Papers by Keyword: PAS

Abstract: The commercial Al–Zn–Mg–Cu-based alloys (7xxx series) are widely used in metalworking, automotive and aircraft industries as well as in aeronautical applications. The positive effect of the Sc,Zr-addition on mechanical properties of laboratory Al-based alloys is generally known. The microstructure, mechanical and thermal properties of the conventionally cast, heat-treated and cold-rolled Al–Zn–Mg–Cu (–Sc–Zr) alloys during isochronal annealing and natural ageing were studied. Microstructure observation by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy proved the Zn,Mg,Cu-containing eutectic phase at grain boundaries. The distinct changes in microhardness curves as well as in a heat flow of the alloys studied are mainly caused by dissolution of the clusters/Guinier-Preston (GP) zones and precipitation of particles from the Al–Zn–Mg–Cu system. An easier diffusion of Zn, Mg and Cu atoms along dislocations in the cold-rolled alloys is responsible for the precipitation of the Zn,Mg,Cu-containing particles at lower temperatures compared to the cast alloys. Microhardness values of the heat-treated alloys increase immediately from the beginning of natural ageing due to the formation of the clusters/GP zones. Addition of Sc and Zr elements results in a higher hardness above ~ 270 °C due to a strengthening by coherent secondary Al₃(Sc,Zr) particles with a good thermal stability. Sc,Zr-addition has probably no influence on the evolution of the solute clusters/GP zones.

Abstract: Annihilation process of positron in Nafion-117 was investigated under several kinds of conditions to elucidate degradation process of polymer electrolyte membrane. It was found that ortho-positronium stayed beside cluster wall and side chains and its lifetime reflected cluster size. Annihilation process of positron was found to be greatly influenced by the electronic state of sulfonic group. These results showed that positron annihilation spectroscopy would be good tool to detect degradation of polymer electrolyte membrane.

Abstract: The present study deals with deformation behaviour of textured Zircaloy 2 with two dominant orientations: basal and non-basal. During initial stages (20%), two distinct class of grains were observed – non-deforming/non-fragmenting grains and deforming/fragmenting grains. The so-called non- deforming/non-fragmenting grains remain equiaxed even after 50% of deformation. They also have insignificant in-grain misorientation developments and have more residual stresses. Dislocation dynamics simulation showed that the dislocation interactions/mobility is insignificant in basal orientations at room temperature deformations.

Abstract: Machinable SiC/graphite composites were fabricated by Plasma Activated Sintering (PAS), which characterized by high heating rate, short time sintering and high efficiency process. The staring powder mixture included SiC, graphite power and a few sintering aids. They were sintered by PAS under 30 MPa Pressure in vacuum at 1500°C and 1550°C, respectively. The density, bending strength and hardness were measured. The phase and the microstructure of the composites were also investigated. The results indicated that the relative density of SiC/C(graphite) composite sintered at 1550°C was more than 99.5%, the bending strength was 336.6MPa, but surface Vickers hardness was 5.8GPa far lower than SiC ceramics. The machinability of SiC/Graphite sintered by PAS in 1500°C was good because the continuous weak microstructure played a crucial role in the machining process, including a lot of weak interface between the grains of SiC and graphite partials and nearly 20vol% pores in the composite ceramics.

Abstract: Positron annihilation techniques were applied for irradiated Nafion-117 to investigate deterioration process in PEM. There were no significant changes in lifetime of positron/positronium, whereas the S-parameter showed fairly good correlation with proton conductivity.

Abstract: The SiC/h-BN ceramic composites with different h-BN size were fabricated by Plasma Active Sintering (PAS) method. For the SiC/ nano-sized h-BN ceramic composites, when the h-BN content was increased, because the nano-sized h-BN crystals were homogeneously dispersed around the SiC grains of the matrix, the bending strength and fracture toughness of the composites decreased slowly, but the hardness decreased sharply, therefore the machinability and thermal shock resistance were improved noticeable.

Abstract: Semi-insulating SiC grown by the HTCVD technique are studied by luminescence and absorption measurements and the results are compared to PAS and SIMS results. We have found that metal impurities are present but only in very small concentrations. The semi-insulating properties are instead determined by the intrinsic defects, mostly the silicon vacancy in hydrocarbon rich grown material and the carbon vacancy in the hydrocarbon poor grown material. The hydrocarbon poor material is stable upon annealing both from a vacancy concentration point of view and from a resistivity point of view. The hydrocarbon rich grown material does not stand the annealing at 1600 °C and the resistivity is decreased; from the absorption and PAS measurements we have observed that the decrease in silicon vacancy concentration fits the growth of the vacancy clusters.

Abstract: The defect distributions have been investigated using positron lifetime spectroscopy on amorphous and nanocrystalline Pr2Fe14B samples, produced by melt-spinning and nanocrystallization route. The main two components can be concluded that were ascribed to vacancy-like defects in the intergranular layers or the interfaces, and microvoids or large free volumes with size compared to several missing atoms at the interactions of the atomic aggregates or the crystallites. The remarkable changes in the positron lifetimes from the amorphous structure to the nanocrystalline with varied sizes can be interpreted, indicating that the structural transformation and the grain growth induce the defect distribution changes occurring at the interfaces with different shape and size.