Improved length of calcium sulfate crystal seeds and whiskers via ball milling and hydration treatment

Elucidating the effect of growth periods on the quality of calcium sulfate whiskers(CSWs)prepared from calcium sulfate dihydrate(DH)is imperative.Herein,crystal seeds and whiskers were prepared from DH in a water–glycerol system.Longer whiskers were obtained from crystal seeds prepared via hydration of DH for 30 s than via ball milling for 5 min followed by hydration for 20 s.The attachment of cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide and glycerol additives to the whisker tops promoted whisker growth.The whisker sponges exhibited good thermal barrier properties and compression cycle stability.

Preparation of MgO whisker from magnesite tailings and its application

Magnesium carbonate whisker as precursor was prepared from the low-grade magnesite tailings by the route of calcination, hydration, carbonation and thermal decomposition, and then MgO whisker was prepared by calcining the precursor. In addition, the effect of MgO whisker addition on sintering and thermal shock resistance of refractory was also investigated. The results show that the thermal decomposition product is MgCO3·3H2O and its morphology is remarkably influenced by the types of additives, and magnesium carbonate whisker with the length of 10-60 μm and length-diameter ratio of 10-20 is successfully prepared when a type of soluble magnesium salt is added. MgO whisker with the length of 10-40 μm is derived from precursor with the heating rate of 1 ℃/min. The thermal shock resistance of refractory is significantly improved by the addition of MgO whisker due to its effect on binding and preventing crack expanding, and the proper amount of whisker addition is around 3%.

Morphology and optical properties of tetrapod-like zinc oxide whiskers synthesized via equilibrium gas expanding method

The zinc oxide whiskers were synthesized by the equilibrium gas expanding method at the temperature of 700 C with metallic zinc as the main raw material without any catalysts. The effects of the growth time on microstructure and photoluminescence properties were investigated. The results show that the as-grown samples are composed of uniform tetrapod-like ZnO whiskers. The length and diameter of the arms of the tetrapod-like ZnO whiskers increase obviously with the increase of the growth time. The strong single ultraviolet （UV） emission centering 385-391 nm without any accompanying deep-level emission is observed in the room temperature photoluminescence （PL） spectra of the whiskers. The intensity of UV emission increases markedly with the increase of growth time.

Mechanical properties of calcium carbonate whisker-reinforced high-strength cement mortar

In order to improve the brittleness of high-strength cement mortar,calcium carbonate（CaCO3） whiskers are incorporated to strengthen and toughen the high-strength cement mortar.The compressive strength,flexural strength,split tensile strength and work of fracture are measured.Microstructures and micromechanical behaviors are investigated using scanning electron microscopy.The strengthening and toughening mechanisms and the efficiency of whisker-reinforced high-strength cement mortar are discussed.The results show that the addition of CaCO3 whiskers brings positive effects on the high-strength cement mortar.The strengthening and toughening mechanisms are whisker-cement coalition debonding,whisker peeling,whisker impact breakage and whisker bridging.Crack deflection is one efficient mechanism,but it is hard to be achieved in high-strength cement mortar.And the interfacial bonding strength between whiskers and the cement mortar matrix should be appropriately weak to introduce more crack deflection mechanisms to strengthen and toughen the cement mortar efficiently.

PREDICTION OF MECHANICAL PROPERTY OF WHISKER REINFORCED METAL MATRIX COMPOSITE: PART-I. MODEL AND FORMULATION

Based on study of strain distribution in whisker reinforced metal matrix composites, an explicit precise stiffness tensor is derived. In the present theory, the effect of whisker orientation on the macro property of composites is considered, but the effect of random whisker position and the complicated strain field at whisker ends are averaged. The derived formula is able to predict the stiffness modulus of composites with arbitrary whisker orientation under any loading condition. Compared with the models of micro mechanics, the present theory is competent for modulus prediction of actual engineering composites. The verification and application of the present theory are given in a subsequent paper published in the same issue

Whisker Orientation Function and Elastic Modulus of the as-cast 20% SiC_W/Mg Composite

The relationship between the plane-orientation function and the space-orientation function of whiskers in whisker-reinforced metal matrix composites was analyzed theoretically. The actual orientation of whiskers in the as-cast 20%SiCw/Mg composite (SiCw content in volume fraction) were investigated, and the elastic modulus of the composite was measured with an ultrasonic velocity analyzer. Results show that there is an evident difference between the plane-orientation function and the space-orientation function of whiskers and the space-orientation function can represent the actual condition of the composite. Only by using the space-orientation function of whiskers, the difference of elastic modulus of the as-cast composite in different directions can be explained reasonably.

Fractal analysis of fracture surfaces in aluminum borate whisker-reinforced aluminum alloy 6061 composite

The effect of interface reaction on the fractal dimensions of fracture surface in aluminum borate whisker-reinforced aluminum alloy 6061 composite was investigated. The composite was fabricated by squeeze-casting technique. The fracture surfaces created in tensile test were measured by vertical sectioning method. Fractal phenomena were found in two plots, in which the measuring units were from 3 to 15 μm and 1 to 5 μm, respectively. The relation was established between the tensile properties and fractal dimension with measuring units of 3-15 μm. The results show that the ultimate tensile strength increases while the fracture surface roughness increases with fractal dimension increasing due to the change in fracture mode depending on the degree of interface reaction status induced by heat treatment. But when the measuring units are 1-5 μm, fractal dimension does not change with heat treatment.

Effect of SiC whiskers on the oxidation protective properties of SiC coatings for carbon/carbon composites

In order to effectively employ the unique high temperature mechanical properties of carbon/carbon composite substrates, SiC coatings reinforced by SiC whiskers were prepared by pack cementation method. The effect of SiC whiskers on the oxidation resistance properties of the single-layer coating and double-layer coating was investigated. SiC whiskers in the single-layer SiC coating have little effect on the anti-oxidation property but obviously improve the thermal shock property. The double-layer coating with inner-layer reinforced coating exhibits more perfect anti-oxidation ability than the double-layer coating with SiC inner-layer coating.

Exploration of As(Ⅲ)/As(V) Uptake from Aqueous Solution by Synthesized Calcium Sulfate Whisker

Although common calcium-containing minerals such as calcite and gypsum may fix arsenic, the interaction between modified calcic minerals and arsenic has seldom been reported. The uptake behavior of As(Ⅲ)/As(V) from aqueous solutions by calcium sulfate whisker(CSW, dihydrate or anhydrite) synthesized through a cooling recrystallization method was explored. A series of batch experiments were conducted to examine the effect of p H, reaction time, whisker dosage, and initial As concentration. X-ray diffraction(XRD) and scanning electron microscopy(SEM) were used to characterize the samples prepared. The results showed that p H of the aqueous solution was an important parameter for As(Ⅲ)/As(V) uptake, and an excellent removal efficiency could be achieved under strongly alkaline condition. The data from batch experiments for reaction of As(V) with calcium sulfate dihydrate whisker(CSDW) and calcium sulfate anhydrous whisker(CSAW) were well described with extended Langmuir EXT1 model, from which theoretic maximum adsorption capacity of 46.57 mg As(V)·(g CSDW)-1and 39.18 mg As(V)·(g CSAW)-1were obtained. Some calcium arsenate solids products,such as Ca As O3(OH)(weilite, syn), Ca3(As O4)2(calcium arsenate), Ca O–As2O5, Ca–As–O, Ca5(As O4)3OH·x H2O(calcium arsenate hydroxide hydrate), and Ca H(As O4)·2H2O(hydrogen calcium arsenic oxide hydrate), were detected at p H = 12.5 through XRD analysis. This indicates that the interaction mechanism between As(V) and CSW is a complex adsorption process combined with surface dissolution and chemical precipitation.

Preparation of Mullite Whiskers and Their Enhancement Effect on Ceramic Matrix Composites

Mullite whiskers were facilely prepared by sintering kyanite at high temperature, with the addition of AlF3·3H20. The as-prepared whiskers have been characterized systematically in terms of phase composition, morphology, and structure. Results showed that the morphology and size of mullite whiskers were strongly depended on the content of AlF3·3H20 and sintering temperature. At temperatures in the range of 1 100 to 1 500 ℃ with 4 wt% addition of AlF3·3H20, the well-shaped mullite whiskers were obtained. For an instance, the mullite whiskers with 5-10 μm in length and 0.1-0.2 μm in cross-section could be formed at 1 400 ℃, with 4 wt% addition of A1F3·3H20. Moreover, results showed that the addition of mullite whiskers into ceramic matrix enhanced its fracture toughness significantly.

Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of CaCO_3 Whisker-reinforced Cement

Composite Portland cement （PC） played an important role in various kinds of construction engineering owing to low hydration heat,low-cost,and application of solid industrial waste,but its brittleness and low strength limited its use in stress-bearing locations.The aim of this study is to improve the toughness and fracture resistance by incorporating CaCO3 whisker in cement matrix.Effect of different content of calcium carbonate whiskers on the mechanical properties of PC was investigated.The results showed that the flexural strength,impact strength and split tensile strength were increased by 39.7%,39.25% and 36.34% at maximum,respectively.Microstructure and elements of the whiskers in hardened cement were observed and analyzed by SEM/EDS.The mechanisms of the reinforcement of CaCO3 whisker on cement were also discussed,and the conclusion was that the improvement could be correlated to energy-dissipating processes owing to crack bridging,crack deflection,and whisker pull-out at the crack tips.

Synthesis and Structural Analysis of LDH-SO4-CO3 Whisker

High-quality LDH-SO4-CO3 whiskers were synthesized via liquid precipitation method using MgSO4·7 H2 O and Al2(SO4)3·18 H2O as precursors and Na2CO3-NaHCO3 buffer solution as precipitant. The influence of buffer solution concentration on the characteristics of the samples was investigated. The asgrown whiskers were characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and BrunauerEmmett-Teller N2 specific surface area measurements. The results show that the buffer solution concentration has significant impact on whiskers with intercalated structure. The LDH-SO4-CO3 whiskers with well-defined geometry, distinct intercalated structure, decent quality, and excellent dispersing capability can be obtained under the following conditions: buffer solution volume ratio of 45%, reaction temperature of 83°C, and reaction time of 182 h. The obtained whiskers are well-crystallized and exhibit homogeneous morphology consisting of fiber bars.

Influence of CaCO_3 Whisker Content on Mechanical and Tribological Properties of Polyetheretherketone Composites

The mechanical and tribological properties of polyetheretherketone （PEEK） composites filled with CaCO3 whisker in various content of 0～45% （wt pct） were investigated. The composite specimens were prepared by compression molding. Tribological testing of composites in dry wear mode against carbon steel ring was carried out on a MM200 block-on-ring apparatus. Data on neat PEEK were also included for comparison. It was observed that inclusion of CaCO3 whisker affected the most mechanical properties and the friction and wear in a beneficial way. With an increase in CaCO3 whisker content, friction coefficient continuously decreased but the trends in wear performance varied. The specific wear rate showed minima as 1.28×10^-6 mm^3/Nm for 25% CaCO3 whisker inclusion followed by a slow increase for further CaCO3 whisker addition. In terms of friction applications, when the tribological and mechanical properties are combined, the optimal content of CaCO3 whisker in the filled PEEK should be recommended as 15% to 20%. Fairly good correlations are observed in friction coefficient vs bending modulus and wear rate vs bending strength, confirming that the bending properties prove to be the most important tribology controlling parameters in the present work.

Preparation, Characterization, and Formation Mechanism of Calcium Sulfate Hemihydrate Whiskers

Calcium sulfate hemihydrate whiskers were synthesized successfully via one-step hydrothermal crystallization method using phosphogypsum at 130 °C for 240 min with an initial slurry mass fraction of 2.5 wt%. The phase compositions, microstructures, thermal properties and molecular structures of asprepared samples were analyzed by XRD, ESEM, EDS, TG-DTA, and FT-IR. The influence of raw materials’ ball-milling time on the morphologies of whiskers was investigated. The effects of impurities on crystallization morphologies and length to diameter ratio(L/D) of calcium sulfate hemihydrate whiskers were studied. The results indicated that the calcium sulfate dihydrate crystalline could be translated directly into fibrous calcium sulfate hemihydrate whiskers. It was beneficial to form fine fiber structure when the ball-milling time of the raw material was 15 min. Aspect ratio of calcium sulfate hemihydrate whiskers decreased with increasing content of impurities. Moreover, the relative growth mechanism of whisker crystals via one-step hydrothermal crystallization method was discussed in detail.

Serviceability and Reinforcement of Low Content Whisker in Portland Cement

In order to explore the serviceability and reinforcement of CaCO3 whisker in portland cement matrix, the durability of CaCO3 whisker and effect of low whisker content（0%-4.0%） on the working performance and mechanical properties of portland cement were investigated. The experimental results show that CaCO3 whiskers have a good stability and serviceability in cement, and should not significantly alter the rheological properties of the cement paste. The flexural and compressive strength of portland cement reinforced by CaCO3 whiskers was increased by 33.3% and 12.83%, respectively.

GROWTH MECHANISM OF TiC WHISKERS PREMRED BY A MODIFIED CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION METHOD

High quality TiC whiskers have been prepared by a modified chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method using TiCl4 and CH4 as reactant gases and Ni as substrate. The deposition temperature and gas flow mies have ampreciable effect on the whisker growth.The whisker orientations and morphology are determined by X-my diffraction (XRD),scanning electron micmpmph (SEM) and transmission electron microgmph (TEM).In addition to the spherical tips, spiral growth microsteps and obvious terraces are observed at the tips and side faces of whiskers in the present eoperiment. The whiskers grow mostly along (100) direction. The whisker growth mechanism is discussed in detail.

Mechanical Properties and Microstructure of CaSO4 Whisker Reinforced Cement Mortar

Calcium sulfate whisker(CaSO4 whiskers), a new type of microfiber material, was used in cement matrix to increase the strength of the cement based composites. Effect of CaSO4 whiskers on the mechanical properties of the resulting cement mortar was also studied. The results showed that the flexural strength and compressive strength of the mortar specimen was improved as high as 28.3% and 8.5% by incorporating 5 wt% CaSO4 whiskers. Also, the chemical composition and structural transformation of the hardened cement matrix with CaSO4 whiskers were identified by X-ray diffraction(XRD) and scanning electron microscope(SEM). Conclusion can be drawn that CaSO4 whiskers can effectively retard the formation and restrict the coalescence of micro-crack expansion. The interaction mechanism of CaSO4 whisker on the reinforcement is mainly on three aspects: whisker pullout, crack deflection, and crack bridging. Mercury intrusion porosimetry(MIP) tests have confirmed that for 28 d cement mortar, the harmless pores increased from 9.33% to 10.62%, and the harmful pores decreased from 2.08% to 1.90%. Therefore, the whisker can optimize the pore size distribution of the resulting cement mortar.

IN SITU PROCESSING OF Al_(2)O_(3) WHISKERS REINFORCED Ti-Al INTERMETALLIC COMPOSITES

In situ Al2O3 whiskers reinforced Ti-Al intermetallic composites were fabricated at ~1200℃ by reaction sintering of cold-consolidated fillets consisting mainly of Ti, Al, and different additives. The phases and microstructures of the sintered composites were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The process of synthesis was investigated using differential thermal analysis (DTA). The effects of processing parameters and additives on the microstructures of the composites and the development of whisker were examined. It is found that the morphology of the whisker is strongly influenced by the additives, the exothermal reaction process, and the processing parameters.

Photocatalytic performance of K2Ti6O13 whiskers to H2 evolution and CO2 photo-reduction

K2Ti6O13 whiskers were synthesized by conventional sol-gel method, sono-chemical assisted and microwave assisted sol-gel method in order to obtain catalysts with different particle sizes and to modify their optical, textural and electrochemical properties. These modifications improved their photocatalytic activity for H2 evolution and CO2 photo-reduction. Long K2Ti6O13 whiskers prepared by ultrasound assisted sol-gel method are the most active photocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction using pure water as reactant (U-SG, 10,065 μmol g^-1). In contrast, an opposite behavior was observed using a mixture of ethanol-water, where the highest activity was achieved by the shortest and less crystalline K2Ti6O13 whiskers (C-SG, 3,2871 μmol g^-1). In case of CO2 photo-reduction, long whiskers that were also prepared by the sono-chemical assisted sol-gel method were the most active to transform CO2 to formaldehyde, methane, methanol and hydrogen. The EFB value of this catalyst is located very close to the potential for formaldehyde production and favors the selectivity to this organic product.

Preparation and Tribological Properties of Ni-P Electroless Composite Coating Containing Potassium Titanate Whisker

Nickel-phosphorus （Ni-P） composite coatings containing potassium titanate （K2Ti6O13） whiskers （PTWs） were prepared by electroless plating. The surface morphology and component of coatings were investigated by scanning electron microscopy （SEM） and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy （EDX）, respectively before and after wear test. The tribological performance was evaluated using a pin-on-disk wear tester under dry conditions. It is found that the Ni-P-PTWs composite coatings exhibit higher wear resistance than Ni-P and Ni-P-SiC electroless coatings. The favorable effects of PTWs on the tribological properties of the composite coatings are attributed to the super-strong mechanical properties and the specific tunneling structures of PTWs. The PTWs greatly reinforce the structure of the Ni-P-based composite coatings and thereby greatly reduce the adhesive and plough wear of Ni-P-PTWs composite coatings.