Microstructural characterization and mechanical properties of(TiC+TiB)/TA15 composites prepared by an in-situ synthesis method

Titanium matrix composites reinforced with ceramic particles are considered a promising engineering material due to their combination of high specific strength,low density,and high modulus.In this study,the TA15-based composites reinforced with a volume fraction of 10% to 25%(TiB+TiC)were prepared using powder metallurgy and casting technique.Microstructural characterization and phase constitution were examined using optical microscopy(OM),scanning electron microscopy(SEM),and X-ray diffraction(XRD).In addition,the microhardness,room temperature(RT)and high temperature(HT)tensile properties of the composites were evaluated.Results revealed that the reinforcements are distributed uniformly even in the composites with a high volume of TiB and TiC.However,as the volume fraction exceeds 15%,TiB and TiC particles become coarsening and exhibit rod-like and dendritic-like morphology.Microhardness increases gradually from 321.2 HV for the base alloy to a maximum of 473.3 HV as the reinforcement increases to 25vol.%.Tensile test results indicate that a reinforcement volume fraction above 20% is beneficial for enhancing tensile strength and yield strength at high temperatures,but it has an adverse effect on room temperature elongation.Conversely,if the reinforcement volume fraction is below 20%,it can improve high-temperature elongation when the temperature exceeds 600℃.

Solvothermal synthesis and adsorption performance of layered boehmite using aluminum chloride and high-alumina fly ash

High alumina fly ash(FAHAl)is a kind of bulk solid waste unique to China,whose availability of high-value aluminum and the threat to the environment makes its high-value utilization urgent.In this work,the alumina containing leaching solution obtained from Na_(2)CO_(3) roasting and HCl leaching of FAHAl was used as the mother liquor to prepare layered boehmite in situ.The preparation process with AlCl_(3) as the raw material was also compared.The formation process and mechanism of boehmite,the choice of solvent,along with the adsorption capability of Congo red were analyzed by X-ray diffraction,scanning electron microscopy,Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy,Brunauer-Emmett-Teller method and adsorption experiments.Results showed that during the preparation of layered boehmite,the precursor Al(OH)_(3) from the reaction of Al^(3+) and OH-is transformed into boehmiteγ-AlOOH.The existence of ethanol is beneficial to regulate and promote the growth of boehmite crystal effectively.When water and ethanol are mixed with a volume ratio of 2:1 and used as the solvent,the maximum specific surface area of the boehmite is obtained at 135.7 m^(2)·g^(-1),and 99.16%of Congo red can be absorbed after 10 min when AlCl3 is used as a raw material.As purified leaching solution is used as the mother liquid,the crystallinity of boehmite decreases slightly when the pH value decreases from 12.5 to 11.When pH is 11,the removal efficiency of Congo red reaches a maximum of 72.25%.This process not only achieves the extraction of aluminum and high-value utilization of FAHAl but also provides a thought to prepare layered boehmite with adsorption properties.

A Primary Study on Mechanical Properties of Heat-Treated Wood via in-situ Synthesis of Calcium Carbonate

This study aims to improve the value of fast-growing wood and extend the heat-treated wood utilization using inorganic calcium carbonate(CaCO_(3))crystals via an in-situ synthesis method.CaCl_(2)and Na 2CO_(3)solutions with a concentration ratio of 1:1 were successively introduced into the thermally modified poplar wood obtained by steam heat treatment(HT)at 200℃for 1.5 and 3 h,resulting in the in-situ synthesis of CaCO_(3)crystals inside the heat-treated wood.The filling effect was best at the concentration of 1.2 mol/L.CaCO_(3)was uniformly distributed in the cell cavities of the heat-treated wood,and some of the crystals were embedded in the fissures of the wood cell walls.The morphology of CaCO_(3)crystals was mainly spherical and rhombic polyhedral.Three main types of CaCO_(3)crystals were calcite,vaterite,and aragonite.The HT of poplar wood at 200℃resulted in degrading the chemical components of the wood cell wall.This degradation led to reduced wood mechanical properties,including the surface hardness(HD),modulus of rupture(MOR),and modulus of elasticity(MOE).After CaCO_(3)was in-situ synthesized in the heat-treated wood,the HD increased by 18.36%and 16.35%,and MOR increased by 14.64%and 8.89%,respectively.Because of the CaCO_(3)synthesization,the char residue of the 200℃heat-treated wood samples increased by 9.31%and the maximum weight loss rate decreased by 19.80%,indicating that the filling with CaCO_(3)cannot only improve the mechanical properties of the heat-treated wood but also effectively enhance its thermal stability.

In-situ homogeneous synthesis of carbon nanotubes on aluminum matrix and properties of their composites

Using nickel catalyst supported on aluminum powders, carbon nanotubes （CNTs） were successfully synthesized in aluminum powders by in-situ chemical vapor deposition at 650 ℃. Structural characterization revealed that the as-grown CNTs possessed higher graphitization degree and straight graphite shell. By this approach, more homogeneous dispersion of CNTs in aluminum powders was achieved compared with the traditional mechanical mixture methods. Using the in-situ synthesized CNTs/Al composite powders and powder metallurgy process, CNTs/Al bulk composites were prepared. Performance testing showed that the mechanical properties and dimensional stability of the composites were improved obviously, which was attributed to the superior dispersion of CNTs in aluminum matrix and the strong interfacial bonding between CNTs and matrix.

Novel in-capsule synthesis of metal-organic framework for innovative carbon dioxide capture system

Metal-Organic Frameworks(MOFs)have been developed as solid sorbents for CO_(2) capture applications and their properties can be controlled by tuning the chemical blocks of their crystalline units.A number of MOFs(e.g.,HKUST-1)have been developed but the question remains how to deploy them for gas-solid contact.Unfortunately,the direct use of MOFs as nanocrystals would lead to serious problems and risks.Here,for the first time,we report a novel MOF-based hybrid sorbent that is produced via an innovative in-situ microencapsulated synthesis.Using a custom-made double capillary microfluidic assembly,double emulsions of the MOF precursor solutions and UV-curable silicone shell fluid are produced.Subsequently,HKUST-1 MOF is successfully synthesized within the droplets enclosed in the gas permeable microcapsules.The developed MOF-bearing microcapsules uniquely allow the deployment of functional nanocrystals without the challenge of handling ultrafine particles,and further,can selectively reject undesired compounds to protect encapsulated MOFs.

Study on the In-situ Synthesis of Aluminum Titanate Sintered by Waste Aluminum Slag

Aluminum titanate was in-situ synthesized by using industrial waste-residue in the aluminum factory and TiO2 as the main raw materials and the influence of different reaction temperatures on the purity and microstructures of synthesized products were mainly discussed. The obtained Al2TiO5 was characterized by X-ray diffraction （XRD）, scanning electron microscopy （SEM） and relevant analytical software. The results show that elevating the sintering temperature can increase the content of aluminum titanate; and at 1420 ℃, it reaches the highest in the synthesized ceramic. When the sintering temperature continues to increase, the produced aluminum titanate will decompose resulting in the drop of its content. Therefore, the optimum sintering temperature of in-situ synthesis of aluminum titanate is determined as 1420 ℃, at which the grains of aluminum titanate grow completely, the purity of aluminum titanate is 89.3wt%., the highest density is 2.75 g/cm^3, and the porosity is 9%.

Application of Ceramic Coat Synthesized by In-Situ Combustion Synthesis to BF Tuyere

A novel technology of tuyere protection is introduced. The ceramic coat .is synthesized by using in-situ combustion process as the internal, external, and nose protecting coat of BF tuyeres. It can effectively protect the tuyeres and reduce heat loss by cooling water. The technglogy is quick-acting, easy to use, energy-saving and can make tuyeres have long service life. The feasibility of the application of the tuyere ceramic coat is discussed and the energy-saving effect of the tuyere is compared with that of the tuyeres lined with refractory.

In-situ Synthesis of ZSM-5 with Different Si/AlRatios on Honeycomb-shaped Cordierite and their Behavior on NO Decomposition

Zeolites ZSM-5 with different Si/Al ratios were in-situ synthesized on the surface ofhoneycomb-shaped cordierite support for the first time. Characterizations of XRD and SEM wereperformed and it has been proved that the zeolite ZSM-5 was grown on the surface of the cordieritehomogeneously. NO decomposition on the Cu exchanged ZSM-5/cordierite monolith catalysts wasalso studied. It was found that the monolith catalysts have a fine initial activity at 673K and GHSVof 10,000h-1. Such method should be a good way to make auto exhaust converter with monolithcatalyst for NOx removal.

Study of the Performance and Microstructure of CeB_6/B_4C Ceramic Composite via in-situ Synthesis

CeB6/B4C ceramic composite was fabricated by hot-pressed sintering via in-situ synthesis reaction among B4C, CeOand C. The effects of CeB6 content on the performance and microstructure of CeB6/B4C composites were investigated. As the content of CeB6 was 2.42%, the microhardness of CeB6/B4C composite reached the maximum of 40.64 GPa, which was higher than that of monolithic B4C by 52.5%. As the content of CeB6 was 4.89%, the flexibility strength and the fracture toughness of CeB6/B4C composite reached the peak values of 346.7 MPa and 5.95 MPa·m1/2 respectively, which were higher than those of monolithic B4C by 17.96% and 61.7% respectively. The integrated mechanical property of CeB6/B4C ceramic composite with the 4.89% CeB6 content is optimal. It was also found that as in-situ synthesis of CeB6, the crystal grain growth was inhibited, and crystallite arrangement was so compact that the pores gradually reduced. The main fracture mode of CeB6/B4C ceramic composite was intercrystalline rupture, while the transcrystalline rupture was minor.

Synthesis of Ti_3SiC_2/TiB_2 Composite by In-situ Hot Pressing (HP) Method

Ti3SiC2/TiB2 composite was successfully obtained by hot pressing Ti/TiC/Si/B4C power mixtures.Volume fraction of TiB2 in Ti3SiC2/TiB2 composite can not exceed 10%.Incorporation of excessive TiB2 will affect the reactions process.TiC and Ti5Si3 were two important intermediate phases during the whole reactions.The microstructure characteristics of the Ti3SiC2/TiB2 composites were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy （SEM） and transmission electron microscopy （TEM）.The experimental results show that the grains of Ti3SiC2/TiB2 composite are structured in a layered form,and the formation of TiB2 particles as reinforcements with elongated or equiaxed shape distributes in Ti3SiC2 matrix.

In-situ Synthesis of ZSM-5 Zeolite from Metakaolin/Spinel and Its Catalytic Performance on Methanol Conversion

ZSM-5 zeolite was in-situ synthesized from metakaolin or s alumina sources, respectively. The ZSM-5 zeolite was characterized pinel by incorporating additional silica and by X-ray diffractometry （XRD）, scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, Fourier transform infrared （FT-IR） spectroscopy and N2 adsorption measurement. This supported zeolite was tested on the methanol to propylene （MTP） processes. Experimental results showed that the ZSM-5 zeolite exhibited high selectivity for propylene. The yield of propylene on ZSM-5 zeolite made from metakaolin was increased by 17.73%, while that on ZSM-5 zeolite made from spinel was raised by 9.90%, compared to that achieved with the commercial ZSM-5 zeolite. The significant increase in propylene production is probably due to the distinctive morphology of the ZSM-5 zeolite, which possessed a rough external surface covered with sphere-like particles and distribution of small crystals sized at around 400--500 nm. This morphology could help to generate more crystal defects so that more active centers could be exposed to the reaction mixture. In addition, the zeolite product had a gradient pore distribution and many medium Brǒnsted acid sites, both of which might also contribute to the increased propylene production.

In-Situ Synthesis and Characteristics of TiC-Fe Cermet Graded Composite Coating on a Steel Substrate

By means of an inherent elevated-temperature of poured liquid steel,a Ti-C-30wt%Fe preform,which was pre-placed in a mould cavity,was directly ignited and a combustion synthesis reaction took place.As a result,a TiC-Fe cermet coating with a thickness of about 10mm was simultaneously synthesized on the solidified steel matrix.The synthesized coating exhibits a feature of graded composite structure,in which both the amount and size of TiC particles decrease gradually with an increasing distance from the furface of the coating.Moreover,by a proper casting technique,the pores formed during the combustion synthesis of the preform could be centrally distributed in 2-3mm in outer layer of the coating.When this outer porous layer was worn off,the rest coating with a thickness of about 8mm possesses a dense structure and a high abrasive wear resistance.

In-situ additive manufacturing of high strength yet ductility titanium composites with gradient layered structure using N_(2)

It has always been challenging work to reconcile the contradiction between the strength and plasticity of titanium materials.Laser powder bed fusion(LPBF) is a convenient method to fabricate innovative composites including those inspired by gradient layered materials.In this work,we used LPBF to selectively prepare Ti N/Ti gradient layered structure(GLSTi)composites by using different N_(2)–Ar ratios during the LPBF process.We systematically investigated the mechanisms of in-situ synthesis Ti N,high strength and ductility of GLSTi composites using microscopic analysis,TEM characterization,and tensile testing with digital image correlation.Besides,a digital correspondence was established between the N_(2) concentration and the volume fraction of LPBF in-situ synthesized Ti N.Our results show that the GLSTi composites exhibit superior mechanical properties compared to pure titanium fabricated by LPBF under pure Ar.Specifically,the tensile strength of GLSTi was more than 1.5times higher than that of LPBF-formed pure titanium,reaching up to 1100 MPa,while maintaining a high elongation at fracture of 17%.GLSTi breaks the bottleneck of high strength but low ductility exhibited by conventional nanoceramic particle-strengthened titanium matrix composites,and the hetero-deformation induced strengthening effect formed by the Ti N/Ti layered structure explained its strength-plasticity balanced principle.The microhardness exhibits a jagged variation of the relatively low hardness of 245 HV0.2 for the pure titanium layer and a high hardness of 408 HV0.2 for the N_(2) in-situ synthesis layer.Our study provides a new concept for the structure-performance digital customization of 3D-printed Ti-based composites.

In-situ Synthesis of Binderless ZSM-5 Zeolitic Coatings on Aluminum

ZSM-5 zeolitic coatings on aluminum have been prepared successfully by in-situhydrothermal synthesis method and ZSM-5/Al monolith was formed. The effects of pH value andcrystallization time on the in-situ synthesis were discussed.

Center Distance and Pouring Temperature on in-situ Synthesis of WC_P/Fe Composite Coating

Tungsten carbide （WC） particles can be in-situ synthesized through the reaction between tungsten wires and molten of gray cast iron. The different composite coatings were obtained by adjusting the pouring temperature and the center distance of tungsten wires, and were comparatively observed by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and two-body abrasive wear tests. The results show that the intensities of the WC peaks increase by the increasing pouring temperature, and firstly become strong and then weak by the increasing center distance. In case of the pouring temperature 1 400 ℃ and the center distance 0.5mm, the formed WC particles present quadrilateral and triangle-structure and are homogenously distributed in the matrix. The wear rate of the composite coatings for stable center distance gradually increases by increasing the loads, however, at a constant pouring temperature, it firstly decreases from 5.91 to 2.97 mg/cm2·h, and slightly increases to 3.98 mg/cm2·h by increasing the center distance.

Visualization of atomic scale reaction dynamics of supported nanocatalysts during oxidation and ammonia synthesis using in-situ environmental(scanning) transmission electron microscopy

Reaction dynamics in gases at operating temperatures at the atomic level are the basis of heterogeneous gas-solid catalyst reactions and are crucial to the catalyst function.Supported noble metal nanocatalysts such as platinum are of interest in fuel cells and as diesel oxidation catalysts for pollution control,and practical ruthenium nanocatalysts are explored for ammonia synthesis.Graphite and graphitic carbons are of interest as supports for the nanocatalysts.Despite considerable literature on the catalytic processes on graphite and graphitic supports,reaction dynamics of the nanocatalysts on the supports in different reactive gas environments and operating temperatures at the single atom level are not well understood.Here we present real time in-situ observations and analyses of reaction dynamics of Pt in oxidation,and practical Ru nanocatalysts in ammonia synthesis,on graphite and related supports under controlled reaction environments using a novel in-situ environmental(scanning) transmission electron microscope with single atom resolution.By recording snapshots of the reaction dynamics,the behaviour of the catalysts is imaged.The images reveal single metal atoms,clusters of a few atoms on the graphitic supports and the support function.These all play key roles in the mobility,sintering and growth of the catalysts.The experimental findings provide new structural insights into atomic scale reaction dynamics,morphology and stability of the nanocatalysts.

In Situ Synthesis of NaY Zeolite with Coal-Based Kaolin

NaY zeolites were in-situ synthesized from coal-based kaolin via thehydrothermal method. The effects of various factors on the structure of the samples were extensivelyinvestigated. The samples were characterized by N_2 adsorption, XRD, IR and DTG-DTA methods, andthe results show that the crystallization temperature and amount of added water play an importantrole in the formation of the zeolite structure. The 4A and P zeolites are the competitive phasepresent in the resulting product. However, NaY zeolites with a higher relative crystallinity,excluding impure crystals and the well hydrothermal stability, can be synthesized from coal-basedkaolin. These zeolites possess a larger surface area and a narrow pore size distribution, and thismeans that optimization of this process might result in a commercial route to synthesize NaYzeolites from coal-based kaolin.

Individualized Pixel Synthesis and Characterization of Combinatorial Materials Chips

Conventionally, an experimentally determined phase diagram requires studies of phase formation at a range of temperatures for each composition, which takes years of effort from multiple research groups. Combinatorial materials chip technology, featuring high-throughput synthesis and characterization, is able to determine the phase diagram of an entire composition spread of a binary or ternary system at a single temperature on one materials library, which, though significantly increasing efficiency, still requires many libraries processed at a series of temperatures in order to complete a phase diagram. In this paper, we propose a "one-chip method" to construct a complete phase diagram by individually synthesizing each pixel step by step with a progressive pulse of energy to heat at different temperatures while monitoring the phase evolution on the pixel in situ in real time. Repeating this process pixel by pixel throughout the whole chip allows the entire binary or ternary phase diagram to be mapped on one chip in a single experiment. The feasibility of this methodology is demonstrated in a study of a Ge-Sb-Te ternary alloy system, on which the amorphouscrystalline phase boundary is determined.

Microstructure of in-situ Synthesized (TiB+TiC)/Ti Composites Prepared by Hot-pressing

In-situ 5 vol.pct TiB whiskers and TiC particulates reinforced Ti composites were fabricated by blending Ti powderand B4C particulates followed by reactive hot-pressing. The microstructure of the composites was investigated byusing differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM)and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results showed that the reactive temperature between Ti and B4C isabove 570°. Two kinds of reinforcements with different shapes were formed during hot-pressing: TiB short-fiber andequiaxed TiC particles. The interracial bonding between the reinforcements and Ti matrix is perfect. No interracialreaction between reinforcements and Ti matrix was found.

Synthesis and Luminescence Properties of Ternary Europium Complexes inTitania Matrix in the Presence of Dimethylformamide by a Sol-Gel Process

In-situ synthesis of ternary europium complex with thenoyltrifluoacetone (TTA) and 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) in titania matrix in the presence of dimethylformamide (DMF) by a sol-gel process was described, which was confirmed by the luminescence excitation spectra and infrared spectra. The titania gel that contains europium complex exhibits Eu3+ characteristic emission bands and presents a longer fluorescence lifetime than the pure complexes dissolved in ethanol solution. The concentration effect on the luminescence intensity was also investigated.