Effects of low melting point metals(Ga,In,Sn) on hydrolysis properties of aluminum alloys

Low melting point metals（Ga, In, Sn） as alloy elements were used to prepare Al-In-Sn and Al-Ga-In-Sn alloys through mechanical ball milling method. The effects of mass ratio of In to Sn and Ga content on the hydrolysis properties of aluminum alloys were investigated. X-ray diffraction（XRD） and scanning electron microscopy（SEM） with energy disperse spectroscopy（EDS） were used to analyze the compositions and morphologies of the obtained Al alloys. The results show that the phase compositions of Al-In-Sn ternary alloys are Al and two intermetallic compounds, In3 Sn and In Sn4. All Al-In-Sn ternary alloys exhibit poor hydrolysis activity at room temperature. Al-In-Sn alloy with the mass ratio of In to Sn equaling 1：4 has the highest hydrogen yield. After Ga is introduced to the ternary alloys, the hydrolysis activity of aluminum alloys at room temperature is greatly improved. It is speculated that the addition of Ga element promotes the formation of defects inside the Al alloys and Ga-In3Sn-In Sn4 eutectic alloys on the alloys surface. Al atoms can be dissolved in this eutectic phase and become the active spots during the hydrolysis process. The small size and uniform distribution of this eutectic phase may be responsible for the enhancement of hydrolysis activity.

DISPERSION AND IN SITU FORMED FIBER OF LOW MELTING POINT METALS IN POLYMER

The dispersion mechanism of low melting point metal (LMPM) particles in polymers was studied using Cox dilute emulsion model. The critical destruction shear stress sigma of LMPM droplets is sigma greater than 2 v/d. When sigma is small, LMPM droplets were dispersed and deformed ellipsoidal or bar droplets whose orientation direction is always at an angle of 45 degree with the direction of shear rate. When sigma is very big and droplets are very fine, polymer melt elasticity behavior and big boundary tension between a polymer melt and LMPM droplets make further fining LMPM droplets become more difficult. Therefore, LMPM droplets produce tensile flow and form LMPM microfibrils in situ in polymer melt. SEM photographs have shown the results predicted using dilute emulsion model. (Author abstract) 7 Refs.

PROMOTER FLOW ACTION OF SOLID-STATE LOW MELT POINT METAL ON THE POLYPROPYLENE

With the aid of a slip-disentanglemnt theory, a rheological equation has been deduced about the composite system of solid-state low melting point metal and polymer. By measuring some rheological properties of the composite system composed of low melt point metal and polypropylene (LMPM/PP), the results show that LMPM has a promoter flow action upon PP when using a small amount of LMPM and, if some coupled agents are added, the promoter flow action will be remarkable. Moreover, while LMPM being added into the composite, the temperature sensitivity of system will go rip. This indicates that the system's viscosity will drop further if its temperature is increased.

Rheology in Processing of in Situ Composites of Polypropylene and Low Melting Poing Metals

The low melting point metallic tin powder or alloy of tin and lead was blended with polypropylene. A kind of in situ composite has been prepared. The variations of torque were studied when the composites were mixed in Haake torque rheogeniometer. By way of capillary extrusion, effects upon rheology of the in situ composites of the low melting point metals (LMPM) and coupling agent for their different variety and content, were investigated. From flow curves, the results indicate that in situ composites mixed with the LMPM are a kind of pseudoplastic fluid. If the LMPM were melted, the higher the content of the LMPM, the lower apparent viscosity of composites. Meanwhile, when the coupling agent is added into composites , the viscosity of composite will go up first and drop then. This shows that the LMPM have a promoter flow action on the polypropylene.

Liquid phase 3D printing for quickly manufacturing conductive metal objects with low melting point alloy ink

Conventional 3D metal printings are generally time-consuming as well as lacking of high performance printable inks.From an alternative way,here we proposed the method of liquid phase 3D printing for quickly making conductive metal objects.Through introducing metal alloys whose melting point is slightly above room temperature as printing inks,several representative structures spanning from one,two and three dimension to more complex patterns were demonstrated to be quickly fabricated.Compared with the air-cooling in a conventional 3D printing,the liquid-phase-manufacturing offers a much higher cooling rate and thus significantly improves the speed in fabricating the target metal objects.This unique strategy also efficiently prevents the liquid metal inks from air oxidation,which is hard to avoid otherwise in an ordinary 3D printing.The key physical factors(such as properties of the cooling fluid,air pressure within the syringe barrel and needle diameter,types and properties of the printing ink)and several interesting intermediate fluids interaction phenomena between liquid metal and conventional cooling fluids such as water or ethanol,which evidently affecting the printing quality,were disclosed.In addition,a basic route to make future liquid phase 3D printer incorporated with both syringe pump and needle arrays was also suggested.The liquid phase 3D printing,which owns potential values not available in a conventional method,opens an efficient way for quickly making conductive metal objects in the coming time.