Effect of binder-phase modification and Cr3C2 addition on properties of WC-IOC0 cemented carbide

For production of fine-grained and corrosion-resistant tungsten carbide (WC) based cemented carbides, addition of chromium carbide (Cr₃3C₂) in small amounts is standard practice. No systematic study, however, has been made of the effects of large additions (maximum 6 wt % ) of Cr₃C₂ as a substitute for tungsten carbide. This study focuses on the effect of hard-phase substitution by C₃C₂ in WC-1OCo cemented carbide. An attempt is also made to modify the binder metal cobalt by partial or complete substitution of nickel. Specimens were prepared using the standard liquid-phase sintering process and were tested for sintered porosity, mechanical properties, corrosion resistance, and microstructural parameters. Results confirm the findings of earlier workers regarding grain refinement and improvement of mechanical properties upon the addition of small amounts (<2 wt%) of Cr₃C₂. Modification of the binder phase improves indentation fracture toughness and corrosion resistance. Addition of Cr₃C₂ independent of the binder type improves corrosion resistance.     

Epsilon-near-zero or mu-near-zero materials composed of dielectric photonic crystals

We theoretically demonstrate that at certain frequencies two-dimensional dielectric photonic crystals （PCs） may be regarded as either epsilon-near-zero or mu-near-zero materials. We show that the transmission through a slab of such materials upon normal incidence is normally non-unity and decays with slab thickness. However, when the incident angle increases slightly, the transmittance experiences a dramatic increase due to the Brewster effect. The combination of the tunneling and resonance effects makes such materials good candidates for almost perfect bending waveguides and cloaking in waveguides. The zero index also enables applications of focusing and directive emission. At last, the distinction between the single-zero and double-zero media is discussed. In all of the above results, the numerical simulations perfectly match with theoretical predictions from the effective medium analysis.     

Wire + Arc Additive Manufacturing

Depositing large components (>10?kg) in titanium, aluminium, steel and other metals is possible using Wire + Arc Additive Manufacturing. This technology adopts arc welding tools and wire as feedstock for additive manufacturing purposes. High deposition rates, low material and equipment costs, and good structural integrity make Wire+Arc Additive Manufacturing a suitable candidate for replacing the current method of manufacturing from solid billets or large forgings, especially with regards to low and medium complexity parts. A variety of components have been successfully manufactured with this process, including Ti–6Al–4V spars and landing gear assemblies, aluminium wing ribs, steel wind tunnel models and cones. Strategies on how to manage residual stress, improve mechanical properties and eliminate defects such as porosity are suggested. Finally, the benefits of non-destructive testing, online monitoring and in situ machining are discussed.     

The rim zone of cement-based materials – Barrier or fast lane for chemical degradation?

Sophisticated evaluation models for the long-term stability of cement-based systems demand a precise knowledge of the mechanisms of deterioration reactions, particularly respecting a permanent exposure to aqueous environments. Commonly, insights into these mechanisms are deduced from long-term investigations. However, these chemical reactions start immediately after exposure to aggressive environments causing rapid changes of composition and structure. Consequently, properties of its rim zone change, which affects transport processes in aqueous solutions. In laboratory experiments, the influence of these surface processes on the stability of cement-based materials exposed to different chloride solutions was studied as a function of time and temperature. Analysis of compositional and structural changes beneath the surface reveal the role of crystalline covering layers for chemical resistance. Such layers are often described as protective barriers. However, these processes in the rim zone can accelerate chemical degradation and subsequently reduce the resilience of the cement-based materials to aggressive aqueous environments.     

纳米Fe_2O_3作为润滑油添加剂的摩擦磨损性能

采用烧结方法制备得到纳米α-Fe_2O_3,利用X射线衍射仪(XRD)和透射电镜(TEM)对样品进行了表征,研究了纳米α-Fe_2O_3作为液体石蜡添加剂的摩擦磨损性能。结果表明,添加纳米添加剂后,润滑油摩擦系数改变不明显,但磨损率显著降低。磨损率与纳米α-Fe_2O_3添加剂的表面积和添加量密切相关,当纳米材料的表面积为47m~2/g时磨损率最低,磨损率值降低为3.78×10~(-15) m~2/g;添加量为1.0wt%,润滑油磨损率最低。     

Rolling texture and its effect on tensile property of a near-α titanium alloy Ti60 plate

Rolling texture and its effect on tensile properties of Ti60 alloy plates were investigated in the present study. The plates wereβ-rolled at 1070℃ and(α+β)-rolled at 980℃, using uni-directionally rolling(UDR) and cross-directionally rolling(CDR) processes, respectively.β-rolled plates exhibited weak textures, which were attributed to the dispersive orientations of secondary α during the β→α phase transformation. Strong deformation textures formed in(α+β)-rolled plates as a result of slipping mechanisms: the strong T-type texture in UDR plate was related to {10 1 0}[11 2 0] slipping, while the B-type texture in CDR plate was relevant with {0001}[11 2 0] slip. Strong T-type textures led to anisotropic tensile properties. B-type textures would decrease such an anisotropy. The(α+β)-CDR process was found to be a candidate process for reducing anisotropy of Ti60 alloy plates.     

Effects of Fe concentration on microstructure and corrosion of Mg-6Al-1Zn-xFe alloys for fracturing balls applications

Mg-6Al-1Zn-xFe (x = 0, 1, 3, 5 and 7 wt%) alloys were prepared by powder metallurgy and followed by hot extrusion. Majority of Fe element exists as insoluble particles in the alloys. The as-extruded alloys showed higher degradable rates but less stable mechanical properties than as-annealed alloys. Corrosion rate of all the alloys increased with increasing Fe concentration, reaching 2.4 mL cm⁻² h^-1. 0.2% yield strength of all the alloys was higher than 150 MPa. In short, Mg-6Al-1Zn-xFe alloys have an attractive combination of corrosion and mechanical properties, which holds a bright future for fracturing balls applications.