Effect of nano CuO addition on the tribo-mechanical behavior of alumina ceramics in non-conformal contact

Sintering of alumina from 1500°C to 1650°C and tribo-mechanical properties at room temperature had been investigated using nano CuO as a sintering aid. Bulk density gradually increases with sintering temperature from 1500°C to 1600°C and is optimized at 1600°C, beyond this, bulk density does not significantly increase at 1650°C. The addition of 2 wt% CuO showed the best result on densification. Densification of about 97.74% was attained at 1600°C with the incorporation of 2 wt% CuO. Nano CuO at grain boundaries forms CuAl₂O₄ liquid which modifies the morphology of the grain and improves mechanical properties. The formation of self-lubricating tribo-film on the wear track results in a low coefficient of friction <0.2 and reduces specific wear rate. 4 wt% CuO addition increases contact tensile stress (σ_max) by 51.2% and high Hertzian contact pressure (P_max≈1.51 GPa) causes plastic deformation of wear track. The re-solidified strengthening bond phase on the wear track simultaneously increases in friction coefficient and wear resistance with CuO addition. The optimizing effect of CuO addition shows that 2 wt% significantly decreases wear rate, and increases hardness and fracture toughness.     

The effects of microstructure on mechanical and electrical properties of W dispersed Al2O3 ceramics

This work aims to enhance the fracture toughness of brittle Al₂O₃ ceramics and apply insulated Al₂O₃ ceramics with electrical conductivity by dispersing second tungsten (W) metal particles. In order to investigate the effects of W dispersion on mechanical and electrical properties, Al₂O₃–W composites with various amounts of W (ranging from 5 vol% to 20 vol%) were fabricated by the hot-press sintering method at various sintering temperatures. Microstructure analysis revealed submicron Al₂O₃ matrix grains and W particles. The existence of three phases of Al₂O₃, W, and AlWO₄ was confirmed by X-ray diffraction patterns. All Al₂O₃–W composites showed higher fracture toughness than monolithic Al₂O₃. The toughening mechanism was attributed to crack deflection and crack bridging. Transgranular fracture was visible in all composites. Electrical resistivity dramatically lowered from 2.9 × 10¹² Ω cm of monolithic Al₂O₃ to 4.1 × 10² Ω cm of the composite with 20 vol% W addition. The percolation threshold is calculated as 18.5%. With the increase in sintering temperature, the amount of W particles was decreased and Al₂O₃ grains became large, leading to the reduced number of conductive pathways formed by the dispersed W particles. As a result, electrical conductivity was decreased.     

Negative permittivity in titanium nitride-alumina composite for functionalized structural ceramics

The study on novel physical properties of structural ceramics or ceramic composites could make them more conducive to be function- and structure-integrated materials. Herein, titanium nitride-alumina (TiN–Al₂O₃) duplex ceramics were prepared and the dielectric spectra of the ceramics were studied from 10 MHz to 1 GHz. Negative permittivity appeared when TiN content exceeded 40 wt% due to the induced plasmonic state of massive delocalized electrons in connected TiN grain networks. Meanwhile, alternating current conduction behaviors of the duplex ceramics were discussed with percolation theory. Furthermore, the analysis of reactance by equivalent circuit models indicated that negative permittivity ceramics exhibited inductive character. This work realized negative dielectric behaviors in TiN–Al₂O₃ duplex ceramics and would promote the study of electromagnetic functionalization in wave shielding or attenuation for structural ceramics.     

SiO_2含量对尖晶石耐火材料高温性能的影响

结合实例阐述了SiO2 含量对尖晶石耐火材料高温性能的影响。认为 :基质中低镁铝比 (接近尖晶石组成 )的尖晶石材料 ,SiO2 含量对高温性能的影响较严重 ;基质中高镁铝比 (MgO/Al2 O3=1～ 3)的尖晶石材料 ,SiO2 含量越低 ,则抗侵蚀性越好。     

Effect of BN nanoparticle content in SiC matrix on microstructure and mechanical properties of SiC/SiC composites

BN-nanoparticle-containing SiC-matrix-based composites comprising SiC fibers and lacking a fiber/matrix interface (SiC/BN + SiC composites) were fabricated by spark plasma sintering (SPS) at 1800°C for 10 min under 50 MPa in Ar. The content of added BN nanoparticles was varied from 0 to 50 vol.%. The mechanical properties of the SiC/BN + SiC composites were investigated thoroughly. The SiC/BN + SiC composites with a BN nanoparticle content of 50 vol.%, which had a bulk density of 2.73 g/cm³ and an open porosity of 5.8%, exhibited quasiductile fracture behavior, as indicated by a short nonlinear region and significantly shorter fiber pullouts owing to the relatively high modulus. The composites also exhibited high strength as well as bending, proportional limit stress, and ultimate tensile strength values of 496 ± 13, 251 ± 30, and 301 MPa ± 56 MPa, respectively, under ambient conditions. The SiC fibers with contents of BN nanoparticles above 30 vol.% were not severely damaged during SPS and adhered to the matrix to form a relatively weak fiber/matrix interface.     

Al2O3-AlON复合材料的烧结性能和显微结构

研究了在保护气氛下1600℃烧成的Al2O3-AlON复合材料的烧结性能、物相组成和显微结构.结果表明在刚玉材料中加入AlON,烧结性能得到改善,物相组成主要为刚玉和尖晶石型构造的氧氮化铝,两者之间形成紧密结合结构,并有少量MgAlON微晶填充在大颗粒间的孔隙中,形成致密结构.     

Mechanical and lamination properties of alumina green tapes obtained by aqueous tape-casting

Mechanical characterisation and lamination were carried out on alumina green tapes prepared by aqueous tape casting using two acrylic emulsions having different glass transition temperatures (T_g) as binders. The tensile strength and strain were strongly dependent on the binder nature and content. Namely, the mechanical properties of the green tapes reflected those of the binders at room temperature: the green tapes obtained with the higher T_g binder showed a brittle behaviour, whereas those obtained with the lower T_g binder showed an elastoplastic behaviour. The mechanical properties of the green tapes prepared by mixing the two acrylic binders lies in between, giving the possibility of tailoring the flexibility and strength in the range of the values obtained for pure binders. Lamination gave rise to an increase of both green and sintered densities, compared with monolayer specimens, whatever the composition of the binder system. Such improvements significantly depended on lamination pressure, but were insensitive to lamination temperature for the two temperatures tested higher than the T_g of the two binders. ©     

Dispersion properties of alumina powders in silica sol

The dispersion of alumina powders in silica sol has been investigated by zeta potential, sedimentation, and rheological measurements. Zeta potential of alumina in silica sol changes significantly in comparison with that of alumina in deionized water. This is caused by the absorption of silica colloidal particles with negative charge on the surface of alumina particles. Sol-dispersed alumina slurry shows a minimum in sedimentation volume and viscosity around pH 10. The viscosity depends strongly on the silica sol concentration and reaches a minimum in 10–15 wt.% silica sols. It is proposed that the dispersion and stabilization of alumina particles in silica sol are attributed to the electrostatic and steric effects of the colloidal particles absorption. Effects of pH, solids content and silica sol concentration on the rheological behavior of sol-dispersed alumina slurries are discussed in detail.     

Thermoset IM-LSI-based C/C-SiC: Influence of flow direction and weld lines on microstructure and mechanical properties

The production of ceramic matrix composites (CMC) based on C/C-SiC is still very cost-intensive and therefore only economical for a few applications. The fabrication of the preforms involves many costs that need to be reduced. In this work, the shaping of the CFRP-preforms is realized by thermoset injection molding, which enables large-scale production. The polymeric matrix used is a multi-component matrix consisting of novolak resin, curing agent and lubricant. Six millimeter chopped carbon fiber with a proportion of 50 wt.% were used as a reinforcement. These ingredients are processed by an industrial equipment for compounding and injection molding in order to manufacture a CFRP demonstrator representing a brake disc. Test specimens are cut out of the demonstrator in different directions in order to investigate influences of flow direction and weld lines on microstructural and mechanical properties. Afterward, the CFRP samples were converted to C/C-SiC composites by the liquid silicon infiltration process. The article addresses the flow behavior of the compound during the injection molding and the building of the weld lines in the demonstrator. In addition, results of the directional dependence of the microstructural and mechanical properties within the fabricated disc in the different production steps are presented.     

Effect of ZrC amount and distribution on the thermomechanical properties of Cf/SiC-ZrC composites

C_f/SiC-ZrC composites with different amounts and distributions of ZrC were fabricated by polymer impregnation and pyrolysis. The effects of the ZrC amount and distribution on the microstructural, mechanical, and ablation properties of C_f/SiC-ZrC composites were investigated. C_f/SiC-ZrC composites obtained by the alternating infiltration of ZrC organic precursors and polycarbosilane groups exhibit good tensile strength (240 ± 17.7 MPa) because the ZrC and SiC matrix can mix evenly. However, C_f/SiC-ZrC composites using only ZrC organic precursor infiltration show a low tensile strength (191 ± 16.6 MPa) because more defects can be introduced into the composites. Ablation characterization by a 30 kW plasma wind tunnel for 60 seconds showed that the C_f/SiC-ZrC composites with the highest amount of ZrC matrix (67.8 wt.%) possessed the lowest linear erosion rate of 4 μm/s because liquid SiO₂ could fill the porous ZrO₂ to form a homogenous protective layer. Nevertheless, the C_f/SiC-ZrC composites with a relatively high ZrC amount (55.3 wt.%) exhibited a poorer ablation performance compared to that of C_f/SiC-ZrC composites with a low ZrC amount (38.7 wt.%).     

Differences in microstructure and mechanical properties between Y-TZP and AL2O3-doped Y-TZP/bioglass ceramics

Y-TZP (YZ) and Al₂O₃-doped Y-TZP (AYZ) bioceramics with addition of different contents of a refractory bioglass were fabricated. The influence of the glass addition and sintering temperature on the densification behavior, microstructure, and mechanical properties of YZ and AYZ was studied. The developed ceramics contained small amounts of ZrSiO₄ and Ca₂P₂O₇ phases within the ZrO₂ matrix. The incorporation of glass to YZ promoted the ZrO₂ phase partitioning and enhanced the ZrO₂ grain growth at all the sintering temperatures, whereas the glass addition in AYZ prevented the Y₂O₃ redistribution between ZrO₂ grains and limited the ZrO₂ grain growth at 1300–1400°C. The hardness of the samples with glass was not significantly altered by using either YZ or AYZ. A slight increase in the fracture toughness with increasing glass content was found for YZ, while the fractured toughness of AYZ decreased by the glass addition. The more pronounced ZrO₂ phase partitioning of YZ with glass decreased the flexural strength, whereas AYZ maintained almost unaltered its flexural strength at a high level by the glass incorporation.     

纳米SiC增韧Al_2O_3陶瓷复合材料的制备、表征及力学性能研究

以SiC和Si微米粉为添加剂,采用无压烧结工艺制备了纳米SiC增韧的Al2O3陶瓷复合材料,探讨了SiC含量、烧结气氛和烧结温度对复合材料的烧成收缩率、微观形貌、抗弯强度、维氏硬度及断裂韧性的影响。结果显示：SiC的添加使复合材料的烧成收缩率下降,惰性气氛下复合材料的收缩率要大于氧化气氛和还原气氛时的收缩率。在氧化性气氛下烧结时,当SiC添加量为4%时,复合陶瓷的体积密度为3.80 g·cm^-3,抗弯强度、断裂韧性及维氏硬度均达到最大值,分别为480 MPa、5.12 MPa·m1/2、16.2 GPa。添加SiC后所得复合材料的基体颗粒为椭圆状,粒径为2μm左右,颗粒与颗粒之间结合紧密,颗粒形状的改变可能是因为烧结机理发生变化所致。纳米SiC颗粒位于晶界处,形成了由Al2O3-SiC-Al2O3搭桥联结的晶界,提高了晶界强度,导致裂纹只能在晶内传播。     

Phase equilibria studies in the CaO–SiO2–Al2O3–MgO system with CaO/SiO2 ratio of 0.9

Phase equilibria and liquidus temperatures in the CaO–SiO₂–Al₂O₃–MgO system at a CaO/SiO₂ weight ratio of 0.9 in the liquid phase have been experimentally determined employing high-temperature equilibration and quenching technique followed by electron probe X-ray microanalysis. Isotherms at 1573, 1623, 1673, and 1773 K were determined and the primary phase fields of wollastonite, melilite, olivine, periclase, spinel, and corundum have been located. Compositions of the olivine and melilite solid solutions were analyzed and discussed. Comparisons between the newly constructed diagram, existing data, and FactSage predicted phase diagrams were performed and differences were discussed. The present study will be useful for guidance of industrial practices and further development of thermodynamic modeling.     

A multiscale methodology quantifying the sintering temperature‐dependent mechanical properties of oxide matrix composites

A novel methodology combining multiscale mechanical testing and finite element modeling is proposed to quantify the sintering temperature‐dependent mechanical properties of oxide matrix composites, like aluminosilicate (AS) fiber reinforced Al₂O₃ matrix (AS_f/Al₂O₃) composite in this work. The results showed a high‐temperature sensitivity in the modulus/strength of AS fiber and Al₂O₃ matrix due to their phase transitions at 1200°C, as revealed by instrumented nanoindentation technique. The interfacial strength, as measured by a novel fiber push‐in technique, was also temperature‐dependent. Specially at 1200°C, an interfacial phase reaction was observed, which bonded the interface tightly, as a result, the interfacial shear strength was up to ≈450 MPa. Employing the measured micro‐mechanical parameters of the composite constituents enabled the prediction of deformation mechanism of the composite in microscale, which suggested a dominant role of interface on the ductile/brittle behavior of the composite in tension and shear. Accordingly, the AS_f/Al₂O₃ composite exhibited a ductile‐to‐brittle transition as the sintering temperature increased from 800 to 1200°C, due to the prohibition of interfacial debonding at higher temperatures, in good agreement with numerical predictions. The proposed multiscale methodology provides a powerful tool to study the mechanical properties of oxide matrix composites qualitatively and quantitatively.     

Preparation and properties of an oxide fiber‐reinforced silica matrix composite

Oxide (Nextel? 440) fiber‐reinforced silica composites, with the density and porosity of 1.97 g/cm³ and 21.8%, were prepared through sol‐gel. Their average flexure strength, elastic modulus, shear strength, and fracture toughness at room temperature were 119.7 MPa, 25.6 GPa, 10.8 MPa, and 4.0 MPa·m^1/2, respectively. The composites showed typical toughened fracture behavior, and distinct pullout fibers were observed at the fracture surface. Their mechanical properties were performant up to 1000°C, with the maximum flexural strength of 132.2 MPa at 900°C. Moreover, the composites showed good thermal stability, even after thermal aging and thermal shock at elevated temperatures.     

Al2O3的粒子尺寸对天然橡胶导热性能的影响

以天然橡胶为基体,微米Al2O3和纳米Al2O3为导热填料,比较了纳米Al2O3和微米Al2O3填充的导热橡胶的导热性能和物理机械性能,并将2种粒子以不同配比加入天然橡胶基体中,对其影响进行了探讨.结果表明,随着微米Al2O3填充份数的增加,天然橡胶的热导率增大,物理机械性能先升高后下降;在相同填充量下,微米Al2O3填充的导热橡胶比纳米Al2O3填充的导热橡胶具有更好的导热性能和物理机械性能;在合适的配比下,纳米Al2O3与微米Al2O3混合填充的导热橡胶的导热效果优于单一使用Al2O3粒子的填充效果.     

Effect of applied pressure on microstructure and properties of hot-pressed Ca-doped LaCrO3 ceramics

High-density chromium deficient calcium-doped lanthanum chromite-based ceramics (La_0.8Ca_0.2Cr_0.98O₃) were prepared by hot pressing (HP) at different sintering pressures, and the highest density can reach 98.8%. The effects of sintering pressure on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and electrical conductivity of La_0.8Ca_0.2Cr_0.98O₃ materials were studied. The experimental results show that HP can increase the density of lanthanum chromite-based ceramic materials and significantly inhibit the growth of grain size. As the sintering pressure increases, the strength and hardness gradually increase, but the fracture toughness decreases. When the sintering pressure is greater than 58 MPa, the presence of the second phase CaCr₂O₄ can be detected in the XRD results of the sintered ceramics. The SEM results showed that CaCr₂O₄ had two completely different morphologies in the sintered ceramics, and it was initially speculated that the possible causes were due to two different generation pathways. The electrical conductivity decreases with increasing sintering pressure, whereas the maximum electrical conductivity obtained is 18.61 S/cm in vacuum at 800°C for pressureless sintering ceramic.     

Effect of heat treatment of alumina granules on the compaction behavior and properties of green and sintered bodies

The effects of the heat treatment of Al₂O₃ granules on the fracture behavior and compressibility of the granules, as well as on the properties of the green and sintered bodies, were examined. Heat treatment contributed to increasing the strength of granules, resulting in poor deformability. However, the hard and brittle characteristics of the heat-treated granules did not hinder the promotion of uniform powder packing and the formation of a nearly cohesive compact under high compaction pressure. Although as-spray-dried granules were more deformable during compaction, they left clear interfaces between granules in the green bodies, resulting in the preservation of large pores in the samples after sintering. The high density and small pore size in green compacts formed with heat-treated granules contributed to reducing the pore-defect size in the sintered bodies, resulting in high fracture strength.     

Synthesis and microwave dielectric properties of new high quality Mg2NdNbO6 ceramics

New high‐quality microwave dielectric ceramics Mg₂NdNbO₆ were prepared by conventional solid‐state sintering method. The phases, micro‐structures and microwave dielectric properties of Mg₂NdNbO₆ ceramics were investigated at sintering temperature in the range of 1275°C‐1400°C. The X‐ray diffraction patterns showed that the peaks of the compounds were attributed to two phases, including the main crystalline phase of NdNbO₄ that was indexed as the monoclinic phase and MgO as the second phase. Well‐developed microstructures of Mg₂NdNbO₆ ceramics can be achieved, and the grain size reached the maximum value (1.63 μm) at 1375°C. As the sintering temperature increased, the dielectric constant, temperature coefficient of resonant frequency and apparent density remained almost unchanged, however, the significant change in the quality factor was observed. At 1375°C, Mg₂NdNbO₆ ceramics possessed excellent microwave dielectric properties: ε_r = 16.22, Q × f = 116 000 GHz and τ_f = ?30.96 ppm/°C.     

Phase formation,microstructure development,and mechanical properties of kaolin-based mullite ceramics added with Fe2O3

The effects of Fe₂O₃ on phase evolution, density, microstructural development, and mechanical properties of mullite ceramics from kaolin and alumina were systematically studied. X-ray diffraction results suggested that the ceramics consisted of mullite, sillimanite, and corundum, in the sintering range of 1450°C–1580°C. However, as the sintering was raised to 1580°C, mullite is the main phase with a content of 94%, and the corundum phase content is 5.9%. Simultaneously, high-temperature sintering had a positive effect on the densification of the mullite ceramics, where both the bulk density and flexural strength could be optimized by adjusting the content of Fe₂O₃. It was found that 6 wt% Fe₂O₃ was optimal for the formation of rod-shaped mullite after sintering at 1550°C for 3 h. The sample's maximum bulk density was 2.84 g/cm³, with a flexural strength of 112 MPa. Meanwhile, rod-shaped mullite grains with an aspect ratio of ~9 were formed. As a result, a dense network structure was developed, thus leading to mullite ceramics with excellent mechanical properties. The effect of Fe₂O₃ on the properties might be attributed to the fact that Al³⁺ ions in the [AlO₆] octahedron were replaced by Fe³⁺ ions, resulting in lattice distortion.