A closed form solution for laser drilling of silicon nitride and alumina ceramics

A closed form solution has been obtained for laser drilling of silicon nitride (Si₃N₄) and alumina ceramics (Al₂O₃). The drilling of workpiece is performed by using a TEM₀₀ 10 ns pulse Nd:YAG laser. It is assumed that the phase transition from solid to vapor occurs without melting. Considering the absorption of plasma plume formed on the surface of the ceramics, the one-dimensional thermal model is developed in order to describe the drilling process. The governing equation of heat-diffusion is solved analytically using a Laplace transformation method. Erosion depth per laser pulse obtained from the closed form solution agrees with the available experimental data.     

Microstructure and mechanical properties of quaternary Cr–Si–O–N films by a hybrid coating system

Quaternary Cr–Si–O–N films were deposited by a hybrid coating system using a Cr cathodic arc target and a Si sputtering target in an Ar/N₂/O₂ gaseous mixture. The influence of oxygen flux rate on the microstructure and properties of the Cr–Si–O–N films were investigated. The results indicated that the oxygen-free Cr–Si–N film exhibited nanocolumnar microstructure containing CrN nano columns and amorphous Si₃N₄ phase. The Cr–Si–O–N films exhibit equiaxed CrN nanocrystallites likely surrounded by amorphous SiO₂ and Si₃N₄ phases. Further increasing the oxygen content gives films containing Cr₂O₃ crystallites. The hardness first increases from 30 GPa for the Cr–Si–N film to a maximum value of approximately 50 GPa for the oxygen content of 16 at.% and then decreases for larger oxygen content. All the Cr–Si–O–N films exhibit low friction coefficient (0.22–0.26) and low residual stress (− 0.03–0.08 GPa). The influence of the oxygen content on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the Cr–Si–O–N films is discussed.     

Nitrogen solubility in high manganese-aluminum alloyed liquid steels

The nitrogen solubility in liquid Fe-Mn and Fe-Mn-Al alloys has been measured by the gas-liquid metal equilibration technique utilizing a high frequency induction furnace under the nitrogen partial pressures of 0.1 to 0.8 atm in the temperature range of 1773 to 1873 K. The variation of the nitrogen solubility with the addition of manganese was measured by sampling and in-situ analysis of nitrogen content. Manganese significantly increased nitrogen solubility in liquid Fe-Mn and Fe-Mn-Al alloys. The nitrogen dissolution followed the Sieverts’ law for liquid Fe-Mn alloys contained manganese up to 26 mass%. Using the Wagner’s interaction parameter formalism, the experimental results were thermodynamically analyzed to determine the first- and second-order interaction parameters of manganese and aluminum on nitrogen in high Mn-Al alloyed liquid steels. No temperature dependence of these values was observed in the temperature range of 1773 to 1873 K. e _N ^Mn = ?0.023, r _N ^MN = 0 r _N ^Mn,Al = 0 (Mn≤26 mass%, Al≤0.4 mass%, 1773–1873 K).     

Flexural ductility and deformability of concrete beams incorporating high‐performance materials

High‐performance materials, such as high‐strength concrete (HSC) and high‐strength steel (HSS), are often adopted in tall buildings to reduce member size and save space. The use of HSC and/or HSS can significantly increase the flexural strength of concrete members but may also adversely affect the flexural ductility and deformability. Herein, the pros and cons of using HSC and HSS in concrete beams are investigated in terms of the limits of flexural strength, ductility and deformability that can be simultaneously achieved using nonlinear moment‐curvature analysis with stress‐path dependence of the reinforcement taken into account. The results reveal that the use of HSC or both HSC and HSS in concrete beams can at the same strength increase the ductility and deformability, or increase the strength without depleting the ductility and deformability. However, the use of HSS has no such benefit, albeit it can reduce the steel area required. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Air-Oxidation Behavior of a Cu60Hf25Ti15 Bulk Metallic Glass at 375–520 °C

The oxidation behavior of a Cu₆₀Hf₂₅Ti₁₅ bulk metallic glass was studied over the temperature range of 375–520 °C in dry air. The oxidation kinetics of the amorphous alloy generally followed the parabolic law at all temperatures, with an oxidation rate increasing with temperature. The oxidation rates of the amorphous alloy were much higher than those of polycrystalline pure-Cu, implying that the additions of Hf and Ti accelerated the oxidation reaction. The composition of the scales formed on the amorphous alloy was strongly temperature-dependent, since they consisted mostly of Cu₄O₃ and CuO with minor amounts of HfO₂ at T ≤ 450 °C, while mostly CuO with minor amounts of HfO₂ and Cu₂TiO₃ were detected at higher temperatures. In addition, nanocrystalline Cu₅₁Hf₁₄ and Cu₃Ti₂ phases were detected on the substrate after oxidation at T ≥ 450 °C, indicating the occurrence of phase transformation.     

The laws of silicon ingot formation by combustion reaction

The formation of a phase pure silicon ingot from SiO₂+Al+KClO₃ and Na₂SiO₃+Al+KClO₃ systems was investigated thermodynamically and experimentally under combustion mode, known also as self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS). The regularities of combustion and phase formation versus KClO₃ concentration by a thermocouple technique were obtained. The morphology, chemical and phase composition of the silicon ingot were analyzed by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and ICP-analysis. The method reported here proved effective in producing silicon ingots with a purity of 98%.     

Analysis of culture fluorescence by a fiber-optic sensor inNicotiana tabacum plant cell culture

The on-line sensing of viable cell weight in plant cell culture process is applied to analysis and control of process. The fiber-optic fluorescence sensor was constructed to measure the NADH-dependent fluorescence inNicotiana tabacum plant cell culture and the analysis of fluorescence signal was done to be correlated with the viable cell weight. The structured kinetic model for cell growth was proposed to estimate the theoretical viable cell weight. The dimensional analysis was proposed for the interpretation of fluorescence signal, in which the path length, the inner filter effect and the hydrodynamic conditions were considered as the key factors on fluorescence signal. The dimensional analysis and empirical correlation of fluorescence signal to viable cell weight was applied to the interpretation of the detected fluorescence signal during cultivation. The proposed interpretation of fluorescence signal using dimensional analysis was well correlated with the viable cell weight estimated by the structured kinetic model as well as by empirical correlation.     

Surface Cracking in Layers Under Biaxial, Residual Compressive Stress

Thin two-phase, Al₂O₃/ t -Zr(3Y)O₂ layers bounded by much thicker Zr(3Y)O₂ layers were fabricated by co-sintering powders. After cooling, cracks were observed along the center of the two-phase, Al₂O₃/ t -Zr(3Y)O₂ layers. Although the Al₂O₃/ t -Zr(3Y)O₂ layers are under residual, biaxial compression far from the surface, tensile stresses, normal to the center line, exist at and near the surface. These highly localized tensile stresses can cause cracks to extend parallel to the layer, to a depth proportional to the layer thickness. A tunneling/edge cracking energy release rate function is developed for these cracks. It shows that for a given residual stress, crack extension will take place only when the layer thickness is greater than a critical value. A value of the critical thickness is computed and compared with an available experimental datum point. In addition, the behavior of the energy release rate function due to elastic mismatch is calculated via the finite element method (FEM). It is also shown how this solution for crack extension can be applied to explain cracking associated with other phenomena, e.g., joining, reaction couples, etc.     

Morphology and mechanical properties of liquid crystalline copolyester and poly(ethylene 2,6-naphthalate) blends

Blends of poly(ethylene 2,6-naphthalate) (PEN) and a liquid crystalline copolyester (LCP), poly(benzoate-naphthoate), were prepared in a twin-screw extruder. Specimens for mechanical testing were prepared by injection molding. The morphology and mechanical properties were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and an Instron tensile tester. SEM studies revealed that finely dispersed spherical domains of the liquid crystalline polymer (LCP) were formed in the PEN matrix, and the inclusions were deformed into fibrils from the spherical droplets with increasing LCP content. The morphology of the blends was found to be affected by their composition and a distinct skin-core morphology was found to develop in the injection molded samples of these blends. Mechanical properties were improved with increasing LCP content, and synergistic effects have been observed at 70 wt% LCP content whereas the elongation at break was found to be reduced drastically above 10 wt% of LCP content. This is a characteristic typical of chopped-fiber-filled composites. The improvement in mechanical properties is likely due to the reinforcement of the PEN matrix by the fibrous LCP phase as observed by scanning electron microscopy. The tensile and modulus mechanical behavior of the LCP/PEN blends was very similar to those of the polymeric composite, and the tensile strength and flexural modulus of the LCP/PEN 70/30 blend were two times the value of PEN homopolymer and exceeded those of pure LCP, suggesting LCP acts as a reinforcing agent in the blends.     

A modified embedded-atom method interatomic potential for the Fe–H system

A modified embedded-atom method (MEAM) interatomic potential for the Fe–H binary system has been developed using previously developed MEAM potentials of Fe and H. The potential parameters were determined by fitting to experimental data on the dilute heat of solution of hydrogen in body-centered cubic (bcc) and face-centered cubic (fcc) Fe, the vacancy–hydrogen binding energy in bcc Fe, and to a first-principles calculation for the lattice parameter and bulk modulus of a hypothetical NaCl-type FeH. The potential accurately reproduces the known physical properties of hydrogen as an interstitial solute element in bcc and fcc Fe. The applicability of the potential to atomistic approaches for investigating interactions between hydrogen atoms and other defects such as vacancies, dislocations and grain boundaries, and also for investigating the effects of hydrogen on various deformation and mechanical behaviors of iron is demonstrated.