Regularity of nanopores in anodic alumina formed on orientated aluminium single-crystals

On aluminium single crystals with (1 1 1), (1 1 0) and (1 0 0) orientation, nanoporous alumina layers were formed in a two-step anodization process within sulphuric acid. The pore ordering within the hexagonal arrangement of the nanopores was documented by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), described on the basis of defect thermology and analyzed quantitatively by image evaluation. The best ordering was obtained in nanoporous alumina on (1 0 0) aluminium. We supposed that this is caused by the interface energy term within the driving force for the formation of the nanoporous alumina, since – in contrast to (1 1 1) and (1 1 0) aluminium as substrate – in the case of (1 0 0) aluminium the interface energy is minimised in the waved interface between aluminium and hexagonally arranged nanoporous alumina.     

Influence of pressure on bonding of alumina with molten aluminium as insert

Abstract

Alumina cylinders of 91% purity were bonded at 1073 K with aluminium foil of different thicknesses (5 and 50 μm) under different pressures (0–2 MPa) to examine the effect of pressure on the reaction of molten aluminium with silica contained in alumina as a binding agent. The reaction process at the bonding interface was also examined. The thicknesses of the interlayer and the reaction zone decreased with decreasing foil thickness. The interlayer was composed of silicon crystals and hypereutectic Al–Si alloy melt. Cavities were also observed. The constitution of the interlayer changed with time following the migration of silicon from the alumina: the amount of Al–Si alloy decreased with time, and the amounts of crystallised silicon and the total cavity volume increased with time. The bonding pressure reduced the thicknesses of the interlayer and the reaction zone. The amount of silicon contained in the interlayer was also reduced by pressure.

MST/3035     

Investigation on highly ordered porous anodic alumina membranes formed by high electric field anodization

A simple and cost effective method for fabricating long-range ordered porous anodic alumina (PAA) membranes is presented, which explores a self-ordering regime with controllable interpore distances over a large scale (300–360 nm). The cohesive force at the hemi-spherical scallop/cell wall (HS/CW) interface is weaker than the other locations. When the PAA membranes were immersed in H₃PO₄ solution, regular cheese-like hexagonal patterns have been propagated at the cell boundaries. With increased etching time, numerous pores were observed at triple points where three cells met. The distinct fracture and etching behaviors in PAA can be ascribed to the intense ionic transport accompanied by the volume expansion in the barrier region under high electric field.     

FEG-SEM examination of alumina scales formed on FeCrAl alloys

Abstract

Field emission gun scanning electron microscopy (FEGSEM) with electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) has been used to investigate the microstructure and the oxidation behaviour of ultra-high purity Fe–20Cr–5Al model alloys and a commercial Fe–20Cr–5Al alloy. The model alloys contain controlled additions of phosphorus and carbon impurities and increased levels of more beneficial elements including yttrium, hafnium and titanium. The samples studied were oxidised at 800°C and 1200°C in humidified air for up to 3100 h, and 900°C and 1000°C for 1 h in laboratory air. At the higher temperature, well-adhered, compact and highly protective α-alumina scales formed, whereas at the lower temperature the scales formed were a less protective type of metastable alumina.

Preliminary examination showed that the texture of the formed alumina scale was unaffected by the texture of the underlying substrate and the substrate compositions. At the higher temperature, the study revealed that the alumina scale comprised two distinct regions; the outer region at the scale/gas interface contained small, equiaxed (0.5–1 micron) grains and the inner region at the scale/metal interface contained, columnar grains that are 2–3 times larger than the equiaxed ones. However, at the lower temperature these two distinct regions were not apparent. Instead, grains of predominantly metastable alumina were observed. The links between texture morphology and oxide growth mechanisms will be discussed in this paper.     

Superior high-temperature resistance of aluminium nitride particle-reinforced aluminium compared to silicon carbide or alumina particle-reinforced aluminium

Aluminium-matrix composites containing AlN, SiC or Al₂O₃ particles were fabricated by vacuum infiltration of liquid aluminium into a porous particulate preform under an argon pressure of up to 41 MPa. Al/AlN had similar tensile strengths and higher ductility compared to Al/SiC of similar reinforcement volume fractions at room temperature, but exhibited higher tensile strength arid higher ductility at 300–400 °C and at room temperature after heating at 600 °C for 10–20 days. The ductility of Al/AIN increased with increasing temperature from 22–400 °C, while that of Al/SiC did not change with temperature. At 400 °C, Al/AlN exhibited mainly ductile fracture, whereas Al/SiC exhibited brittle fracture due to particle decohesion. Moreover, Al/AlN exhibited greater resistance to compressive deformation at 525 °C than Al/SiC. The superior high-temperature resistance of Al/AlN is attributed to the lack of a reaction between aluminium and AlN, in contrast to the reaction between aluminium and SiC in Al/SiC. By using Al-20Si-5Mg rather than aluminium as the matrix, the reaction between aluminium and SiC was arrested, resulting in no change in the tensile properties after heating at 500 °C for 20 days. However, the use of Al-20Si-5Mg instead of aluminium as the matrix caused the strength and ductility to decrease by 30% and 70%, respectively, due to the brittleness of Al-20Si-5Mg. Therefore, the use of AIN instead of SiC as the reinforcement is a better way to avoid the filler-matrix reaction. Al/Al₂O₃ had lower room-temperature tensile strength and ductility compared to both Al/AlN and Al/SiC of similar reinforcement volume fractions, both before and after heating at 600 °C for 10–20 days. Al/Al₂O₃ exhibited brittle fracture even at room temperature, due to incomplete infiltration resulting from Al₂O₃ particle clustering.     

Microstructural study of the theta-alpha transformation in alumina scales formed on nickel-aluminides

Abstract

Luminescence spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy have been used to study the transformation from theta-Al₂O₃ to alpha-Al₂O₃ on the surface of platinum-modified nickel aluminide, (Ni,Pt)Al, bond coats on superalloys during initial stages of oxidation at 1,000-1,200°C. The transformation can proceed in a number of ways, depending on the surface roughness, leading to different microstructures of the stable alpha-alumina scale. The use of the luminescence method makes it possible to correlate microstructural features of the oxide with the local stress through piezospectroscopic shifts of both alpha- and theta-alumina optical spectra.     

Fracture of anodic oxide formed on aluminium in sulphuric acid

Journal of Materials Science Letters -     

Analytical study of the evolution of alumina scales formed on an ODS alloy

Abstract

An original deflection technique, in association with TEM observations, allowed study of the transformation of metastable alumina phases to α phase. This transformation is mainly characterised by a 14% volume decrease. Deflection experiments were performed on PM 2000 after pre-oxidation, in order to create a 3 µm alumina scale, and subsequent mechanical oxide removal of one large sample face. This technique allowed evaluation of the kinetics of transformation. The microstructural and chemical evolutions of the oxide, the interface (morphology, segregation) and the alloy (aluminium depletion, oxide dispersion) were characterised using TEM analyses and thermogravimetric measurements were done in the same conditions as the deflection tests to determine the oxidation rate constants     

Influence of pH on electrochemically deposited CdSe thin films

Polycrystalline CdSe thin films have been electrodeposited at room temperature on stainless steel (ss) and fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) coated glass substrate from aqueous electrolytes containing salts of cadmium acetate and selenium dioxide. The pH of the bath is varied from 1.75, at the interval of 0.25, to 3. The effect of pH on the photoelectrochemical (PEC), structural and optical properties of the deposited film is studied. The pH of the bath is optimized by the PEC technique and is observed to be 2.75. The analysis of the XRD patterns show that the deposited CdSe material is polycrystalline with a hexagonal crystal structure. SEM study shows that the total substrate surface is well covered by uniformly distributed spherical shaped grains. The optical absorption studies reveal that the pH of the electrolytic solution has a significant effect on the band gap of the CdSe thin film. The transition involved is direct with band gap energy E_g of 1.72 eV.     

Modelling and numerical analysis of heat treatments on aluminium parts

A theoretical model suitable for the modelling and analysis of heat treatment problems is described. The presented formulations are implemented incrementally with a non‐linear rate‐dependent constitutive model, adequate to the simulation of a wide range temperature processes. The large deformation model is based on the additive decomposition of the strain rate tensor in elastic, thermal and viscoplastic parts. The flow rule is a function of the equivalent stress and the deviatoric stress tensor of the temperature field and of a set of internal state variables. The thermal problem is solved by a prediction/correction algorithm. The prediction, which uses a semi‐implicit integration, provides a first estimation of the temperature field. The correction stage, performed with a Newton–Raphson implicit scheme, improves the solution until a satisfactory result is found. The thermomechanical coupled problem is solved with a staggered approach. The finite element formulations for coupled analysis of deformation and heat transfer given in this article are validated and applied to the process of quenching of aluminium parts into boiling water. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Electrophoretic deposition of alumina,yttria, yttrium aluminium garnet and lutetium aluminium garnet

The electrophoretic deposition (EPD) method has been adapted for the deposition of ceramic green bodies from aqueous nanodispersions of alumina, yttria, yttrium aluminium garnet and lutetium aluminium garnet. These materials have been selected, since they are promising candidates for optically transparent ceramics. Films as well as cylindrical bodies have been successfully prepared by application of pulsed direct current (pDC) EPD. To guarantee constant deposition yield during pDC, a variant with variable pulse widths and pulse heights has been developed. The obtained green bodies were studied by surface area analysis, scanning electron microscopy, optical transmittance measurements, determination of pycnometric density and sintering behaviour. The effect of colloid-chemical dispersion properties on green and sintered ceramics is discussed as well. The green ceramics received are nanoporous and dense, providing excellent properties for further processing under mild conditions to optical materials. For comparison, EPD-formed green bodies were either processed directly to ceramic bodies or after additional compacting by hot-pressing in a piston-cylinder apparatus.     

Spectral and physical properties of electrochemically formed colored layers on titanium covered with clearcoats

We present the application and characterization of two commercial polymer clearcoats to electrochemically formed colored passive layers on titanium with the aim of providing physical protection required in many of titanium's applications, while allowing the unique appearance of the colored layers to show through. Thin layers of an acrylic automotive clearcoat (～3.5 μm thick) and an epoxy marine clearcoat (～6.5 μm thick) are applied to the colored titanium surfaces using spin coating, and are found to slightly modify their visual properties, while maintaining their bright, well-defined sparkling colors. Both clearcoats are found to significantly reduce the surface roughness, thereby reducing potential wear from friction and the adhesion of fine dirt particles. They are also found to notably decrease the wetting properties of colored titanium, furthering its protection against damage from ambient and aqueous media. The clearcoats show the ability to protect colored titanium from physical and chemical damage, with the automotive clearcoat exhibiting superior adhesion. Our electrochemical coloring technique combined with the application of clearcoats creates a new and unique system that does not rely solely on a polymer coating for its colorful appearance and protection against corrosion.     

Polarity-dependent electrochemically controlled transport of water through carbon nanotube membranes

We demonstrate here that water can be efficiently wet and pumped through superhydrophobic aligned multiwalled nanotube membranes by application of a small positive dc bias. At a critical bias ( approximately 1.7 V), with the membrane acting as anode, there is an abrupt transition from a superhydrophobic to hydrophilic state. Interestingly, this phenomenon is strongly polarity dependent; for a negative bias applied to the membrane, 2 orders of magnitude higher bias is required for the transition. The polarity and voltage-dependent wetting that we report could be used to controllably wick fluids through nanotube membranes and could find various applications.     

A note on the behind armour effects from perforated alumina/aluminium targets

A thin, ceramic-faced armour, separated from a thick metal block, has been subjected to high-velocity impact by a 6.35 mm diameter steel sphere. Experimental work was carried out which compared firings into ceramic-faced aluminium armour, separated from thick aluminium “witness” blocks, with firings into the thick aluminium blocks alone. The depth of penetration and the area of damage were measured and an estimated percentage weight saving due to the inclusion of the ceramic-faced armour was calculated at varying velocity. This note yields useful information for the design and application of ceramic appliqué systems.