Influence of Negative Bias Voltage on the Mechanical and Tribological Properties of MoS_2/Zr Composite Films

MoS2/Zr composite films were deposited on the cemented carbide YT14 （WC＋14%TiC＋6%Co） by medium-frequency magnetron sputtered and coupled with multi-arc ion plated techniques.The influence of negative bias voltage on the composite film properties,including adhesion strength,micro-hardness,thickness and tribological properties were investigated.The results showed that proper negative bias voltage could significantly improve the mechanical and tribological properties of composite films.The effects of negative bias voltage on film properties were also put forward.The optimal negative bias voltage was -200 V under this experiment conditions.The obtained composite films were dense,the adhesion strength was about 60 N,the thickness was about 2.4 μm,and the micro-hardness was about 9.0 GPa.The friction coefficient and wear rate was 0.12 and 2.1×10-7 cm3/N·m respectively after 60 m sliding operation against hardened steel under a load of 20 N and a sliding speed of 200 rev·min-1.

Wave Propagation Characteristics in Thick Conventional and Auxetic Cellular Plates

Based on Mindlin plate models and Kirchhoff plate models,this study was concerned with the wave propagation characteristics in thick conventional and auxetic cellular structures,with the objective to clarify the effects of negative Poisson＇s ratio,shear factor and orthotropic mechanical properties on the dynamic behaviors of thick plates.Numerical results revealed that the predictions using variable shear factor in Mindlin plate models resulted in high wave frequencies,which were more significant for plates with negative values of Poisson＇s ratio.The present study can be useful for the design of critical applications by varying the values of Poisson＇s ratio.

Subduction tectonics vs.plume tectonics——Discussion on driving forces for plate motion

Plate tectonics describes the horizontal motions of lithospheric plates,the Earths outer shell,and interactions among them across the Earths surface.Since the establishment of the theory of plate tectonics about half a century ago,considerable debates have remained regarding the driving forces for plate motion.The early"Bottom up"view,i.e.,the convecting mantledriven mechanism,states that mantle plumes originating from the core-mantle boundary act at the base of plates,accelerating continental breakup and driving plate motion.Toward the present,however,the"Top down"idea is more widely accepted,according to which the negative buoyancy of oceanic plates is the dominant driving force for plate motion,and the subducting slabs control surface tectonics and mantle convection.In this regard,plate tectonics is also known as subduction tectonics."Top down"tectonics has received wide supports from numerous geological and geophysical observations.On the other hand,recent studies indicate that the acceleration/deceleration of individual plates over the million-year timescale may reflect the effects of mantle plumes.It is also suggested that surface uplift and subsidence within stable cratonic areas are correlated with plumerelated magmatic activities over the hundred-million-year timescale.On the global scale,the cyclical supercontinent assembly and breakup seem to be coupled with superplume activities during the past two billion years.These correlations over various spatial and temporal scales indicate the close relationship and intensive interactions between plate tectonics and plume tectonics throughout the history of the Earth and the considerable influence of plumes on plate motion.Indeed,we can acquire a comprehensive understanding of the driving forces for plate motion and operation mechanism of the Earth's dynamic system only through joint analyses and integrated studies on plate tectonics and plume tectonics.