Investigation of diffusion behavior and mechanical properties of Mg-Zn system

The growth kinetics, diffusion kinetics and mechanical properties of intermetallics in Mg-Zn binary systems have been investigated in this work. Four intermetallic compounds (IMCs) Mg₂Zn₁₁, MgZn₂, Mg₂₁Zn₂₅, and Mg₄Zn₇ have been observed in the Mg-Zn diffusion zone at the temperature range of 523–593 K. The square of thickness for IMCs diffusion layer increases linearly with time, which is consistent with the parabolic growth law, and also indicates that the growth of IMCs is controlled by diffusion. Growth constants and growth activation energies of Mg-Zn IMCs have been evaluated. Average effective interdiffusion coefficient of each phase has been calculated by the Wagner's method based on the concentration distribution obtained by EPMA. The diffusion activation energy has been estimated and compared with the available results. Finally, displacement-unloading curve measured by nanoindentation was used to estimate the hardness and Young's modulus to characterize the mechanical and creep properties of Mg₂Zn₁₁, MgZn₂, Mg₂₁Zn₂₅ and Mg₄Zn₇. The present results should be beneficial to the design and performance of Mg-based alloys.     

Diffusion behavior and reactions between Al and Ca in Mg alloys by diffusion couples

The diffusion behavior and reactions between Al and Ca in Mg alloys by diffusion couple method were investigated. Results demonstrate that Al_2Ca is the only phase existing in the diffusion reaction layers.The volume fraction of Al_2Ca in diffusion reaction layers increases linearly with temperature. The standard enthalpy of formation for intermetallic compounds was rationalized on the basis of the Miedema model. Al-Ca intermetallic compounds were preferable to form in the Mg-Al-Ca ternary system under the same conditions. Over the range of 350–400?C, the structure of Al_2Ca is more stable than that of Al_4Ca, Al_(14)Ca_(13) and Al_3Ca_8. The growth constants of the layer Ⅰ, layer Ⅱ and entire diffusion reaction layers were determined. The activation energies for the growth of the layer Ⅰ, layer Ⅱ and entire diffusion reaction layers were(80.74 ± 3.01) k J/mol,(93.45 ± 2.12) k J/mol and(83.52 ± 1.50) k J/mol, respectively.In layer Ⅰ and Ⅱ, Al has higher integrated interdiffusion coefficients D~(Int, layer)ithan Ca. The average effective interdiffusion coefficients D_(Al)~(eff) values are higher than D_(Ca)~(eff) in the layer Ⅰ and Ⅱ.     

Microstructures and properties of Bi10Ag high temperature solder doped with Cu element

High temperature Bi10Ag solders with different amounts of Cu were used to investigate the impacts of Cu on the microstructures, melting characteristics, wettability and shear strength of the Bi-10Ag-xCu (x = 0, 0.5, 1, and 2 wt%) solders. A metastable Cu-rich phase was formed due to the addition of Cu. The Cu has negligible effect on the solidus but it can decrease about 6 °C on the liquidus. Doped with 0.5 wt% of Cu, the solders showed the largest melting range in the DSC curves and improved wettability on Cu substrates. When the Cu addition excesses to 0.5 wt%, it will induce negative effects on wettability of the solders on the substrate. Moreover, the addition of Cu has no significant influence on the strength of the Bi10Ag lap solder joints. The Bi-10Ag-0.5Cu solder joint has higher shear strength than that of Pb5Sn.     

Temperature dependent first matrix cracking stress model for the unidirectional fiber reinforced ceramic composites

Based on a kind of equivalence between heat energy and fracture energy, assuming that there is a constant maximum storage of energy that includes both heat energy and fracture energy, a new temperature dependent fracture surface energy model is developed. Using the new model and the classical ACK theory, a temperature dependent first matrix cracking stress model is obtained for the fiber reinforced ceramic composites. According to the model, the temperature dependent first matrix cracking stress of materials can be easily predicted using some basic material parameters such as matrix fracture surface energy and Young’s modulus. The model is verified by comparison with experimental data of SiC fiber reinforced reaction-bonded Si₃N₄ composites at different temperatures. Good agreement is obtained between predicted and experimental data of first matrix cracking stress. The dependency of first matrix cracking stress on fracture surface energy and interfacial shear strength is systematically analyzed.     

A novel theoretical model to predict the temperature-dependent fracture strength of ceramic materials

A novel temperature-dependent fracture strength model for ceramic materials is developed, based on a critical fracture energy density associated with material fracture comprising strain energy, the corresponding equivalent potential energy, and kinetic energy of atoms per unit volume. It relates the fracture strength at high temperatures to that at the reference temperature, the temperature-dependent Young’s modulus, the temperature, and the melting point. The model is verified by comparison with experimental data of ceramic materials. The model predictions and the experimental data are in excellent agreement with each other. As the Young’s modulus can easily be obtained by experiments and the melting point can easily be obtained by materials handbook, the model can easily predict the fracture strength of ceramic materials at arbitrary temperatures.     

Synthesis,structure, and magnetic properties of n=2 Ruddlesden–Popper manganates

Low-field magnetoresistance is observed both below and above the three-dimensional Curie temperature of the intrinsically layered Ruddlesden–Popper manganates Sr_2−xLa_1+xMn₂O₇. Significant differences from the more extensively investigated n=∞ three-dimensional perovskites include a much more rapid suppression of ferromagnetic ordering as the size of the lanthanide cation is reduced and more complex magnetic and structural behaviour in the manganese oxidation state range which produces charge ordering in the n=1 and n=∞ homologues. Control of chemical imperfections, such as intergrowth and phase co-existence, is required to allow understanding of the physical properties of this system.     

Coincidence grain boundary and role of inhibitor for secondary recrystallization in Fe-3% Si alloy

Secondary recrystallization behavior in the presence of AlN and MnS precipitates in Fe-3% Si alloy, processed by one stage cold rolling method, was investigated with special reference to a role of inhibitor for secondary recrystallization. The sharpness of Goss secondary texture is higher in the early stage of secondary recrystallization. In the case of stronger grain growth inhibition by precipitates during secondary recrystallization, the evolution of secondary recrystallized grains in orientations dispersed from Goss orientation is smaller than that in the case of weaker grain growth inhibition. The mechanism of these experimental results is explained by the specific grain boundary migration characteristics in the presence of inhibitor, namely, the critical frequency of Σ9 coincidence oriented grains in relation to nucleus for the evolution of secondary recrystallization is considered to be higher in the case of stronger grain growth inhibition during secondary recrystallization.     

Effect of strain path change on the through-thickness microstructure during tantalum rolling

High purity tantalum was respectively processed by unidirectional rolling (UR) and clock rolling (CR), and the through-thickness microstructures were investigated by multiple characterization techniques including electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), Vickers hardness (HV) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Results show that the through-thickness stored energy distribution in CR specimens is more homogeneous than in UR specimens due to uniform texture distribution. {111} grains possess larger Schmid factors and the corresponding Schmid factor difference ratio than {100} grains, indicating the activation of uniserial slipping in {111} grains, which leads to inhomogeneous deformation and higher stored energy. Besides, X-ray line profile analysis (XLPA) suggests that the stored energy of {111} grains increases successively from the surface to center layer, regardless of strain paths, due to the influence of redundant friction on the surface layers. While the occurrence of multiple slipping in {100} grains leads to homogeneous deformation and lower stored energy.     

Al2O3对钒钛磁铁精矿烧结性能的影响

针对四川德胜集团钢铁有限公司使用高配比钒钛磁铁精矿烧结生产的情况,在实验室进行了Al2O3对钒钛烧结矿产质量、低温还原粉化以及烧结矿矿物组成和显微结构的试验研究。研究结果表明:Al2O3含量的提高对烧结矿的产、质量以及低温还原粉化指标产生不利的影响,考虑到烧结原料条件及实际生产的需要,烧结矿中Al2O3含量小于3.2%为宜。     

Preparation and cellular response of porous A-type carbonated hydroxyapatite nanoceramics

Microwave sintering using the activated carbon as embedding material was applied in preparation of porous A-type carbonated hydroxyapatite ceramics with nano(nCHA) and submicron (mCHA) structure. By examining the linear shrinkages and the compressive strengths of samples at different temperatures, a suitable microwave sintering temperature was achieved. The microwave sintering method was successfully used to prepare A-type CHA with nano or submicron structure, and the mechanism of the formation of A-type carbonate groups was discussed also. Compared with the samples prepared by the conventional sintering method (mHA), the nCHA bioceramics synthesized by the microwave sintering approach had smaller grain size and more uniform microstructure, and showed a compressive strength similar to the conventional samples. In vitro dissolution test proved that nCHA exhibits better degradation property in comparison to pure HA. Rat osteoblasts were cultured with nCHA, mCHA and mHA to evaluate their biocompatibility, and nCHA showed significant enhancement of cells in attachment, proliferation and differentiation. In conclusion, carbonate groups can be easily introduced to HA crystal structure using the activated carbon as embedding material, and microwave sintering is an effective and simple method in preparing A-type CHA with a nanostructure. Results from this in vitro biological study suggest that porous A-type carbonated hydroxyapatite nanoceramics may be a much better candidate for clinical use in terms of bioactivity.