Magnetic properties and promising cryogenic magneto-caloric performances of Gd_(20)Ho_(20)Tm_(20)Cu_(20)Ni_(20) amorphous ribbons

The magnetic cooling utilizing magneto-caloric effect is recognized as promising energy efficiency and environmentally friendly technology.Here we report a systematical study on the microstructures,magnetic properties and cryogenic magneto-caloric performances of the Gd_(20)Ho_(20)Tm_(20)Cu_(20)Ni_(20) amorphous ribbons.It is found that the ribbons reveal a second-order phase transition and are accompanied by a table-shaped magneto-caloric effect.The calculated magneticentropy-change maximum |ΔSM|,temperature averaged entropy change(i.e.,TEC(10)),and refrigerant capacity reach 13.9 J/kg·K,13.84 J/kg-K and 740 J/kg with magnetic field change of 0-7 T,respectively,indicating that the present Gd_(20)Ho_(20)Tm_(20)Cu_(20)Ni_(20) amorphous ribbons are good candidates for magnetic cooling.

Aligned Solidification Structure of the MnBi Phase in Semisolidified Bi-Mn Alloy with a Static Magnetic Field

The solidification structure of Bi-3 wt pct Mn alloy grown up in the semisolid zone under the influence of a staticmagnetic field (up to 1.0 T) and the relation of the magnetic property with the solidification structure have beeninvestigated experimentally. It was shown that the primary phase MnBi crystals in the alloy aligned and oriented alongthe direction of the applied magnetic field. The orientating tendency and the average length of the elongated MnBicrystals increased with the increase of the applied field and the solidification time. Moreover, the remanence of thealloy along the aligned direction of the MnBi phase in the case of solidification with a magnetic field was apparentlyanisotropic and nearly double of that without the magnetic field. This indicated that the MnBi crystals orientedand aligned along their easy magnetization axis. A model was proposed to explain the alignment and orientationgrowth of the MnBi crystals in a magnetic field in terms of the magnetic anisotropy of the crystals and the magneticinteraction between them.

Ductile and high strength Cu fabricated by solid-state cold spray additive manufacturing

In this work,pure Cu with excellent strength and ductility(UTS of 271 MPa,elongation to fracture of 43.5%,uniform elongation of 30%)was prepared using cold spray additive manufacturing(CSAM),realizing a breakthrough in the field.An in-depth investigation was conducted to reveal the microstructure evolution,strengthening and ductilization mechanisms of the CSAM Cu,as well as the single splats.The results show that the CSAM Cu possesses a unique heterogeneous microstructure with a bimodal grain structure and extensive infinitely circulating ring-mounted distribution of twinning.Based on the single splat observation,the entire copper particle forms a gradient nano-grained(GNG)structure after high-speed impact deposition.The GNG-structured single splat serves as a unit to build the heterogeneous microstructure with bimodal grain distribution during the successive deposition in CSAM.The results also show that CSAM can achieve synergistic strengthening and ductilization by controlling the grain refinement and dislocation density.This work provides potential for CSAM technique in manufacturing various metallic parts with the desired combination of high strength and good ductility without additional post-treatments.

Table-like shape magnetocaloric effect and large refrigerant capacity in dual-phase HoNi/HoNi2 composite

Nowadays,magnetic cooling(MC) technology by using the magnetocaloric effect(MCE) has attracted extensive research interest for its promising practical applications.A constant large/giant MCE covers wide refrigeration temperatures(denote as table-like shape) is beneficial for obtaining high efficiency performance for MC.In this paper,the HoNi/HoNi2 composite was successfully synthesized by arc-melting method and proved to be composed of HoNi and HoNi2 crystalline phases with weight ratios of 52.4 wt.% and 47.6 wt.%,respectively.The maximum magnetic entropy change(-ΔSMmax)is 18.23 J/(kg·K),and the refrigerant capacity values RC1,RC2,and RC3 are 867.9 J/kg,676.4 J/kg,and 467.8 J/kg with ΔH=0-70 kOe,respectively.The table-like shape MCE and large refrigerant capacity values make the composite attractive for cryogenic MC using the Ericsson cycle.

Controlled moderative sulfidation-fabricated hierarchical heterogeneous nickel sulfides-based electrocatalyst with tripartite Mo doping for efficient oxygen evolution

An electrocatalyst with heterogeneous nanostructure, especially the hierarchical one, generally shows a more competitive activity than that of its single-component counterparts for oxygen evolution reaction(OER), due to the synergistically enhanced kinetics on enriched active sites and reconfigured electronic band structure. Here this work introduces hierarchical heterostructures into a NiMo@NiS/MoS_(2)@Ni_(2)S_(2)/MoO_(x)(NiMoS) composite by one-pot controlled moderative sulfidation. The optimal solvent composition and addition of NaOH enable NiMoS to own loose and porous structures, smaller nanoparticle sizes, optimal phase composition and chemical states of elements, improving the OER activity of NiMoS. To achieve current densities of 50 and 100 mA cm^(-1), small overpotentials of 275 and 306 mV are required respectively, together with a minor Tafel slope of 58 mV dec^(-1), which outperforms most reported sulfide catalysts and IrO_(2). The synergistic effects in the hierarchical heterostructures expose more active sites,adjust the electronic band structure, and enable the fast charge transfer kinetics, which construct an optimized local coordination environment for high OER electrocatalytic activity. Furthermore, the hierarchical heterostructures suppress the distinct lowering of electrical conductivity and collapse of pristine structures resulted from the metal oxidation and synchronous S leaching during OER, yielding competitive catalytic stability.

LATS refining ladle slag modifying with CaO-CaF_2

To reduce the slag sticking onto the snorkel of the ladle during the ladle alloying treatment station （LATS） process, CaO- CaF2 （the mass ratio of CaO/CaF2 is 1：1） was employed as the modifier of the LATS refining ladle slag. The effect of CaO-CaF2 on the melting point, viscosity, and desulfurizing capability of the ladle slag was investigated. The melting point of the unmodified ladle slag is 1439℃. When adding 20wt% CaO-CaF2, the melting point is decreased to 1327℃. At 1500℃. the viscosity of the unmodified ladle slag is 6.5 Pa.s, which can be decreased lower than 2 Pa.s by adding more than 10wt% CaO-CaF2. The experimental results of desulfu- rization of the melts show that the desulfurizing power of the ladle slag can be enhanced by adding CaO-CaF2.

Effect of the simultaneous application of a high static magnetic field and a low alternating current on grain structure and grain boundary of pure aluminum

Effect of the simultaneous application of a high static magnetic field and a low alternating electric current on the solidification structure of pure aluminum has been investigated. Results show that the refinement of the solidification structure is enhanced by the electric current under a certain magnetic field. However,when the magnetic field intensity exceeds a certain value, the refinement is impaired under a certain electric current. The observation by electron backscattered diffraction(EBSD) shows the complex fields have led to the increase of the low angle boundaries with the refinement. Moreover, the application of the static gradient magnetic field is capable of modifying the distribution of the refined grains. The above results may be attributed to the formation of the cavities during the electromagnetic vibration process and the high magnetic field.

Microstructural,crystallographic,and mechanical characteristics in Ni-Mn-Ga alloys directionally solidified under a transverse magnetic field

In this study,the effect of transverse magnetic field-assisted directional solidification(MFADS)on the microstructures in Ni-Mn-Ga alloys has been investigated.The results show that the magnetic field is capable of inducing transversal macrosegregation perpendicular to the magnetic field,causing the emergence of martensite clusters in the austenite matrix.Moreover,the magnetic field alleviates the microseg-regation on a dendritic scale and promotes the preferred growth of austenite dendrites.On the basis of the above investigation,several special samples are designed using the MFADS to study the crystallographic evolution and mechanical behavior during thermal/stress-induced martensite transformation.The martensite cluster in the austenite matrix is used to investigate the martensite transformation and growth under cooling-heating cycles.The crystallographic relationship and phase boundary microstructure between martensite and austenite have been characterized.In addition,the microsegregation on a dendritic scale can significantly influence the martensite variant distribution,corresponding to the performance during compressive circles based on the analysis of the deformation gradient tensor.The stress-induced superelasticity is closely dependent on orientation,well explained from the perspective of different resolved shear stress factors and correspondence variant pair formation transformation strain.The crystallographic evolution has been characterized during in-situ stress-induced transformation.The findings not only deepen the understanding of martensite transformation and mechanical behavior under a thermal/stress field in Ni-Mn-Ga alloys but also propose a promising strategy to obtain microstructure-controllable functional alloys by MFADS.

Local atomic structure evolution of liquid gadolinium and yttrium during solidification:An ab initio study

Local atomic structure evolution of pure gadolinium(Gd)and yttrium(Y)during solidification was investigated by using ab initio molecular dynamics(AIMD)simulation.The calculated results indicate that the local short-range order(SRO)in liquid Gd and Y is similar to some transitional metals with an asymmetric shape of the second peak in static structure factors.Moreover,the formation of icosahedral local motifs as a function of temperature decreases the diffusivity,which explains the connection between structure evolution and dynamic properties.In examining the topological structures of both systems,we demonstrate that small atomic displacement leads to two different types of topological sixfold rings in liquid and solid states.All analyses yield a systematic study about rare earth metals Gd and Y at the atomic level.

Al matrix composites fabricated by solid-state cold spray deposition:A critical review

Cold spraying(CS),or cold gas dynamic spray(CGDS),is an emerging solid-state powder deposition process,allowing fast and mass production and restoration of metallic components.CS of metal matrix composites(MMCs)has attracted increasing attention from academia and industry over the last decades,especially in the area of Al matrix composites(AMCs),which have demonstrated a high potential for applications in aerospace,automotive,and electronics industries.This article aims to summarize the recent development of CS-processed AMCs in terms of composite powder preparation,deposition processing,microstructure evolution,mechanical and corrosion properties.Furthermore,this review also reports the relevant research progress with the focus on post-treatments of the AMCs for CS additive manufacturing applications including heat treatment,hot rolling,and friction stir processing.Finally,the challenges and perspectives on the fabrication of advanced AMCs by CS are addressed.

Effect of substrate cooling on the epitaxial growth of Ni-based single-crystal superalloy fabricated by direct energy deposition

The columnar-to-equiaxed transition(CET)or the formation of stray grains in the laser melting deposition is the least desirable for the repair of single-crystal blades.In this work,the forced water-cooling was conducted on a single-crystal Rene N5 substrate during the direct energy deposition(DED).The single track remelting,one-layer,two-layer,and eight-layer depositions were investigated to explore the grain growth mechanism.The solidification conditions of the DED process,including temperature field,temperature gradient,and solidification speed,were numerically analyzed by a finite element model.The single-track remelting results showed that the fraction of columnar crystal regions increases from55.81%in the air-cooled sample to 77.14%in the water-cooled one.The single-track deposits of one-and two-layer have the same trend,where the proportion of columnar crystal height was higher under the forced water-cooled condition.The electron backscattered diffraction(EBSD)grain-structure maps of an eight-layer deposit show that the epitaxial growth height increases from 1 mm in the air-cooling sample to 1.5 mm in the water-cooling one.The numerical results showed that the tempe rature gradient in[0011 direction was significantly increased by using forced water-cooling.In conclusion,the in-situ substrate cooling can become a potential method to promote epitaxial growth during DED via the influence on CET occurrence.

Achievement of giant cryogenic refrigerant capacity in quinary rare-earths based high-entropy amorphous alloy

Magnetic refrigeration(MR)by utilizing the magnetocaloric(MC)effect is recognized as one of the most potential promising solid state environmentally friendly and high efficiency alternative method to the well-used state-of-the-art gas compression cooling technique.In this work,a systematic investigation of quinary equi-atomic rare-earths(RE)based Er_(20) Ho_(20) Gd_(20) Ni_(20) Co_(20) high-entropy(HE)amorphous alloy in terms of the microstructure,magnetic and magnetocaloric(MC)properties have been reported.The Er_(20) Ho_(20) Gd_(20) Ni_(20) Co_(20) exhibits promising glass forming ability with an undercooled liquid region of 72 K.Excellent cryogenic MC performances can be found in wide temperature from∼25 and∼75 K,close to H_(2) and N_(2) liquefaction,respectively.Apart from the largest magnetic entropy change(-S M)reaches 17.84 J/(kg K)with 0-7 T magnetic field change,corresponding refrigerant capacity(RC)attains a giant value of 1030 J/kg.The promising cryogenic MC performances together with the unique HE amorphous characterizations make the quinary Er_(20) Ho_(20) Gd_(20) Ni_(20) Co_(20) HE amorphous alloy attractive for cryogenic MR applications.

Evolution of the microstructure and solute distribution of Sn-10wt% Bi alloys during electromagnetic field-assisted directional solidification

The effects of forced flows at different velocities on microstructure and solute distribution during the directional solidification of Sn-10 wt% Bi alloys under a simultaneous imposition of a transverse static magnetic field(TSMF) and an external direct current(DC) have been investigated experimentally and numerically. The experimental results show that the solid-liquid interface will gradually become sloping with the increase of the forced flow velocity when the thermoelectric magnetic convection(TEMC)dominates the forced flow at solidification front. However, the interface will gradually become planar as the flow velocity further increases when the electromagnetic convection(EMC) dominates the forced flow. Moreover, when the flow velocity gradually increases, the primary dendrite spacing decreases from384 to 105 μm accordingly. The simulation results show that the solute distribution at the two sides of the sample can be significantly changed by the forced flow at solidification front. The rejected solute will be unidirectionally transported to one side of the sample along the TEMC(a low-velocity forced flow),thereby causing the formation of a sloping interface. However, the rejected solute will be returned back along the EMC(a higher-velocity force flow), which results in a planar interface. Furthermore, the solute content at the two sides of the sample under the forced flows at different velocities was measured. The results are in good agreement with the simulation results, which shows that the solute content difference between the two sides of the sample reaches the maximum when a 0.5 T TSMF is applied, while the solute content difference decreases to zero with a simultaneous application of a 0.5 T TSMF and a 1.6 × 10~5 A/m^2 external DC.

Application of Synchrotron X-Ray Imaging and Diffraction in Additive Manufacturing:A Review

Additive manufacturing(AM)is a rapid prototyping technology based on the idea of discrete accumulation which off ers an advantage of economically fabricating a component with complex geometries in a rapid design-to-manufacture cycle.However,various internal defects,such as balling,cracks,residual stress and porosity,are inevitably occurred during AM due to the complexity of laser/electron beam-powder interaction,rapid melting and solidification process,and microstructure evolution.The existence of porosity defects can potentially deteriorate the mechanical properties of selective laser melting(SLM)components,such as material stiff ness,hardness,tensile strength,and fatigue resistance performance.Synchrotron X-ray imaging and diffraction are important non-destructive means to elaborately characterize the internal defect characteristics and mechanical properties of AM parts.This paper presents a review on the application of synchrotron X-ray in identifying and verifying the quality and requirement of AM parts.Defects,microstructures and mechanical properties of printed components characterized by synchrotron X-ray imaging and diffraction are summarized in this review.Subsequently,this paper also elaborates on the online characterization of the evolution of the microstructure during AM using synchrotron X-ray imaging,and introduces the method for measuring AM stress by X-ray diffraction(XRD).Finally,the future application of synchrotron X-ray characterization in the AM is prospected.

Revealing the influence of high magnetic field on the solute distribution during directional solidification of Al-Cu alloy

The effect of the high magnetic field(MF)on the distribution of solute concentration during directional solidification of Al-Cu alloy under low growth speed was experimentally investigated.The amount of nonequilibrium eutectic is quantified via X-ray computed tomography(XCT)and demonstrated to reduce with the application of MF.Further,experimental results reveal that the MF alleviates the microsegregation and increases the average Cu concentration in solid solution,leading to the increases of the effective partition coefficient ke.It was also found that Cu concentration in solid solution increases continuously with the increasing intensity of MF,following the strengthening of micro-hardness.The change of ke under the MF is demonstrated to attribute to the thermoelectric magnetic convection(TEMC)in the mushy zone and the thermoelectric magnetic force(TEMF)acting on the solid.The TEMC is supposed to cause secondary convection owing to the inequality in flow velocities of circulation in different positions of dendrite stem.And the vacancies created by the proliferation and movement of dislocations induced by TEMF in the matrix is supposed to be able to capture solute atoms and thus enhance the solute concentration in the solid solution.

Cold spray additive manufacturing of Invar 36 alloy:microstructure,thermal expansion and mechanical properties

In this work,the Invar 36 alloys were manufactured using cold spray(CS)additive manufacturing technique.The systematic investigations were made on the microstructural evolution,thermal expansion and mechanical properties under as-sprayed(AS)and heat-treated(HT)conditions.XRD(X-ray diffraction)and ICP-AES(inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy)analyses show that no phase transformation,oxidation,nor element content change have occurred.The X-ray computed tomography(XCT)exhibited a near fully dense structure with a porosity of 0.025%in the helium-produced sample under as-sprayed condition,whereas the nitrogen-produced samples produced at 5 MPa and 800℃show more irregular pore defects.He-AS sample shows a more prominent grain refinement than that of nitrogen samples due to the more extensive plastic deformation.The post heat-treatment exhibited a promoted grain growth,inter-particle diffusion,as well as the formation of annealing twins.Between25℃and 200℃,the nitrogen samples possessed lower CTE(coefficient of thermal expansion)values(1.53×10^(-6)/℃)compared with those produced by casting and laser additive manufacturing.The He-AS samples exhibited a noticeable negative CTE value between 25℃and 200℃,which may due to the significant compressive residual stress(-272 MPa)compensating its displacement with temperature increase during CTE test.The N2-HT and He-HT Invar 36 samples present a notable balance between strength and ductility.In conclusion,the CS technique can be considered as a potential method to produce the Invar36 component with high thermal and mechanical performance.

Magnetic properties and promising magnetocaloric performances in the antiferromagnetic GdFe_(2)Si_(2)compound

The magnetocaloric(MC) effect-based solidstate magnetic refrigeration(MR) technology has been recognized as an alternative novel method to the presently commercialized gas compression technology. Searching for suitable candidates with promising MC performances is one of the most urgent tasks. Herein, combined experimental and theoretical investigations on the magnetic properties, magnetic phase transition, and cryogenic MC performances of Gd Fe_(2)Si_(2)have been performed. An unstable antiferromagnetic(AFM) interaction in the ground state has been confirmed in Gd Fe_(2)Si_(2). Moreover, a huge reversible cryogenic MC effect and promising MC performances in Gd Fe_(2)Si_(2)have been observed.The maximum isothermal magnetic entropy change, temperature-averaged entropy change with 2 K lift, and refrigerant capacity for Gd Fe_(2)Si_(2)were 30.01 J kg^(-1)K^(-1),29.37 J kg^(-1)K^(-1), and 328.45 J kg^(-1)at around 8.6 K with the magnetic change of 0–7 T, respectively. Evidently, the values of these MC parameters for the present AFM compound Gd Fe_(2)Si_(2)are superior to those of most recently reported rareearth-based MC materials, suggesting the potential application for active cryogenic MR.

In-situ observation of solid-liquid interface transition during directional solidification of Al-Zn alloy via X-ray imaging

The morphological instability of solid/liquid(S/L)interface during solidification will result in different patterns of microstructure.In this study,two dimension(2 D)and three dimension(3 D)in-situ observation of solid/liquid interfacial morphology transition in Al-Zn alloy during directional solidification were performed via X-ray imaging.Under a condition of increasing temperature gradient(G),the interface transition from dendritic pattern to cellular pattern,and then to planar growth with perturbation was captured.The effect of solidification parameter(the ratio of temperature gradient and growth velocity(v),G/v)on morphological instabilities was investigated and the experimental results were compared to classical"constitutional supercooling"theory.The results indicate that 2 D and 3 D evolution process of S/L interface morphology under the same thermal condition are different.It seems that the S/L interface in 2 D observation is easier to achieve planar growth than that in 3 D,implying higher S/L interface stability in 2 D thin plate samples.This can be explained as the restricted liquid flow under 2 D solidification which is beneficial to S/L interface stability.The in-situ observation in present study can provide coherent dataset for microstructural formation investigation and related model validation during solidification.

6.5 wt%Si high silicon steel sheets prepared by composite electrodeposition in magnetic field

A new preparation method of near-net-shape 6.5 wt% Si high silicon steel sheets was proposed by combining composite electrodeposition(CED) and diffusion annealing under magnetic field. The obtained sheets were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectrometry, analytical balance and a silicon steel material measurement system. The results show that the surface morphology,the elemental distribution, the cathode current efficiency and the silicon content of coatings were obviously influenced by the micro and macro magnetohydrodynamics(MHD) flows under magnetic field.With the effect of magnetic field, the silicon particles content of coatings showed an increasing trend and the diffusion process showed that an approximately uniform 6.5 wt% silicon steel sheet has been successfully obtained. The magnetism measurement showed that the high silicon steel sheet has the lower iron loss, and the iron loss further decreased under magnetic field. The new method proposed in this article,which is more environmentally friendly and low energy consumption, is feasible to prepare high silicon steel sheets.

Nucleation kinetics of paramagnetic and diamagnetic metal melts under a high magnetic field

The influence of a high magnetic field(HMF)on the nucleation kinetics of paramagnetic aluminum and diamagnetic zinc melts has been investigated by differential thermal analysis(DTA).It is found that the application of an HMF increases the undercooling of pure aluminum and pure zinc at the same heatingcooling rates.Moreover,the quantitative analysis of activation energy calculated from the DTA results using the Kissinger method manifests that the HMF reduces the activation energy of pure aluminum and pure zinc.Regardless of magnetism,the nucleation frequency under an HMF is higher than that without an HMF.Furthermore,the increase in undercooling under the HMF is mainly attributed to the increase of the contact angle,calculated by the functional relationship between the cooling rate and undercooling.This result is consistent with the increase of the calculated nucleation work for pure aluminum and pure zinc.Additionally,the increase in undercooling caused by the HMF is partly ascribed to the magnetic field-induced suppression of thermal convection in the undercooled melt.