Microwave Absorption of Crystalline Fe/MnO@C Nanocapsules Embedded in Amorphous Carbon

Crystalline Fe/MnO@C core–shell nanocapsules inlaid in porous amorphous carbon matrix(FMCA)was synthesized successfully with a novel confinement strategy.The heterogeneous Fe/MnO nanocrystals are with approximate single-domain size which gives rise to natural resonance in 2–18 GHz.The addition of MnO2 confines degree of graphitization catalyzed by iron and contributes to the formation of amorphous carbon.The heterogeneous materials composed of crystalline–amorphous structures disperse evenly and its density is significantly reduced on account of porous properties.Meanwhile,adjustable dielectric loss is achieved by interrupting Fe core aggregation and stacking graphene conductive network.The dielectric loss synergistically with magnetic loss endows the FMCA enhanced absorption.The optimal reflection loss(RL)is up to−45 dB,and the effective bandwidth(RL<−10 dB)is 5.0 GHz with 2.0 mm thickness.The proposed confinement strategy not only lays the foundation for designing high-performance microwave absorber,but also offers a general duty synthesis method for heterogeneous crystalline–amorphous composites with tunable composition in other fields.     

Interfaces and fatigue damage in a metastable beta titanium matrix composite

The results of a systematic study of the effects of interfacial microstructure on fatigue damage in a metastable β Ti---15V---3Cr---3Al---3Sn/SiC (SCS-9) composite are presented. Interfacial microstructure is controlled by heat treatment in the β phase field of the matrix, which promotes coarsening of the fiber-matrix interface without significant changes in the metastable β matrix microstructure (grain size). The effects of interfacial microstructure on debone and friction strengths are also discussed using results from fiber push-out tests. Fatigue damage initiation and propagation mechanisms are elucidated via optical/scanning electron microscopy and acoustic emission analysis of specimens that were deformed to failure in incremental cyclic loading steps. The effects of cyclic deformation on matrix hardness and composite modulus are also examined prior to the presentation of a fracture mechanics (micromechanics) approach for the prediction of fatigue life, and the effects of crack-tip shielding via bridging mechanisms. The paper highlights the potential for the development of accurate life prediction methodologies that are based on experimental observations of damage in titanium matrix composites. It also illustrates the need for multidisciplinary mechanics and materials approaches in the study of composite behavior.     

钛掺入对Cu/Si（100）及Cu/SiO2薄膜体系热稳定性的影响

利用简易合金靶材在Si（100）和SiO2基底上磁控溅射制备了Cu（1.42%Ti）薄膜。研究了少量钛对Cu/Si（100）和Cu/SiO2薄膜体系在573-773 K退火前后的微观组织结构以及界面反应的影响。X射线衍射分析表明,溅射态Cu（Ti）薄膜均呈现Cu（111）和Cu（200）衍射峰,而钛显著增强铜薄膜的（111）织构。对于退火态的Cu（Ti）/Si薄膜体系,由于少量钛在薄膜/基底界面处的存在,起到净化界面作用,促使Cu3Si的形成,从而降低了薄膜体系的热稳定性。但对于Cu（Ti）/SiO2薄膜体系,在773 K退火后,仍然呈现出良好的热稳定性。薄膜截面的结构形貌以及界面处俄歇谱的分析结果都充分证实了上述结果。     

Microscopic failure mechanisms of fiber-reinforced polymer composites under transverse tension and compression

The mechanical behavior of unidirectional fiber-reinforced polymer composites subjected to tension and compression perpendicular to the fibers is studied using computational micromechanics. The representative volume element of the composite microstructure with random fiber distribution is generated, and the two dominant damage mechanisms experimentally observed – matrix plastic deformation and interfacial debonding – are included in the simulation by the extended Drucker–Prager model and cohesive zone model respectively. Progressive failure procedure for both the matrix and interface is incorporated in the simulation, and ductile criterion is used to predict the damage initiation of the matrix taking into account its sensitivity to triaxial stress state. The simulation results clearly reveal the damage process of the composites and the interactions of different damage mechanisms. It can be concluded that the tension fracture initiates as interfacial debonding and evolves as a result of interactions between interfacial debonding and matrix plastic deformation, while the compression failure is dominated by matrix plastic damage. And then the effects of interfacial properties on the damage behavior of the composites are assessed. It is found that the interfacial stiffness and fracture energy have relatively smaller influence on the mechanical behavior of composites, while the influence of interfacial strength is significant.     

Interfacial Oxides Evolution of High-Speed Steel Joints by Hot-Compression Bonding

The interfacial oxidation behavior of Cr4 Mo4 V high-speed steel(HSS) joints undergoing hot-compression bonding was investigated by using optical microscopy(OM),scanning electron microscopy(SEM),and transmission electron microscopy(TEM).In the heating and holding processes,dispersed rod-like and granular δ-Al₂ O₃ oxides were formed at the interface and in the matrix near the interface due to the selective oxidation and internal oxidation of Al,while irregular Si-Al-O compou...     

Current enhanced wettability of eutectic SnBi melt on Cu substrate

The effect of a direct electric current on the wetting behaviour of eutectic SnBi melt on Cu substrate at 220°C was investigated in the present study. It is found that the application of current enhanced the growth rate and lateral growth of interfacial reaction layer between eutectic SnBi melt and Cu substrate. Furthermore, with the increase in the current, the spread of eutectic SnBi melt on Cu is accelerated significantly and the steady state contact angle is decreased markedly. The reason for these is also discussed in the present paper.     

Active screen plasma nitriding of 316 stainless steel for the application of bipolar plates in proton exchange membrane fuel cells

Proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) has attracted considerable interest because of its superb performance, and many researches are focused on the development of high-performance, long-life bipolar plates. Stainless steel bipolar plates offer many advantages over the conventional graphite bipolar plates, such as low material and fabrication cost, excellent mechanical behaviour and ease of mass production. However, the insufficient corrosion resistance and relatively high interfacial contact resistance (ICR) become the major obstacles to the widespread use of stainless steel bipolar plates. In this work, active screen plasma nitriding (ASPN), a novel plasma nitriding technique, was used to modify the surface of 316 austenitic stainless steel. A variety of analytical techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), glow discharge optical emission spectrometer (GDOES), were employed to characterize the nitrided samples. The results reveal that a nitrogen supersaturated S-phase layer has been successfully produced on the surface of all nitrided 316 stainless steel samples. The interfacial contact resistance (ICR) value can be decreased dramatically after ASPN treatment and the corrosion resistance can also been improved. In addition, better corrosion resistance can be achieved by active screen plasma nitriding with a stainless steel screen than with a carbon steel screen. This technique could be used to improve the performance and lifespan of bipolar plates for fuel cells.     

First-principles derived complexion diagrams for phase boundaries in doped cemented carbides

This article reviews a method for calculating an equilibrium interfacial phase diagram depicting regions of stability for different interface structures as function of temperature and chemical potentials. Density functional theory (DFT) is used for interfacial energies, Monte Carlo simulations together with cluster expansions based on DFT results for obtaining configurational free energies, and CALPHAD-type modeling for describing the thermodynamic properties of the adjoining bulk phases. An explicit case, vanadium doped cemented carbides, is chosen to illustrate the progress in the research field and the interfacial diagram, a complexion diagram, for the phase boundary WC(0 0 0 1)/Co is constructed as function of temperature and chemical potentials.     

Epitaxial growth of nonpolar GaN films on r-plane sapphire substrates by pulsed laser deposition

Single-crystalline nonpolar GaN epitaxial films have been successfully grown on r-plane sapphire (Al₂O₃) substrates by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) with an in-plane epitaxial relationship of GaN[1-100]//Al₂O₃[11-20]. The properties of the ~500 nm-thick nonpolar GaN epitaxial films grown at temperatures ranging from 450 to 880 °C are studied in detail. It is revealed that the surface morphology, the crystalline quality, and the interfacial property of as-grown ~500 nm-thick nonpolar GaN epitaxial films are firstly improved and then decreased with the growth temperature changing from 450 to 880 °C. It shows an optimized result at the growth temperature of 850 °C, and the ~500 nm-thick nonpolar GaN epitaxial films grown at 850 °C show very smooth surface with a root-mean-square surface roughness of 5.5 nm and the best crystalline quality with the full-width at half-maximum values of X-ray rocking curves for GaN(11-20) and GaN(10-11) of 0.8° and 0.9°, respectively. Additionally, there is a 1.7 nm-thick interfacial layer existing between GaN epitaxial films and r-plane sapphire substrates. This work offers an effective approach for achieving single-crystalline nonpolar GaN epitaxial films for the fabrication of nonpolar GaN-based devices.     

Influence of probe offset distance on interfacial microstructure and mechanical properties of friction stir butt welded joint of Ti6Al4V and A6061 dissimilar alloys

Friction stir butt welding of titanium alloy Ti6Al4V and aluminum alloy A6061-T6 with 2 mm thickness was conducted by offsetting probe edge into the titanium alloy at rotation speed of 750 rpm and 1000 rpm and welding speed of 120 mm/min. The effect of probe offset distance on the interfacial microstructure and mechanical properties of the butt joint was investigated. When the probe offset distance is not sufficient, the two alloys cannot be completely joined together, i.e. there exists no bonding or kissing bonding at the root part of joint interface. However, when the probe offset distance is too large, a great amount of intermetallic compounds are formed at the joint interface and its adjacency, leading to fracturing roughly along the joint interface during a tensile test. In a proper range of probe offset distance, sound dissimilar butt joints are produced, which have comparatively high tensile strength and fracture in heat affected zone of the aluminum alloy during a tensile test.