Key Engineering Materials Vols. 510-511

Abstract: NdFeB based alloys have been used as permanent magnets for almost thirty years. The recent researches aim at optimizing the composition, microstructure and properties, reducing cost, and developing new processes. The demand for sintered magnet is increasing. Efforts are directed towards improving properties by controlling grain boundary diffusion, minimizing the rare earth (RE) content and also improving production yield. As for bonded magnets, to enhance remanence and energy product, nanocrystalline powders are employed. High thermal stability has been realized by mixing NdFeB with hard ferrite powders. For nanocrystalline and nanocomposite NdFeB based alloys, both compositional modification and microstructural optimization have been carried out. New approaches have also been proposed to prepare NdFeB magnets with idea structure. Surfactant assisted ball milling is a good top-down method to obtain nanosized hard magnetic particles and anisotropic nanoflakes. Synthesis of NdFeB nanoparticles and NdFeB/Fe (Co) nanocomposite powders by bottom-up techniques, such as chemical reduction process and co-precipitation, has been successful very recently. To assemble nanocrystalline NdFeB powders or nanoparticles into bulk magnets, various novel consolidation processes including spark plasma sintering and high velocity press have been employed. Hot deformation can be selected as the process to achieve anisotropy in nanocrystalline magnets.

Abstract: The paper presents the results of modeling of the processes of phases transformations occurring in cathode of plasmatron with zirconium insertion. Model describes temperature and liquid-solid phase transformation in cathode considering kinetics of transformation in accordance with a state diagram. The comparison between one-dimensional mathematical models was exploited for estimation of the kinetics coefficient. First model is based on well-known heat equation with Stefans condition on the free boundary between liquid and solid phases [. The standard analytical self-similar solution for two-phase case is applied. In the second model, for heat equation instead of Stefans conditions, differential equations of kinetics are used.

Abstract: Many of the recent advances in the understanding of the fatigue crack growth process have resulted from an improved realization of the importance of fatigue crack closure in the crack growth process. Two basic crack closure processes have been identified. One of which is known as plasticity-induced fatigue crack closure (PIFCC), and the other is roughness-induced fatigue crack closure (RIFCC). Both forms occur in all alloys, but PIFCC is a surface-related process which is dominant in aluminum alloys such as 2024-T3, whereas RIFCC is dominant in most steels and titanium alloys. A proposed basic equation governing fatigue crack growth is (1) where where Kmax is the maximum stress intensity factor in a loading cycle and Kop is the stress intensity factor at the crack opening level. is the range of the stress intensity factor at the threshold level which is taken to correspond to a crack growth rate of 10-11 m/cycle. The material constant A has units of (MPa)-2, and therefore Eq. 1 is dimensionally correct. Eq.1 has been successfully used in the analysis of both long and short cracks, but in the latter case modification is needed to account for elastic-plastic behavior, the development of crack closure, and the Kitagawa effect which shows that the fatigue strength rather than the threshold level is the controlling factor determining the rate of fatigue crack growth in the very short fatigue crack growth range. Eq. 1 is used to show that The non-propagating cracks observed by Frost and Dugdale resulted from crack closure. The behavior of cracks as short as 10 microns in length can be predicted. Fatigue notch sensitivity is related to crack closure. Very high cycle fatigue (VHCF) behavior is also associated with fatigue crack closure.

Abstract: Frequent use of solid fuels as thrust generating energy source in modern day space vehicle systems has created a need to assess their serviceability for long term storage under various conditions. Solid fuel grain, the most important part of any solid fuel system, responds viscoelastically to any loading condition. For the assessment of the service life of any solid fuel system, the solid fuel grain has to be structurally evaluated in applied storage conditions. Structural integrity of the grain is exceptionally significant to guarantee the successful operation of the solid fuel system. In this work, numerical simulations have been performed to assess the mechanical stresses and strains induced in an HTPB based solid fuel grain during service life employing ABAQUS standard FEA software using 4-node bilinear quadrilateral elements. For finite element analysis (FEA), typical 2-D and π/n^th axisymmetric section of 5-point (n) star grain geometry is considered. Mechanical loads include the horizontal or vertical 1-g (solid fuel weight) storage condition. The simulation results are compared with the analytical results for the same grain geometry. Analytically measured slump deflections in grain segment at various storage times have been found in good relation with the FEA based simulation results. This proves the validity of the procedure adopted and is helpful in assessment of the service life of solid fuel systems.

Abstract: The electrodeposition of nanostructured composite coatings involves the co-deposition of nanosized oxide particles such as TiO₂, Al₂O₃ and Y₂O₃ into a corrosion resistant metal matrix such as nickel to improve the high temperature oxidation and erosion resistance of nickel coatings. The technique has several advantages over other methods for producing nanostructured composite coatings such as thermal metal spraying. Some of the main advantages are lower cost for equipment setup and lower material cost and the ease with which the process can be controlled. Although electrodeposited nanostructured coatings are being developed for various aerospace and marine applications, they have not yet been considered for protecting surfaces of components and piping that is used in technologies for the oil sands industry such as the In-Situ Combustion (ISC) process. The challenge with in-situ combustion oil production is that the combination of high temperature combustion gases and the presence of moving sand particles create an extremely severe environment in which high oxidation and erosion rates are expected. As a result there is a need to develop function specific coatings that can withstand both high temperatures and erosive environments in the oil sands industry. This paper presents results of high temperature oxidation behaviour of nickel coatings containing two types of nanosized oxide dispersions (TiO₂ and Al₂O₃). High temperature oxidation tests were conducted in dry air for 500°C and 700°C. The oxidized specimens were examined by metallographic surface analysis and surface composition techniques such as Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Wavelength Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (WDS). The effects of nanosized oxide particles on high temperature oxidation behavior of nickel coatings have been studied. The results show an improvement in the high temperature oxidation resistance of nickel coatings dispersed with Al₂O₃ and TiO₂.

Abstract: Bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) are well known for their promising properties. Surface properties can be further improved by using certain techniques such as electron beam melting (EBM), laser beam melting (LBM), ion irradiation, ion implantation and neutron irradiation. BMGs especially Zr-based BMGs have numerous applications as structural materials. In this manuscript, the results are presented on microstructural investigations and phase formations in Zr-based BMGs modified by using above mentioned techniques. Microstructure was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Phase analysis was done by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and confirmed by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Vickers hardness was measured and correlated with the microstructure. The phases identified in Zr-Cu-Al-Ni alloy samples modified by EBM, LBM and ion irradiation are Ni-Zr, NiZr₂, CuZr₂, Cu₁₀Zr₇ and Al₂NiZr₆. ZrSi₂ phase was detected in Zr₅₅Cu₃₀Al₁₀Ni₅ and Zr₆₅Cu₁₇Ni₁₀Al₈ BMGs irradiated with Si⁺ (ions). About 20-35 % increase in hardness and elastic moduli was achieved by surface modification. Modifications of BMGs by electron and laser beams melted the materials surfaces while ion irradiation improved the mechanical properties of localized zones without melting.

Abstract: The nanocrystalline Mg-Zn ferrites having general formula Mg_1-xZn_xFe₂O₄ (x=0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0. 5) were prepared by WOWS sol-gel route. All prepared samples were sintered at 700°C for 2 h. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) technique was used to investigate structural properties of the samples. The crystal structure was found to be spinel. The crystallite size, lattice parameters and porosity of samples were calculated by XRD data analysis as function of zinc concentration. The crystallite size for each sample was calculated using the Scherrer formula considering the most intense (3 1 1) peak and the range obtained was 34-68 nm. The dielectric constant (ε), dielectric loss tangent () and AC electrical conductivity of nanocrystalline Mg-Zn ferrites are investigated as a function of frequency. The dielectric constant (ε), dielectric loss tangent () increased with increase of Zn concentration. All the electrical properties are explained in accordance with MaxwellWagner model and Koops phenomenological theory.

Abstract: The effects of nanoconfinement on the dynamic and the glass transition (T_g) of polymers remains the focus of a lot of research since over a decade. Particularly, the glass transition temperature (T_g) and the dynamic of polystyrene (PS) were found to be altered by nanoconfinement in thin films and on the bulk free-surface. However, the dynamic of polymer nanoconfined in nanoparticles has not been investigated, even though the close-packed nanoparticle geometry is commonly used in many applications such as waterborne coatings. We investigate the dynamic of polystyrene in nanoparticles by monitoring the closure of voids (interstices) between PS nanoparticles in the close-packed structure. Void-closure during the passage from the close-packed particles to bulk PS is monitored using small angle neutron scattering at the bulk T_g (100 °C). The relaxation time (τ) and the apparent viscosity (η) of nanoconfined polystyrene estimated from the void-closure decay is found to decrease only by ~2 times for particle diameters between 93 nm and 42 nm. These results infer that dynamic of nanoconfined PS in nanoparticles at the bulk T_g is not different from that of bulk polystyrene.

Abstract: Fatigue crack growth near-threshold stress intensity factor is affected by the microstructure of the material. A large portion of microstructural influence is due to the change in grain size of the material. Grain size in the dual phase steel was varied and found that the near-threshold stress intensity factor (rK_th) increased as the grain size increased. Influence of load ratio nearthreshold fatigue crack propagation was also studied. It was observed that the near-threshold stress intensity range, rK_th for fatigue growth decreased with increasing load ratio.