Mechanical properties and microstructure of β-SiAION-β-SiC composites by pressureless sintering

-SiAION--SiC composites containing up to 12 wt% -SiC were prepared by pressureless sintering. The strength of composites at room temperature remained relatively unchanged, whereas strength at 1200 °C increased for composites. The fracture toughness (K _IC) for composites was higher than that for -SiAION ceramics. The maximum value was 5.4 MPa m^1/2 for 6 wt% -SiC, and this was an improvement of 15% in comparison with -SiAION ceramics. From SEM observations, an improvement inK _IC values was attributed to crack deflections and branching-off of cracks. Intra-granular fractures were frequently observed in -SiAION. From TEM observations, -SiAION crystals were nanocomposites, within which existed the fine crystals in -SiAION crystal. For composite, -SiAION and -SiC crystals were directly in contact. The mismatching zone was observed in -SiC.     

Measurement and prediction of Young’s modulus of a Pb-free solder

Accurate and reproducible measurements of the Youngs modulus of solders are complicated by the early onset of yielding, microporosity, and variations in cooling rate. In this study, we report measurements of Youngs modulus of an Sn–3.5 wt % Ag solder by two techniques: (a) loading–unloading measurements in tension, and (b) non-destructive resonant ultrasound spectroscopy. Both techniques yielded similar values of Youngs modulus. The modulus decreased with increasing microporosity, in accordance with predicted values. Cooling rate affected the Ag₃Sn intermetallic morphology, but not Youngs modulus since the distribution of the particles was relatively random. This result was confirmed by microstructure-based finite element modeling.     

Microstructural study of ε-iron-carbonitrides formed by a glow discharge technique

The microstructure and phase transformations occurring in-iron-carbonitrides have been studied by means of X-ray and electron diffraction, electron microscopy and Mössbauer spectrometry. Ordering of the interstitial atoms, N or C, results in a hexagonal unit cell for Fe₃(C, N) with parametersa=a3 andc=c wherea andc are the lattice parameters of the hexagonal close-packed (h c p) iron unit cell. Stacking faults on (0001) planes and partial dislocations with Burgers vector b=1/31 0 ¯1 0 are observed in quenched-Fe₄ (C, N). After quench-aging, the carbonitrides show a structural hardening due to the precipitation of a metastable phase. Slow cooling of-carbonitrides with less than 25 at% interstitials leads to the precipitation of-carbonitride and ferrite in-phase grains which allows the orientation relationships between the-,- and-phases to be defined and a model of the-phase--phase transformation to be proposed.     

Influence of the α/β-SiC phase transformation on microstructural development and mechanical properties of liquid phase sintered silicon carbide

The transformation kinetics and microstructural development of liquid phase sintered silicon carbide ceramics (LPS-SiC) are investigated. Complete densification is achieved by pressureless and gas pressure sintering in argon and nitrogen atmospheres with Y2O3 and AlN as sintering additives. Studies of the phase transformation from to -SiC reveals a dependency on the initial -content and the sintering atmosphere. The transformation rate decreases with an increasing -content in the starting powder and in presence of nitrogen. The transformation is completely supressed for pure -SiC starting powders when the additive system consists of 10.34 wt% Y2O3 and 2.95 wt% AlN. Materials without phase transformation showed a homogeneous microstructure with equiaxed grains, whereas microstructures with elongated grains were developed from SiC powders with a high initial /-ratio (>1:9) when phase transformation occurs. Since liquid phase sintered silicon carbide reveals predominantly an intergranular fracture mode, the grain size and shape has a significant influence on the mechanical properties. The toughness of materials with platelet-like grains is about twice as high as for materials with equiaxed grains. Materials exhibiting elongated microstructures show also a higher bending strength after post-HIPing.     

Morphology, crystallography and defects of the intermetallic χ-phase precipitated in a duplex (δ + γ) stainless steel

The ferritic matrix in the Fe-22Cr-5Ni-3Mo-0.03C ferritic-austenic duplex stainless steel undergoes a variety of decomposition processes when aged in the temperature range 650–750°C. These processes involve the precipitation of the austenite and of the and Frank-Kasper phases. The intermetallic -phase is found at both the grains boundaries (homo and heterophase interfaces) and inside the ferritic grains where it adopts an unexpected hexagonal shape. At the early stage of its precipitation, it nucleates at the / and /heterophase interfaces and then grows by expanding exclusively in the ferritic matrix. This study is basically focused on this intermetallic -phase. The crystal structure and the chemical composition are respectively studied by electron diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The -phase exhibits rational orientation relationships with the austenite and the -phase with which it is in contact and an invariably cube-on-cube orientation relationship with the ferritic matrix into which it grows. Based on the orientation relationship, the morphology and the number of variants of this -phase are understood in terms of the group theory. The planar defects present in a large density in the -phase, are roughly parallel to {0 1 1}//{0 1 1}. The fault vectors are determined as: 110 and 111, the latter corresponding for a bcc structure to a phase shift, the defects can be simply described as boundaries. Based on the obtained results, a structural proximity between the -phase and a super-cell derived from the ferritic matrix has been brought to light. This super-cell is described as a stacking of corrugated and planar layers obeying the following parallelism {0 1 1}//{0 1 1}. Indeed this super-cell approach provides an interpretation for several microstructural features such as the / interface plane, the planar defects in the -phase and their related fault vectors.It has been also stated that Mo is an efficient -phase forming element. Upon these considerations a detailed characterization provided valuable insights into the precipitation mechanism associated with the -phase formation.     

Eutectic solidification characteristics of Bridgman grown AI-3Fe-0.1V alloy

Eutectic solidification characteristics of Al-2.85 wt%Fe-0.12 wt% Valloy have been investigated by steady-state growth over the range of solidification front velocity from 51 to 1030m/s and temperature gradient 8 to 15 K/mm. Increasing growth velocity displaced the Al-Al3Fe eutectic by Al-AlxFe eutectic rather than by the Al-Al6Fe eutectic obtained for the binary Al-3 wt%Fe alloy. A fully Al-AlxFe eutectic structure has been obtained for the first time in the vanadium-containing alloy over the growth velocity range from 71 to1030m/s except at 100 and 510m/s where some Al dendrites were present in the eutectic matrix. TheAl-AlxFe eutectic was observed to undergo a morphological transition from lamellar to rod-like with increasing growth velocity concurrently with formation of a cellular eutectic structure. It was found that the relationship = Av–1/2, between eutectic spacing and growth velocity v, was applicable with A = 22.4 ± 1.8 and 13.8 ± 2.1 m3/2s–1/2 for lamellar and rod-like Al-AlxFe eutectics, respectively.     

The neural net of neural network research

In this paper we discuss the limits and potentials of bibliometric mapping based on a specific co-word analysis. The subject area is neural network research. Our approach is a simulation of expert assessment by offering the reader a narrative of the field which can be used as background information when reading the bibliometric maps. The central issue in the applicability of bibliometric maps is whether these maps may supply additional intelligence to users. In other words, whether such a bibliometric tool has an epistemological value, in the sense that it ecriches existing knowledge by supplying unexpected relations between specific pieces of knowledge (synthetic value) or by supplying unexpected problems (creative value). We argue that sophisticated bibliometric mapping techniques are indeed valuable for open new avenues to study science as a self-organizing system in the form of a neural network like structure of which the bibliometric map is a first-order aproximation. In that sense, this paper deals with the neural net of neural network research as our bibliometric techniques in fact mimic a connectionistic approach.     

Direct current electrical conductivity of gamma ferric oxide

The study of the direct current electrical conductivity, , of freshly prepared -Fe₂O₃ and that of a sample stored for seven days in static air suggests that -Fe₂O₃ adsorbs oxygen and water from the atmosphere. From infra-red spectra it is deduced that the absorbed water in -Fe₂O₃ is present as the physically adsorbed water and as lattice water. The adsorbed oxygen and physically adsorbed water are removed by heating to 100 C, while the lattice water remains in -Fe₂O₃ even up to 280 C. The removal of lattice water is associated with a decomposition during which some of the hydrogen formed occupies the vacancy sites. This suggested formation of the hydrogen ferrite phase is based on the kink in the log against T ^–1 curve observed at 177 C. This kink is very well resolved for a sample equilibrated at 100 C in normal atmosphere, and the measurements of above 100 C of this sample are done in an N₂ atmosphere. The suggestion that the hydrogen ferrite phase is formed has been substantiated by comparison of the X-ray diffraction patterns of -Fe₂O₃ heated under the different atmospheres. From the log against T ^–1 plot for a sample heated under a nitrogen atmosphere the activation energy is small (< 0.05 eV) up to 215 C, and it is comparatively large (0.95 eV) above 215 C. These results suggest a hopping mechanism for the direct current electrical conductivity of -Fe₂O₃. This suggestion has been substantiated by data of the temperature variation of Seebeck voltage.     

Effect of Intense Self-Irradiation on the Phase Composition of Metallic Plutonium

The crystal structure of film samples of "high-level" (based on ²³⁸Pu) and low-level (based on ²³⁹Pu) metallic plutonium during their prolonged (up to 343 days) storage (self-irradiation) at room temperature was studied by X-ray diffraction. In the samples of high-level plutonium, the -Pu and -Pu lattices coexist. In the period of 40-60 days, the other known crystal modifications of plutonium (-Pu, -Pu, -Pu, and -Pu) are also present. Low-level plutonium had only the -Pu lattice. A possible origin of this phenomenon is discussed.     

The Infrared Hall Effect in YBCO: Temperature and Frequency Dependence of Hall Scattering

We measure the Hall angle, _H , in YBCO films in the far- and mid-infrared to determine the temperature and frequency dependence of the Hall scattering. Using novel modulation techniques we measure both the Faraday rotation and ellipticity induced by these films in high magnetic fields to deduce the complex conductivity tensor. We observe a strong temperature dependence of the mid-infrared Hall conductivity in sharp contrast to the weak dependence of the longitudinal conductivity. By fitting the frequency dependent normal state Hall angle to a Lorentzian _H () = _H /( _H – i) we find the Hall frequency, _H , is nearly independent of temperature. The Hall scattering rate, _H , is consistent with _H T ² up to 200 K and is remarkably independent of IR frequency suggesting non-Fermi liquid behavior.     

Supercooling of In2Bi and InBi Melts

The effect of melt overheating T ⁺ on the critical supercooling T ^– of liquid In₂Bi and InBi is studied by cyclic thermal analysis. It is shown that, the T ^– for In₂Bi is 2.0 K, independent of the melt preheating temperature. In contrast, the T ^– for InBi varies jumpwise with T ⁺: T ^– 1.0–1.6 K at T ⁺ < 5 K, and T ^– 16 K at T ⁺ = 5–300 K, independent of the cooling rate (varied from 0.002 to 8.0 K/s). The solidification behaviors of In₂Bi and InBi are shown to correlate with the structures of their liquid and solid phases.     

A note on the similarity solutions for free convection on a vertical plate

Summary The similarity solutions for free convection on a vertical plate when the (non-dimensional) plate temperature is x and when the (non-dimensional) surface heat flux is –x are considered. Solutions valid for 1 and 1 are obtained. Further, for the first problem it is shown that there is a value ₀, dependent on the Prandtl number, such that solutions of the similarity equations are possible only for >₀, and for the second problem that solutions are possible only for >–1 (for all Prandtl numbers). In both cases the solutions becomes singular as ₀ and as –1, and the natures of these singularities are discussed.     

Anisotropic grain growth of R-α-sialon (R = Nd and Er)

Two R--sialon (R_0.6Si_9.3Al_2.7O_0.9N_15.1, R=Nd and Er) compositions were first fired at 1750°C/25 min and 1650°C/2 h respectively for completion of the phase transformation. Elongated -sialon grain morphology was developed in both samples after being re-fired at 1800°C for different periods of time. The growth in width of R--sialon grains is controlled by diffusion in the liquid, while the length growth tends to be interfacial reaction controlled. The anisotropic growth of R--sialon is attributed to the large difference in the growth rate constant between the length and the width directions of the grain.     

Size-strength effects in sapphire and silicon nitride whiskers at 20° C

Tensile tests at 20° C have been carried out on seventy-three sapphire whiskers and on seventeen silicon nitride whiskers. The sapphire whiskers were of 0001, 1¯120, 10¯10, and 10¯11 orientations, while the silicon nitride whiskers were 0001, 11¯20, and 10¯13. Tensile strengths were in the range 45 to 1500 kg/mm², and deformation was found to be purely elastic. The tensile strength data have been analysed and fitted to empirical equations describing the effect of size on strength for different orientations. These empirical equations have been used to deduce possible fracture nucleation mechanisms. It is concluded that, in the case of 0001 sapphire whiskers, fracture nucleation may be due to dislocation pile-ups or interactions, while in the other cases a Griffith flaw mechanism is probably applicable.     

Bone formation induced by calcium phosphate ceramics in soft tissue of dogs: a comparative study between porous α-TCP and β-TCP

Two kinds of tri-calcium phosphate ceramics (Ca/P = 1.50), -TCP and -TCP, which has the same macrostructure and microstructure, but different phase composition, were implanted in dorsal muscles of dogs. The samples were retrieved at 30, 45 and 150 days, respectively, after implantation, and were analyzed histologically. There were critically different tissue responses between -TCP ceramic and -TCP ceramic. Higher cell populations were observed inside the pores of -TCP than those of -TCP, bone tissue was found in -TCP at 45 and 150 days, but no bone formation could be detected in any -TCP implants in this study. On the other hand, the bone tissue in -TCP seemed to degenerate at 150 days. The results indicate that porous -TCP can induce bone formation in soft tissues of dogs; while the rapid dissolution of the ceramic and the higher local Ca²⁺, PO ₄ ^3- concentration due to the rapid dissolution of -TCP may resist bone formation in -TCP and the less rapid dissolution of -TCP may be detrimental to already formed bone in -TCP.     

Initial permeability studies on A13+ and Cr3+ substituted Ni–Zn ferrites

The chemical formula of the samples investigated is Ni0.7Zn0.3Alx/CrxFe2-xO4, where x=0.00, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, 0.20 and 0.25. The samples were obtained by the usual ceramic technology from high-purity oxides. The initial permeability was calculated from the inductance measurements with a torroidal core of 100 turns, using the formula L=0.0046 iN2h log d2/d1. The initial permeability i decreases in Ni0.7Zn0.3Alx/CrxFe2-xO4 with increase in Al3+/Cr3+. The decrease in i is attributed to a decrease of grain size D from 4.9 m to 4.4 m with Al3+ and to 1.9 m with Cr3+ and to variations in the anisotropy constant K1. The main contribution to the variation of permeability with content of Al3+/Cr3+ in the system is the effect each of them has on domain wall motion. The trivalent substituents (Al3+/Cr3+) cause impedance to the domain wall motion, which increases as the content of these ions increases. Al3+ has a stronger effect than Cr3+. The initial permeability components and do not exhibit much variation with temperature, except near Tc, where they fall sharply. The maximum of near Tc has been attributed to a damping effect of domain wall motion. © 1998 Chapman & Hall     

Transport results from untwinned YBCO: Washboard frequency of the vortex lattice,and the quasiparticle mean free path

The washboard frequency of the moving vortex lattice in untwinned YBa₂ Cu₃ O_6.93 may be observed through mode-locking to an externally applied ac current of frequency _ext. The interference between and _ext results in jumps in the dc current-voltage characteristics when and _ext are harmonically related¹. The interference effect disappears in the vortex liquid state. The Hall conductivity _xy below T_c in YBCO contains contributions² from a positive quasiparticle (qp) term (H) and a negative vortex term (1/H). The qp term is surprisingly large well below T_c and implies a large gap anisotropy and a long qp mean free path (mfp). The thermal Hall effect³ _xy is closely related to the qp _xy; _xy is produced by asymmetric scattering of qp by pinned vortices. The qp mfp at H = 0, extracted from _xy and extended to low T by _xy, increases remarkably from 90 Å at T_c to more than 0.5m at 22 K.     

Mössbauer studies of α″-Fe16N2 and α′-Fe8N films

Conversion-electron Mössbauer spectra of epitaxial -Fe₁₆N₂ and -Fe₈N films have been studied and their differences are discussed in detail. The Mössbauer spectrum of -Fe₁₆N₂ can be decomposed into three subspectra, which correspond to the 4d, 8h and 4c sites. The Mössbauer spectrum of -Fe₈N can be fitted using four spectra based on a nitrogen-atom-random-distribution model. The average hyperfine field is larger (3%) for -Fe₁₆N₂ than for -Fe₈N, which is approximately consistent with a 4.1% enhancement of the magnetic moments for -Fe₁₆N₂. The iron moments tend to locate in the film plane for -Fe₁₆N₂ and to arrange perpendicularly to the film plane for -Fe₈N.     

Eutectoid decomposition mechanisms in hypoeutectoid Ti-X alloys

A TEM study has been made of the bainite reaction in five hypoeutectoid Ti-X alloys, where X was successively cobalt, chromium, copper, iron and nickel. Rational orientation relationships were demonstrated amongst eutectoid , eutectoid intermetallic compound and the matrix in Ti-Ni, Ti-Co and Ti-Cr. Formation of Ti₂Co at : boundaries was observed. Eutectoid in bainite was found to be slightly misoriented with respect to proeutectoid , indicating that it is separately nucleated, perhaps sympathetically, rather than the result of the continued growth of proeutectoid . Eutectoid Ti₂Co and Ti₂Cu crystals in bainite were approximately equiaxed whereas Ti-Cr₂ crystals were elongated, a result ascribed to a ledge height-to-spacing ratio / at intermetallic compound crystal: boundaries approaching that of eutectoid (: boundaries in Ti-Cr but not in the other two systems. In the Ti-Fe alloy, eutectoid and eutectoid TiFe were directly observed to have ledged interphase boundaries with their matrix, but with different inter-ledge spacings and growth directions. Observation of pearlite lamellae growing normal to the broad faces of proeutectoid plates in the Ti-Ni alloy indicates that this mode of eutectoid decomposition, like that of bainite, can develop from partially coherent interphase boundaries. The suggestion was offered that pearlite forms when approachesh at the nucleating proeutectoid : interface and that bainite develops when h at this interface.     

Temperature dependence of high strain-rate impact fracture behaviour in highly filled polymeric composite and plasticized thermoplastic propellants

The effect of temperature and strain-rate on the fracture behaviour during high strain-rate ( 10³ sec^–1) impact of two highly filled polymeric composite propellants (containing segmented polyurethanes based on hydroxy-term inated polybutadiene (HTPB) or glycidyl azide polymer (GAP) filled with ammonium perchlorate (AP) particles) and a plasticized thermoplastic (cast double base (CDB) nitrocellulose-nitroglycerine) propellant have been examined over a wide temperature range encompassing the ittle-ductile transition. In the elastic region of the loaddisplacement curve, the yield stress and fracture toughness is highest for GAP/AP and lowest for HTPB/AP. In the elastic and post-yield ductile regions CDB is more fracture-resistant than GAP/AP and HTPB/AP over the temperature range –20 to 50° C, but below –40° C, where both CDB and GAP/AP are brittle, GAP/AP is more fracture-resistant than CDB (as observed in the elastic region). Although all the propellants are known to develop small cracks in the elastic and post-yield ductile regions of the load-displacement curve, the overall fracture behaviour is largely governed by viscoelastic properties (because the cracks close up in compression). The good mechanical properties of CDB, above the brittle-ductile transition temperature, can be attributed to the presence of a large-transition loss peak. In the composites, the fracture behaviour is also influenced to a lesser extent by the degree of filler-binder interactions. Dynamic mechanical analysis indicates that GAP/AP has a slightly higher degree of filler-binder interactions than HTPB/AP. A temperature-strain rate reduction has been obtained for the yield stress and the composite curve can be expressed by the equation _y =K ₁ +K ₂ log (ea _T ) whereK ₁ andK ₂ are constants anda _T is a shift factor.K ₂ is a material constant which reflects the temperature and strain-rate sensitivity.