A simplified analysis of the effect of microstructure gradient on the stress relief of aluminum plates and extrusions

Many bulk forms of metal products are quenched after heat treatment in order to preserve material characteristics. Rapid quenching results in large thermal stress gradients that lead to high levels of residual stress. For products such as plates and extrusions, stretching by a few percent can reduce these stresses, but the stresses are not completely relieved. This report presents a simplified analytical model of the stress relief process illustrating the effects of through-thickness property gradients on residual stress after stretching. The basic conclusion is that for plates with uniform yield surface shapes through the thickness, the through-thickness residual stress range after stress relief is equal to the strength range in the direction of stretch. In extrusions, the bow after stress relief is proportional to this strength range. Cases are also considered in which the yield surface shapes range from isotropic to anisotropic through the thickness. Plastic anisotropy can perturb the effect of strength range on residual stress.     

Improving the MCA Spectra of BC‐400 Plastic Scintillation Detectors at Room Temperature

Abstract

In the presented work, the leading edge timing and constant fraction discrimination timing techniques were applied to beta rays emitted from a ¹³⁷Cs radioactive source through the developed spectrometers in order to improve the beta energy spectrum of the source. The energy spectra, with and without the techniques, were obtained with a BC‐400 plastic scintillation detector. The obtained spectra were compared with each other for the elimination of spurious pulses, which rise from background, backscattering, scattering, and any radiations other than the source, on the multichannel analyzer output.     

Evaluating surface deformation and near surface strain hardening resulting from shot peening a tempered martensitic steel and application to low cycle fatigue

The plastic deformation resulting from shot peening treatments applied to the ferritic heat resistant steel FV448 has been investigated. Two important effects have been quantified: surface roughness and strain hardening. 2D and 3D tactile and optical techniques for determining surface roughness amplitude parameters have been investigated; it was found that whilst R_a and S_a were consistent, S_z was generally higher than R_z due to the increased probability of finding the worst case surface feature. Three different methods for evaluating the plastic strain profile have been evaluated with a view to establishing the variation in yield strength near the surface of a shot peened component. Microhardness, X-ray diffraction (XRD) line broadening and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) local misorientation techniques were applied to both uniaxially deformed calibration samples of known plastic strain and samples shot peened at intensities varying from 4A to 18A to establish the variation in plastic strain and hence the variation in yield strength. The results from the three methods were compared; XRD and EBSD profiles were found to be the most similar with microhardness profiles extending much deeper into the sample. Changes in the measured plastic strain profile after exposure to low cycle fatigue and the correlation of these changes with the cyclic stress–strain behaviour of the material are also discussed with a view to assessing the importance of the dislocation profile in component life assessment procedures.     

Some micromechanical models of elastoplastic behaviors of porous geomaterials

Some micromechanics-based constitutive models are presented in this study for porous geomaterials. These micro-macro mechanical models focus on the effect of porosity and the inclusions on the macroscopic elastoplastic behaviors of porous materials. In order to consider the effect of pores and the compressibility of the matrix, some macroscopic criteria are presented firstly for ductile porous medium having one population of pores with different types of matrix (von Mises, Green type, Mises–Schleicher and Drucker–Prager). Based on different homogenization techniques, these models are extended to the double porous materials with two populations of pores at different scales and a Drucker–Prager solid phase at the microscale. Based on these macroscopic criteria, complete constitutive models are formulated and implemented to describe the overall responses of typical porous geomaterials (sandstone, porous chalk and argillite). Comparisons between the numerical predictions and experimental data with different confining pressures or different mineralogical composites show the capabilities of these micromechanics-based models, which take into account the effects of microstructure on the macroscopic behavior and significantly improve the phenomenological ones.     

Hydrogen promotion by Co/SiO2@HZSM-5 core-shell catalyst for syngas from plastic waste gasification: The combination of functional materials

In the present work, a core-shell structured Co/SiO₂@HZSM-5 catalyst was prepared for hydrogen production from syngas of plastic waste gasification. The cobalt catalyst was coated with HZSM-5 shell through a hydrothermal process, and the Co/SiO₂@HZSM-5, with different loadings of HZSM-5 (e.g., 10–30 wt %) exhibited excellent activity and durability for dehydrogenation reactions. The amount of HZSM-5 was found to be an important factor for hydrogen production. Temperature-programmed reduction with H₂ and temperature-programmed desorption of ammonia was applied to determine the active site and the acidity of prepared catalyst, respectively. The prepared Co/SiO₂@HZSM-5 was tested through reforming of plastic gasification syngas and shown superior hydrogen production ability (∼90%) and stability (over 15 h). The effects of reduction-oxidation behavior on the catalytic performance were also discussed.     

Hermetic storage for control of common bean weevil,Acanthoscelides obtectus (Say)

This study evaluated hermetic storage as a method of controlling Acanthoscelides obtectus (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae) in stored beans. Recently harvested “vermelhinho” cultivar of the common red bean was used, which had already been infested by A. obtectus in the field. Beans with a moisture content of 15.0% wet basis were stored in silo bags (3 kg), plastic bottles (1.5 L), or non-hermetic glass containers (3 L) (control) for 120 days. The packages were stored in an acclimatized chamber at 25 °C with a relative humidity of 70 ± 5%. At time intervals of 0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 days, three packages of each treatment were opened, and analyses were performed to assess the infestation percentage by insect pests, moisture content, density, electrical conductivity, germination percentage, and cooking time. There was no increase in infestation by A. obtectus in the grains stored in the silo bags and plastic bottles during the 120 days of storage; however, there was a significant increase in infestation in the grains in non-hermetic storage (control). The quality of the beans correlated with infestation; it was not altered in the hermetic storage systems and decreased in the control sample. Hermetic storage of common beans is an effective tool in the control of A. obtectus.     

Ductility of polylactide composites reinforced with poly(butylene succinate) nanofibers

Sustainable “green nanocomposites” of polylactide (PLA) and poly(1,4-butylene succinate) (PBS) were obtained by slit die extrusion at low temperature. Dispersed PBS inclusions were sheared and longitudinally deformed with simultaneous cooling in a slot capillary and PBS nanofibers were formed. Shearing of PBS increases nonisothermal crystallization temperature by 30 °C. Tensile deformation was investigated by in-situ experiments in SEM chamber. Dominant deformation mechanism of PLA is crazing, however, there are dormant shear bands formed during slit die extrusion. Pre-existing shear bands are inactive in tensile deformation but contribute to ductility by blocking, initiating and diffusing typical craze growth. PBS nanofibers are spanning PLA craze surfaces and bridging craze gaps when PLA nanofibrils broke at large strain. Straight crazes become undulated because either dormant or new shear bands become activated between crazes. Due to interaction of crazes and shear bands the ductility increases while high strength and stiffness are retained.     

Influence of zirconium content on microstructure and creep properties of Mo–9Si–8B alloys

Mo–Si–B alloys with a molybdenum solid solution accompanied by two intermetallic phases and Mo₅SiB₂ are a prominent example for a potential new high temperature structural material. In this study the influence of 1, 2 and 4 at.% zirconium on microstructure and creep properties of Mo–9Si–8B (at.%) alloys produced by spark plasma sintering is investigated. Creep experiments have been carried out at temperatures of 1100 °C up to 1250 °C in vacuum. The samples exhibit sub-micron grain sizes as small as 450 nm due to the chosen production route. With addition of 1 at.% zirconium, formation of SiO₂ on the grain boundaries can be prevented, thereby enhancing grain boundary strength and creep properties significantly. Moreover ZrO₂ particles also enhance creep resistance of the molybdenum solid solution. Creep deformation is a combination of dislocation creep in the grains including dislocation-particle interaction and grain boundary sliding leading to intergranular fracture surfaces. It is promising to use grain size adjustments in order to balance the creep and oxidation resistance of the investigated material.     

碳酸钙高填充聚乙烯醇复合材料热塑加工性能研究

采用分子复合和增塑,以水、多元醇和含酰胺基团化合物组成复配增塑剂,通过热塑加工制备了碳酸钙(CaCO3)高填充聚乙烯醇(PVA)复合材料,采用差示扫描量热仪(DSC)、热重分析(TG)、高压毛细管流变仪等研究了复合材料的热性能、流变性能,探讨了复合材料中增塑剂的迁移率及其对制品尺寸稳定性的影响。结果表明,通过分子复合和增塑后,改性PVA及PVA/CaCO3复合材料获得较宽热塑加工窗口,当CaCO3含量为70%时热塑加工窗口达85.5℃;PVA/CaCO3复合材料的熔体为假塑性流体,其黏度满足传统挤出或注塑加工的黏度需要;随环境湿度增加,复合材料中增塑剂迁移率增加,CaCO3可抑制复合材料中增塑剂的迁移,一定程度上提高了复合材料的尺寸稳定性。