Synthesis and characterization of cobalt–nickel alloy nanowires

We report on the synthesis and magnetic characterization of ordered arrays of cobalt–nickel alloy nanowires. These alloy nanowires were electrodeposited into the pores of anodic alumina templates. The physical properties of the samples were investigated using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and vibrating sample magnetometer. We found that for the alloy nanowires the field at which the magnetization saturates increases with increasing Co fraction and the saturation field in the normal direction is smaller than the parallel direction, indicating easy magnetization direction normal to wire axis. Nanowires with different compositional ratio of cobalt and nickel showed a nonlinear dependence of coercivity as a function of cobalt concentration. These findings will help tailor magnetic nanoalloys with controlled properties for various applications, such as high density magnetic storage or nanoelectrode arrays.     

Hydrogen-induced gas porosity formation in Al–4.5 wt% Cu–1.4 wt% Mg alloy

The effects of low (0.067 cm³/100 g) and relatively high (0.19 and 0.27 cm³/100 g) initial melt hydrogen concentration, solidification processing conditions, and grain refining on the formation of hydrogen-induced gas porosity in Al–4.5 wt% Cu–1.4 wt% Mg alloy have been quantitatively investigated. The study was conducted with unidirectionally cooled laboratory-size ingots solidified at 0.2–37 K/s. An optical microscope-based image analyzer and precision density measurement based on the Archimedes’ principle were used to quantify the characteristics of the hydrogen-induced porosity in the ingots. Predictably, increase in melt hydrogen concentration and decrease in solidification rate increased the amount of porosity and average pore size. However, the effect of solidification rate was greater at the very low melt hydrogen concentration (0.067 cm³/100 g). These results are consistent with reported effects of solidification rate and melt hydrogen content on porosity formation in other aluminum alloys. Addition of grain refiner slightly increased the amount of porosity and the average pore size, especially at solidification rates above 1 K/s.     

Advances in understanding ice–ocean stress during and since AIDJEX

Variation of ice/ocean drag (momentum exchange) is an important yet often overlooked aspect of pack ice modeling. It is commonly parameterized as proportional to the square of the velocity difference between the ice and the undisturbed ocean, often with a constant angle offset to account for rotational effects in the ice–ocean boundary layer. This approach is critiqued in light of extensive observations that have revealed the underlying turbulence scales governing momentum exchange within the IOBL. Fluid dynamical similarity implied by these scales provides a framework for addressing several factors that affect the drag relationship, including variation in ice roughness, relative drift speed, buoyancy flux at the ice/ocean interface, and stratification in the upper ocean. These are examined and discussed in light of recent changes in the Arctic ice pack. The drag law is formulated in terms of dimensionless surface velocity, which in its simplest form is called Rossby similarity, and accounts explicitly for variation in undersurface hydraulic roughness, z₀. A generalization that includes interfacial buoyancy flux is also described and illustrated, and the impact of near surface ocean stratification is discussed. Estimates of z₀ based on underice measurements vary widely; by a combination of observations and simple IOBL modeling, an attempt is made to reduce these to a manageable set associated with distinct ice types.     

Microstructure,XPS and magnetic analysis of Al-doped nickel–manganese–cobalt ferrite

Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics - X-ray diffraction, X-ray electron spectroscopy and magnetic measurement techniques were used to study the structure and magnetic properties...     

Evolution of stress and deformations in high-temperature polymer matrix composites during thermo-oxidative aging

This paper presents a model-based analysis of thermo-oxidative behavior in high-temperature polymer matrix composite (HTPMC) materials. The thermo-oxidative behavior of the composite differs from that of the constituents as the composite microstructure, the fiber/matrix interphase/interface behavior and damage mechanisms introduce anisotropy in the diffusion and oxidation behavior. Three-dimensional Galerkin finite element methods (GFEM) that model the thermo-oxidative layer growth with time are used together with homogenization techniques to analyze lamina-scale behavior using representative volume elements (RVEs). Thermo-oxidation-induced shrinkage is characterized from dimensional changes observed during aging in inert (argon) and oxidative (air) environments. Temperature-dependent macro-scale (bulk) mechanical testing and nano-indentation techniques are used for characterizing the effect of oxidative aging on modulus evolution. The stress and deformation fields in a single ply unidirectional lamina are studied using coupled oxidation evolution and non-linear elastic deformation analyses. Deformation and stress states are shown as a function of the aging time. While the thermo-oxidative processes are controlled by diffusion phenomenon in neat resin, the onset and propagation of damage determines the oxidative response of an HTPMC.     

Transient and steady state creep of age-hardenable Al–5 wt% Mg alloy during superimposed torsional oscillations

An experimental study has been conducted to assess the effect of imposed small torsional oscillations on the creep behavior of Al–5 wt% Mg alloy during phase transformation. A series of tensile tests were conducted on the material with different levels of torsional oscillations and with different aging and matrix temperatures. The carefully designed experiments prove that increasing the shear strain amplitude of torsional oscillations and/or testing temperatures resulted in an increase of both transient and steady state creep parameters. The changes in work-hardening behavior of the samples with aging temperatures were rationalized in view of type, size, and distributions of phases existing in the original matrix. The results clearly show that the mechanism operating in the creep process was the precipitate–dislocation intersection. The microstructure of the samples studied was investigated by transmission electron microscopy.     

Microstructure and texture evolution in Mg–1 %Mn–Sr alloys during extrusion

Microstructure and texture evolution in Mg–1 %Mn–Sr alloys during extrusion has been investigated. At 350 °C, the extrusion of Mg–1 %Mn (M1) alloy exhibits the progressive formation of basal texture from the undeformed zone to the die opening. The extruded microstructure of M1 consists of recrystallized grains nucleated by grain boundary bulging and elongated parent grains along with extensive twinning. At 350 °C, the extrusion of M1–1.6Sr alloy results in progressive elongation of Mg–Sr precipitates in the form of stringers from the undeformed zone to the die opening. The final extruded microstructure of this alloy shows extensive recrystallization occurring at the intermetallic stringers by particle-stimulated nucleation (PSN). M1–(0.3–1.6)%Sr alloys display weaker textures due to PSN which creates new grains with random orientations. At 250 °C, the extrusion of M1 creates necklace of small recrystallized grains around large elongated parent grains. M1–1.6Sr alloy extruded at 250 °C exhibits continuous dynamic recrystallization (CDRX) in the Mg matrix and PSN at Mg–Sr precipitates. PSN is less extensive at lower temperature. Both CDRX and PSN grains have random orientations, and therefore, alloy develops random texture.     

Fatigue behavior of ferritic–pearlitic–bainitic steel in loading with positive mean stress

The effect of positive mean stress on the fatigue behavior of ferritic–pearlitic–bainitic steel has been studied. Specimens, produced from a massive forging, were cycled with two constant stress amplitudes and various positive mean stresses. Plastic strain amplitude and cyclic creep rate were measured during cyclic loading and the effect of the mean stress on saturated plastic strain amplitude and mean strain at half-life was established. Plastic strain amplitude is weakly dependent but creep strain increases with the mean stress exponentially. Fatigue life decreases with the mean stress for both stress amplitudes. The contributions of cyclic plastic strain and cyclic creep to the fatigue damage were evaluated and discussed in relation with the Manson-Coffin curve.     

Some Observations of Flow Localization and Shear Cracking in Pearlite during Deformation

Flow localization, which is an importantmode of deformation in engineering materi-als, has been the interesting subject ofa number of experimental observationsand theoretical investigations in recentyears. However, the basic mechanism ofthe phenomena is not well understood atpresent. In a tensile test, the initiationand growth of a shear band are often simul-taneous. Therefore, it is rather difficult     

Intergranular and transgranular cracking of Cu–30Zn brass during fatigue loading

Abstract

Fatigue tests have been performed on annealed α–brass to examine the dependence of fracture morphology on ?K. The cracking was predominantly intergranular at low values of ?K_Q (the stress intensity factor range when the specimen does not comply with plane strain conditions) and changed progressively to transgranular cracking at high ?K_Q values. Detailed scanning electron microscopy has been performed on the fracture surfaces of the specimens, especially from matching areas on opposite faces. It has been shown that matching extrusion and intrusion pairs as well as one–to–one matching of fine slip lines occurred on the intergranular facets indicating that plastic deformation causes the intergranular cracking. Intergranular cracking persists at low ?K_Q values even though the crack growth rate is smaller than for transgranular cracking because the latter is difficult to initiate. Transgranular cracks form only at regions of localized strain, e.g. coarse slip bands, or at cold–worked surfaces but such transgranular cracking cannot be maintained at low ?KQ values.

MST/209     

The excitation of one-dimensional plasmons in Si and Au-Si complex atom wires

An atom-scale quantum wire array at the Au adsorbed Si(111) surface is studied by electron energy loss spectroscopy. Clear one-dimensional metallicity is verified by the observation of low-energy plasmonic excitation which exhibits a strong anisotropic dispersion. Our theoretical analysis using a quantum-mechanical nonlocal response theory shows that the plasmons are most probably supported in conductive channels made of Si honeycomb wires rather than those made of Au-Si complex wires.     

Cyclic stress–strain response and crystal plasticity finite element analysis of AISI 9310 steel in biaxial fatigue loading

There are still many gaps in the research on the multiaxial fatigue failure mechanism of the gear shaft. In this paper, cyclic stress–strain response and biaxial fatigue damage characteristics of gear steel AISI 9310 were investigated. The specimens showed obvious cyclic softening characteristics at all phase angles, and the softening rate was directly associated with the initiation and propagation of cracks. The fractographies at different phase angles revealed that the specimens under out-of-phase loading suffered fatigue failure caused by a single crack source on the surface, while the fatigue crack under in-phase loading was gathered together by the propagation of different crack sources. Finally, the established crystal plastic finite element model showed a good prediction of the plastic strain energy density at different phase angles, and the maximum error was 13.03%. Furthermore, a biaxial fatigue life prediction method was proposed, with a maximum error of 39.5%.     

Formation and transformation of metastable phases during electrodeposition and annealing of cobalt–iron alloy films

During the electrodeposition of Co–Fe alloy films from a CoSO₄·7H₂O-FeSO₄·7H₂O bath, the formation of metastable phases, such as a complex cubic Co–Fe phase isostructural to α-Mn and the HCP ε-Co/Fe and Ω-Co/Fe phases, appears to be related to the incorporation of metal hydroxide/oxide precipitates into the plated alloy films. In the absence of the incorporated precipitates, the plated films are the equilibrium α-Fe solid solution BCC phase. Thus, the addition of stabilizing reagents (such as ammonium citrate), and/or a lowering of solution pH, prevents the formation of the precipitates and promotes the formation of the BCC phase. On the other hand, increasing temperature causes the formation of metastable phases, possibly through the weakening of the stabilizing effect of the ammonium citrate, or the promotion of the formation of metal hydroxides/oxides precipitates. The BCC phase has higher saturation magnetic flux densities and lower coercivities than the metastable phases. Annealing of the films transforms the metastable phases, if present, into the BCC phase, leading to a decrease in the coercivity. An increase in the magnetic flux density after annealing is, however, not observed, possibly due to the cracking or delamination of the films as a result of annealing. Cracking and delamination make the determination of the film volume, which is required for magnetic flux density calculation, questionable.     

Flow stress and recrystallisation during hot deformation of Cu–9%Sn alloys

Abstract

Compression tests were carried out on two compositions of Cu–Sn bronze: Cu–9·2Sn and Cu–9·1Sn–0·26Zn (wt-%). The experiments were performed at temperatures from ambient up to 750°C and at nominal (initial) strain rates in the range 10^-3 to 10^-1 s^-1. The measured data were converted into true stress–true strain curves; these displayed yield drops as well as single peaks (or maxima) at higher temperatures and lower strain rates. The mean rate sensitivity applicable to the curves was 0·25. Optical metallography indicated that dynamic recrystallisation of the ‘grain refinement’ type was taking place at the higher temperatures and proceeded by necklace formation. Electron backscattered diffraction measurements were also carried out; these revealed that twinning plays an important role in these materials. The present results show that the progress of recrystallisation is considerably slower than in OFHC copper and that the recrystallised grain size is appreciably finer. These observations, taken together, all indicate that the high temperature flow behaviour of the tin bronzes is controlled by solute drag and is not of the conventional ‘pure metal’ type.     

Effect of cyclic loading on interfacial shear stress in SiC–CAS glass ceramic matrix composite

Abstract

Mechanical fatigue has been observed to occur in the Nicalon–CAS continuous fibre reinforced glass ceramic matrix composite under cyclic loading at room temperature, and both microcrack proliferation and propagation are induced. In situ fibre push down tests within a scanning electron microscope have then been used to assess changes in interfacial properties as a result of this mechanical cyclic loading. Both the interfacial shear stress and the interfacial fracture energy decrease when specimens are subjected to mechanical cyclic loading. It is deduced that a decrease in interfacial shear stress is the most likely mechanism driving stable and progressive microcrack propagation.     

Relation between microstructures of martensite and prior austenite in 12 wt% Cr ferritic steel

Tempered martensitic 9–12 wt% Cr ferritic steels are used as heat resistant materials in power plant, where service under conditions of high temperature and pressure for several decades is required, and an adequate resistance to creep is one of the key requirements. In this type of steels, failure has been found to occur preferentially at prior austenite grain boundaries if the prior austenite grains are coarse. It appears that the prior austenite grain boundaries can act as a site of especial weakness in the tempered martensitic microstructure. It would therefore be useful to investigate whether the properties of prior austenite grain boundaries could be modified by some appropriate thermomechanical processing method. One approach to this is to attempt to increase the fraction of annealing twins in the austenite phase and to investigate whether this has an effect on the properties of the martensite after transformation and tempering. In this study, thermomechanical treatments involving hot-rolling have been applied and the fraction of austenite twins produced determined using electron backscatter diffraction analysis. The treatment giving the highest fraction of austenite twins was identified and the effect of the increase in twin fraction on the characteristics of the martensite was investigated. It was found that the fraction of coincidence site lattice boundaries in martensite along prior austenite grain boundaries increased with increasing fraction of prior austenite twin boundaries.     

The concentrations of IL-8 and IL-6 in gingival crevicular fluid during nickel–chromium alloy porcelain crown restoration

We explored gum irritation and cytotoxicity caused by nickel–chromium (Ni–Cr) alloy porcelain by interleukin-8 (IL-8), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) volumes at different time points peri-crown restoration. This prospective study was conducted in 60 young adults. The total amount and concentrations of IL-8 and IL-6 per site, GCF volumes, and blood neutrophil counts were performed prior to and at 1 week, 3 months, and 6 months after Ni–Cr alloy-porcelain crown restoration. Thirty male and 30 female subjects, aged 20–35 years old were enrolled. The total amount and concentrations of IL-8 and IL-6 per site, GCF volumes increased after nickel–chromium (Ni–Cr) alloy-porcelain crown restoration, and reached its peak at the third month as the GCF volume increased by 52.20 %, the total amount and concentrations of IL-8 increased by 112.11 and 22.75 %; the total amount and concentrations of IL-6 increased by 77.66 and 17.17 % when compared to baseline. In particular, the increase of IL-8 concentration was found in female patients at 3 months after restoration; while the neutrophil count of the peripheral blood did not change significantly. The increase in the total amount and the concentrations of IL-8 and IL-6 and GCF volume may be related to the cytotoxicity induced by Ni–Cr alloy. The significant increase of IL-8 concentration in females indicates that more attention should be given to women during Ni–Cr alloy porcelain crown restoration.     

Changes of flow stress and microstructure during hot deformation of Al–1Mg–1Mn

Abstract

Plane strain compression tests have been carried out at strain rates between 0·5 and 10 s^?1 and temperatures in the range 275–510°C, both under nominally isothermal conditions and with temperature decreasing. Also, temperature or strain rate have been changed in the interval between two deformations. In all cases, the stress–strain curves obeyed a mechanical equation of state, described by constitutive relationships in terms of strain and instantaneous value of Zener–Hollomon parameter Z. When the value of Z varies slowly during deformation, flow stress is uniquely related to subgrain size and to dislocation density within subgrains, but these relationships break down in transition structures developed after a change of Z between two deformations. The existence of an equation of state for mechanical behaviour, but not for microstructure, is considered to result from important contributions of both dislocation velocity and density to hot strength.

MST/1066