Understanding the corrosion of Mg alloys in in vitro urinary tract conditions: A step forward towards a biodegradable metallic ureteral stent

Ureteral stents play a fundamental role in modern time urology. However, following the deployment, stent-related symptoms are frequent and affect patient health and quality of life. Using biodegradable metals as ureteral stent materials have emerged as a promising strategy, mainly due to the improved radial force and slower degradation rate expected. Therefore, this study aimed to characterize different biodegradable metals in urinary tract environment to understand their propensity for future utilization as base materials for ureteral stents. The corrosion of 5 Mg alloys - AZ31, Mg-1Zn, Mg-1Y, pure Mg, and Mg-4Ag - under simulated urinary tract conditions was accessed. The corrosion layer of the different alloys presented common elements, such as Mg(OH)_(2), MgO, and phosphate-containing products, but slight variations in their chemical compositions were detected. The corrosion rate of the different metals varied, which was expected given the differences in the corrosion layers. On top of this, the findings of this study highlighted the significant differences in the samples' corrosion and corrosion layers when in stagnant and flowing conditions. With the results of this study, we concluded that Mg-1Zn and Mg-4Ag presented a higher propensity for localized corrosion, probably due to a less protective corrosion layer;Mg-4Ag corroded faster than all the other four alloys,and Mg-1Y stood out due to its distinct corrosion pattern, that showed to be more homogeneous than all the other four samples, making this one more attractive for the future studies on biodegradable metals.

Microstructure and mechanical properties of new Mg-Zn-Y-Zr alloys with high castability and ignition resistance

Complex studies of new Mg-Zn-Y-Zr system alloys have been carried out.The content range for the formation of the two-phase structure MgSS(Mg solid solution)+LPSO(long-period stacking ordered)in alloys of the Mg-Zn-Y-Zr system was determined by thermodynamic calculations.The effect of heat treatment regimes on microstructure,mechanical,and corrosion properties was invest-igated.The fluidity,hot tearing tendency,and ignition temperature of the alloys were determined.The best combination of castability,mechanical,and corrosion properties was found for the Mg-2.4Zn-4Y-0.8Zr alloy.The alloys studied are superior to their industrial counterparts in terms of technological properties,while maintain high corrosion and mechanical properties.The increased level of pro-perties is achieved by a suitable heat treatment regime that provides a complete transformation of the 18R to 14H modification of the LPSO phase.

Research progress in friction stir processing of magnesium alloys and their metal matrix surface composites: Evolution in the 21^(st )century

Rising concerns about climate change drive the demand for lightweight components.Magnesium(Mg)alloys are highly valued for their low weight,making them increasingly important in various industries.Researchers focusing on enhancing the characteristics of Mg alloys and developing their Metal Matrix Composites(MMCs)have gained significant attention worldwide over the past decade,driven by the global shift towards lightweight materials.Friction Stir Processing(FSP)has emerged as a promising technique to enhance the properties of Mg alloys and produce Mg-MMCs.Initially,FSP adapted to refine grain size from the micro to the nano level and accelerated the development of MMCs due to its solid-state nature and the synergistic effects of microstructure refinement and reinforcement,improving strength,hardness,ductility,wear resistance,corrosion resistance,and fatigue strength.However,producing defect-free and sound FSPed Mg and Mg-MMCs requires addressing several variables and their interdependencies,which opens up a broad range of practical applications.Despite existing reviews on individual FSP of Mg,its alloys,and MMCs,an attempt has been made to analyze the latest research on these three aspects collectively to enhance the understanding,application,and effectiveness of FSP for Mg and its derivatives.This review article discusses the literature,classifies the importance of Mg alloys,provides a historical background,and explores developments and potential applications of FSPed Mg alloys.It focuses on novel fabrication methods,reinforcement strategies,machine and tool design parameters,material characterization,and integration with other methods for enhanced properties.The influence of process parameters and the emergence of defects are examined,along with specific applications in mono and hybrid composites and their microstructure evolution.The study identifies promising reinforcement materials and highlights research gaps in FSP for Mg alloys and MMCs production.It concludes with significant recommendations for further exploration,reflecting ongoing advancements in this field.

Microstructure and thermal properties of dissimilar M300–CuCr1Zr alloys by multi-material laser-based powder bed fusion

Multi-material laser-based powder bed fusion (PBF-LB) allows manufacturing of parts with 3-dimensional gradient and additional functionality in a single step. This research focuses on the combination of thermally-conductive CuCr1Zr with hard M300 tool steel.Two interface configurations of M300 on CuCr1Zr and CuCr1Zr on M300 were investigated. Ultra-fine grains form at the interface due to the low mutual solubility of Cu and steel. The material mixing zone size is dependent on the configurations and tunable in the range of0.1–0.3 mm by introducing a separate set of parameters for the interface layers. Microcracks and pores mainly occur in the transition zone.Regardless of these defects, the thermal diffusivity of bimetallic parts with 50vol% of CuCr1Zr significantly increases by 70%–150%compared to pure M300. The thermal diffusivity of CuCr1Zr and the hardness of M300 steel can be enhanced simultaneously by applying the aging heat treatment.

New insights on the high-corrosion resistance of UHP Mg-Ge alloys tested in a simulated physiological environment

UHP Mg-Ge alloys was recently found to provide excellent corrosion resistance.This paper provides new insights on the mechanism of improved corrosion resistance of UHP Mg-Ge alloys in Hanks’solution.The studied UHP Mg-0.5Ge and UHP Mg-1Ge alloys showed superior corrosion resistance compared to UHP Mg and WE43,with the Mg-1Ge exhibiting the best corrosion performance.The exceptional corrosion resistance of the UHP alloy is attributed to(i)Mg_(2)Ge’s ability to suppress cathodic kinetics,(ii)Ge’s capability to accelerate the formation of a highly passive layer,and the(iii)low amounts of corrosion-accelerating impurities.

Simultaneously improving thermal conductivity,mechanical properties and metal fluidity through Cu alloying in Mg-Zn-based alloys

Mg-Zn-based alloys have been widely used in computer,communication,and consumer(3C)products due to excellent thermal conductivity.However,it is still a challenge to balance their mechanical performance and thermal conductivity.Here,we investigate microstructure,mechanical performance,thermal conductivity and metal fluidity of Mg-5Zn(wt.%)alloy after Cu alloying by experimental and simulation methods.First,Mg-5Zn alloy consist ofα-Mg matrix and interdendritic MgZn phases.As the Cu content increases,however,MgZn phases disappear but intragranular Mg_(2)Cu and interdendritic MgZnCu phases appear in Mg-5Zn-Cu alloys.Besides,the grain size ofα-Mg phase is refined and the volume fraction of MgZnCu phase increases as the Cu content increases.Second,Cu addition is found to improve thermal conductivity of Mg-5Zn alloy remarkably.Especially,Mg-5Zn-4Cu alloy exhibits the best thermal conductivity of 124 W/(m·K),which is mainly due to the significant reduction in both solid solubility of Zn in theα-Mg matrix and lattice distortion ofα-Mg matrix.Moreover,a stable crystal structure of MgZnCu phase also contributes to an increased thermal conductivity based on first principles and molecular dynamics simulations.Third,Cu addition simultaneously enhances strength and ductility of Mg-5Zn alloy.Tensile yield strength and elongation of Mg-5Zn-6Cu alloy reach 117 MPa and 18.0%,respectively,which is a combined result of refinement,solution,second phase,and dislocation strengthening.Finally,combined with a phase field simulation,we found that Cu addition enhances metal fluidity of Mg-5Zn alloy.On the one hand,Cu alloying not only delays dendrite growth but also prolongs solidification time.On the other hand,MgZnCu phase stabilizes the dendrite growth of theα-Mg phases by reducing energy consumption during solidification of liquid metal.This work demonstrates that Cu alloying is an ideal strategy for synergistically improving the thermal conductivity,mechanical performance and metal fluidity of Mg-based alloys.

Theoretical investigations of half-metallic ferromagnetism in new Half-Heusler YCrSb and YMnSb alloys using first-principle calculations

Structural,electronic,and magnetic properties of new predicted half-Heusler YCrSb and YMnSb compounds within the ordered MgAgAs Clb-type structure are investigated by employing first-principal calculations based on density functional theory.Through the calculated total energies of three possible atomic placements,we find the most stable structures regarding YCrSb and YMnSb materials,where Y,Cr(Mn),and Sb atoms occupy the(0.5,0.5,0.5),(0.25,0.25,0.25),and(0,0,0) positions,respectively.Furthermore,structural properties are explored for the non-magnetic and ferromagnetic and anti-ferromagnetic states and it is found that both materials prefer ferromagnetic states.The electronic band structure shows that YCrSb has a direct band gap of 0.78 eV while YMnSb has an indirect band gap of 0.40 eV in the majority spin channel.Our findings show that YCrSb and YMnSb materials exhibit half-metallic characteristics at their optimized lattice constants of 6.67 and 6.56 ,respectively.The half-metallicities associated with YCrSb and YMnSb are found to be robust under large in-plane strains which make them potential contenders for spintronic applications.

Complete Composition Tunability of Cu(Ni)-Ti-Zr Alloys for Bulk Metallic Glass Formation

In the Cu-Zr-Ti ternary system, a new composition zone of bulk metallic glasses （BMGs） formation was discovered, locating at the 55-57 at. pct Cu, 30-31 at. pct Ti and 13-14 at. pct Zr, and near Cu-Ti binary subsystem rather than the Cu-Zr binary. For these alloys, BMG rods of 2 mm in diameter can be fabricated by using copper mould casting. It is expected that these 13MG-forming alloys correlate with （L →CuTi＋Cu2TiZr＋Cu51Zr14） eutectic reaction that the undercooled melt undergoes during solidification. Adopting ＂3D pinpointing approach＂, compositional dependence of glass-forming ability （GFA） in Cu（Ni）-Ti-Zr pseudo ternary system was revisited. Optimized BMG-forming composition is located at Cu50.4Ni5.6Ti31Zr13, with a critical diameter of 6 mm for complete BMG formation. Its GFA is significantly superior to Vit 101 （Cu47Ni8Ti34Zr11） previously developed by Caltech group. The effect that the GFA of the ternary base alloy was improved by substitution of Ni for Cu is attributed to a role of retarding the crystallization of Cu51Zr14 intermetallics.

Thermodynamic calculation on metallic thermoreduction during preparation of aluminum-rare master alloys

A thermodynamic calculation method on metallic thermoreduction during preparation of aluminum rare metal alloys was presented. Taking preparation of aluminum scandium master alloys using aluminum and magnesium thermoreduction of scandiumchloride as an example, this method was applied and the results were testified by experiment. [

Changing Wisdom of Metallic Alloys Development

Metallic alloys have been instrumental through the ages in shaping the progress of human civilization. The development of the alloys from ancient to present time initiated from accidents to through the use of well-defined scientific principles. This article provides a snapshot of the alloys development from ancient to present time and the likely future direction.

Extending the Lifetime of Copper-beryllium Alloys as Plastic Injection High-end Needle Valve Mold Nozzle Tips Through a Heat-treatment-based Microstructure Optimization Approach

The relationship between the microstructure and the practical performance of two different copper-beryllium alloys including their lifetime has been investigated.Herein,two valves made of two different alloys with very similar compositions and the same heat treatment methods were investigated by various standard techniques including metallography,X-ray diffraction,chemical composition,microhardness,and thermal conductivity measurements.Although both alloys experienced the same heat-treatment processes,they revealed different thermal and mechanical properties due to the minor difference in their chemical composition.The alloy providing a longer lifetime (40%more) as the tip had a higher thermal conductivity of 280.3 W(m·K)^(-1) (about two times that of the other alloy).Regarding the metallography images and the measured thermal conductivity values of the alloys,the extended lifetime of the nozzle with the optimum performance is ascribed to its biphasic microstructure and the minor grain boundaries and interfacial thermal resistance.And important difference in the chemical composition was investigated in this study.

Eutectic reaction and cored dendritic morphology in yttrium doped Zr-based amorphous alloys

The microalloying effect of yttrium on the crystallization behaviors of （Zr0.525Al0.10Ti0.05Cu0.179Ni0.146）100-xYx, and （Zr0.55Al0.15- Ni0.10Cu0.20）100-xYx （x=0, 0.4, and 1, thus the two alloy systems were denoted as Zr52.5, Zr52.5Y0.4, Zr52.5Y1, and Zr55, Zr55Y0.4, Zr55Y1, respectively） was studied. Transmission electron microscopy （TEM） results suggested that the crystalline phases were different in the two Zr-based alloys and with different yttrium contents. ZrNi-phase and Al3Zr5 phase precipitations can be well explained by the mechanisms of nucleation and growth. Al3Zr5 phase is mainly formed by a peritectic-like reaction, while ZrNi-phase by a eutectic reaction. The contents of elements Y, A1, and Ti may dominate the reaction types. The orientation relationship between Y203 particles and A13Zr5 phase is also discussed.

CHIP FORMATION MODEL OF TITANIUM ALLOYS

The chip deformation of titanium alloys is typical shear localization from low cutting speed, which is general phenomenon in machining of difficult to cut material at high cutting speed. This paper investigates the chip formation process in machining titanium alloys, and puts forward a three stage model describing formation process of shear localized chip. This model explains how the shear localized chip segments initiate, become trapezoid and form serrated chips.

New filler metal systems for the brazing of titanium alloys

It＇ s well known welding takes the leading role in development of titanium structures. However, in number of cases technological processes of brazing are more appropriate and, sometimes, being the single possible, in particular, during production of multilayer thin-wall structures. It should be noted that brazing filler metals of Ti-Cu-Ni, Ti-Zr-Cu-Ni, Zr-Ti-Ni and Cu-Zr-Ti systems in a form of plastic foils, as well as in powder form are mainly used in world practice for brazing of titanium alloys. Present work provides the results of complex investigations of brazing filler metals of Ti-Zr-Fe, Ti-Zr-Mn and Ti-Zr-Co systems using differential thermal analysis, light and scanning microscopy, X-ray microspectrum analysis. Data on melting ranges of pilot alloys were obtained, and liquidas su^Caces of given systems using simplex-lattice method were build. Brazing filler metals covering brazing temperature range of current structural titanium materials based on solid solutions as well as intermetallics were proposed. Structure, chemical inhomogeniety and strength characteristics of brazed joints were studied. It is determined that brazing of solid solution based alloys （OT4, VT6 ） using indicated brazing fiUer metals ensures strength characteristics of joints, which are not inferior to that obtained with application of known brazing filler metals even if they are received at lower brazing temperature.

Microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of ultrasonic-assisted soldering joints of 2024 aluminum alloys

Ultrasonic-assisted soldering of 2024 aluminum alloys using a filler metal of Zn-5Al alloy was investigated at the temperature of 400 ℃,which is lower than the solution strengthening temperature of Al-Cu alloys.The ultrasonic vibration with power of 200 W and vibration amplitude of 15 μm at the frequency of 21 kHz was applied on the top samples.The ultrasonic vibration promoted the dissolution of Al elements in the base metal.The reduction of volume fraction of the eutectic phases in the bonds was investigated by increasing ultrasonic vibration time.As the ultrasonic vibration time increased from 3 s to 30 s,the volume fraction of the eutectic phase in the bonds decreased from 12.9% to 0.9%,and the shear strength of the joints was up to 149-153 MPa,increased by 20%.The improvement of the mechanical properties of joints was discussed based on the modulus and hardness of the phases in the bonds and the fracture of the joints.

Compositional optimization of glass forming alloys based on critical dimension by using artificial neural network

An artificial neural network （ANN） model was developed for simulating and predicting critical dimension dc of glass forming alloys. A group of Zr-Al-Ni-Cu and Cu-Zr-Ti-Ni bulk metallic glasses were designed based on the dc and their de values were predicted by the ANN model. Zr-Al-Ni-Cu and Cu-Zr-Ti-Ni bulk metallic glasses were prepared by injecting into copper mold. The amorphous structures and the determination of the dc of as-cast alloys were ascertained using X-ray diffraction. The results show that the predicted de values of glass forming alloys are in agreement with the corresponding experimental values. Thus the developed ANN model is reliable and adequate for designing the composition and predicting the de of glass forming alloy.

Amorphous phase formation rules in high-entropy alloys

There have been many interesting studies on high-entropy alloys（HEAs）, also known as multi-component（MC） alloys（MCAs）, in recent years. MC metallic-glasses（MGs） have shown the potential to express the advantages of MCAs and MGs in tandem. Amorphous phase formation rules are a crucial issue in the HEA and MCA field. For equal or near-equal atomic ratio alloys, mixed-entropy among the elements has a significant effect on the phase formation. This paper focuses on HEA amorphous phase formation rules. In the first two sections, the recent progress in amorphous phase formation in HEAs and MCAs is reviewed, including the effective factors and correlative parameters related to amorphous phase formation. In the third section, novel MCMGs including high-entropy（HE） bulk-metallic-glass（HE-BMG） and MCMG films developed in recent decades are summarized, and the giant-magnetic-impedance（GMI） effect of MC amorphous fibers is discussed.

EAM APPROACH TO ENTHALPY OF FORMATION OF ALKALI METAL ALLOYS

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Crystal structure and hydrogen storage properties of(La,Ce)Ni_(5-x)M_x(M = Al, Fe, or Co) alloys

The effects of partial substitution of La by Ce and Ni by Al, Fe, or Co in LaNi_5-based alloys on hydrogen storage performance were systematically studied. All samples were prepared using vacuum arc melting in an argon atmosphere. The results showed that for LaNi_(5-x)M_x(M = Al, Fe, or Co) alloys, the lattice constants and unit cell volumes increased with an increasing amount of Al and Fe. On the other hand, these parameters decreased upon partial substitution of La by Ce. In addition, the lattice constant remained almost constant in the La_(0.6)Ce_(0.4)Ni_(5–x)Cox alloys regardless of the value of x(x = 0.3, 0.6, or 0.9), as Ce might enhance the homogeneity of the CaCu_5-type phase in Co-containing alloys. The hydrogen storage properties of the alloys were investigated using pressure, composition, and temperature isotherms. The experimental results showed that the plateau pressure decreased with an increasing content of Al, Fe, or Co, but it increased with Ce addition. Furthermore, the plateau pressures of all Co-containing alloys were almost identical upon substitution with Ce. Finally, the enthalpy(ΔH) and entropy(ΔS) values for all alloys were calculated using van't Hoff plots. The relationship between the lattice parameters and enthalpy changes for hydrogenation will be discussed.

Bulk Glassy Alloys: Historical Development and Current Research

This paper reviews the development of current research in bulk glassy alloys by focusing on the trigger point for the synthesis of the first bulk glassy alloys by the conventional mold casting method. This review covers the background, discovery, characteristics, and applications of bulk glassy alloys, as well as recent topics regarding them. Applications of bulk glassy alloys have been expanding, particularly for Fe-based bulk glassy alloys, due to their unique properties, high glass-forming ability, and low cost. In the near future, the engineering importance of bulk glassy alloys is expected to increase steadily, and continuous interest in these novel metallic materials for basic science research is anticipated.