Phase equilibria of the ternary Al-Cu-Ni system and interfacial reactions of related systems at 800 °C

A series of Al-Cu-Ni alloys of various compositions were made and annealed at 800 °C. The equilibrium phases were studied by metallography, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, and electron probe microanalysis. The isothermal section of the ternary Al-Cu-Ni system at 800 °C was then determined based on these experimental results and the available phase relationship knowledge of the three constituent binary systems. No ternary compound was found. All three phases, AlNi₃, AlNi, and Al₃Ni₂, have very high ternary solubility, especially the AlNi phase, which almost reaches the binary Al-Cu side. However, no continuous solid solution was formed between the AlNi phase and any of the binary Al-Cu phases. Interfacial reactions of Al/Ni, Al/Cu, Al-Cu/Ni, and Al-Ni/Cu at 800 °C were investigated by using reaction couple techniques. The results showed that Al₃Ni and Al₃Ni₂ phases were formed in the Al/Ni couples; β-AlCu₄, γ ₁-Al₄Cu₉, and ɛ ₂-Al₂Cu₃ phases were formed in the Al/Cu couples. As for the results in the Al-2 at. pct Ni/Cu, Al-5 at. pct Ni/Cu, and Al-2 at. pct Cu/Ni, Al-4.5 at. pct Cu/Ni, and Al-6 at. pct Cu/Ni were similar to those in the binary Al/Cu and Al/Ni couples, respectively. A different reaction path was found in the Al-7.5 at. pct Cu/Ni couples, and an AlNi solid solution layer was formed instead of the Al₃Ni and Al₃Ni₂ phases.     

The hot blow forming of AZ31 Mg sheet: Formability assessment and application development

The hot blow forming of magnesium sheet offers significant opportunity for forming complex, lightweight parts for automotive applications. This paper characterizes the elevated-temperature formability of AZ31 magnesium sheet materials and the effect of processing conditions on the performance of these materials. In addition, magnesium sheet application development at General Motors Corporation is reviewed.     

Simulation of Strength Distribution in Ground Ceramics by Incorporating Residual Stress Effect

Strength of ground ceramics may be affected by residual stress as well as surface flaws induced by grinding. Strength prediction for ground ceramics is convenient for mechanical design of ceramic components. In this article, a numerical procedure based on fracture mechanics was proposed to estimate strength distribution of ground ceramics by considering grinding-induced residual stress. Bending strength and residual stress of ground ceramics were measured for three grinding-conditions. By comparison of simulated results with experimental ones, it was revealed that strength characteristics in experiments were well simulated by using the proposed procedure.     

Rheological and drug‐release behaviour of a scleroglucan gel matrix at different drug loadings

The aim of this study was to investigate the drug‐loading effects on release and mechanical properties of a scleroglucan gel, with the intention of considering them in delivery systems formulations. The rheological and kinetic properties of a 2 % w/w scleroglucan gel matrix loaded with 0, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.2 and 0.4 % w/w of theophylline (Th, used as a model drug) were investigated. Rheological measurements were performed in a controlled‐stress rotational‐shear rheometer under isothermal conditions. For theophylline release from the gel a flat Franz cell was used and the kinetic parameters were derived applying a semi‐empirical power law. The influence of scleroglucan molar weight on kinetic and rheological behaviour was also studied. Results suggest two possible effects of drug loading on the gel network: in the 0.04–0.06 % w/w Th range a plasticizing effect and in the 0.2–0.4 % w/w Th range a rigidization effect. In the first range mentioned, the changes in the gel structural properties tested by means of rheological measurements are coincident with changes in drug‐release kinetics. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry     

Rate of ammonia oxidation in a synthetic saline wastewater by a nitrifying mixed‐culture

Most of the kinetic studies on nitrification have been performed in diluted salts medium. In this work, the ammonia oxidation rate (AOR) was determined by respirometry at different ammonia (0.01 and 33.5 mg N‐NH₃ L^?1), nitrite (0–450 mg N‐NO₂^? L^?1) and nitrate (0 and 275 mg N‐NO₃^? L^?1) concentrations in a saline medium at 30 °C and pH 7.5. Sodium azide was used to uncouple the ammonia and nitrite oxidation, so as to measure independently the AOR. It was determined that ammonia causes substrate inhibition and that nitrite and nitrate exhibit product inhibition upon the AOR. The effects of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate were represented by the Andrews equation (maximal ammonia oxidation rate, r_AOMAX, = 43.2 [mg N‐NH₃ (g VSS_AO h)^?1]; half saturation constant, K_SAO, = 0.11 mg N‐NH₃ L^?1; inhibition constant K_IAO, = 7.65 mg N‐NH₃ L^?1), by the non‐competitive inhibition model (inhibition constant, K_INI, = 176 mg N‐NO₂^? L^?1) and by the partially competitive inhibition model (inhibition constant, K_INA, = 3.3 mg N‐NO₃^? L^?1; α factor = 0.24), respectively. The r_AOMAX value is smaller, and the K_SAO value larger, than the values reported in diluted salts medium; the K_IAO value is comparable to those reported. Process simulations with the kinetic model in batch nitrifying reactors showed that the inhibitory effects of nitrite and nitrate are significant for initial ammonia concentrations larger than 100 mg N‐NH₄⁺ L^?1. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry     

N.m.r. line shape-relaxation correlation analysis of bitumen and oil sands

The first results of the analysis of bitumen and oil sands using the recently developed n.m.r. spingrouping technique are presented. The n.m.r. relaxation experiments were carried out on bitumen, and on natural and dried oil sands samples. The results indicate that the spin-grouping can resolve and quantify several components of the samples studied. The bitumen and bitumen fraction of the oil sands are resolved according to their spin-spin relaxation times into three major groups: solid-like (rigid), solid-like (mobile) and semi-liquid. The water in the oil sands exists in two different environments. Tentatively one environment is assigned to be the bridges between the sand grains, while the other is assigned to be the clay surface. One can conclude that with spin grouping of complex mixtures the decomposition (in which components are resolved according to their dynamic state) is possible. The accuracy of such resolution is of the order of a few per cent.     

Synthesis,characterization and ion exchange properties of zirconium(IV) tungstoiodophosphate,a new cation exchanger

Zirconium(IV) tungstoiodophosphate has been synthesized under a variety of conditions. The most chemically and thermally stable sample is prepared by adding a mixture of aqueous solutions of 0·5 mol L⁻¹ sodium tungstate, potassium iodate and 1 mol L⁻¹ orthophosphoric acid to aqueous solution of 0·1 mol L⁻¹ zirconium(IV) oxychloride. Its ion exchange capacity for Na⁺ and K⁺ was found to be 2·20 and 2·35 meq g⁻¹ dry exchanger, respectively. The material has been characterized on the basis of chemical composition, pH titration, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis. The effect on the exchange capacity of drying the exchanger at different temperatures has been studied. The analytical importance of the material has been established by quantitative separation of Pb²⁺ from other metal ions.     

A One-Dimensional Nonlocal Damage-Plasticity Model for Ductile Materials

This paper presents a new 1-D non-local damage-plasticity deformation model for ductile materials. It uses the thermodynamic framework described in Houlsby and Puzrin (2000) and holds, nevertheless, some similarities with Lemaitre’s (1971) approach. A 1D finite element (FE) model of a bar fixed at one end and loaded in tension at the other end is introduced. This simple model demonstrates how the approach can be implemented within the finite element framework, and that it is capable of capturing both the pre-peak hardening and post-peak softening (generally responsible for models instability) due to damage-induced stiffness and strength reduction characteristic of ductile materials. It is also shown that the approach has further advantages of achieving some degree of mesh independence, and of being able to capture deformation size effects. Finally, it is illustrated how the model permits the calculation of essential work of rupture (EWR), i.e. the specific energy per unit cross-sectional area that is needed to cause tensile failure of a specimen.