Effects of friction stir processing and nano-hydroxyapatite on the microstructure,hardness,degradation rate and in-vitro bioactivity of WE43 alloy for biomedical applications

Nowadays,magnesium alloys are emerging in biomedical implants for their similar properties to natural bones.However,the rapid degradation of magnesium alloys in biological media hinders successful implantation.Refinement of microstructure,as well as reinforcement particles can significantly improve the degradation rate.In this work,multi-pass friction stir processing(FSP)was proposed to synthesize WE43/nano-hydroxyapatite(n HA)surface composite,the microstructure,reinforced particle distribution,micro-hardness,corrosion behavior and in-vitro bioactivity were studied.The subsequent FSP passes of WE43 alloy and WE43/n HA composite refined the grain size which was reduced by 94.29%and 95.92%(2.63 and 1.88μm,respectively)compared to base metal after three passes.This resulted in increasing the microhardness by 120%(90.86 HV0.1)and 135%(105.59 HV0.1)for the WE43 and WE43-n HA,respectively.It is found that increasing FSP passes improved the uniform distribution of n HA particles within the composite matrix which led to improved corrosion resistance and less degradation rate.The corrosion rate of the FSPed WE43/n HA composite after three passes was reduced by 38.2%(4.13 mm/year)and the degradation rate was reduced by 69.7%(2.87 mm/y).This is attributed to secondary phase(Mg24Y5and Mg41Nd5)particle fragmentation and redistribution,as well as a homogeneous distribution of n HA.Additionally,the growing Ca-P and Mg(OH)2layer formed on the surface represented a protective layer that reduced the degradation rate.The wettability test revealed a relatively hydrophilic surface with water contact angle of 49.1±2.2°compared to 71.2±2.1°for base metal.Also,biomineralization test showed that apatite layer grew after immersion 7d in simulated body fluid with atomic ratio of Ca/P 1.60 approaching the stoichiometric ratio(1.67)indicating superior bioactivity of FSPed WE43/n HA composite after three passes.These results raise that the grain refinement by FSP and introduction of n HA particles significantly improved the degradation rate and in-vitro bioactivity of WE43 alloy for biomedical applications.

Microstructure and superelastic properties of free forged Ti-Ni shape-memory alloy

Elemental titanium(Ti)and nickel(Ni)powders were consolidated by spark plasma sintering(SPS)to fabricate Ti-51%Ni(mole fraction)shape-memory alloys(SMAs).The objective of this study is to enhance the superelasticity of SPS produced Ti-Ni alloy using free forging as a secondary process.Products from two processes(with and without free forging)were compared in terms of microstructure,transformation temperature and superelasticity.The results showed that,free forging effectively improved the tensile and shape-memory properties.Ductility increased from 6.8%to 9.2%after forging.The maximum strain during superelasticity increased from 5%to 7.5%and the strain recovery rate increased from 72%to 92%.The microstructure of produced Ti-51%Ni SMA consists of the cubic austenite(B2)matrix,monoclinic martensite(B19′),secondary phases(Ti3Ni4,Ti2Ni and TiNi3)and oxides(Ti4Ni2O and Ti3O5).There was a shift towards higher temperatures in the martensitic transformation of free forged specimen(aged at 500°C)due to the decrease in Ni content of B2 matrix.This is related to the presence of Ti3Ni4 precipitates,which were observed using transmission electron microscope(TEM).In conclusion,free forging could improve superelasticity and mechanical properties of Ti-51%Ni SMA.

Effect of Porous Copper Pore Density on Joint Interface:Microstructure and Mechanical Analysis

The effect of the pore density of porous copper(Cu)on brazed Cu/porous Cu was investigated.A filler with a composition of Cu⁃9.0Sn⁃7.0Ni⁃6.0P(Sn:Tin;Ni:Nickel;P:Phosphorus)and porous Cu with pore densities of 15 pores per inch(PPI),25 PPI,and 50 PPI were employed.The joint strength of Cu/porous Cu was evaluated with shear tests at different brazing temperatures.Characterizations of the joint interface and fractured surface were achieved with scanning electron microscope(SEM),energy dispersive X⁃ray spectroscopy(EDX),and X⁃ray diffraction(XRD).The micro⁃hardness test of Cu/porous Cu joint interface showed a high hardness value(HV)for 50 PPI porous Cu.This result was in line with its low shear strength.It was proved that the joint strength of Cu/porous Cu is dependent on the pore density of the porous Cu structure and brittle phases of Cu_(3)P and Ni_(3)P in the brazed interface.

Effect of rare earth elements and their oxides on tribo-mechanical performance of laser claddings:A review

Laser cladding is a promising photon-based surface engineering technique broadly utilized for fabricating harder and wear resistant composite coatings. In spite of excellent properties, the practical applications of laser claddings are relatively restricted when compared with well-established coating techniques because of their inherent defects identified as cracks, pores and inclusions. Substantial evidence suggests that the incorporation of an appropriate amount of rare earth in laser claddings can remarkably prevent these defects. Additionally, the presence of rare earth in laser claddings can notably enhance tribo-mechanical properties such as surface hardness, modulus of elasticity, fracture toughness, friction coefficient and wear rate. In this literature review, the effect of rare earth in reducing dilution and cracks susceptibility of laser claddings in addition to microstructural refinement attained was examined. Mechanical and tribological properties of these claddings along with their underlying mechanism were discussed in detail. Finally, this article summarizes current applications of laser claddings based on rare earth and was concluded with future research directions.