Structures and Properties of Iron Matrix Composites with Tungsten Carbide Particle by EPC-V Process

In this paper the Expendable Pattern Casting with dry sand Vacuum(EPC-V) process is used to manufacture iron matrix composites with tungsten carbide particle.Microstructures of the composites layers were analyzed.The abrasive wear resistance of the composites layers were tested and compared with that of high chromium cast iron.The results show that the iron matrix composites with tungsten carbide particle have high hardness.The abrasive wear resistance of composites with tungsten carbide particle is higher than that of high chromium cast iron.The properties of the matrix materials have been improved remarkably.

Preparation of Fluoroalkyl End-Capped Oligomer/Cyclodextrin Polymer Composites: Development of Fluorinated Composite Material Having a Higher Adsorption Ability toward Organic Molecules

Fluoroalkyl end-capped vinyltrimethoxysilane oligomer [RF-(CH2CHSi(OMe)3)n-RF;RF = CF(CF3)OCF7, n = 2, 3;RF-(VM)n-RF] was applied to the preparation of fluoroalkyl end-capped vinyltrimethoxysilane oligomer/α-, β-, γ-cyclodextrin polymers (α-, β-, γ-CDPs) composites [RF-(VM-SiO2)n-RF/α-, β-, γ-CDPs] by the sol-gel reaction of the corresponding oligomer in the presence of the α-, β-, γ-CDPs under alkaline conditions. The RF-(VM-SiO2)n-RF/α-, β-, γ-CDPs composites thus obtained were found to give a good dispersibility toward the traditional organic media except for water, and were applied to the surface modification of glass to provide a sueperoleophilic/superhydrophobic characteristic on the modified surface, although the corresponding RF-(VM-SiO2)n-RF nanocomposites can give a usual oleophobic/superhydrophobic property on the surface. These composites powders were also found to be applicable to the packing material for the column chromatography to separate the mixture of oil/water and the water in oil (W/O) emulsions. More interestingly, these composite powders were found to have a higher adsorption ability toward not only low-molecular weight aromatic compounds such as bisphenol A and bisphenol AF but also volatile organic compounds, compared to that of the pristine α-, β-, γ-CDPs.

Thermal and Structural Analyses of PMMA/TiO₂Nanoparticles Composites

In the present work, composites of poly (methyl methacrylate)/titanium oxide nanoparticles (100/0, 97.5/2.5, 95/5, 92.5/7.5, 90/10 and 0/100 wt/wt%)were prepared to be used as bioequivalent materials according to their importance broad practical and medical applications. Thermal properties as well as X-ray diffraction analyses were employed to characterize the structure properties of such composite. The obtained results showed variations in the glass transition temperature (Tg), the melting temperature (Tm), shape and area of thermal peaks which were attributed to the different degrees of crystallinity and the existence of interactions between PMMA and TiO2 nanoparticle molecules. The XRD patterns showed sharpening of peaks at different concentrations of nano-TiO2 powder with PMMA. This indicated changes in the crystallinity/amorphosity ratio, and also suggested that the miscibility between the amorphous components of homo- polymers PMMA and nano-TiO2 powder is possible.The results showed that nano-TiO2 powder mix with PMMA can improve the thermal stability of the homo-polymer under investigation, lead- ing to interesting technological applications.

Mechanical Properties and Thermal Shock Resistance of SrAl_(2)Si_(2)O_(8) Reinforced BN Ceramic Composites

Hexagonal boron nitride(h-BN)ceramics have become exceptional materials for heat-resistant components in hypersonic vehicles,owing to their superior thermal stability and excellent dielectric properties.However,their densification during sintering still poses challenges for researchers,and their mechanical properties are rather unsatisfactory.In this study,SrAl_(2)Si_(2)O_(8)(SAS),with low melting point and high strength,was introduced into the h-BN ceramics to facilitate the sintering and reinforce the strength and toughness.Then,BN-SAS ceramic composites were fabricated via hot press sintering using h-BN,SrCO_(3),Al_(2)O_(3),and SiO_(2) as raw materials,and effects of sintering pressure on their microstructure,mechanical property,and thermal property were investigated.The thermal shock resistance of BN-SAS ceramic composites was evaluated.Results show that phases of as-preparedBN-SAS ceramic composites are h-BN and h-SrAl_(2)Si_(2)O_(8).With the increase of sintering pressure,the composites’densities increase,and the mechanical properties shew a rising trend followed by a slight decline.At a sintering pressure of 20 MPa,their bending strength and fracture toughness are(138±4)MPa and(1.84±0.05)MPa·m^(1/2),respectively.Composites sintered at 10 MPa exhibit a low coefficient of thermal expansion,with an average of 2.96×10^(-6) K^(-1) in the temperature range from 200 to 1200℃.The BN-SAS ceramic composites prepared at 20 MPa display higher thermal conductivity from 12.42 to 28.42 W·m^(-1)·K^(-1) within the temperature range from room temperature to 1000℃.Notably,BN-SAS composites exhibit remarkable thermal shock resistance,with residual bending strength peaking and subsequently declining sharply under a thermal shock temperature difference ranging from 600 to 1400℃.The maximum residual bending strength is recorded at a temperature difference of 800℃,with a residual strength retention rate of 101%.As the thermal shock temperature difference increase,the degree of oxidation on the ceramic surface and cracks due to thermal stress are also increased gradually.

Micro Model of Carbon Fiber/Cyanate Ester Composites and Analysis of Machining Damage Mechanism

Machining damage occurs on the surface of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites during processing. In the current simulation model of CFRP, the initial defects on the carbon fiber and the periodic random distribution of the reinforcement phase in the matrix are not considered in detail, which makes the characteristics of the cutting model significantly different from the actual processing conditions. In this paper, a novel three-phase model of carbon fiber/cyanate ester composites is proposed to simulate the machining damage of the composites. The periodic random distribution of the carbon fiber reinforced phase in the matrix was realized using a double perturbation algorithm. To achieve the stochastic distribution of the strength of a single carbon fiber, a novel method that combines the Weibull intensity distribution theory with the Monte Carlo method is presented. The mechanical properties of the cyanate matrix were characterized by fitting the stress-strain curves, and the cohesive zone model was employed to simulate the interface. Based on the model, the machining damage mechanism of the composites was revealed using finite element simulations and by conducting a theoretical analysis. Furthermore, the milling surfaces of the composites were observed using a scanning electron microscope, to verify the accuracy of the simulation results. In this study, the simulations and theoretical analysis of the carbon fiber/cyanate ester composite processing were carried out based on a novel three-phase model, which revealed the material failure and machining damage mechanism more accurately.

Microstructure,mechanical properties,and wear resistance of VCp-reinforced Fe-matrix composites treated by Q&P process

A quenching and partitioning(Q&P) process was applied to vanadium carbide particle(VCp)-reinforced Fe-matrix composites(VC-Fe-MCs) to obtain a multiphase microstructure comprising VC, V8 C7, M3 C, α-Fe, and γ-Fe. The effects of the austenitizing temperature and the quenching temperature on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and wear resistance of the VC-Fe-MCs were studied. The results show that the size of the carbide became coarse and that the shape of some particles began to transform from diffused graininess into a chrysanthemum-shaped structure with increasing austenitizing temperature. The microhardness decreased with increasing austenitizing temperature but substantially increased after wear testing compared with the microhardness before wear testing; the microhardness values improved by 20.0% ± 2.5%. Retained austenite enhanced the impact toughness and promoted the transformation-induced plasticity(TRIP) effect to improve wear resistance under certain load conditions.

Optimization of Friction and Wear Behaviour in Hybrid Metal Matrix Composites Using Taguchi Technique

Al-7075 alloy-base matrix, reinforced with mixtures of silicon carbide (SiC) and boron carbide (B4C) particles, know as hybrid composites have been fabricated by stir casting technique (liquid metallurgy route) and optimized at different parameters like sliding speed, applied load, sliding time, and percentage of reinforcement by Taguchi method. The specimens were examined by Rockwell hardness test machine, Pin on Disc, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Optical Microscope. A plan of experiment generated through Taguchi’s technique is used to conduct experiments based on L27 orthogonal array. The developed ANOVA and the regression equations were used to find the optimum wear as well as co-efficient of friction under the influence of sliding speed, applied load, sliding time and percentage of reinforcement. The dry sliding wear resistance was analyzed on the basis of “smaller the best”. Finally, confirmation tests were carried out to verify the experimental results.

Strength, Fatigue Strength and Stiffness of High-Tech Bamboo/Epoxy Composites

A major problem in the strength data available for cellulose fibre-based materials is that the moisture content of the test specimens is rarely measured, and yet it is the dominant variable in the tests. Detailed strength and stiffness results are presented for Brazilian Dendrocalamus Giganteus bamboo at a wide range of moisture contents down to 2% and the fatigue curve is given for Chinese Moso bamboo at 4% moisture content. Techniques are described for handling the variability of these natural materials, both in design and in manufacturing quality control, for the mass production of large, high-tech composites wind turbine blades.

Reaction Mechanisms and Tensile Properties of the Composites Fabricated by Al-B2O3 System

The aluminum matrix composites(AlB2+a-Al2O3)/Al were fabricated by in situ reaction synthesis from an Al-B2 O3 system. The reaction pathways, apparent activation energies and tensile properties were analyzed by using differential scanning calorimetry(DSC), X-ray diffraction(XRD), scanning electron microscopy(SEM), and equipped energy dispersive spectroscopy(EDS). The results showed that there are two-step reactions in the Al-B2 O3 system. The first-step is 15 Al+7 B2 O3→7 aAl2O3+AlB12+2 B and the second-step is 2 B+AlB12+6 Al→7 AlB2. Their corresponding apparent activation energies are 352 and 444 kJ/mol, respectively. The tensile strength and elongation rate of the composites are 190.5 MPa and 6.6%, respectively.Compared with ordinary aluminum base material, the performance is superior. There are many dimple and cracked a-Al2O3 reinforcements in tensile fracture surface layer.

Aging Behaviours of 8011 Al and 8011 Al/15% SiCp Composites

In this investigation, the effect of aging on the hardness and tensile behavior of 15% SiCp/8011 Al composites has been studied. The composites were manufactured through stir casting method. Cast ingots of the composites were hot extruded at 500°C. The composite samples were solution heat-treated at 530°C for 3 h and quenched in cold water. The aging temperature was 130°C, 150°C, 170°C, 190°C, and 210°C for aging duration of 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 hrs respectively. The mechanical properties measured included: tensile strength, yield strength and hardness values. The composites produced exhibited maximum mechanical properties at peak aged condition. These increases in mechanical properties during aging are attributed to the formation of coherent and uniform distribution SiC particles in the aluminum matrix composites. It was also observed that thermal modification plays an important role in retaining the ductility of composites. This result shows that a substantial improvement in mechanical properties has been achieved in the reinforced metal matrices produced after age-hardening.

Evaluation of Sawdust and Rice Husks as Fillers for Phenolic Resin Based Wood-Polymer Composites

We produced Wood-Polymer Composites (WPCs) with phenolic resin (PR) filled with saw dust (SD) and rice husks (RH) in a PR:fillerratio of 60:40 wt.%. RH and SD were grinded and sieved into particles μm. The aim of this research work was to evaluate sawdust and rice husks as fillers for sustainable phenolic resin based WPCs. Therefore, we investigated the thermal stability of PR/RH and PR/SD WPCs then we studied and compared the tensile, flexural properties of PR/SD and PR/RH WPCs samples, as well as their dimensional stability after water absorption test. Furthermore, through ultraviolet light exposure, we evaluated the effects of photo-oxidation on the water stability and mechanical properties of PR/RH and PR/SD WPCs samples compared to unexposed ones. PR filled with SD presented better mechanical properties compared to PR/RH WPCs samples. However, PR/RH WPCs showed good mechanical properties, and better thermal resistance and better water repulsion capabilities compared to PR/SD WPCs samples. Although, long time UV exposure ended up lowering considerably the mechanical properties and water resistance of PR/SD and PR/RH WPCs, both RH and SD offer great added value as fillers for PR based WPCs;SD having better interactions with PR matrix compared to RH.

Influence of Microstructure Refinement on Strain Strengthening Effect of Cu-Ag Alloy in situ Filamentary Composites

The Cu-10Ag and Cu-10Ag-RE （RE=Ce, Y） alloys in situ filamentary composites were prepared. The relationships of the ultimate tensile strengths （UTS） and microstructure changes of the composites were studied. With increasing of the true strain η, the sizes of the Ag filaments in the composites reduce according to a negative exponential function of η:d=d0·exp（-0.228η）, and the UTS of the composites increase also according to a exponential function of η, σ Cu/Ag=σ 0（Cu）+[k Cu/Agd0 -1/2]exp（η/3）, here d0 is a coefficient related to the original size of Ag phase. The strain strengthening follows a two-stage strengthening effect. The strengthening mechanisms are related to changes of microstructure in the deformation process. At the low true strain stage, the strengthening is mainly caused by the working hardening controlled by dislocation increasing; at the high true strain stage, the strengthening is mainly caused by the super-fine Ag filaments and the large coherent interfaces between the Ag filaments and Cu matrix. The trace RE additions and the rapid solidification obviously refine scales of the Ag filament of the composites, and therefore obviously increased the strain strengthening rate. The microstructure refinement of the composites, especially the refinement of Ag filament, is the main reason of the high strain strengthening effect in Cu-Ag alloy in situ filamentary composites.

Ballistic performance of titanium-based layered composites made using blended elemental powder metallurgy and hot isostatic pressing

Metal matrix composites tiles based on Ti-6Al-4V(Ti64)alloy,reinforced with 10,20,and 40(vol%)of either TiC or TiB particles were made using press-and-sinter blended elemental powder metallurgy(BEPM)and then bonded together into 3-layer laminated plates using hot isostatic pressing(HIP).The laminates were ballistically tested and demonstrated superior performance.The microstructure and properties of the laminates were analyzed to determine the effect of the BEPM and HIP processing on the ballistic properties of the layered plates.The effect of porosity in sintered composites on further diffusion bonding of the plates during HIP is analyzed to understand the bonding features at the interfaces between different adjacent layers in the laminate.Exceptional ballistic performance of fabricated structures was explained by a significant reduction in the residual porosity of the BEPM products by their additional processing using HIP,which provides an unprecedented increase in the hardness of the layered composites.It is argued that the combination of the used two technologies,BEPM and HIP is principally complimentary for the materials in question with the abilities to solve the essential problems of each used individually.

Effect of Al2O3sf addition on the friction and wear properties of (SiCp+Al2O3sf)/Al2024 composites fabricated by pressure infiltration

Aluminum(Al) 2024 matrix composites reinforced with alumina short fibers(Al_2O_(3sf)) and silicon carbide particles(SiC_p) as wear-resistant materials were prepared by pressure infiltration in this study. Further, the effect of Al_2O_(3sf) on the friction and wear properties of the as-synthesized composites was systematically investigated, and the relationship between volume fraction and wear mechanism was discussed. The results showed that the addition of Al_2O_(3sf), characterized by the ratio of Al_2O_(3sf) to SiC_p, significantly affected the properties of the composites and resulted in changes in wear mechanisms. When the volume ratio of Al_2O_(3sf) to SiC_p was increased from 0 to 1, the rate of wear mass loss(K_m) and coefficients of friction(COFs) of the composites decreased, and the wear mechanisms were abrasive wear and furrow wear. When the volume ratio was increased from 1 to 3, the COF decreased continuously; however, the K_m increased rapidly and the wear mechanism became adhesive wear.

Optimization of Tribological Performance of Al-6061T6-15% SiCp-15% Al₂O₃Hybrid Metal Matrix Composites Using Taguchi Method &Grey Relational Analysis

In this investigation, optimization of tribological performance parameters of Al-6061T6 alloy reinforced with SiC (15% by weight) and Al2O3 (15% by weight) particulates having particle size of 37 μm each has been presented. The wear and frictional properties of the hybrid metal matrix composites have been studied by performing dry sliding wear test using pin-on-disc wear tester. A L27 orthogonal array is selected for the analysis of the data. From the test results it is observed that sliding distance has the significant contribution in controlling the friction and wear behaviour of hybrid composites. A confirmation test is also carried out to verify the accuracy of the results obtained through the optimization. In addition an optical micrograph test is also performed on the wear tracks to study the wear mechanism.

Modeling and Software Development of the Interfacial Transition Zone of Ellipsoidal Aggregate in Cement-Based Composites

The interfacial transition zone (ITZ) between the aggregates and the bulk paste is the weakest zone of ordinary concrete, which largely determines its mechanical and transporting properties. However, a complete understanding and a quantitative modeling of ITZ are still lacking. Consequently, an integrated modeling and experimental study were conducted. First, the theoretical calculation model of the ITZ volume fraction about the rotary ellipsoidal aggregate particles was established based on the nearest surface function formula. Its calculation programs were written based on Visual Basic 6.0 language and achieved visualization and functionalization. Then, the influencing factors of ITZ volume fraction of the ellipsoidal aggregate particles and the overlapping degree between the ITZ were systematically analyzed. Finally, the calculation models of ITZ volume fraction on actual ellipsoidal aggregate were given, based on cobblestones or pebbles particles with naturally ellipsoidal shape. The results indicate that the calculation model proposed is highly reliable.

Corrosion Behavior of Alumina Reinforced Aluminium (6063) Metal Matrix Composites

The influence of alumina volume percent and solution heat-treatment on the corrosion behaviour of Al (6063) composites and its monolithic alloy in salt water, basic and acidic environments is investigated. Al (6063) – Al2O3 particulate composites containing 6, 9, 15, and 18 volume percent alumina were produced by adopting two step stir casting. Mass loss and corrosion rate measurements were utilized as criteria for evaluating the corrosion behaviour of the composites. It is observed that Al (6063) – Al2O3 composites exhibited excellent corrosion resistance in NaCl medium than in the NaOH and H2SO4 media. The unreinforced alloy exhibited slightly superior corrosion resistance than the composites in NaCl and NaOH media but the composites had better corrosion resistance in H2SO4 medium. Furthermore, solution heat-treatment resulted in improved corrosion resistance for both the composites and the unreinforced alloy while the effect of volume percent alumina on corrosion resistance did not follow a consistent trend.

Energy Absorption of Pultruded Glass-Graphite/Epoxy Hybrid Composites under High Strain-Rate Induced Transverse Tension

This paper focuses on the dynamic tensile response of glass-graphite/epoxy composites illustrating improvement in energy absorption through hybridization. The dynamic response and energy absorption characteristics of pultruded hybrid combinations of glass and graphite fibers in an epoxy matrix subjected to induced transverse tension at high strain-rate in a modified Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) apparatus, are presented. Transverse tensile strength was determined by diametral compression of disc samples (Brazilian indirect tensile test method). Diametral crack initiation and strain to failure were monitored with a Shimadzu HPV-2 high-speed video camera at a recording speed of 500,000 fps and Digital Image Correlation (DIC). Adequate measures were taken to ensure that initiation of specimen failure occurred at the exact center of the disc specimen, and propagated through the diameter along the compressive loading axis, for the induced transverse tension tests to be valid. A study of the strength and specific energy absorption demonstrates the benefits of hybridization. Under induced transverse tensile loading condition, the pure glass/epoxy (GL60) exhibited higher strength than pure graphite/epoxy (GR60). Pure graphite/epoxy (GR60) has higher specific energy absorption capacity than pure glass/epoxy (GL60) in transverse tension. Among all hybrids, GR30 has the highest specific energy absorption under transverse tension. Overall, hybrid GL48, with 48% low-cost glass fibers in the inner core and 12% high-cost graphite fibers in outer shell, was found to exhibit better performance under induced transverse tension at high strain-rates, showing the benefits of hybridization.

Fracture Toughness Studies of Polypropylene- Clay Nanocomposites and Glass Fibre Reinfoerced Polypropylene Composites

In this paper, a comparative study on the fracture toughness of woven glass fibre reinforced polypropylene, chopped glass fibre reinforced polypropylene and nanoclay filled polypropylene composites is presented. Nanoclays (Cloisite 15A) of 1 wt. % to 5 wt. % were filled in polypropylene (PP) matrix and they were subjected to fracture toughness stu-dies. The specimen with 5 wt. % nanoclay showed 1.75 times and 3 times improvement in critical stress intensity factor (KIC) and strain energy release rate (GIC), respectively, over virgin PP. On the other hand, 3 wt. % nanoclay PP composites showed superior crack containment properties. These structural changes of composite specimens were examined using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) methods. It showed that exfoli-ated nanocomposite structures were formed up to 3 wt. % nanoclay, whereas, intercalated nanocomposite structures formed above 3 wt. % nanoclay in the PP matrix. Furthermore, the woven fibre reinforced PP composites demonstrated superior crack resistant properties than that of clay filled nanocomposites and chopped fibre PP composites. However, KIC and GIC values for woven fibre composites were lesser than that of chopped fibre composites. Moreover, KIC and GIC values for both nanoclay filled PP composites and woven fibre composites are comparable even though the clay filled PP demonstrated catastrophic failure. Also, the crack propagation rate of PP-nanoclay composites is comparable to that of chopped fibre composites.

Preparation of Hierarchically Trimodal-Porous ZSM-5 Composites through Steam-assisted Conversion of Macroporous Aluminosilica Gel with Two Different Quaternary Ammonium Hydroxides

This article presents a detailed structural study of a new spherical Mg Cl2-supported Ti Cl4 Ziegler-Natta catalyst for isotactic propylene polymerization, and researches on the relationship between catalyst structure and polymer properties. The spherical support with the chemical composition of CH3CH2 OMg OCH(CH2Cl)2 has been synthesized from a new dispersion system and is used as the supporting material to prepare Ziegler-Natta catalyst. The XRD analysis indicates that the catalyst is fully activated with δ-Mg Cl2 in the active catalyst. The far-IR spectrometric results confirm again the presence of δ-Mg Cl2 in the active catalyst. Textural property of the active catalyst exhibits high surface area coupled with high porosity. The high activity in propylene polymerization is mainly ascribed to the full activation and the porous structure of the catalyst. Scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectrometer mapping results indicate a uniform titanium distribution throughout the catalyst particles. Particle size analysis shows that the catalyst has a narrow particle size distribution. The perfect spherical shape, uniform titanium distribution and narrow particle size distribution of the catalyst confirm the advantage of polymer particles production with less fines. The solid state 13 C NMR and mid-IR spectroscopic analyses indicate that there exists strong complexation between diisobutyl phthalate and Mg Cl2, which leads to the high isotacticity of polypropylene.