Mechanical and microstructural investigations of nitrided Fe-Cr layers

Nano-indentation measurements were carried out on nitrided Fe-Cr alloys (1 and 3 wt% Cr) in order to determine local micro-mechanical properties. The method recently developed on nitrided 32CrMoV13 steel was applied to the Fe-Cr alloys. Evolution of micro-yield stress through the nitrided layer was correlated to microstructural parameters (volume fraction of CrN precipitates, diameter of precipitates, etc.) investigated and statistically analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results show that the mechanical behavior of the nitrided layer for both alloys studied can be described using the Orowan model of precipitation strengthening.     

The wear behaviour of oxide ceramics-A Review

The paper reviews the wear behaviour of oxide ceramics. Wear maps are considered and consequently mild and severe wear are defined. Since the use of ceramics in engineering applications require operation in the mild wear regime, the paper concentrates on mild wear mechanisms, but also considers factors which control the transition to severe wear. Within the mild wear regime, the formation of tribofilms are discussed and the manner in which dislocation activity leads to the wear transition is considered. The wear of so-called ceramic nanocomposites, for which no time dependent wear transition has yet been observed, is considered and the reasons for enhanced performance discussed. The role of transformation toughening in zirconia ceramics is considered in detail, and reasons for the generally poor wear response of these materials defined.     

The hypersonic environment: Required operating conditions and design challenges

Hypersonic flight powered by airbreathing engines offers the potential for faster response time at long ranges, and reduced cost for access-to-space. In the present paper the operating environment of typical hypersonic vehicles are discussed, including results for the radiation equilibrium wall temperature of external vehicle surfaces and the flow properties through three sample engines spanning the range of hydrocarbon-fueled Mach 4-8 flight and hydrogen-fueled flight at speeds up to Mach 17. Flow conditions at several locations through the sample engines were calculated to provide indications of the required operating flow environment. Additional system consideration such a seals, joints, vehicle integration and in-service engineering are addressed.     

Mechanism of thermochemical growth of iron borides on iron

The mechanism of thermochemical growth of iron borides on iron was studied by analysing the products which form on samples placed in contact with B₄C-base powder mixtures with different boronising potential. The analyses were carried out by means of metallographic and X-ray diffraction techniques. Three subsequent stages of growth were observed which explain the occurrence of typical properties of the thermochemically grown boride coatings, such as preferred crystallographic orientations and textures, as well as mechanical compactness and hardness, which play a determining role in the tribological behaviour of borided components.     

Sensors for chemicals based on electrically conductive immiscible HIPS/TPU blends containing carbon black

Carbon Black (CB)-containing immiscible polymer blends based on high-impact polystyrene/thermoplastic polyurethane (HIPS/TPU) were studied as sensing materials for an homologous series of alcohols, including, methanol, ethanol and 1-propanol. The studied immiscible blend was designed to exhibit a double-continuity structure i.e., the CB particles form chain-like network structures within the TPU phase, which forms a continuous phase within the HIPS matrix. Extruded HIPS/TPU/CB filaments produced by a capillary rheometer process at various shear rate levels were used for the sensing experiments. All filaments displayed a selective resistance changes upon exposure to the various alcohols combined with reproducibility and recovery behaviour. An attempt is made to identify the dominant mechanisms controlling the sensing process in a CB-containing immiscible polymer blend characterized by a double-continuity structure. The distinct structure and composition of the HIPS/TPU interphase region were found to have a crucial role in the sensing mechanism, determining the selectivity of the filaments toward the studied alcohols. Additionally, the sensing performance of HIPS/TPU/CB system is compared to recent results for TPU/CB compounds, polypropylene/TPU/CB and HIPS/ethylene vinyl acetate/CB immiscible polymer blends.