Key Engineering Materials Vols. 297-300

Abstract: Studies of the influences of symmetric tensile-compressive low cyclic fatigue behavior and dynamic strain aging (DSA) pre-treatment on H68 brass were made. The results showed that the cyclic softening was the main factor that controlled the fatigue life after various pre-treatments. The process of cyclic softening was believed to be related to the change of dislocation configuration. TEM observation indicated that the uniform and stable dislocation networks with high density formed after DSA pre-treatment, which increased the deformation stress, decreased the cyclic strain. The cyclic softening was caused by the low dislocation density and elongated cell structure with low energy

Abstract: This study is focused to the effects of plastic working on the fatigue strength of Ti-6Al-4V alloy with notch. In general, the fatigue strength of plastic worked specimen is higher than that of non-worked one. However, the potential of hardening ability of Ti-6Al-4V alloy is very limited. Accordingly, the effect of work hardening on fatigue strength about this material is very small. In addition, the surface of the worked part becomes rougher with increasing plastic deformed value and the fatigue cracks initiate at this part. Consequently, the fatigue limit of the plastic worked specimen is lower than that of the non-plastic-worked one.

Abstract: The highest structural stiffness of an SPR joint was exhibited in the specimen constituted with 5J32 and ASPH, and the lowest stiffness in that constituted with the single 5J32 combination. Even though the structural stiffness of an SPR joint specimen is roughly the same with another type of joint, the fatigue life is different according to sheet material and its thickness. The results of numerical analysis are nearly identical to those of experiments. Thus, it can be that FEM modeling in accordance with FEMFAT is effective in assessing the stiffness and fatigue life of SPR joints, and can be an alternative to experimental analysis.

Abstract: Prevention of slack in fastening bolt has been an important researching subject since fatigue failure can be generally caused by loosening nut. According to the above reason, the super lock bolt with double screw mechanism, which is non-loosening, has been developed for preventing such kind of bolt failure. The objects of the present study are as follows: (1) To clarify the fatigue strength characteristics. (2) To investigate the initiation and propagation behaviour of fatigue crack regarding to the thread root of first pitch. In addition, the mechanism of “fatigue strength of super lock bolt” is also discussed in this paper and it is confirmed that this bolt shows excellent fatigue strength and non-loosening properties.

Abstract: Nondestructive evaluation (NDE) techniques were used for the tensile damage characterization in ceramic matrix composites (CMCs). Ultrasonic testing (UT) and infrared (IR) thermography were employed to assess defects and/or damage evolution before and during mechanical testing. Prior to tensile testing, a UT C-scan and a xenon flash method were performed to obtain initial defect information in light of UT C-scans and thermal diffusivity maps, respectively. An IR camera was used for in-situ monitoring of progressive damages. The IR camera measured temperature changes during tensile testing. This paper has presented the feasibility of using NDE techniques to interpret structural performance of CMCs.

Abstract: SiC has been extensively studied for high temperature components in advanced energy system and gas turbine because of its excellent high temperature mechanical properties and good thermal-chemical stability etc. However, the brittle characteristics of SiC such as low fracture toughness and low strain-to fracture still impose a severe limitation on practical applications of SiC materials. For these reasons, SiCf/SiC composites can be considered as a promising for various structural materials, because of their good fracture toughness compared with monolithic SiC. But, high temperature and pressure lead to the degradation of the reinforcing fiber during the hot pressing. Therefore, reduction of sintering temperature and pressure is key requirements for the fabrication of SiCf/SiC composites by hot pressing method. In the present work, monolithic Liquid Phase Sintered SiC (LPS-SiC) was fabricated by hot pressing method in Ar atmosphere at 1800oC under 20MPa using Al2O3, Y2O3 and SiO2 as sintering additives. The starting powder was high purity β-SiC nano-powder with an average particle size of 30nm. The characterization of LPS-SiC was investigated by means of SEM and three point bending test. Base on the composition of sintering additives-, microstructure- and mechanical property correlation, the compositions of sintering additives are discussed.

Abstract: Multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNT)/poly (methyl methacrylate) composites were fabricated with the variation of the concentration rate of nanotubes by the solution casting. SEM images showed that the nanotubes were dispersed well throughout PMMA. Assuming that MWNTs in MWNT/PMMA composites were randomly oriented, the Tsai-Pagano equation, which can give the moduli of short fiber reinforced composites, was used to evaluate that of the MWNT/PMMA composite. For investigating mechanical properties of the MWNT/PMMA composite, tensile loading tests were performed, varying the concentration rate of the MWNTs. For each concentration rate of the MWNTs, at least 5 specimens of MWNT/PMMA composites were made and tested. As the concentration rate of the MWNTs increased from 0 to 0.15wt%, tensile strength and modulus of the MWNT/PMMA composites were improved by about 20% and 32%, respectively. However, the experimental results were not in agreement with what we estimated. Here are two reasons supposed. First, the MWNTs used in this research were not stretched straightly but entangled. It means that MWNTs cannot be assumed to be short fibers. Second, the concentration rate of the MWNTs is too small to be considered as short fiber composites.

Abstract: LiTaO3 (5--25vol%) dispersed Al2O3 matrix composite (LTA) with high relative density were fabricated by hot pressing at 1300°C. The microstructure and mechanical properties of the composite were studied. The main results are as follows: Al2O3 was found to be phase compatible with piezoelectric LiTaO3 during high temperature sintering process. The relative density of the LTA composites was greatly improved by the addition of LiTaO3 particles. Domains are clearly discerned in LiTaO3 grains in the LTA composite, confirming that LiTaO3 particles remain ferroelectrics. 90 degree domains were observed in LiTaO3 grains constrained strongly by Al2O3 matrix, which has never been found in LiTaO3 single crystal before. Comparing with those of pure Al2O3, sintered at same temperature (1300°C), both the flexural strength and the fracture toughness of the composites are all enhanced. Domain switching is suggested as a new toughening mechanism in the ferroelectric particles dispersed structural ceramics.

Abstract: Evolution of switching zone near a crack tip in ferroelectric ceramics is calculated using the constitutive equations proposed in [1], with an assumption that switching-induced internal fields are minimized by fine domain microstructures and moving charges. A two-dimensional ferroelectric ceramic specimen that has an edge crack and that is poled perpendicular to the crack plane are subjected to external stress and electric fields. Diverse crack tip microstructures are obtained depending on both the history and the ratio of electric and stress loads. It is shown that opposite crack tip opening stresses under the same electric fields are due to opposite distributions of piezoelectric coefficients in the specimens with different crack tip microstructures.

Abstract: Using a newly-developed Material Failure Process Analysis code (MFPA3D), the micro-fracturing process and the avalanche behavior characterization of brittle disordered materials such as rock or concrete is numerically studied under uniaxial compression and tension. It is found that, due to the heterogeneity of the disordered material, there is an avalanche behavior in the microcrack coalescence process. Meanwhile, a hierarchy of avalanche events also numerically observed though a study of numerically obtained acoustic emissions or seismic events. Numerical simulations indicate that macro-crack nucleation starts well before the peak stress is reached and the crack propagation and coalescence can be traced, which can be taken as a precursory to predict the macro-fracture of the brittle disordered materials. In addition, the numerically obtained results also reveal the presence of residual strength in the post-peak region and the resemblance in the stress-strain curves between uniaxial compression and tension.