Effects of Casting Size on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Spheroidal and Compacted Graphite Cast Irons: Experimental Results and Comparison with International Standards

The aim of this research was to investigate the effects of casting size (10-210 mm) on the microstructure and mechanical properties of spheroidal (SGI) and compacted (CGI) graphite cast irons. A comparison of the experimental mechanical data with those specified by ISO standards is presented and discussed. The study highlighted that the microstructure and mechanical properties of SGI (also known as ductile or nodular cast iron) are more sensitive to casting size than CGI (also known as vermicular graphite cast irons). In particular, in both types of cast iron, hardness, yield strength and ultimate tensile strength decreased, with increasing casting size, by 27% in SGI and 17% in CGI. Elongation to failure showed, instead, an opposite trend, decreasing from 5 to 3% in CGI, while increasing from 5 to 11% in SGI. These results were related to different microstructures, the ferritic fraction being more sensitive to the casting size in SGI than CGI. Degeneration of spheroidal graphite was observed at casting size above 120 mm. The microstructural similarities between degenerated SGI and CGI suggested the proposal of a unified empirical constitutional law relating the most important microstructural parameters to the ultimate tensile strength. An outstanding result was also the finding that standard specifications underestimated the mechanical properties of both cast irons (in particular SGI) and, moreover, did not take into account their variation with casting size, at thicknesses over 60 mm.     

Strontium Zirconate TBC Sprayed by a High Feed-Rate Water-Stabilized Plasma Torch

A novel thermal barrier coating (TBC) material, strontium zirconate SrZrO₃, was sprayed by a high feed-rate water-stabilized plasma torch WSP 500. Stainless steel coupons were used as substrates. Coatings with a thickness of about 1.2 mm were produced, whereas the substrates were preheated over 450 °C. The torch worked at 150 kW power and was able to spray SrZrO₃ with a high spray rate over 10 kg per hour. Microstructure and microhardness, phase composition, adhesion, thermal conductivity and thermal expansion were evaluated. The coating has low thermal conductivity under 1 W/m K in the interval from room temperature up to 1200 °C. Its crystallite size is slightly over 400 nm and thermal expansion 12.3 µm K^?1 in the similar temperature range.     

Effects of nodularity on thermal conductivity of cast iron

Abstract

The thermal transport properties of five predominately pearlitic grades of grey, compacted graphite and spheroidal graphite iron have been investigated by the laser flash technique. Samples have been taken from cylinders cast in controlled thermal environments designed to produce three dissimilar cooling rates. Digital image analysis has been utilised in order to characterise the different graphite morphologies. The results indicated linear relationships between the thermal transport properties and the roundness of the graphite and the nodularity for compacted graphite and spheroidal graphite iron. A pronounced decrease in the thermal conductivity occurred when the lamellar graphite structure was transformed into compacted graphite. The thermal conductivity of compacted and spheroidal graphite iron has been recalculated with good accuracy over a temperature range of 25–500°C by means of regression analysis.     

Piston rings with a plasma coating

The purpose of this study was to examine the weldability of Si-solution-strengthened ferritic ductile cast iron (SSFDI: EN-GJS-500-14) compared with a traditional ferrite–pearlite type ductile cast iron of similar strength (JIS-FCD500-7). The α + graphite → γ reverse transformation characteristics on heating process and the transformation characteristics on cooling were investigated by the synthetic weld thermal cycle method. Heating SSFDI at 300°C s^? 1 (200–800°C), the reverse transformation started at 837°C and finished at 1149°C. The austenite arose around graphite nodules and the fraction in the matrix moderately increased to 100% as the temperature became higher. In the ferrite–pearlite type ductile cast iron FCD500 with 2.27%Si, the reverse transformation occurred in the temperature range from 763°C to 1105°C. The pearlite rapidly transformed to austenite and then the ferrite moderately transformed. The austenitization rate of SSFDI was also lower than the ferrite-pearlite type ductile cast iron at 1000°C. In the case of the cooling parameter t8/5 = 25 s, the martensite area fraction increased as the maximum temperature rose. Less martensite appears in SSFDI, indicating arc welding would give rise to less brittle heat-affected zone un SSFDI.     

Microstructure and Thermal Properties of Atmospheric Plasma-Sprayed Yb<Subscript>2</Subscript>Si<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>7</Subscript> Coating

In the present work, Yb₂Si₂O₇ powder was synthesized by solid-state reaction using Yb₂O₃ and SiO₂ powders as starting materials. Atmospheric plasma spray technique was applied to fabricate Yb₂Si₂O₇ coating. The phase composition and microstructure of the coating were characterized. The density, open porosity and Vickers hardness of the coating were investigated. Its thermal stability was evaluated by thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA). The thermal diffusivity and thermal conductivity of the coating were measured. The results showed that the as-sprayed coating was mainly composed of crystalline Yb₂Si₂O₇ with amorphous phase. The coating had a dense structure containing defects, such as pores, interfaces and microcracks. The TG-DTA results showed that there was almost no mass change from room temperature to 1200 °C, while a sharp exothermic peak appeared at around 1038 °C in DTA curve, which indicated that the amorphous phase crystallized. The thermal conductivity of the coating decreased with rise in temperature up to 600 °C and then followed by an increase at higher temperatures. The minimum value of the thermal conductivity of the Yb₂Si₂O₇ coating was about 0.68 W/(m K).     

Effects of transition from lamellar to compacted graphite on thermal conductivity of cast iron

Abstract

Different levels of magnesium were added to a standard grey iron alloy in order to obtain a range of graphite morphologies from lamellar to compacted graphite. The thermal conductivity/diffusivity of samples, solidified at different cooling rates, was investigated by means of the laser flash technique. There is a significant decrease in the thermal conductivity as the morphology transits from lamellar to compacted graphite. The thermal conductivity of grey iron decreases considerably at elevated temperatures, whereas the thermal conductivity of compacted graphite iron is less sensitive to changes in temperature. At increased nodularities, compacted graphite irons exhibit a maximum thermal conductivity at ～400°C. The influence from the cooling conditions on the thermal conductivity decreases as the morphology alters from lamellar graphite to compacted graphite. The effective thermal conductivity of cast iron is modelled by means of existing models for composites.     

Plasma Spraying of Silica-Rich Calcined Clay Shale

Silica-rich clay shale is a viable candidate for replacement of mullite in many applications, especially when outstanding refractoriness and chemical resistance to various agents are desirable. In this contribution, instead of the commonly used synthetic mullite feedstock, the thermal stability of inexpensive calcined natural raw clay shale sprayed using water stabilized plasma system is reviewed. Phase stability and phase changes at elevated temperatures up to 1500 °C were studied by an array of experimental techniques ranging from measurements of thermal conductivity and the heat flow as functions of temperature, scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction (XRD) of the annealed samples, and in situ high temperature XRD. The mostly amorphous as-sprayed coatings with less than 10 wt.% of mullite are temperature stable up to 800 °C and rapid crystallization occurs between 920 and 940 °C. Performed analyses gave evidence about the increase of mullite grain sizes for temperatures higher than 1200 °C and, moreover, certain saturation of crystallinity, not surpassing the threshold of 60 wt.% even for 1500 °C, is observed. The microstructure after annealing at 1500 °C is notable by clusters of fine needle-like mullite crystallites with sizes within the range of tens of nanometers in Si-rich amorphous matrix.     

Volume Expansion of Compacted Graphite Iron Induced by Pearlite Decomposition and the Effect of Oxidation at Elevated Temperature

Engine cylinder blocks and heads, made of compacted graphite iron, are subjected to prolonged periods of cyclic heating and cooling. These conditions may give rise to the decomposition of the pearlite matrix accompanied by the formation of lower-density graphite and oxides, which will lead to an increase of material volume. The microstructural instability deteriorates the physical and mechanical properties of CGI and accordingly the thermal fatigue properties. In the present work it was shown that the extent and mechanism of volume change are drastically affected by the presence of an oxide atmosphere. It was found that after annealing under atmospheric conditions internal oxidation largely inhibited the progress of pearlite decomposition and therefore much smaller growth rates were obtained as compared to those observed under vacuum conditions in the dilatometer. After 16 h of annealing time at 700 °C in vacuum, the CGI samples exhibited 6 times faster growth kinetics as compared to annealing in open atmosphere.     

High Temperature Mechanical Behavior of UHTC Coatings for Thermal Protection of Re-Entry Vehicles

In this work, the high temperature mechanical properties of ultra high temperature ceramics (UHTC) coatings deposited by plasma spraying have been investigated; particularly the stress-strain relationship of ZrB₂-based thick films has been evaluated by means of 4-point bending tests up to 1500 °C in air. Results show that at each investigated temperature (500, 1000, and 1500 °C) modulus of rupture (MOR) values are higher than the ones obtained at room temperature (RT); moreover at 1500 °C the UHTC coatings exhibit a marked plastic behavior, maintaining a flexural strength 25% higher compared to RT tested samples. The coefficient of linear thermal expansion (CTE) has been evaluated up to 1500 °C: obtained data are of primary importance for substrate selection, interface design and to analyze the thermo-mechanical behavior of coating-substrate coupled system. Finally, SEM-EDS analyses have been carried out on as-sprayed and tested materials in order to understand the mechanisms of reinforcement activated by high temperature exposure and to identify the microstructural modifications induced by the combination of mechanical loads and temperature in an oxidizing environment.     

Next Generation Thermal Barrier Coatings for the Gas Turbine Industry

The aim of this study is to develop the next generation of production ready air plasma sprayed thermal barrier coating with a low conductivity and long lifetime. A number of coating architectures were produced using commercially available plasma spray guns. Modifications were made to powder chemistry, including high purity powders, dysprosia stabilized zirconia powders, and powders containing porosity formers. Agglomerated & sintered and homogenized oven spheroidized powder morphologies were used to attain beneficial microstructures. Dual layer coatings were produced using the two powders. Laser flash technique was used to evaluate the thermal conductivity of the coating systems from room temperature to 1200 °C. Tests were performed on as-sprayed samples and samples were heat treated for 100 h at 1150 °C. Thermal conductivity results were correlated to the coating microstructure using image analysis of porosity and cracks. The results show the influence of beneficial porosity on reducing the thermal conductivity of the produced coatings.     

Electrical and Thermal Properties of Twin-Screw Extruded Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube/Epoxy Composites

This paper presents the experimental results of dispersing multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) into epoxy (space grade structural adhesive) nanocomposites using co-rotating twin screw extrusion process. Two sets of specimens were prepared; set 1 with ultrasonication for predispersing MWNT before extrusion and set 2 direct dispersion of MWNT in the extruder. MWNT was loaded up to 8 vol.% in both the sets. The specimens were characterized for room temperature volume and surface resistivities as per ASTM D257 using Keithley Model 6517 and for thermal conductivity in the temperature range ?50 to 150 °C as per ASTM E 1530 using Thermal Conductivity Instrument (TCI) 2022 SX211. The volume resistivity of sets 1 and 2 decreased to an extent of 10¹¹ and 10⁹ respectively. The surface resistivity drop was of the order of 10⁹ for both the sets. These drops corresponded to the maximum MWNT loading of 8 vol.%. Electrical conductivity values of the specimens were fitted into the Power Law Model to evaluate the critical exponent. Both sets 1 and 2 showed increase in thermal conductivity with increase in temperature in the testing range. Thermal conductivity increased with increase in filler loading and the maximum increase was 60% at 150 °C in case of 8 vol.% MWNT nanocomposites for set 1. The corresponding value for the set 2 was 25%. Thermal conductivity values were predicted using Lewis Nielson model. DSC of the specimens showed increase in glass transition temperature with increase in filler loading. The dispersion of the nanofillers was studied using SEM and the surface morphology using AFM.     

Higher Temperature Thermal Barrier Coatings with the Combined Use of Yttrium Aluminum Garnet and the Solution Precursor Plasma Spray Process

Gas-turbine engines are widely used in transportation, energy and defense industries. The increasing demand for more efficient gas turbines requires higher turbine operating temperatures. For more than 40 years, yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) has been the dominant thermal barrier coating (TBC) due to its outstanding material properties. However, the practical use of YSZ-based TBCs is limited to approximately 1200 °C. Developing new, higher temperature TBCs has proven challenging to satisfy the multiple property requirements of a durable TBC. In this study, an advanced TBC has been developed by using the solution precursor plasma spray (SPPS) process that generates unique engineered microstructures with the higher temperature yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) to produce a TBC that can meet and exceed the major performance standards of state-of-the-art air plasma sprayed YSZ, including: phase stability, sintering resistance, CMAS resistance, thermal cycle durability, thermal conductivity and erosion resistance. The temperature improvement for hot section gas turbine materials (superalloys & TBCs) has been at the rate of about 50 °C per decade over the last 50 years. In contrast, SPPS YAG TBCs offer the near-term potential of a > 200 °C improvement in temperature capability.     

溶胶-凝胶法合成导电SrVO3 粉末

通过溶胶-凝胶法结合热处理合成了导电SrVO₃粉末。在溶胶配制过程,对Sr:V摩尔比进行精确调控,再通过对凝胶热分解行为的表征,确定其煅烧温度和除去残余碳,从而获得前驱体粉末,再将其在H₂中还原以获得最终产物。研究了煅烧温度、Sr:V摩尔比对产物形貌、结构和组成的影响,并采用标准直流四探针技术对样品的电导率进行测试。结果表明,当Sr:V摩尔比为1:1.06,煅烧温度500 ℃,再在850 ℃氢气还原,可以制备没有残余碳或钒的氧化物杂质的单相SrVO₃粉末。SrVO₃粉末的电导率达到714.3 S/cm,比石墨粉末的电导率（500 S/cm）高。     

Microstructure and Physical Properties of Tb<Subscript>2</Subscript>TiO<Subscript>5</Subscript> Neutron Absorber Synthesized by Ball Milling and Sintering

Tb₂TiO₅ neutron absorber was synthesized by ball milling and sintering. Microstructure character of ball-milled Tb₄O₇-17.605%TiO₂ (mass fraction, %) powders and sintered bulks was analyzed using XRD, SEM and TEM. The microhardness, coefficient of thermal expansion and thermal conductivity of sintered bulks were measured. The experiment results showed that the nanocrystalline solid solution was obtained during ball milling. After 96 h of ball milling, TiO₂ was completely solved in Tb₄O₇ and the crystal size of Tb₄O₇ was up to 37 nm. The bulk materials prepared by cold isostatic pressing were sintered at 1300 °C. Tb₂TiO₅ bulks with an orthorhombic structure were obtained. The microhardness of sintered bulks, as well as the thermal conductivity, increased firstly with increasing ball milling time and then decreased. The coefficient of thermal expansion decreased initially and then increased with increasing ball milling time. For the sintered bulk with powder milled for 48 h, the highest values of both microhardness and thermal conductivity were observed, whereas the lowest coefficient of thermal expansion was exhibited. In addition, with increasing testing temperature, the thermal conductivity of sintered bulks initially fell and then rebounded while an opposite trend was found in the coefficient of thermal expansion.     

Structure and electrical conductivity of graphite fibers prepared by pyrolysis of cyanoacetylene

Highly electroconductive graphite fibers are prepared by the pyrolysis (CVD) of cyanoacetylene on the surface of carbon fibers, followed by heat treatment. Many thin graphite strata, cylindrically layered and scrolled around an axial core of the original carbon fiber, are observed. The lattice constant C₀ of the graphite fiber obtained from cyanoacetylene and heat-treated at 3000 °C is 6.712° (002), which is smaller than that of a graphite fiber from benzene. The magnetoresistance of graphite fibers obtained from cyanoacetylene is as high as 800% (4.2K, 15 kG) (HTT 3300 °C), while that of graphite fibers obtained from benzene is around 150%. Measurements of Raman scattering and X-ray diffraction also show that cyanoacetylene forms more highly graphitized fiber than benzene. Cyanoacetylene is a good starting material for synthesizing graphite. The room temperature conductivity is as high as 1.8 × 10⁴ S/cm for fiber heat treated at 3250 °C. Treatment of the graphite fiber by fuming nitric acid increases the conductivity up to 1.3 sx 10⁵ S/cm in less than 10 min. Upon exposure of the nitrated fiber to air at ambient temperature, the conductivity decreases slightly. After this slight decrease, the conductivity is stable for at least 90 days.     

Surface plasmon resonance and electrical properties of RF: magnetron sputtered carbon–nickel composite films at different annealing temperatures

In this work, the optical absorption spectra of carbon–nickel films annealed at different temperatures(300–1000 °C) with a special emphasis on the surface plasmon resonance(SPR) were investigated. The films were grown on quartz substrates by radio-frequency(RF)magnetron co-sputtering at room temperature with a deposition time of 600 s. The optical absorption peaks due to the SPR of Ni particle are observed in the wavelength range of 300–330 nm. With annealing temperature increasing up to 500 °C due to the increase in Ni particle size, the intensity of the SPR peaks increases, but weakens with annealing temperature increasing over 500 °C. The Ni nanoparticle size, the dielectric function of carbon matrix(ε_m) and the plasma frequency of the free electrons(ω_p) at500 °C have the maximum values of 21.63 nm, 0.471 and5.26 9 10~(15)s~(-1), respectively. The absorption peak shows a redshift trend up to 500 °C and then turn to blueshift with annealing temperature increasing over 500 °C. These observations are in a good agreement with the electrical measurements in temperature range of 15–520 K and the Maxwell–Garnett(M–G) effective medium theory(EMT).     

Thermophysical Properties of Cu-Matrix Composites Manufactured Using Cu Powder Coated with Graphene

Compact Cu matrix composites reinforced with graphene were prepared by thermochemical processes and cold isostatic pressing. Thermophysical properties were investigated using laser flash analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and dilatometry. From the results of the measurements, it follows that within the entire investigated temperature range, both the thermal diffusivity and the calculated values therefrom of the thermal conductivity of copper-graphene composites change according to the temperature changes. Above 500 °C, abnormal decrease of the thermal diffusivity was registered for sample prepared from pure copper powder. In this case, the elevated temperature of test could cause sintering of copper particles, which were not coated by graphene. The as-received composites had higher thermal diffusivity and the thermal conductivity at the room temperature in comparison to the material obtained by standard pressing of pure copper powder. However, the production methods of some samples could cause their partial sintering. Based on the study, it could not be concluded that graphene only has impacts on the thermophysical properties.     

Thermophysical and Microstructural Studies on Thermally Sprayed Tungsten Carbide-Cobalt Coatings

The development of new hardmetal coating applications such as fatigue-loaded parts, structural components, and tools for metal forming is connected with improvement of their performance and reliability. For modelling purposes, the knowledge of thermophysical, mechanical, and other material data is required. However, this information is still missing today. In this study, the thermophysical data of a WC-17Co coating sprayed with a liquid-fuelled HVOF-process from a commercial agglomerated and sintered feedstock powder from room temperature up to 700 °C was determined as an example. The dependence of the heat conductivity on temperature was obtained through measurement of the coefficient of thermal expansion, the specific heat capacity, and the thermal diffusivity. Heat conductivities ranging from 29.2 W/(mK) at 50 °C to 35.4 W/(mK) at 700 °C were determined. All measurements were performed twice (as-sprayed and after the first thermal cycle) to take into account the structural and compositional changes. Extensive XRD and FESEM studies were performed to characterize the phase compositions and microstructures in the as-sprayed and heat-treated states. Bulk samples obtained by spark plasma sintering from the feedstock powder were studied for comparison.     

Wetting Behavior and Reactivity of Molten Silicon with h-BN Substrate at Ultrahigh Temperatures up to 1750 °C

For a successful implementation of newly proposed silicon-based latent heat thermal energy storage systems, proper ceramic materials that could withstand a contact heating with molten silicon at temperatures much higher than its melting point need to be developed. In this regard, a non-wetting behavior and low reactivity are the main criteria determining the applicability of ceramic as a potential crucible material for long-term ultrahigh temperature contact with molten silicon. In this work, the wetting of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) by molten silicon was examined for the first time at temperatures up to 1750 °C. For this purpose, the sessile drop technique combined with contact heating procedure under static argon was used. The reactivity in Si/h-BN system under proposed conditions was evaluated by SEM/EDS examinations of the solidified couple. It was demonstrated that increase in temperature improves wetting, and consequently, non-wetting-to-wetting transition takes place at around 1650 °C. The contact angle of 90° ± 5° is maintained at temperatures up to 1750 °C. The results of structural characterization supported by a thermodynamic modeling indicate that the wetting behavior of the Si/h-BN couple during heating to and cooling from ultrahigh temperature of 1750 °C is mainly controlled by the substrate dissolution/reprecipitation mechanism.