maximum of the nonlinear coefficient (35) was obtained at 0.1 mol% Nb. The Nb acted as a donor less than 0.1 mol% and an acceptor more than 0.25 mol%. The best stability of system against DC accelerated aging stress was obtained at 0.1 mol% Nb, in which %ΔE_1 mA = −0.24%, %Δα = −15.4%, %Δ ε′_APP = −1.4%, and %Δ tanδ = +12.5% for stress state of 0.85 E_1 mA/85 °C/24 h.     

Freeze–thaw resistance and transport properties of high-volume fly ash roller compacted concrete designed by maximum density method

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of high-volume fly ash on some durability characteristics of roller compacted concrete (RCC). In addition to a control mixture without fly ash, two different series of mixtures were prepared by partial replacement of either cement or aggregate with fly ash. The mixtures were designed by a maximum density method. A total of 28 mixtures having four different water/binder ratios (0.30, 0.35, 0.40 and 0.45 by mass) were prepared to determine the optimum water/binder ratio. Among these, seven mixtures containing the optimum water content were selected for further experimental study. It was observed that in the mixtures where cement was substituted with fly ash, increasing the fly ash content adversely affected the durability performance up to 90 days. However, fly ash substitution for a part of the aggregate improved the durability characteristics of the mixture as the amount of fly ash increased.     

Influence of yttrium on microstructure and point defects in α-Al2O3 in relation to oxidation

Although the influence of yttrium on transport properties of alumina has been the object of many studies, the mechanisms by which this element acts have not yet been elucidated. The method of modification by yttrium of the microstructure of polycrystalline alumina and the nature of the point defects created by this doping element were studied. The results obtained are discussed in relation to alumina transport properties and especially in relation with the effect of yttrium on the oxidation mechanism of alumina former alloys, taking into account the doping amount.     

Pozzolanic reaction of glass powder and its role in controlling alkali–silica reaction

It is well recognized that finely ground soda-lime glass exhibits high pozzolanic reactivity. Fine glass grains will not undergo an Alkali-silica reaction (ASR) in the presence of alkali, and can even mitigate the ASR between alkali and reactive aggregates. Influences of the pozzolanic reaction of glass powder on solid phases, pore solution in cement paste, and the ASR mitigating effect are investigated in the study. The pozzolanic reaction of glass not only consumes portlandite to form in-situ C-S-H, which appears as reaction rim around glass grains, and precipitated C-S-H, but also reduces monosulfate level. The impacts of the pozzolanic reaction on species in pore solution are characterized by increased aluminum, sulfate, sodium, and silicon concentrations and decreased calcium concentration. The increase in aluminum and sulfate concentrations results from the decrease in solid monosulfate. Glass powder controls ASR by increasing aluminum concentration in pore solution to reduce the dissolution of amorphous silica from reactive aggregates.     

Waste glass as a supplementary cementitious material in concrete – Critical review of treatment methods

Concrete is the most widely used construction material and, for the most part, is produced using non-renewable natural resources and energy intensive processes which emit greenhouse gasses. There exists an opportunity to improve the sustainability of this industry by further exploring the use of alternative materials. As an aggregate, glass bottle waste has faced specific challenges including bond, ASR gel production, and strength degradation of the concrete. This paper reviews the literature pertaining to incorporating waste glass into concrete as a supplementary cementing material. Pozzolanic properties of waste glass as an SCM and ASR are related to particle size and percent addition. Lithium additives control ASR expansion; however, the mechanism of this control has yet to be defined.     

Effect of sintering atmosphere on the microstructure and dielectric properties of barium strontium titanate glass–ceramics

The sintering of barium strontium titanate glass–ceramics in nitrogen modified their dielectric properties significantly compared to the sintering in air. The experimental results demonstrate that the glass–ceramics sintered at low temperatures contain a major phase Ba₂TiSi₂O₈ (BTS), known as fresnoite. The fresnoite phase disappeared and the barium strontium titanate perovskite phase became the major phase when the sintering temperature was increased. In addition, the microstructure observation showed that both the proportion of crystal phase and the crystal size increase obviously with the increase of sintering temperature. Most importantly, impedance spectroscopy has been employed to study the electrical responses arising from the glass and the crystal phases in the glass–ceramics sintered at low temperatures and high temperatures. The magnitudes of impedance and modulus changed significantly for the glass–ceramics sintered at the two temperature ranges. The activation energy calculated from the complex impedance, complex modulus and dc conductivity suggests that the dielectric relaxation for the glass phase and the glass–crystal interface may be attributed to the motion of the dipole associated with oxygen vacancy. And for the barium strontium titanate perovskite glass–ceramics, the motion of the electrons from the second ionization of oxygen vacancies leads to dc electrical conduction. The mechanism for the giant dielectric properties of the glass–ceramics sintered at high temperatures in nitrogen is discussed.     

Influence of Sc and Zr additions on microstructure and properties evolution of Al–Zn–Mg alloy

Journal of Materials Science - In this study, the effects of different Sc?+?Zr compound addition on the tensile properties, impact toughness, stress corrosion cracking (SCC) properties,...     

Physico-mechanical,microstructural and dynamic properties of newly developed artificial fly ash based lightweight aggregate – Rubber concrete composite

The use of industrial by-products in concrete would increase the sustainability of the construction industry. In this study, the potential use of scrap crumb rubber as fine aggregate in lightweight (Lytag) concrete was experimentally investigated. The effects of replacing natural sand by crumb rubber particles on the physico-mechanical, micro-structural and dynamic properties of the Lytag concrete were evaluated. When the rubber was introduced, the reduction in compressive strength of the Lytag concrete was experienced due to the less than perfect bond between the cement paste and the rubber as confirmed by the micro-structural observation. Additionally, there was flocculation of some of the crumb rubber particles and the packing of the rubber particles contributed to pockets of voids resulted in anisotropy in the concrete. The results also showed that the rubber not only meliorated the resistance of the cementitious Lytag composite to cracking from impact load but overall impact strength was also improved as the rubber particles acted as impedance to crack initiation and propagation.     

Influence of alumina bubble particles on microstructure and mechanical strength in porous Cu–Sn–Ti metals

In order to obtain high porosity and satisfactory strength simultaneously for the porous metallic layer of the grinding tools, alumina bubble particles were added into Cu–Sn–Ti alloy powders to fabricate porous metals using a vacuum sintering method. The influence of the alumina bubble particles on the microstructure and the mechanical strength of the porous Cu–Sn–Ti metal blocks were investigated. Results show that adding alumina bubble particles into Cu–Sn–Ti alloy powder generate closed pore structures for the metal blocks. Good bonding interface between alumina bubble particles and Cu–Sn–Ti alloy is formed mainly dependent on the chemical resultants of TiAl and TiO. A relationship between the bending strength of the porous Cu–Sn–Ti metal blocks and the size and volume fraction of the alumina bubble particles is established.     

Influence of high-pressure torsion and hot rolling on the microstructure and mechanical properties of aluminum–fullerene composites

In this study, we investigate the impacts of working process, high-pressure torsion (HPT) and hot rolling (HR) on the microstructure and mechanical performance of aluminum-based nanocomposites containing fullerenes. HPT caused severe plastic deformations that generate numerous dislocations and lattice strains, and this stimulated the formation of aluminum carbides (Al₄C₃) and reduced the hardness during heat treatment. In contrast, the HRed specimens experienced dynamic recovery, and their initial dislocation densities and lattice strains were lower than those of the HPTed specimens. Thus, the HRed composites formed supersaturated aluminum phases as well as aluminum carbides during the heat treatment. The supersaturated phases provided high-density dislocations and severe lattice strains, resulting in an increase in the hardness during the heat treatment. This comparison suggests that the mechanical properties of aluminum–fullerene composites can be controlled by working processes in practical situations.     

Effect of minor cerium additions on microstructure and mechanical properties of cast Al – Cu – Mg – Ag alloy

Abstract

A series of cast Al – Cu – Mg – Ag based alloys with minor cerium additions have been investigated using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. It was found that increasing the cerium content from 0 to 0.45 wt-% increased the tensile strength at the test temperatures of 25°C and 300°C. The high strength of the casting alloys with cerium is attributed to the refined grains and the high density of fine ω precipitates. However, the addition of 0.2 wt-%Ce to the alloy with 0.25 wt-%Ti induced a detrimental effect on the mechanical properties. The cause of this was found to be the formation of the intermetallic compound Al_x Ti₆ Ce₃ Cu.