Effect of nano TiN/Ti refiner on as-cast and hot-working microstructure of commercial purity aluminum

A novel type nano TiN/Ti composite grain refiner （TiN/Ti refiner） was prepared by high energy ball milling, and its effect on as-cast and hot-working microstructure of commercial purity aluminum （pure Al） was investigated. The results show that TiN/Ti refiner exhibits excellent grain refining performances on pure Al. With an addition of 0.2% TiN/Ti refiner, the average grain size of pure Al decreases to 82 μm, which is smaller than that of pure Ti and Al 5Ti 1B master alloy as refiners. The microstructure of weld joint of pure Al with 0.1% TiN/Ti refiner is fine equiaxed grains and the hardness of weld joint is higher than that of the base metal. For pure Al with 40% cold deformation and recrystallization at 250 °C for 1.0 h, the grains of the sample added 0.1% Ti powder have an obvious grain growth behavior. In contrast, oriented grains caused by deformation have been eliminated, and there is no obvious grain growth in pure Al refined with 0.1% TiN/Ti refiner, indicating that nano TiN in the refiner inhibits the growth of grain during recrystallization.

Synergistic effect of magnetic field and nanocomposite pour point depressant on the yield stress of waxy model oil

Yield stress,as the key parameter to characterize the network strength of waxy oil,is important to the petroleum pipeline safety.Reducing the yield stress of waxy oil is of great significance for flow assurance.In this study,the effect of alternating magnetic field(intensity,frequency)on the yield stress of a waxy model oil with nanocomposite pour point depressant(NPPD)is systematically investigated.An optimum magnetic field intensity and frequency is found for the reduction in yield stress.When adding with NPPD,the heterogeneous nucleation of NPPD contributes to the reduction in yield stress for waxy model oil.Interestingly,the magnetic field is helpful for the modification of yield stress at a lower frequency and intensity before the optimal value;however,the modification is found to be weakened when the magnetic field is further increased after the optimal value.Possible explanation is proposed that the aggregation morphology of wax crystal would be altered and results in the release of wrapped oil phase from the network structure under the magnetic field.

Microstructure,mechanical response and fractography of AZ91E/Al_(2)O_(3)_(p) nano composite fabricated by semi solid stir casting method

The present study confers to the fabrication and its characterization of magnesium alloy(AZ91E)based nano composites with nano Al_(2)O_(3) particulate reinforcements.A novel Semi Solid stir casting technique was adopted for the fabrication of the composite.An average particle size of 50 nm was used as reinforcement to disperse in matrix.The effects of change in weight fraction of reinforcements on the distribution of particles,particle–matrix interfacial reactions,physical as well as mechanical properties were reported.The SEM and EDS analysis has shown the uniform distribution of particles in the composite along with the presence of elements.The mechanical properties of reinforced and unreinforced composite were evaluated and presented.Fractography of tensile specimens was also discussed.

Fabrication and Thermal Insulating Properties of ITO/PVB Nanocomposites for Energy Saving Glass

Chemical co-precipitation method was used to synthesize tin-doped indium oxide（ITO）nanoparticles,and the subsequent solution co-blend was employed to fabricate ITO/PVB nanocomposites.UV（Ultra-violet）-Vis（Visible）-NIR（Near Infrared） spectra show that the addition of ITO nano particles can significantly enhance the thermal insulating efficiency of ITO/PVB nanocomposites.With increasing ITO content,the thermal insulating efficiency is increased.UV is almost fully absorbed by all ITO/PVB nanocomposites.Vis transmittance-haze spectra reveal that ITO/PVB nanocomposites exhibit higher Vis transmittance over 71.3%and lower haze below 2%when ITO content is in the range of 0.1 wt%-0.7 wt%.The UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy shows that,under the premise of over 70%transmittance to the visible light,the screening effect of the NIR can be enhanced by 80%with 0.7%ITO/PVB nanocomposite membrane compared with the undoped PVB.The thermal insulating tests indicate that,in comparison with the pure PVB film,nanocomposite films with 0.1 wt%-0.9 wt%ITO can reduce temperature by 3-8 ℃.The results show that this novel nanocomposite can be used for energy-saving glass.

Sliding wear behaviour of AZ31B magnesium alloy and nano-composite

AZ31B magnesium alloy and nano-composite were manufactured by hybrid casting process and hot extruded at 350 °C. The sliding wear behaviour of alloy and nano-composite was estimated at room temperature using the standard pin-on-disc wear test equipment. The tests were conducted under a normal load of 10 N at different sliding speeds ranging from 0.60 to 1.2 m/s for distance up to 2000 m. The wear mechanisms of the worn out surface were studied using SEM analysis. The influence of test parameters on wear rate of the pins was established using a linear regression model statistically. Compared with the AZ31B magnesium alloy, the nano-composite shows lower wear rates due to higher hardness improvement caused by the reinforcement. The wear mechanism appears to be a mix-up of ploughing, rows of furrows, delamination and oxidation.

Preparation of multi-walled carbon nanotube–Fe composites and their application as light weight and broadband electromagnetic wave absorbers

Multi-walled carbon nanotube （MWCNT）-Fe composites were prepared via the metal organic chemical vapor deposi- tion by depositing iron pentacarbonyl on the surface of MWCNTs. The structural and morphological analyses demonstrated that Fe nanoparticles were deposited on the surface of the MWCNTs. The electromagnetic properties of the MWCNTs were significantly changed, and the absorbing capacity evidently improved after the Fe deposition on the MWCNT surface. A minimum reflection loss of -29.4 dB was observed at 8.39 GHz, and the less than -10 dB bandwidth was about 10.6 GHz, which covered the whole X band （8.2-12.4 GHz） and the whole Ku band （12.4-18 GHz）, indicating that the MWCNT-Fe composites could be used as an effective microwave absorption material.

Fabrication and Thermal Insulating Properties of ATO/PVB Nanocomposites for Energy Saving Glass

The pechini method was used to synthesize antimony-doped tin oxide （ATO） nanoparticles, and the subsequent solution co-blend was employed to fabricate ATO/PVB nanocomposites. Uv-Vis-NIR spectra show that the addition ofATO nano particles can significantly enhance the thermal insulating efficiency of ATO/PVB nanocomposites. With the increase of ATO content, the thermal insulating efficiency is increased. Uv is almost fully absorbed by all ATO/PVB nanocomposites. Vis transmittance-haze spectra reveal that ATO/ PVB nanocomposites exhibit higher Vis transmittance of over 72.7% and lower haze of below 2% when ATO content is in the range of 0.1 wt%-0.5 wt%. The thermal insulating tests indicate that in comparison with the pure PVB film, nanocomposite films with 0.1 wt%-0.5 wt% ATO can reduce temperature of 1-3 ℃, suggesting that this novel nanocomposite can be used for energy-saving glass.

ENHANCED MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF POLYPROPYLENE/SILICA NANOCOMPOSITES WITH SURFACE MODIFICATION OF NANO-SILICA VIA IN SITU COPOLYMERIZATION OF METHYL METHACRYLATE AND BUTYL ACRYLATE

Nano-sized silica particles were modified with methacryloxy-propyltrimethoxysilane(MPS) followed by in situ copolymerization of methyl methacrylate(MMA) and butyl acrylate(BA).These modified nanoparticles were compounded with polypropylene(PP) to prepare PP/silica nanocomposites.PMMA grafted on nano-silica enhances the dispersion of the nanoparticles and interfacial adhesion,decreases the size of PP spherulites in nanocomposites and leads to increasing the Young's modulus and toughness of PP/silica nanocomp...

Microstructure and Contact Fatigue Behavior of Nano-SiO_2/Ni Coating Prepared by Electro-Brush Plating

The composite coating nano SiO 2/Ni was prepared by co depositing nano SiO 2 particles with pure nickel through electro brush plating. By taking into account the effect of microstructure, heat treatment and load on the contact fatigue life, the anti contact fatigue behavior of the composite coating was examined and compared with that of nickel coating. As a result, the contact fatigue life decreased with the increasing of load. The contact fatigue lives of nano SiO 2/Ni coating were 16.5% and 45.2% higher than those of nickel coating respectively under the loads of 60 N and 140 N, and 326.3% higher than its counterpart of nickel coating after annealed under the load of 140 N. From the SEM image of fatigue fracture, it has been observed that the fatigue fracture of the composite coating initiated in the sub surface as well as at the track surface due to the huddling of units, and propagated along the interface between grain units.

Influence of volume percentage of NanoTiB2 particles on tribological&mechanical behaviour of 6061-T6 Al alloy nano-surface composite layer prepared via friction stir process

The aim of present study is to analyze the influence of volume percentage(vol.%) of nano-sized particles(TiB_2: average size is 35 nm) on microstructure, mechanical and tribological behavior of 6061-T6 Al alloy surface nano composite prepared via Friction stir process(FSP). The microstructure of the fabricated surface nanocomposites is examined using optical microscopy(OM) and scanning electron microscope(SEM) for distribution of TiB_2 nano reinforcement particles, thickness of nano composite layer formed on the Aluminum alloy substrate and fracture features. The depth of surface nano composite layer is measured as 3683.82 m m along the cross section of stir zone of nano composite perpendicular to FSP. It was observed that increase in volume percentage of TiB_2 particles, the microhardness is increased up to132 Hv and it is greater than as-received Al alloy's microhardness(104 Hv). It is also observed that at 4volume percentage higher tensile properties exhibited as compared with the 2 and 8 vol. %. It is found that high wear resistance exhibited at 4 volume percentage as-compared with the 2 and 8 vol. %. The observed wear and mechanical properties are interrelated with microstructure, fractography and worn morphology.

DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES OF NANO Si/C/N COMPOSITE POWDER AND NANO SiC POWDER AT HIGH FREQUENCIES AND MICROSTRUCTURE CHARACTERIZATION

The dielectric properties of nano Si/C/N composite powder and nano SiC powder at high frequencies have been studied. The nano Si/C/N composite powder and nano SiC powder were synthesized from hexamethyldisilazane ((Me 3Si) 2NH) (Me:CH 3) and SiH 4 C 2H 2 respectively by a laser induced gas phase reaction. The complex permittivities of the nano Si/C/N composite powder and nano SiC powder were measured between 8 2GHz and 12 4GHz. The real and imaginary parts of the complex permittivities of nano Si/C/N composite powder are much higher than those of nano SiC powder. The SiC microcrystalline in the nano Si/C/N composite powder dissolved a great deal of nitrogen. The local structure around Si atoms changed by introducing N into SiC. Carbon atoms around Si were substituted by N atoms. So charged defects and quasi free electrons moved in response to the electric field, diffusion or polarization current resulted from the field propagation. The high ε″and loss factor tgδ(ε″/ε′) of Si/C/N composite powder were due to the dielectric relaxation.

The Impact of Nano CaCO3 Modified in situ with Methacrylic Acid on the Structure and Properties of Natural Rubber

Natural rubber (NR) was reinforced in situ with nano CaCO3 that had been modified with methacrylic acid (MAA)(M-CaCO3).The structures and properties of the resulting composites were studied using attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(ATR-FTIR),scanning electron microscopy(SEM),and Mooney viscometer and mechanical tests.The results show that when NR is physically blended with CaCO3 and MAA,(Ca2+)-(–OOC) is formed in situ.When dicumyl peroxide (DCP) is added,the (Ca^2+)-(–OOC) self-homopolymerizes,and during the curing process poly-(Ca^2+)-(–OOC) is formed and grafts to the molecular chains of the NR via carbon-carbon double bonds.The NR/M-CaCO3 composites formed have close interfacial interaction and are well dispersed.Compared with the NR composites reinforced with unmodified nano CaCO3,the NR/M-CaCO3 composites have very different cure characteristics,rheological behavior,and mechanical properties,and these characteristics and properties show a significant relationship with the loading of M-CaCO3.

Comparative Study of Micro and Nano Size WO3/E44 Epoxy Composite as Gamma Radiation Shielding Using MCNP and Experiment

The radiation shielding characteristics of 50wt% WO3/E44 epoxy composite in various gamma energies from 80 keV to 1.33 MeV are investigated via the MCNP code. Thus two scales are considered for WOa filler particles： micro and nano with sizes of i #m and 5Onto, respectively. The simulation results show that W03 nano particles exhibit a larger increase in linear attenuation coefficient in comparison with micro size particles. Finally, validation of simulation results with the published experimental data shows a good agreement.

Effect of Carbon Nanotube on Damping Properties of Epoxy

In a nanocomposite structure, it is anticipated that high damping can be achieved by taking advantage of the interfaeial friction between the nanotubes and the polymer. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the structural damping characteristics of polymeric composites containing Carbon nanotubes （CNTs） with various kinds and amounts. The damping characteristics of the specimens with 0 wt% and 0.5 wt% nanotube contents were computed experimentally. Through comparing with neat resin specimens, the study showed that one can enhance damping by adding CNT fillers into polymeric resins. Similarly experiment showed that the maximum value of damping ratio was obtained at 0.5 wt%.

Recent advances and influencing parameters in developing electrode materials for symmetrical solid oxide fuel cells

This article delivers a robust overview of potential electrode materials for use in symmetrical solid oxide fuel cells(S-SOFCs),a relatively new SOFC technology.To this end,this article provides a comprehensive review of recent advances and progress in electrode materials for S-SOFC,discussing both the selection of materials and the challenges that come with making that choice.This article discussed the relevant factors involved in developing electrodes with nano/microstructure.Nanocomposites,e.g.,non-cobalt and lithiated materials,are only a few of the electrode types now being researched.Furthermore,the phase structure and microstructure of the produced materials are heavily influenced by the synthesis procedure.Insights into the possibilities and difficulties of the material are discussed.To achieve the desired microstructural features,this article focuses on a synthesis technique that is either the most recent or a better iteration of an existing process.The portion of this analysis that addresses the risks associated with manufacturing and the challenges posed by materials when fabricating S-SOFCs is the most critical.This article also provides important and useful recommendations for the strategic design of electrode materials researchers.

Preparation and photocatalytic property of Fe_(2)O_(3)/ZnO composites with superhydrophobicity

A facile approach was developed to construct Fe_(2)O_(3)-modified ZnO micro/nanostructures with excellent superhydrophobicity and photocatalytic activities.The effects of stearic acid(SA)and Fe_(2)O_(3) on the morphological characteristics,water contact angle(WCA),and photocatalytic degradation were investigated.Superhydrophobicity results showed that WCA increased from 144°±2°to 154°±2°when the weight of SA increased from 5 to 20 mg because of the formation of a hierarchical or rough structure.Furthermore,Fe_(2)O_(3)-modified ZnO micro/nanostructure surfaces before and after SA treatment(20 mg)were chosen to evaluate the photodegradation of methylene blue(MB)dye under the support of visible light.MB degraded after 80 min of irradiation,and its photodegradation efficiencies were 91.5%at the superhydrophobic state and 92%at the hydrophilic state.This improvement in photocatalytic activity at both states might be attributed to an increase in surface area and improvement in charge carrier separation.

Effects of Surfactants SDS and CTAB on Ni-SiC Deposition

The influences of surfactant type and concentration on the content and uniformity of SiC particles in Ni-SiC deposit were studied in this paper. The electrochemical behavior of preparing Ni-SiC composite coating was investigated using the cyclic voltammetry method. Then the impact of surfactants on the deposition potential of Ni-SiC coating was analyzed. Electrochemical studies showed that the cathode overvoltage increases gradually with increasing SDS（Sodium dodecyl sulfate） concentration. The CV curve showed the shift towards a lower current at a given potential with increasing SDS concentration. Ni-SiC composite coatings were prepared by electrodeposition. The experimental results show that the dispersion of 40 nm SiC in Ni-SiC coating obtained in the electrolyte containing SDS is superior that containing CTAB（cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide）. CTAB increases the content of 40 nm SiC particles in the Ni-SiC coating, but the uniformity of 40 nm SiC particles in Ni-SiC composite coating is poor. SiC particles are still agglomerated. Compared with the anionic surfactant SDS and the cationic surfactant CTAB, surfactant SDS makes the particles better dispersed. But the contribution of surfactant SDS for co-deposition amount of SiC particles is negligible. The cationic surfactant CTAB can effectively improve the suspension performance of SiC particles and promote the co-deposition of SiC particles and metallic nickel. But there is still some reunion of SiC.

Mg2＋-ion Conducting Polymer Electrolytes： Materials Characterization and All-Solid-State Battery Performance Studies

For All-Solid-State battery applications, Mg2＋-ion conducting polymer electrolytes and Mg-metal electrode are currently considered as alternate choices in place of Li＋-ion conducting polymer electrolytes/Li-metal electrode. Present paper reports fabrication of All-Solid-State battery based on the following Mg2＋-ion conducting nano composite polymer electrolyte （NCPE） films： [85PEO： 15Mg（C104）2] ＋ 5% TiO2 （〈 100 nm）, [85PEO： 15Mg（CIO4）2] ＋ 3% SiO2（-8 nm）. [85PEO： 15Mg（CIO4）2] ＋ 3% MgO （〈 100 nm）, [85PEO：15Mg（C1O4）2] ＋ 3% MgO （-44 μm）. NCPE films were prepared by hot-press technique. Solid Polymer Electrolyte （SPE） composition： [85PEO： 15Mg（CIO4）2], identified as high conducting film at room temperature, has been used as ISt--phase host and nano/micro particles of active （MgO）/passive （SiO2, TiO2） fillers as IInd-phase dispersoid. Filler particle dependent conductivity studies identified above mentioned NCPE films as optimum conducting composition （OCC） at room temperature. Ion transport behavior of SPE/NCPE film materials was investigated previously. Present paper reports materials characterization and cell performance studies on All-Solid-State batteries： Mg （Anode） Ⅱ SPE or NCPE films tt C＋MnO2＋Electrolyte （Cathode）. Open circuit voltage （OCV） obtained was in the range： 1.79-1.92 V. The batteries were discharged at room temperature under different load conditions and some important battery parameters have been evaluated from plateau region of cell-potential discharge profiles. All the batteries performed quite satisfactorily specially under low current drain states.

Recent Progress in Two-dimensional Nanomaterials Following Graphene for Improving Fire Safety of Polymer(Nano)composites

The high fire safety of polymer nanocomposites is being pursued by research institutions around the world.In addition to intrinsic flame retardancy strategy,the additive-type flame retardants have attracted increasing attention due to low commercial cost and easy fabrication craft.However,traditional additive-type flame retardants usually need high addition amount to achieve a desirable effect which causes many side-effects on the overall performance of polymer materials,such as deteriorated mechanical property and processability.At present two-dimensional(2D)nanomaterials have also been applied to reduce the fire hazards of polymer(nano)composites with the coupling of barrier function and catalysis as well as carbonization effect.Even though most research work mainly focus on graphene-based flame retardants,more emerging two-dimensional nanomaterials are taking away research attention,due to their complementary and unique properties,mainly including hexagonal boron nitride(h-BN),molybdenum disulfide(MoS2),metal organic frameworks(MOF),carbon nitride(CN),titanium carbide(MXene)and black phosphorene(BP).In this review,except for graphene,the flame retardant mechanism involving different layered nanomaterials are also reviewed.Meanwhile,the functionalization method and flame retardancy effect of different layered nanomaterials are emphatically discussed for offering an effective reference to solve the fire hazards of polymer materials.Moreover,this work objectively evaluates the practical significance of polymer/layered nanomaterials composites for industrial application.

Nanoindentation and Wear Characteristics of Al 5083/SiC_p Nanocomposites Synthesized by High Energy Ball Milling and Spark Plasma Sintering

AI 5083//10 wt% SiCp nano composites have been synthesized by means of high energy ball milling followed by spark plasma sintering （SPS）. Nano composites produced via this method exhibited near-theoretical density while retaining the nano-grained features. X-ray diffraction （XRD） analysis indicated that the crystalline size of the ball milled AI 5083 matrix was observed to be～25 nm and it was coarsened up to～30 nm after SPS. Nano indentation results of nano composites demonstrated a high hardness of～280 HV with an elastic modulus of 126 GPa. Wear and friction characteristics with addition of SiCp reinforcement exhibited significant improvement in terms of coefficient of friction and specific wear rate to that of nano structured AI 5083 alloy. The reduction in specific wear rate in the nanocomposite was mainly due to the change of wear mechanism from adhesive to abrasive wear with the addition of SiCp which resulted in high hardness associated with nano-grained microstructure.