The Influence of CO_(2) Cured Manganese Slag on the Performance and Mechanical Properties of Ultra-High Performance Concrete

The presence of toxic elements in manganese slag(MSG)poses a threat to the environment due to potential pollution.Utilizing CO_(2) curing on MS offers a promising approach to immobilize toxic substances within this material,thereby mitigating their release into the natural surroundings.This study investigates the impact of CO_(2) cured MS on various rheological parameters,including slump flow,plastic viscosity(η),and yield shear stress(τ).Additionally,it assesses flexural and compressive strengths(f_(t) and f_(cu)),drying shrinkage rates(DSR),durability indicators(chloride ion migration coefficient(CMC),carbonization depth(CD)),and the leaching behavior of heavy metal elements.Microscopic examination via scanning electron microscopy(SEM)is employed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms.The results indicate that CO_(2) curing significantly enhances the slump flow of ultra-high performance concrete(UHPC)by up to 51.2%.Moreover,it reduces UHPC’sηandτby rates ranging from 0%to 52.7%and 0%to 40.2%,respectively.The DSR exhibits a linear increase corresponding to the mass ratio of CO_(2) cured MS.Furthermore,CO_(2) curing enhances both f_(t) and f_(cu) of UHPC by up to 28.7%and 17.6%,respectively.The electrical resistance is also improved,showing an increase of up to 53.7%.The relationship between mechanical strengths and electrical resistance follows a cubic relationship.The CO_(2) cured MS demonstrates a notable decrease in the CMC and CD by rates ranging from 0%to 52.6%and 0%to 26.1%,respectively.The reductions of leached chromium(Cr)and manganese(Mn)are up to 576.3%and 1312.7%,respectively.Overall,CO_(2) curing also enhances the compactness of UHPC,thereby demonstrating its potential to improve both mechanical and durability properties.

Enhancing the Interaction of Carbon Nanotubes by Metal-Organic Decomposition with Improved Mechanical Strength and Ultra-Broadband EMI Shielding Performance

The remarkable properties of carbon nanotubes(CNTs)have led to promising applications in the field of electromagnetic inter-ference(EMI)shielding.However,for macroscopic CNT assemblies,such as CNT film,achieving high electrical and mechanical properties remains challenging,which heavily depends on the tube-tube interac-tions of CNTs.Herein,we develop a novel strategy based on metal-organic decomposition(MOD)to fabricate a flexible silver-carbon nanotube(Ag-CNT)film.The Ag particles are introduced in situ into the CNT film through annealing of MOD,leading to enhanced tube-tube interactions.As a result,the electrical conductivity of Ag-CNT film is up to 6.82×10^(5) S m^(-1),and the EMI shielding effectiveness of Ag-CNT film with a thickness of~7.8μm exceeds 66 dB in the ultra-broad frequency range(3-40 GHz).The tensile strength and Young’s modulus of Ag-CNT film increase from 30.09±3.14 to 76.06±6.20 MPa(~253%)and from 1.12±0.33 to 8.90±0.97 GPa(~795%),respectively.Moreover,the Ag-CNT film exhibits excellent near-field shield-ing performance,which can effectively block wireless transmission.This innovative approach provides an effective route to further apply macroscopic CNT assemblies to future portable and wearable electronic devices.

High mechanical strength Si anode synthesis with interlayer bonded expanded graphite structure for lithium-ion batteries

Despite advancements in silicon-based anodes for high-capacity lithium-ion batteries,their widespread commercial adoption is still hindered by significant volume expansion during cycling,especially at high active mass loadings crucial for practical use.The root of these challenges lies in the mechanical instability of the material,which subsequently leads to the structural failure of the electrode.Here,we present a novel synthesis of a composite combining expanded graphite and silicon nanoparticles.This composite features a unique interlayer-bonded graphite structure,achieved through the application of a modified spark plasma sintering method.Notably,this innovative structure not only facilitates efficient ion and electron transport but also provides exceptional mechanical strength(Vickers hardness:up to658 MPa,Young's modulus:11.6 GPa).This strength effectively accommodates silicon expansion,resulting in an impressive areal capacity of 2.9 mA h cm^(-2)(736 mA h g^(-1)) and a steady cycle life(93% after 100cycles).Such outsta nding performance is paired with features appropriate for large-scale industrial production of silicon batteries,such as active mass loading of at least 3.9 mg cm^(-2),a high-tap density electrode material of 1.68 g cm^(-3)(secondary clusters:1.12 g cm^(-3)),and a production yield of up to 1 kg per day.

Comparative analysis of microstructure,mechanical,and corrosion properties of biodegradable Mg-3Y alloy prepared by selective laser melting and spark plasma sintering

This work explored possibilities of biodegradable magnesium alloy Mg-3Y preparation by two modern powder metallurgy techniques–spark plasma sintering(SPS)and selective laser melting(SLM).The powder material was consolidated by both methods utilising optimised parameters,which led to very low porosity(∼0.3%)in the SLM material and unmeasurably low porosity in the SPS material.The main aim of the study was the thorough microstructure characterisation and interrelation between the microstructure and the functional properties,such as mechanical strength,deformability,and corrosion resistance.Both materials showed comparable strength of∼110 MPa in tension and compression and relatively good deformability of∼9%and∼21%for the SLM and SPS materials,respectively.The corrosion resistance of the SPS material in 0.1 M NaCl solution was superior to the SLM one and comparable to the conventional extruded material.The digital image correlation during loading and the cross-section analysis of the corrosion layers revealed that the residual porosity and large strained grains have the dominant negative effect on the functional properties of the SLM material.On the other hand,one of the primary outcomes of this study is that the SPS consolidation method is very effective in the preparation of the W3 biodegradable alloy,resulting in material with convenient mechanical and degradation properties that might find practical applications.

Influence of Mass Ratio of Resin and Stabilizer on Mechanical Properties of Mo Fiber-reinforced Granite Polymer Composite

Because inferior mechanical strength of granite polymer composite(GPC)has become the main drawback limiting its application and popularization,Mo fibers were added into(GPC)to improve its mechanical strength.Mechanical properties of matrix materials with different mass ratio of resin and stabilizer(MRRS)were investigated systematically.The influences of MRRS on interface bonding strength of Mo fiber-matrix,wettability and mechanical strength of GPC were discussed,respectively,and the theoretical calculation result of MRRS k was obtained,with the optimal value of k=4.When k=4,tensile strength,tensile strain and fracture stress of the cured resin achieve the maximum values.But for k=7,the corresponding values reach the minimum.With the increase of MRRS k,surface free energy of the cured resin first increases and then decreases,while contact angles between Mo sample and matrix have displayed the opposite trend.Wettability of resin to Mo fiber is the best at k=4.Pulling load of Mo fiber and interface bonding strength appear the maximum at k=4,followed by k=5,k=3 the third,and k=7 the minimum.When k=4,mechanical properties of Mo fiber-reinforced GPC are optimal,which is consistent with the result of theoretical calculation.This study is of great significance to get better component formulas of Mo fiber reinforced GPC and to improve its application in machine tools.

Substitution of Aggregates in Concrete and Mortar with Coltan Mining Waste: Mechanical, Environmental, and Economic Impact Case Study

The mining process involves drilling and excavation, resulting in the production of waste rock and tailings. The waste materials are then removed and stored in designated areas. This study aims to evaluate the mechanical strength and the environmental and economic impact of using Coltan Mining Waste (CMW) as a substitute for aggregates in concrete and mortar production. To achieve this, the CMW needs to be characterised. The Dreux Gorisse method was primarily used to produce concrete with a strength of 20 MPa at 28 days. The mortars, on the other hand, were formulated according to the NF P 18-452 standard. The environmental impact of using CMW as substitutes for natural aggregates in the production of concrete and mortar was analysed using SimaPro software. The results showed that mortars and concrete made with CMW have comparable compressive strengths to the reference mortar and concrete;reduce the negative impact on ecosystem quality, human health, resources, and climate change. It has also been shown that the substitution of aggregates by CMW reduces the cost of concrete and mortar as a function of the distance from the aggregate footprint.

Effect of graphene on mechanical properties of cement mortars

Functionalized graphene nano-sheets(FGN) of 0.01%-0.05%(mass fraction) were added to produce FGN-cement composites in the form of mortars. Flow properties, mechanical properties and microstructure of the cementitious material were then investigated. The results indicate that the addition of FGN decreases the fluidity slightly and improves mechanical properties of cement-based composites significantly. The highest strength is obtained with FGN content of 0.02% where the flexural strength and compressive strength at 28 days are 12.917 MPa and 52.42 MPa, respectively. Besides, scanning electron micrographs show that FGN can regulate formation of massive compact cross-linking structures and thermo gravimetric analysis indicates that FGN can accelerate the hydration reaction to increase the function of the composite effectively.

Engineering a flexible and mechanically strong composite electrolyte for solid-state lithium batteries

Lithium-ion batteries(LIBs)have greatly facilitated our daily lives since 1990s[1,2].To meet the ever-increasing demand on energy density,Li metal is seen as the ultimate anode because of its ultra-high specific capacity(3860 m Ah/g)and the lowest electrochemical potential(-3.04 V vs.the standard hydrogen electrode)[3–6].However,issues of Li metal anode,such as Li dendrite formation and large volume change during plating/stripping。

The effect of al particle size on thermal decomposition,mechanical strength and sensitivity of Al/ZrH_(2)/PTFE composite

To study the thermal decomposition of Al/Zr H_(2)/PTFE with different Al particle size as well as mechanical strength and impact sensitivity under medium and low strain rates,molding-vacuum sintering was adopted to prepare four groups of power materials and cylindrical specimens with different Al particle size.The active decomposition temperature of Zr H_(2) was obtained by TG-DSC,and the quasi-static mechanics/reaction characteristics as well as the impact sensitivity of the specimen were studied respectively by quasi-static compression and drop-hammer test.The results show that the yield strength of the material decreased with the increase of the Al particle size,while the compressive strength,failure strain and toughness increased first and then decreased,which reached the maximum values of 116.61 MPa,191%,and 119.9 MJ/m respectively when the Al particle size is 12-14 mm because of particle size grading.The specimens with the highest strength and toughness formed circumferential open cracks and reacted partly when pressed.Those with developmental cracks formed inside did not react.It is considered that fracture of specimens first triggered initial reaction between Al and PTFE to release an amount of heat.Then ZrH_(2) was activated and decomposed,and participated in subsequent reaction to generate Zr C.The impact sensitivity of the specimens decreased with the increase of Al particle size.

Highly Flexible and Broad‑Range Mechanically Tunable All‑Wood Hydrogels with Nanoscale Channels via the Hofmeister Effect for Human Motion Monitoring

Wood-based hydrogel with a unique anisotropic structure is an attractive soft material,but the presence of rigid crystalline cellulose in natural wood makes the hydrogel less flexible.In this study,an all-wood hydrogel was constructed by cross-linking cellulose fibers,polyvinyl alcohol(PVA)chains,and lignin molecules through the Hofmeister effect.The all-wood hydrogel shows a high tensile strength of 36.5 MPa and a strain up to~438%in the longitudinal direction,which is much higher than its tensile strength(~2.6 MPa)and strain(~198%)in the radial direction,respectively.The high mechanical strength of all-wood hydrogels is mainly attributed to the strong hydrogen bonding,physical entanglement,and van der Waals forces between lignin molecules,cellulose nanofibers,and PVA chains.Thanks to its excellent flexibility,good conductivity,and sensitivity,the all-wood hydrogel can accurately distinguish diverse macroscale or subtle human movements,including finger flexion,pulse,and swallowing behavior.In particular,when“An Qi”was called four times within 15 s,two variations of the pronunciation could be identified.With recyclable,biodegradable,and adjustable mechanical properties,the all-wood hydrogel is a multifunctional soft material with promising applications,such as human motion monitoring,tissue engineering,and robotics materials.

Study of galvanic corrosion and mechanical joint properties of AZ31B and carbon-fiber–reinforced polymer joined by friction self-piercing riveting

A new testing methodology was developed to quantitively study galvanic corrosion of AZ31B and thermoset carbon-fiber–reinforced polymer spot-joined by a friction self-piercing riveting process.Pre-defined areas of AZ31B in the joint were exposed in 0.1 M NaCl solution over time.Massive galvanic corrosion of AZ31B was observed as exposure time increased.The measured volume loss was converted into corrosion current that was at least 48 times greater than the corrosion current of AZ31B without galvanic coupling.Ninety percent of the mechanical joint integrity was retained for corroded F-SPR joints to 200 h and then decreased because of the massive volume loss of AZ31B。

Nano-silica-decorated Poly(m-Phenylene Isophthalamide)Separator with Enhanced Mechanical and Electrolyte Wetting Properties for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Heat-resistant poly(m-phenylene isophthalamide)(PMIA)has attracted considerable attention as a novel separator for application in lithium-ion batteries(LIBs);however,its mechanical strength and electrolyte wettability are not ideal.Herein,a nano-silica-decorated poly(m-phenylene isophthalamide)(PMIA@SiO2)separator was fabricated with SiO2 nanoparticles uniformly attached to the pores and pore walls of the PMIA separator.The as-prepared PMIA@SiO2 separator has good mechanical strength(a 16%improvement compared with pristine PMIA)and wettability toward the electrolyte(the contact angle decreases from 34.0°to 23.1°).The PMIA@SiO2 separator also had a high ionic conductivity(0.75 mS/cm)and low interfacial electric resistance(75Ω).The assembled LiCoO2/PMIA@Si O2-liquid electrolyte/Li cell displays good cycle performance with a capacity retention of 88.1%after 50 cycles.Furthermore,the cycling performance and rate capacity rarely changed after high-temperature treatment.Therefore,the nano-silica-decorated PMIA separator is a potential candidate for application in LIBs with high safety.

Individual effect of Y and Nd on the microstructure formation of Mg-Y-Nd alloys processed by severe plastic deformation and their effect on the subsequent mechanical and corrosion properties

This work investigated the effect of sole yttrium and neodymium alloying on the microstructure formation during severe plastic deformation by equal channel angular pressing(ECAP) and an impact on the mechanical strength and corrosion resistance of binary Mg-3Y and Mg-3Nd alloys.The results are compared with a ternary Mg-4Y-3Nd alloy,which represents a simplified version of the commercially successful WE43 alloy.The extensive study comprises a thorough microstructural analysis performed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy,including electron backscatter diffraction and texture analysis performed by X-ray diffraction.It is shown that the presence of Nd primarily caused precipitation during the processing of the Mg-3Nd alloy,while Y remained dissolved in the magnesium matrix in the Mg-3Y alloy.This difference resulted in a significantly smaller average grain size in the Mg-3Y alloy(~0.77 nm) than in the Mg-3Nd alloy(~1.3 μm) after the final step of the processing and formation of a slightly different texture.Consequently,the composition and the processing affected the mechanical and corrosion properties of the investigated materials,measured by compression deformation tests,microhardness measurement,and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.This study shows that the ECAP-processed W3 sample exhibits a surprisingly good combination of ultrafine-grain structure,weak crystallographic texture,high strength,and high corrosion resistance compared with the other investigated samples.These attributes make this material very interesting for utilisation in the industry and/or medicine.

Effects of Cure Pressure Induced Voids on the Mechanical Strength of Carbon/Epoxy Laminates

This work aims at designing a set of curing pressure routes to produce laminates with various void contents. The effects of various consolidation pressures resulting in different void contents on mechanical strength of carbon/epoxy laminates have been examined. Characterization of the voids, in terms of void volume fraction, void distribution, size, and shape, was performed by standard test, ultrasonic inspection and metallographic analysis. The interlaminar shear strength was measured by the short-beam method. An empirical model was used to predict the strength vs porosity. The predicted strengths conform well with the experimental data and voids were found to be uniformly distributed throughout the laminate.

Cu Partitioning Behavior and Its Effect on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of 0.12C-1.33Mn-0.55Cu Q&P Steel

Cu, as an austenitic stable element, is added to steel in order to suppress the adverse effects of high content of C and Mn on welding. Based on C partitioning, Cu and Mn partitioning can further improve the stability of retained austenite in the intercritical annealing process. A sample of low carbon steel containing Cu was treated by the intercritical annealing, then quenching process（I＆Q）. Subsequently, another sample was treated by the intercritical annealing, subsequent austenitizing, then quenching and partitioning process（I＆Q＆P）. The effects of element partitioning behavior in intercritical region on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the steel were studied. The results showed that after the I＆Q process ferrite and martensite could be obtained, with C, Cu and Mn enriched in the martensite. When intercritically heated at 800 ℃, Cu and Mn were partitioned from ferrite to austenite, which was enhanced gradually as the heating time was increased. This partitioning effect was the most obvious when the sample was heated at 800 ℃ for 40 min. At the early stage of α→γ transformation, the formation of γ was controlled by the partitioning of carbon, while at the later stage, it was mainly affected by the partitioning of Cu and Mn. After the I＆Q＆P process, the partitioning effect of Cu and Mn element could be retained. C was assembled in retained austenite during the quenching and partitioning process. The strength and elongation of I＆Q＆P steel was increased by 5 305 MPa% compared with that subjected to Q＆P process. The volume fraction of retained autensite was increased from 8.5% to 11.2%. Hence, the content of retained austenite could be improved significantly by Mn and Cu partitioning, which increased the elongation of steel.

Mechanical properties of cement mortar in sodium sulfate and sodium chloride solutions

To investigate the mechanical properties of cement mortar in sodium sulfate and sodium chloride solutions, uniaxial compression test and ultrasonic test were performed. Test results show that the relative dynamic elastic modulus, the mass variation,and the compressive strength of cement mortar increase first, and then decrease with increasing erosion time in sodium sulfate and sodium chloride solutions. The relative dynamic elastic moduli and the compressive strengths of cement mortars with water/cement ratios of 0.55 and 0.65 in sodium sulfate solution are lower than those in sodium chloride solution with the same concentration at the420 th day of immersion. The compressive strength of cement mortar with water/cement ratio of 0.65 is more sensitive to strain rate than that with water/cement ratio of 0.55. In addition, the strain-rate sensitivity of compressive strength of cement mortar will increase under attacks of sodium sulfate or sodium chloride solution.

Effect of concentration of ATH on mechanical properties of polypropylene/aluminium trihydrate(PP/ATH) composite

Aluminium trihydrate(ATH) is being extensively added to polypropylene(PP) to make a fire retardant composite. Blends of PP/ATH composite are more fire resistant as compared to pure PP. Percentage proportion of both the constituents in the final composite depends upon the application. Improvement in the fire retardant properties of such composites have been studied and published in literature but effects on mechanical strength have not been addressed. The effect of concentration of ATH on the strength of PP/ATH composite was presented. The tensile, flexural and fracture properties were studied and discussed. Experimental tests, ASTM analytical formulae and finite element approach were used. It has been found that increase in ATH has an inverse effect on the mechanical strength.

STUDY ON THE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF SOLID CATALYSTS

The mechanics of porous catalyst paricles has been discussed and outlined. Concept of brittle fracture, statistical model of single-particle strength, and bulk crushing strength model were introduced. It is elucidated that the objective of catalyst mechanics research is to establish mechanical reliability model of converters using solid catalysts.

Investigation on Thermal Insulation and Mechanical Strength of Lightweight Aggregate Concrete and Porous Mortar in Cold Regions

Thermal insulation is an important indicator to evaluate the construction material in cold region engineering.As we know,adding the industrial waste as lightweight aggregate or creating the pore inside the cement-based composite could make the texture loose,and the thermal insulating capacity of the material would be improved with this texture.Using these methods,the industrial by-product and engineering waste could be cycled in an efficient way.Moreover,after service the fragmented cement composites paste could be used as aggregate in the thermal insulating concrete again.While the porous texture is not favorable for the mechanical strength and long-term durability in a cold environment.To balance the above three requirements from two opposite directions,different processing methods were applied to create the thermal insulation concrete/mortar.Firstly,the organic/inorganic lightweight aggregate,including the Expanded Polystyrene(EPS),Expanded Perlite(EP),and Ceramsite(CRMST)particles,were applied to create the Lightweight Aggregate Concrete(LWAC).As the comparative tests,the expanded Superabsorbent Polymer(SAP)hydrogel and Air-Entraining Agent(AEA)were also introduced to create the porous mortar.The above concrete/mortar was tested in the normal state and under the Freeze-Thaw cycle to explore the engineering performance in cold regions.During the experimenting process,the thermal insulation,mechanical strength,and frost resistance of these cement-based composites were investigated,and an optimal thermal insulation concrete/mortar was determined.

Hydration Characteristics and Mechanical Properties of Cement-Based Materials Modified by Calcined Zeolite and Montmorillonite

Montmorillonite and clinoptilolite zeolite were used as representative materials to prepare calcined clay-cement binary cementitious materials in order to study the effect of calcination treatment on the activation of clay minerals and the activity difference between layered and framed clays in this research.The influence of different calcined clay content(2%,4%,6%,8%,10%)on the fluidity,compressive strength,microstructure,phase change,and hydration heat of cement-based materials were analyzed.The calcined clay improves the fluidity of cement-based materials as compared with the uncalcined group.The addition of calcined montmorillonite(CMT)improves the development of mechanical strength,and the optimal compressive strength reaches 85 MPa at 28 days with 8%CMT.However,the activity of calcined clinoptilolite zeolite(CZL)is weak with few reaction sites,which slightly reduced the mechanical strength as compared to the blank sample.The addition of CMT changes the microscopic morphology of hydration products such as C-S-H and C-A-H,leading to the formation and transformation of ettringite in the early stage.It promotes the gradual polymerization of Si-O bonds into Si-O-Si bonds simultaneously,which accelerates the early hydration process.However,CZL acts mainly as a filling function in the cementitious system.In brief,CMT as an admixture can improve the mechanical properties of cement,but CZL has little effect.This work provides a guideline for the applications of calcined clay in cement,considering the influence of clay type on workability and mechanical strength.