Texture development and dielectric relaxor behavior of 0.80Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3–0.20K0.5Bi0.5TiO3 ceramics templated by plate-like NaNbO3 particles

Plate-like NaNbO₃ particles were used as templates to fabricate grain-oriented 0.96(0.8Na_0.5Bi_0.5TiO₃–0.2 K_0.5Bi_0.5TiO₃)–0.04NaNbO₃ (NKBT) ceramics. The effects of the sintering temperature and the soaking time on the grain orientation and the microstructure of the textured NKBT ceramics were investigated, and the dielectric relaxor behavior is discussed. The results show that textured ceramics were successfully obtained with orientation factor more than 0.8. The textured ceramics have a microstructure with strip-like grains aligning in the direction parallel to the casting plane. The degree of grain orientation increases initially, then decreases with increasing sintering temperature, and increases continuously with increasing soaking time. The textured NKBT ceramics shows obvious dielectric relaxor characteristics which can be well explained by microdomain–macrodomain transition theory with calculating criterion K. The results show that formation of texture is beneficial to microdomain–macrodomain transition, which lead to weaken relaxor behavior and raise the dielectric constant at T_tr.     

Dehydration by Successive Pressure Drops for Drying Paddy Rice Treated by Instant Controlled Pressure Drop

The aim of the present work was to study the application of the dehydration by successive pressure drops (DDS) process to different varieties of paddy rice initially treated by the instantaneous controlled pressure drop (DIC), which is a high-temperature, short time postharvest treatment (moisture content about 20–25% dry basis) and takes less than 30 s. DIC paddy rice is dried by DDS in a relatively short time and a high milling quality is obtained (12–13% db in about 2 h). The final rice is white, easily distinguishing it from the standard parboiled one. Without a tempering period, DDS rice has less than 3% of broken grains, with a high organoleptic quality (preservation of the natural aroma with a firm and non-sticky texture), and the cooking time of both brown (whole) and white DIC rice is very short (15 and 7 min, respectively).     

Soybean Drying by Two-Dimensional Spouted Bed

Abstract

Urease activity, cracking, and breakage are important factors in considering the quality of raw soybean for feed meal industries. A two-dimensional spouted bed dryer was investigated to determine its capability for thermally inactivating the urease enzyme and maintaining its other qualities. The experimental results have shown that the drying kinetics of soybean in a two-dimensional spouted bed dryer are of the form described in the thin layer drying. The expression for the model parameter in Newton's law of cooling equation accounting for the moisture contents and inlet air temperatures was developed. The initial moisture content and inlet air temperature conditions cause cracks in the kernels. The strong collision between kernels and deflector because of high superficial velocity leads to high percentage of broken soybeans in the spout region. However, the velocity of 15.9 m/s can reduce the breakage below 5%. The inactivation of urease at low-to-moderate moisture content is suitably described by the first order kinetics. The modified Monod equation is applied when the moisture content is higher than 26% dry basis due to the inhibitory effect of water content on the inactivation rate. To complete urease inactivation and maintain protein quality, the temperatures of 150°C should be used.     

The effect of rare earth oxides on the pressureless liquid phase sintering of α-SiC

Silicon carbide (SiC) ceramics have been fabricated by pressureless liquid phase sintering with Al₂O₃ and rare-earth oxides (Lu₂O₃, Er₂O₃ and CeO₂) as sintering additives. The effect was investigated of the different types of rare earth oxides on the mechanical property, thermal conductivity and microstructure of pressureless liquid phase sintered SiC ceramics. The room temperature mechanical properties of the ceramics were affected by the type of rare earth oxides. The high temperature performances of the ceramics were influenced by the triple junction grain boundary phases. With well crystallized triple junction grain boundary phase, the SiC ceramic with Al₂O₃–Lu₂O₃ as sintering additive showed good high temperature (1300 °C) performance. With clean SiC grain boundary, the SiC ceramic with Al₂O₃–CeO₂ as sintering additive showed good room temperature thermal conductivity. By using appropriate rare earth oxide, targeted tailoring of the demanding properties of pressureless liquid phase sintered SiC ceramics can be achieved.     

SPS densification and microstructure of ZrB2 composites derived from sol–gel ZrC coating

A technique for densifying ultra high temperature ceramic composites while minimising grain growth is reported. As-purchased ZrB₂ powder was treated with a zirconia-carbon sol–gel coating. Carbothermal reduction at 1450 °C produced 100–200 nm crystalline ZrC particles attached on the surface of ZrB₂ powders. The densification behaviour of the sol–gel coated powder was compared with both the as-purchased ZrB₂ and a compositionally similar ZrB₂–ZrC mixture. All three samples were densified by spark plasma sintering (SPS). The ZrB₂ reference sample was slow to densify until 1800 °C and was not fully dense even at 2000 °C, while the sol–gel modified ZrB₂ powder completed densification by 1800 °C. The process was studied by ram displacement data, gas evolution, SEM, and XRD. The sol–gel coated nanoparticles on the ZrB₂ powder played a number of important roles in sintering, facilitating superior densification by carbothermal reduction, nanoparticle coalescence and solid-state diffusion, and controlling grain growth and pore removal by Zener pinning. The sol–gel surface modification is a promising technique to develop ultra-high temperature ceramic composites with high density and minimum grain growth.     

连续铸挤Al-5Ti-1B合金线的组织与晶粒细化效果

采用连续铸挤成形Al-5Ti-1B合金线,采用光学显微镜和扫描电镜分析了Al-5Ti-1B合金线的显微组织和晶粒细化效果,并与A1-5Ti-1B合金锭进行了比较.结果表明,连续铸挤 Al-5Ti-1B合金线中TiAl3 相呈细小圆块状,分布均匀,TiB2粒子弥散分布于铅基体;而Al-5Ti-1B合金锭中TiA13相呈粗大板条状,TiB2 粒子偏聚于铝晶界呈粗大团块状.Al-5Ti-1B合金线对纯铝的晶粒细化效果优于Al-5Ti-1B合金锭,纯铝加入A1-5Ti-1B合金线5 min后,晶粒尺寸达到最小.     

Al-Ti、Al-Ti-C中间合金对AZ91D镁合金组织和性能的影响

研究了Al-5Ti、Al-5Ti-0．25C和Al-8Ti-2C中间合金对AZ91D镁合金的组织、力学性能和耐腐蚀性能的影响。结果表明,添加Al-5Ti中间合金使晶粒粗化,而添加Al-5Ti-0．25C和Al-8Ti-2C中间合金使晶粒细化,Al-8Ti-2C中间舍金的细化效果明显且细化后组织细小均匀;添加Al-5Ti中间合金使合金的力学性能降低,而添加Al-5Ti-0．25C和Al-8Ti-2C中间合金均使合金的拉伸强度和伸长率得到了提高;添加Al-5Ti、Al-5Ti-0．25C和Al-8Ti-2C中间合金均使合金的耐腐蚀性能得到了改善。对于AZ91D合金而言,Al-8Ti-2C中间合金是一种良好的晶粒细化剂。     

A356合金α(Al)的晶粒细化

采用 ＡｌＴｉＣ 晶粒细化中间合金对 Ａ３５６ 进行了晶粒细化试验,证明Ａ３５６ 合金的 α（Ａｌ）晶粒尺寸和枝晶干同时获得了明显的细化。这表明ＡｌＴｉＣ 合金可能是细化ＡｌＳｉ合金 α（Ａｌ）晶体组织和克服Ｓｉ中毒作用的良好晶粒细化剂。     

Mechanisms for grain size hardening and softening in Zn

An analysis of the rate-controlling mechanisms corresponding to effect of grain size d=10⁻⁹ to 10⁻³ m on the flow stress of Zn at 300K and s⁻¹ was performed. Three grain size regimes were indicated: Regime I, d≈10⁻⁶–10⁻³ m, Regime II, d≈10⁻⁶–10⁻⁸ m and Regime III, d<10⁻⁸ m. Grain size hardening occurred in Regimes I and II and grain size softening in Regime III. The intersection of pyramidal forest dislocations by basal dislocations was concluded to be the rate-controlling mechanism in both Regimes I and II, the major effect of the grain size being on the forest and gliding dislocation densities. The absence of twinning and a dislocation cell structure distinguished Regime II from I. The grain size softening observed in Regime III is in better accord with grain boundary shear than with grain boundary diffusion creep.     

等通道转角挤压(ECAP)工艺的研究现状

等通道转角挤压(ECAP)是一种大塑形加工技术,可细化合金组织,改善性能,提高材料的成形性.本文概述ECAP法的基本原理、剪切模式与变形规律,分析摩擦因素对变形的影响,综述中国在ECAP合金组织、性能方面的一些研究成果.