Effect of trace Ni addition on microstructure,mechanical and corrosion properties of the extruded Mg-Gd-Y-Zr-Ni alloys for dissoluble fracturing tools

Magnesium alloys,a novel functional material for the fabrication of fracturing tools,are being paid more and more attentions recently due to their relatively high mechanical properties and fast dissolubility ability after fracturing.In this study,the novel extruded Mg-10Gd-3Y-0.3Zr-xNi alloys will be reported and their microstructure,mechanical and corrosion behaviors will be also studied.The results show that Ni contents influence phase precipitation behaviors.With adding 0.2 wt%Ni,a large amount of Zr_(7)Ni_(10)phases will be precipitated insidesα-Mg matrix,directly leading to degradation of strength and large corrosion rate.With further increasing Ni contents,the precipitation phases can be changed from Mg_(5)RE to 18R-LPSO structure,resulting in higher mechanical properties and faster corrosion rate.Moreover,adding Ni element also change the texture orientation by influencing the precipitation behavior of the alloys.The alloys invented in this paper have attained the highest compressive and tensile properties among all the reported dissoluble magnesium alloys.This work is beneficial in understanding the role of Ni in the magnesium alloys and provides more materials alternatives for the fabrication of dissoluble fracturing tools.

A review on magnesium alloys for application of degradable fracturing tools

The vulnerable corrosion resistance of Mg alloys is regarded as one of the main disadvantages restricting their application,while it can be used as an extraordinary specialty in some particular fields,such as petroleum exploitation and medicine.In recent years,many Mg alloys with high corrosion rate and high strength have been developed for fracturing temporary plugging tools in the oil exploitation.This review briefly introduces the performance requirements of the degradable fracturing tools classified into mechanical and corrosion properties.Recent progress on corrosion behavior of degradable Mg-Al,Mg-Zn,Mg-RE alloys and Mg matrix composites is then summarized and discussed.Finally,the factors influencing the degradation rate of Mg alloys are analyzed and divided into secondary phase,texture,dislocation,grain size and surface film.From the summary,it can be found that addition of Ni or Cu to the degradable Mg alloys is a common and effective method to enhance the degradation rate due to increasing the amount of secondary phases and deteriorating the corrosion product layers.For the as-extruded degradable Mg alloys,grain size,texture and dislocation are the key factors affecting the corrosion rate under different processing conditions.We expect this review is helpful for those who are working on developing Mg-based functional materials with superior degradation rate.

On-Line Monitoring of Cutting Tool Fracture & Wear

A technique of detecting cutting tool fracture and ultimate wear by si- multaneously monitoring both the spindle motor current and cutting process related acoustic emission(AE)in the cutting process is reported.The technique can detect breakage of drills having diameter over 0.8mm,turning cutter crack of area over 0.2mm,and the ultimate wear.The principle,system construction,experimental method and result of the technique are discussed.The ratio of success in detection approaches 96% or higher.

Understanding Osteoporosis: Pathophysiology, Risk Factors, Diagnosis, and Management

Osteoporosis is a systemic skeletal disease characterized by low bone mineral density (BMD) and deterioration of bone architecture, resulting in reduced bone strength and, consequently, increased susceptibility to fractures which poses a significant public health concern worldwide, particularly in aging populations [1]. The health-economic impact of vertebral and hip fractures has been extensively explored and it is well known that these fractures are associated with morbidity/disability and increased mortality;they also account for a substantial portion of the direct fracture costs. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of osteoporosis, including its pathophysiology, risk factors, diagnostic approaches, and management strategies. By elucidating the multifaceted nature of this condition, healthcare providers can better identify individuals at risk, implement preventive measures, and optimize treatment to reduce the burden of osteoporotic fractures.

Managing osteoporosis in ulcerative colitis: Something new?

The authors revise the latest evidence in the literature regarding managing of osteoporosis in ulcerative colitis (UC), paying particular attention to the latest tendency of the research concerning the management of bone damage in the patient affected by UC. It is wise to assess vitamin D status in ulcerative colitis patients to recognize who is predisposed to low levels of vitamin D, whose deficiency has to be treated with oral or parenteral vitamin D supplementation. An adequate dietary calcium intake or supplementation and physical activity, if possible, should be guaranteed. Osteoporotic risk factors, such as smoking and excessive alcohol intake, must be avoided. Steroid has to be prescribed at the lowest possible dosage and for the shortest possible time. Moreover, conditions favoring falling have to been minimized, like carpets, low illumination, sedatives assumption, vitamin D deficiency. It is advisable to assess the fracture risk in all UC patient by the fracture assessment risk tool (FRAX® tool), that calculates the ten years risk of fracture for the population aged from 40 to 90 years in many countries of the world. A high risk value could indicate the necessity of treatment, whereas a low risk value suggests a follow-up only. An intermediate risk supports the decision to prescribe bone mineral density (BMD) assessment and a subsequent patient revaluation for treatment. Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry bone densitometry can be used not only for BMD measurement, but also to collect data about bone quality by the means of trabecular bone score and hip structural analysis assessment. These two indices could represent a method of interesting perspectives in evaluating bone status in patients affected by diseases like UC, which may present an impairment of bone quality as well as of bone quantity. In literature there is no strong evidence for instituting pharmacological therapy of bone impairment in UC patients for clinical indications other than those that are also applied to the patients with osteoporosis. Therefore, a reasonable advice is to consider pharmacological treatment for osteoporosis in those UC patients who already present fragility fractures, which bring a high risk of subsequent fractures. Therapy has also to be considered in patients with a high risk of fracture even if it did not yet happen, and particularly when they had long periods of corticosteroid therapy or cumulative high dosages. In patients without fragility fractures or steroid treatment, a medical decision about treatment could be guided by the FRAX tool to determine the intervention threshold. Among drugs for osteoporosis treatment, the bisphosphonates are the most studied ones, with the best and longest evidence of efficacy and safety. Despite this, several questions are still open, such as the duration of treatment, the necessity to discontinue it, the indication of therapy in young patients, particularly in those without previous fractures. Further, it has to be mentioned that a long-term bisphosphonates use in primary osteoporosis has been associated with an increased incidence of dramatic side-effects, even if uncommon, like osteonecrosis of the jaw and atypical sub-trochanteric and diaphyseal femoral fractures. UC is a long-lasting disease and the majority of patients is relatively young. In this scenario primary prevention of fragility fracture is the best cost-effective strategy. Vitamin D supplementation, adequate calcium intake, suitable physical activity (when possible), removing of risk factors for osteoporosis like smoking, and avoiding falling are the best medical acts.

Bone mineral density in fracture neck of femur patients:What's the significance?

BACKGROUND The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence(NICE)guidelines have advised further research is required into investigating the added prognostic value of bone mineral density(BMD)in the assessment of fracture risk with the Fracture Risk Assessment Tool(FRAX)score.AIM To investigate the significance of BMD in fracture neck of femur patients and compare it to the outcome of the FRAX score.METHODS Inclusion criteria for this study were all patients who underwent dual-energy Xray absorptiometry(DXA)scan following fracture neck of femur between 2015 and 2017.Analysis of BMD,FRAX scores and patient demographic data was undertaken.RESULTS A total of 69 patients were included in the study,mean age 74.1 years.There was no significant difference between mean BMD of the femoral neck in males(0.65)as compared to females(0.61)(P=0.364).Analyses showed no significant correlation between BMD and menopause age(rs=-0.28,P=0.090).A significant difference was seen of the femoral neck BMD between the different fracture pattern types(P=0.026).A stronger correlation was observed between BMD of femoral neck and FRAX major score(rs=-0.64,P<0.001)than with BMD of lumbar spine and FRAX major score(rs=-0.37,P=0.003).CONCLUSION This study demonstrated that BMD of the femoral neck measured by DXA scan is of added prognostic value when assessing patients for risk of fracture neck of femur in combination with the FRAX predictive scoring system.

Analysis of Fracture of Pre⁃sintered Zirconia Material in Neck Milling

With the continuous improvement of the accuracy requirements of clinical base or base tooth and denture,the design of denture neck edge is becoming thinner and thinner,and the presintering zirconia dioxide billet for denture making evacuation and low strength material mechanical characteristics make the certain probability of denture neck edge fragmentation and peeling in the cutting process.Based on this phenomenon,the abnormal wear is the main reason,and a method of high frequency ultrasonic time cleaning to reduce the fracture of the denture neck in actual cutting is proposed.

Cutting Performance of WC-Co Alloys Modified by Nano-Additives

In this paper,the microstructure of WC-Co alloys with and without nano-additives was characterized by scanning electron microscopy（SEM） and transmission electron microscopy（TEM）.The hardness and fracture toughness was tested by using a Vickers hardness tester and a universal testing machine.The cutting test was carried out at different feed velocities（250 r/min and 320 r/min）,and the contact pairs are cutting tools and 45# steel bars.Results showed that the hardness and fracture toughness of WC-Co cemented carbides with nano-additives are higher than that of WC-Co cemented carbides without nano-additives,and they are increased 10.21% and 19.69%,respectively.The flank worn width and crater width of cutting tools decrease greatly with the addition of nano-additives.For the nano-modified specimen with WC grain size of 7 μm,both the flank worn width and crater width are the minimum after the cutting process.And there are little built-up layers and some pile-up regions on the flank face leading to high cutting performance for the nano-modified cemented carbides.There are some melted regions on the flank face of cutting tools without nano-additives,and the WC grains on the cross section of alloys without nano-additives show severe fragmentation.The wear type of WC-Co is flank wear,and the wear mechanism is abrasive,adhesion and oxidation wear.