Materials Science Forum Vols. 539-543

Abstract: The electromagnetic wave absorption properties of amorphous alloy-epoxy composites have been investigated utilizing various amorphous alloy particle sizes in quasi-microwave frequency. The composite fabricated with small sized particle (< 26 μm) only revealed good absorption properties above 20dB with a thin thickness less than 6 mm. As particle size decreased, absorber had thinner matching thickness mainly due to increasing matching frequency. Such a variation of matching frequency was resulted from resonance frequency variation. The magnetic relaxation of the composites with small particle (< 38 μm) was contributed to magnetic resonance induced by demagnetization field. The eddy current also affected on the magnetic relaxation of the composites with large particle (> 38 μm) due to their large conductivity.

Abstract: To develop a novel separation technique of matrix alloys from metal matrix composite, separation experiments for various kinds of particle reinforced metal matrix composites (PRMMCs) were carried out. The Al-4mass%Cu alloy, Al-7mass%Si alloy and cast iron were used as matrix. The SiC particles (particle size: 75μm) and Al2O3 particles (particle size: 120μm) were used as reinforcement. The PRMMC specimen was placed in a silica tube container with a small nozzle (nozzle size: 0.75mm) at the bottom and was melted by H.F. induction heating. Then the molten PRMMC specimen was forced to flow out through the nozzle by applying a certain pressure of Ar gas. Most of the molten matrix alloy flowed out through the nozzle and the remainder in the container consisted of the reinforcements and a part of the matrix alloy. The amount of separated matrix alloy increased with decreasing the volume fraction of reinforcement particles in PRMMC specimens. With decreasing the fabrication temperature from 1273K to 1073K, the amount of matrix alloy separated from SiCP/Al-7mass%Si alloy composites increased. It is considered that a reaction layer formed on the surface of SiC particles at 1273K improves the wettability between the molten matrix alloy and SiC particle, which prevents the separation of molten matrix alloy from reinforcements. On the other hand, the amount of separated matrix alloy from 20vol% Al2O3P/cast iron composites was very high due to no reaction layer formed at interface between Al2O3 particle and cast iron.

Abstract: Porous Ti compacts reinforced by ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) were fabricated and their mechanical properties were evaluated. Ti powder atomized by plasma rotating electrode process (PREP) was sintered at temperatures ranging from 1473 K to 1673 K for 7.2 ks in a vacuum. The porous Ti compacts contain the porosity of about 40%, irrespective of the sintering temperature. Porous Ti/UHMWPE composites were successfully fabricated by compressing UHMWPE powder into the porous Ti compacts. The compacts exhibit open pore structure and enables the penetration of UHMWPE into pores in the compacts. Young’s modulus of the composites is higher than that of the porous Ti compacts. The increment in Young’s modulus is not simply explained by the rule of mixture because Young’s modulus of the UHMWPE is approximately 1.3 GPa. Three-point bending strength of the composites is improved, presumably due to the local stress relief by UHMWPE in the vicinity of neck in the composites.

Abstract: This paper presents the effects of fillers on electrical properties of PTFE composites for nozzle of circuit breaker. PTFE has been used widely as a material for circuit breaker nozzle. Adding some filler into PTFE material is expected to be efficient for improving the endurance against arc radiation. In this experiment, effects of fillers on electrical properties such as dielectric constant, dissipation factor, electrical resistivity, dielectric strength and corona resistance of PTFE composites were investigated.

Abstract: This paper is concerned with the long-term performance of geo-textile (GT) composites in terms of creep deformation and frictional properties. Composites of PVA GT and HDPE GM were made to investigate the advanced properties of long-term performance related to waste landfill applications. The same experiments were also performed for typical polypropylene and polyester GT and compared to PVA GT/HDPE GM composites. The main purpose of this study is to develop high performance GT composites with GM by using PVA GT which is capable of improving frictional property and thus enhances long-term performance of GT composites. In the present experiments, GT composites of PVA GT/HDPE GM, PVA GT of 600, 1000, 1500, 2000g/m2 and HDPE GM were prepared in thermal bonding process. Polyester and polypropylene GT were also made in needle punching process. The creep deformation of GT composites was measured and evaluated in accordance with ASTM D5262. Frictional characteristics of GT composites tested in this study were conducted with compact direct shear apparatus in accordance with ASTM D5321. It was concluded from the present experimental study that friction coefficient of GT composites is relatively large compared with those of polyester and polypropylene non-woven GT as long as the friction media has similar size to the particles of domestic standard earth. In the event that 20% of the maximum tensile strength was added to polypropylene and polyester non-woven geo-textiles, creep deformation reached to 10% or higher, making it even impossible to find reduction factor.

Abstract: Ball milling was utilized to make composite powders from either elemental Mo, Si, C powders or compound MoSi2 and SiC powders. The milled powders were hot-pressed in a vacuum furnace to produce 10 to 30 vol.% SiC-reinforced MoSi2 composites. The influence of microstructure on the indentation fracture toughness of the fabricated SiC/MoSi2 composites was investigated. The SiC particles present in the consolidated compound composite are larger than those in the elemental composite while the pores observed in the former composite are fewer than in the latter. The overall values of fracture toughness measured on the compound composites are higher than those of elemental composites. The major reason for the greater toughness of compound composites is due to the larger SiC particles and fewer pores in these materials.

Abstract: (Ti1-xAlx)N(x=0, 0.1, 0.3) coatings were deposited on 1Cr11Ni2W2MoV stainless steel by arc ion plating. The (Ti1-xAlx)N coatings had B1 NaCl structure, however its preferred orientation change from (111) to (220) with the increase of Al content. A number of nodule-shaped spots identified as rutile TiO2 by XRD formed on the surface of TiN coating after corrosion beneath NaCl deposit in wet oxygen at 600 oC. With the addition of Al, a thin scale composed of Al2O3 and TiO2 formed on the surface of the (Ti1-xAlx)N coatings instead of a scale of TiO2 on TiN coating, thereby their corrosion resistance was remarkably enhanced.

Abstract: Zirconia (ZrO2) coating formed by plasma spray method is widely used industrially as a thermal barrier coating (TBC). Presently, there are some problems such as spallation and cracks inside the coating. As one solution given by the development of new spaying processing, the gas tunnel type plasma spraying is one of excellent method to enhance the TBC performances. The zirconia-alumina (ZrO2-Al2O3) composite coating formed by this method has a high hardness layer at the surface side of the coating, which shows the graded functionality of hardness, and is superior as a TBC. In this paper, the performance of such high hardness ZrO2-Al2O3 composite coating was investigated and the merit as TBC was clarified. The Vickers hardness of the high hardness layer near the coating surface increased by the thermal process of high energy plasma, which corresponded to the result that the coating became denser. Also, the effect of alumina mixing was discussed about the microstructure of this composite coating. The combination of high hardness of Al2O3 with the low thermal conductivity of ZrO2 resulted to the development of high performance TBC. The transverse thermal conductivity of such ZrO2-Al2O3 composite coatings was proved to be much smaller than that in the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: Three interface factors may influence thermally-sprayed coatings adhesion: interface morphology (as usual), thermal and chemical features. It was shown that these three aspects of adhesion mechanisms are shown to be dependent and very local. It is especially true for cold spray which is one of the most promising spray processes. As this spraying technique is based on rapid deformation, cold spray coating/substrate interfaces show local morphological, thermal and chemical features, in a way that none of them can be neglected. LASAT is particularly suitable for testing these coatings because it can be applied to small areas (~1 mm²). From this, it has the outstanding advantage to be sensitive to fine-scaled phenomena responsible for coating adhesion.