Microstructure,mechanical, tribological,and oxidizing properties of AlCrSiN/AlCrVN/AlCrNbN multilayer coatings with different modulated thicknesses

Multilayer structure design is one of the most promising methods for improving the comprehensive performance of AlCrN-based hard coatings applied to cutting tools. In this study, four types of AlCrSiN/AlCrVN/AlCrNbN multilayer coatings, with different modulated thicknesses, were deposited to investigate their microstructure, mechanical, tribological, and oxidizing properties. All multilayer coatings exhibited grain growth along the crystallographic plane of (200) with a NaCl-type face-centered cubic (FCC) structure. The results show that, as the modulation thickness decreases from ～35 nm to ～10 nm, (1) the grain refinement effect is increasingly evident; (2) all multilayer coatings show a hardness of >30 GPa and an elastic modulus of >300 GPa. Both the ability to resist elastic strain to failure and the plastic deformation of multilayer coatings increase. In addition, their resistance to cracking reduces; (3) the wear rates of these multilayer coatings reduce successively from 1.78 × 10^?16 m³ N^?1 m^?1 to 7.7 × 10^?17 m³ N^?1 m^?1. This is attributed to an increase in self-lubricating VO_x and a decrease in adhesives from the counterparts; (4) the best high-temperature oxidation resistance was obtained for the multilayer coating with a modulated thickness of ～15 nm.     

Environmental effects on the strength and impact damage resistance of alumina based oxide/oxide ceramic matrix composites

In this study the effects of high temperature and moisture on the impact damage resistance and mechanical strength of Nextel 610/alumina silicate ceramic matrix composites were experimentally evaluated. Composite laminates were exposed to either a 1050°C isothermal furnace-based environment for 30 consecutive days at 6 h a day, or 95% relative humidity environment for 13 consecutive days at 67°C. Low velocity impact, tensile and short beam strength tests were performed on both ambient and environmentally conditioned laminates and damage was characterized using a combination of non-destructive and destructive techniques. High temperature and humidity environmental exposure adversely affected the impact resistance of the composite laminates. For all the environments, planar internal damage area was greater than the back side dent area, which in turn was greater than the impactor side dent area. Evidence of environmental embrittlement through a stiffer tensile response was noted for the high temperature exposed laminates while the short beam strength tests showed greater propensity for interlaminar shear failure in the moisture exposed laminates. Destructive evaluations exposed larger, more pronounced delaminations in the environmentally conditioned laminates in comparison to the ambient ones. External damage metrics of the impactor side dent depth and area directly influenced the post-impact tensile strength of the laminates while no such trend between internal damage area and residual strength could be ascertained.     

Tuning of shear thickening behavior and elastic strength of polyvinylidene fluoride via doping of ZnO-graphene

ZnO rice like nonarchitects are grafted on the graphene carbon core via a rapid microwave synthesis route. The prepared grafted systems are characterized via XRD, SEM, RAMAN, and XPS to examined the structural and morphological parameters. Zinc oxide grafted graphene sheets (ZnO-G) are further doped in β-phase of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) to prepare the polymer nanocomposites (PNCs) via mixed solvent approach (THF/DMF). β-phase confirmation of PVDF PNCs is done by FTIR studies. It is observed that ZnO-G filler enhances the β-phase content in the PNCs. Non-doped PVDF and PNCs are further studied for rheological behavior under the shear rate of 1–100 s⁻¹. Doping of ZnO-G dopant to the PVDF matrix changes its discontinuous shear thickening (DST) behavior to continues shear thickening behavior (CST). Hydrocluster formation and their interaction with the dopant could be the reason for this striking DST to CST behavioral change. Strain amplitude sweep (10⁻³% -10%) oscillatory test reveals that the PNCs shows extended linear viscoelastic region with high elastic modulus and lower viscous modulus. Effective shear thickening behavior and strong elastic strength of these PNCs present their candidature for various fields including mechanical and soft body armor applications.     

Influence of Al3+ doping for V5+ on the structural,optical, thermal and electrical properties of V2-xAlxO5-δ (x=0–0.20) ceramics

This paper reports an investigation on the structure-properties correlation of trivalent metal oxide (Al₂O₃)-doped V₂O₅ ceramics synthesized by the melt-quench technique. XRD patterns confirmed a single orthorhombic V₂O₅ phase formation with increasing strain on the doping of Al₂O₃ in place of V₂O₅ in the samples estimated by Williamson-Hall analysis. FTIR and Raman investigations revealed a structural change as [VO₅] polyhedra converts into [VO₄] polyhedra on the doping of Al₂O₃ into V₂O₅. The optical band gap was found in a wide semiconductor range as confirmed by UV–visible spectroscopy analysis. The thermal and conductivity behavior of the prepared samples were studied using thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and impedance analyzer, respectively. All the prepared ceramics exhibit good DC conductivity (0.22–0.36 Sm^-1) at 400 ?C. These materials can be considered for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cell (IT-SOFC)/battery applications due to their good conductivity and good thermal stability.     

钢管套筒灌浆连接轴向受拉性能模拟试验研究

为研究钢管套筒灌浆连接轴向受拉破坏过程及破坏机理，试验中设计了16组48个钢管套筒灌浆连接试件，试件采用钢板代替圆钢管，并进行静载试验。分析了灌浆料裂缝扩展过程、荷载-相对位移曲线，并对抗剪键高距比、灌浆料厚度、侧向力等因素对破坏过程及承载力的影响进行分析。结果表明：对于不设置抗剪键的套筒灌浆连接试件，斜裂缝随机产生，裂缝分布不均匀；对于设置抗剪键的套筒灌浆连接试件，裂缝首先出现在底部抗剪键位置处，与水平方向夹角约为30°，随后在中部和上部抗剪键位置处分别出现斜裂缝。由于每个抗剪键上荷载分担并不均匀，与抗剪键接触的灌浆料逐渐达到极限压应力，达到极限状态时，承载力全部由抗剪键间的机械咬合力承担，在连接承载力中，可忽略摩擦力和胶结力作用。随着抗剪键高距比h/s增大，各试件初始剪切刚度相差不大，承载力增大，但增幅逐渐减小，建议抗剪键高距比0.06g/s>0.3，同时需要满足灌浆料灌注的施工要求。     

Effects of the film thickness and poling electric field on photovoltaic performances of (Pb,La)(Zr,Ti)O3 ferroelectric thin film-based devices

The ferroelectric photovoltaic (FPV) effect obtained in inorganic perovskite ferroelectric materials has received much attention because of its large potential in preparing FPV devices with superior stability, high open-circuit voltage (V_oc) and large short-circuit current density (J_sc). In order to obtain suitable thickness for the ferroelectric thin film as light absorption layer, in which, the sunlight can be fully absorbed and the photo-generated electrons and holes are recombined as few as possible, we prepare Pb_0.93La_0.07(Zr_0.6Ti_0.4)_0.9825O₃ (PLZT) ferroelectric thin films with different layer numbers by the sol-gel method and based on these thin films, obtain FPV devices with FTO/PLZT/Au structure. By measuring photovoltaic properties, it is found that the device with 4 layer-PLZT thin film (~300 nm thickness) exhibits the largest V_oc and J_sc and the photovoltaic effect obviously depends on the value and direction of the poling electric field. When the device is applied a negative poling electric field, both the V_oc and J_sc are significantly higher than those of the device applied the positive poling electric field, due to the depolarization field resulting from the remnant polarization in the same direction with the built-in electric field induced by the Schottky barrier, and the higher the negative poling electric field, the larger the V_oc and J_sc. At a -333 kV/cm poling electric field, the FPV device exhibits the most superior photovoltaic properties with a V_oc of as high as 0.73 V and J_sc of as large as 2.11 μA/cm². This work opens a new way for developing ferroelectric photovoltaic devices with good properties.     

Polyaniline-based networks combined with Fe3O4 hollow spheres and carbon balls for excellent electromagnetic wave absorption

Polyaniline (PANI)-based networks combined with Fe₃O₄ hollow spheres and carbon balls (FCP) for improved electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption were investigated using an easy-to-industrialize solvothermal and physical method. Hollow structure Fe₃O₄ spheres with a lower density than that of the common solid sphere were prepared. As a thin and light magnetic material, Fe₃O₄ hollow spheres generate magnetic loss, carbon balls and PANI networks generate dielectric loss. The magnetic and conductive parts play appropriate roles in achieving complementarity in the EMW absorption. The relatively high specific surface area introduced by PANI networks promotes interfacial polarization and further supports dielectric loss. In conclusion, the above reasons provide multiple attenuation mechanisms. Samples FCP1 (?65.109 dB, at 12.800 GHz, 1.966 mm, from 5.6 to 18.0 GHz) and FCP2 (?61.033 dB, at 8.480 GHz, 3.328 mm, from 4.3 to 18.0 GHz) demonstrated a wide bandwidth, a small thickness, a minimum reflection loss (R_L), and a low loading ratio (25%) in paraffin-based composites. Specifically, their loading ration of 25% is much lower than the loading ratio of conventional materials (usually 50% and above). In addition, the bandwidth is excessively wide, above 12 GHz, possessing good absorption performance in continuous intervals with different thicknesses. Such excellent characteristics have rarely been reported in literature.     

粉土界面恒刚度循环剪切试验研究

竖向循环荷载作用下桩土界面的作用机理是研究桩土摩擦疲劳的关键。针对循环荷载作用下桩-粉土界面的剪切性能,使用改进的剪切试验装置在恒刚度条件下进行循环剪切试验,研究循环次数、累积位移和法向刚度对其摩擦疲劳性能、循环后单调剪切性能的影响。试验结果表明,粉土在循环剪切过程中,法向应力和剪应力在初始10个循环内随循环数增加快速衰减,随着循环进行,逐渐趋于稳定;单次循环内在剪切位移方向变化时,土体呈现表现出剪缩-剪胀-剪缩交替现象,总体变形呈现剪缩的趋势;循环荷载作用下,粉土界面的法向应力和剪应力随法向刚度增大衰减速率增大,达到稳定的累积循环位移越小;粉土循环后的单调剪切、法向应力恢复的单调剪切的剪应力比小于首次单调剪切试验值,且法向应力恢复的循环后剪切试验的剪胀程度较小,表明循环剪切过程中界面处粉土颗粒棱角破碎,颗粒变得光滑。在对试验数据分析的基础上,提出了与累积位移、法向刚度和初始应力相关的无量纲累积位移,建立了法向应力和界面摩擦角随累积位移的衰减方程。     

An approach to measure infill matric suction of irregular infilled rock joints under constant normal stiffness shearing

Rock joints infilled with sediments can strongly influence the strength of rock mass. As infilled joints often exist under unsaturated condition, this study investigated the influence of matric suction of infill on the overall joint shear strength. A novel technique that allows direct measurement of matric suction of infill using high capacity tensiometers (HCTs) during direct shear of infilled joints under constant normal stiffness (CNS) is described. The CNS apparatus was modified to accommodate the HCT and the procedure is explained in detail. Joint specimens were simulated by gypsum plaster using three-dimensional (3D) printed surface moulds, and filled with kaolin and sand mixture prepared at different water contents. Shear behaviours of both planar infilled joints and rough joints having joint roughness coefficients (JRCs) of 8–10 and 18–20 with the ratios of infill thickness to asperity height (t/a) equal to 0.5 were investigated. Matric suction shows predominantly unimodal behaviour during shearing of both planar and rough joints, which is closely associated with the variation of unloading rate and volumetric changes of the infill material. As expected, two-peak behaviour was observed for the rough joints and both peaks increased with the increase of infill matric suction. The results suggest that the contribution of matric suction of infill on the joint peak normalised shear stress is relatively independent of the joint roughness.