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.

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.

Pt-Al₂OM₃Composite Material Designed for Cyclic Production of Optical Glasses under High Temperature Conditions

The article considers one of the possible approaches to the solution of an urgent issue of metal consumption reduction, increase of operating life and maximum operating temperature as well as reduction of irrecoverable losses of platinum products and alloys when operating under high temperature conditions, particularly for glassblowing and single crystal growing crucibles. A two-layered composite material based on platinum-group metals and corundum plasma ceramics is thoroughly investigated. A successful experience of crucibles exploitation, designed for production of high temperature optical glasses from the composite and results of the research on composite material specimens are described.

A shield of defense:Developing ballistic composite panels with effective electromagnetic interference shielding absorption

The primary goal of this study is to develop cost-effective shield materials that offer effective protection against high-velocity ballistic impact and electromagnetic interference(EMI)shielding capabilities through absorption.Six fiber-reinforced epoxy composite panels,each with a different fabric material and stacking sequence,have been fabricated using a hand-layup vacuum bagging process.Two panels made of Kevlar and glass fibers,referred to as(K-NIJ)and(G-NIJ),have been tested according to the National Institute of Justice ballistic resistance protective materials test NIJ 0108.01 Standard-Level IIIA(9 mm×19 mm FMJ 124 g)test.Three panels,namely,a hybrid of Kevlar and glass(H-S),glass with ceramic particles(C-S),and glass with recycled rubber(R-S)have been impacted by the bullet at the center,while the fourth panel made of glass fiber(G-S)has been impacted at the side.EMI shielding properties have been measured in the X-band frequency range via the reflection-transmission method.Results indicate that four panels(K-NIJ,G-NIJ,H-S,and G-S)are capable of withstanding high-velocity impact by stopping the bullet from penetrating through the panels while maintaining their structural integrity.However,under such conditions,these panels may experience localized delamination with variable severity.The EMI measurements reveal that the highest absorptivity observed is 88% for the KNIJ panel at 10.8 GHz,while all panels maintain an average absorptivity above 65%.All panels act as a lossy medium with a peak absorptivity at different frequencies,with K-NIJ and H-S panels demonstrating the highest absorptivity.In summary,the study results in the development of a novel,costeffective,multifunctional glass fiber epoxy composite that combines ballistic and electromagnetic interference shielding properties.The material has been developed using a simple manufacturing method and exhibits remarkable ballistic protection that outperforms Kevlar in terms of shielding efficiency;no bullet penetration or back face signature is observed,and it also demonstrates high EMI shielding absorption.Overall,the materials developed show great promise for various applications,including the military and defense.

Sustainable Biocomposites Materials for Automotive Brake Pad Application:An Overview

Research into converting waste into viable eco-friendly products has gained global concern.Using natural fibres and pulverized metallic waste becomes necessary to reduce noxious environmental emissions due to indiscriminately occupying the land.This study reviews the literature in the broad area of green composites in search of materials that can be used in automotive brake pads.Materials made by biocomposite,rather than fossil fuels,will be favoured.A database containing the tribo-mechanical performance of numerous potential components for the future green composite was established using the technical details of bio-polymers and natural reinforcements.The development of materials with diverse compositions and varying proportions is now conceivable,and these materials can be permanently connected in fully regulated processes.This explanation demonstrates that all of these variables affect friction coefficient,resistance to wear from friction and high temperatures,and the operating life of brake pads to varying degrees.In this study,renewable materials for the matrix and reinforcement are screened to determine which have sufficient strength,coefficient of friction,wear resistance properties,and reasonable costs,making them a feasible option for a green composite.The most significant,intriguing,and unusual materials used in manufacturing brake pads are gathered in this review,which also analyzes how they affect the tribological characteristics of the pads.

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.

Co-continuous Composite Material Design Using the Volumetric Distance Field Based on Analytic Shape Functions

An effective and simple design method for co-continuous composite material construction is proposed by using a hybrid methodology with triply periodic minimal surface( TPMS) cellular topology and the volumetric distance field( VDF). After generating a set of VDF-based features for the given exterior shape and desired internal core structure,a series of simple modifications in distance fields enabled us to obtain an arbitrarily-shaped complex co-continuous composite material computational model. Design results and manufactured prototypes through 3 D printing technology show that the proposed methodology has the potential to open a new paradigm for producing multifunctional next generation co-continuous composite materials which are impossible to design and manufacture using traditional CAD and CAM.

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.

Microstructural characterization,tribological and corrosion behavior of AA7075-TiC composites

Aluminum alloys are the potential materials in the automobile and aerospace sectors due to their lower density,easy forming and excellent corrosion resistance.The demand of high strength-to-weight ratio materials in structural applications needs the engineering industries to seek aluminum alloy with new versions of hard and brittle ceramic particles.The microstructure,hardness,wear and corrosion behaviors of AA7075 composites with 2.5wt.%and 5wt.%TiC particles were studied.Microscopic analysis is evident that the transformation of the strong dendritic morphology to non-dendritic morphology on the incorporation of TiC into AA7075.Furthermore,the precipitation of the second-phase compounds such as Al_(2)CuMg,Al_(2)Cu andFe-rich Al_6(Cu,Fe)/Al_(7)Cu_(2)Fe)is promoted by TiC particles at inter-and intra-dendritic regions.Accordingly,the hardness of composites is improved by grain boundary strengthening and particulate strengthening mechanisms.Both coefficient of friction and wear rate have an inverse relation with TiC concentration.The base alloy without TiC shows adhesive-type wear-induced deformation due to the formation of an oxide film,while composite samples exhibit a mechanically mixed layer and abrasive-type wear behavior.Composite samples shows a higher corrosion rate due to the presence of numerous precipitates which promote pitting corrosion.

Performance of composite foundations with different load transfer platforms and substratum stiffness over silty clay

The semi-rigid pile-supported composite foundation is widely used in highway projects due to its effectiveness in increasing the bearing capacity and stability of foundations.It is crucial to understand the stress distribution across the embankment width and the behaviour of unreinforced foundations.Thus,five centrifuge tests were conducted to examine the bearing and deformation behaviours of NPRS(Non-Connected Piled Raft Systems)and GRPS(GeosyntheticReinforced Pile-Supported systems)with varying substratum stiffness,then a comparative analysis was conducted on embankment settlement,pressures underneath the embankments,and axial forces along the piles.The results indicated that greater substratum stiffness correlates with reduced settlement and deformation at various depths.Deformation occurring 5 meters from the embankment toe includes settlement in NPRS and upward movement in GRPS.The potential sliding surface is primarily located within the embankment in NPRS,whereas it may extend through both the embankment and foundation in GRPS.The pile-soil stress ratio and efficiency in NPRS are higher than in GRPS across the embankment.The axial force borne by end-bearing piles is significantly greater than that by floating piles.As the buried depth increases,the axial force in GRPS initially rises then declines,whereas in NPRS,it remains relatively constant within a certain range before decreasing.This study aids in assessing the applicability of composite foundations in complex railway environments and provides a reference for procedural measures under similar conditions.

Experimental investigation of engineered geopolymer composite for structural strengthening against blast loads

The recent increase in blast/bombing incidents all over the world has pushed the development of effective strengthening approaches to enhance the blast resistance of existing civil infrastructures.Engineered geopolymer composite(EGC)is a promising material featured by eco-friendly,fast-setting and strain-hardening characteristics for emergent strengthening and construction.However,the fiber optimization for preparing EGC and its protective effect on structural elements under blast scenarios are uncertain.In this study,laboratory tests were firstly conducted to evaluate the effects of fiber types on the properties of EGC in terms of workability,dry shrinkage,and mechanical properties in compression,tension and flexure.The experimental results showed that EGC containing PE fiber exhibited suitable workability,acceptable dry shrinkage and superior mechanical properties compared with other types of fibers.After that,a series of field tests were carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of EGC retrofitting layer on the enhancement of blast performance of typical elements.The tests include autoclaved aerated concrete(AAC)masonry walls subjected to vented gas explosion,reinforced AAC panels subjected to TNT explosion and plain concrete slabs subjected to contact explosion.It was found that EGC could effectively enhance the blast resistance of structural elements in different scenarios.For AAC masonry walls and panels,with the existence of EGC,the integrity of specimens could be maintained,and their deflections and damage were significantly reduced.For plain concrete slabs,the EGC overlay could reduce the diameter and depth of the crater and spallation of specimens.

Predominant Leptadenia pyrotechnica Alkali-Treated Fiber Composites: Characteristics Analysis

With growing environmental concerns and the depletion of oil reserves,the need to replace synthetic fibres with sustainable alternatives in composite materials has become increasingly urgent.This study investigates the potential of Leptadenia pyrotechnica fibre as a sustainable reinforcement material in hybrid composites alongside E-glass fibres.The primary objectives are to assess these hybrid composites’mechanical properties,structural integrity,and performance.To achieve this,Scanning Electron Microscopy(SEM)and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy(FTIR)were employed to analyze the microstructure and chemical composition of the composites.At the same time,mechanical testing focused on properties such as flexural strength and compression strength.Inter-laminar failure analysis evaluated how well the fibres bonded within the composite structure.The results demonstrate that Leptadenia pyrotechnica fibres significantly enhance flexural strength and offer mechanical properties suitable for diverse industrial applications.This indicates their potential as a sustainable alternative to traditional natural fibres.The findings suggest that incorporating Leptadenia pyrotechnica in hybrid composites could lead to the development of more environmentally friendly and durable materials.This work highlights the significance of using sustainable,naturally sourced fibres in composite materials,offering a promising path for further exploration in industrial applications.

Impact resistance performance and optimization of the sand-EPE composite cushion in rock sheds

Rock sheds are widely used to prevent rockfall disasters along roads in mountainous areas.To improve the capacity of rock sheds for resisting rockfall impact,a sand and expandable polyethylene(EPE)composite cushion was proposed.A series of model experiments of rockfall impact on rock sheds were conducted,and the buried depth of the EPE foam board in the sand layer was considered.The impact load and dynamic response of the rock shed were investigated.The results show that the maximum impact load and dynamic response of the rock shed roof are all significantly less than those of the sand cushion.Moreover,as the distance between the EPE foam board and rock shed roof decreases,the maximum rockfall impact force and impact pressure gradually decrease,and the maximum displacement,acceleration and strain of the rock shed first decrease and then change little.In addition,the vibration acceleration and vertical displacement of the rock shed roof decrease from the centre to the edge and decrease faster along the longitudinal direction than that along the transverse direction.In conclusion,the buffering effect of the sand-EPE composite cushion is better than that of the pure sand cushion,and the EPE foam board at a depth of 1/3 the thickness of the sand layer is appropriate.

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.

Physical and Thermo-Mechanical Properties of Composite Materials Based on Raw Earth and Crushed Palm Leaf Fibers (Borassus aethiopum)

The objective of this study is to seek solutions to reduce the impact of buildings on climate change and to promote the use of local bio-sourced or geo-sourced materials for sustainable construction. Different samples of raw earth from 3 sites were taken in the commune of Mlomp. Geotechnical tests showed that the raw earth samples from sites 2 and 3 have more clay fraction while site 1 contains more sand. The fact of integrating fibers from crushed palm leaves (Borassus aethiopum) (2%, 4% and 6%) into the 3 raw earth samples reduced the mechanical resistance to compression and traction of the 3 raw earths. The experimental results of thermal tests on samples of earth mixtures with crushed Palma leaf fibers show a decrease in thermal conductivity as well as thermal effusivity as the percentages increase (2%, 4% and 6%) of fibers in raw earth for the 3 sites. This shows that this renewable composite material can help improve the thermal insulation of building envelopes.

Effect of Silane Coupling Agent Concentration on Interfacial Properties of Basalt Fiber Reinforced Composites

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of the concentration of silane coupling solution on the tensile strength of basalt fiber and the interfacial properties of basalt fiber reinforced polymer composites.The surface treatment of basalt fibers was carried out using an aqueous alcohol solution method.Basalt fibers were subjected to surface treatment with 3-Methacryloxypropyl trimethoxy silane at 0.5 wt.%,1 wt.%,2 wt.%,4 wt.%and 10 wt.%.The basalt monofilament tensile tests were carried out to investigate the variation in strength with the concentration of the silane coupling agent.The microdroplet test was performed to examine the effect of the concentration of the silane coupling agent on interfacial strength of basalt reinforced polymer composites.The film was formed on the surface of the basalt fiber treated silane coupling agent solution.The tensile strength of basalt fiber increased because the damaged fiber surface was repaired by the firm of silane coupling agent.The firm was effective in not only the surface protection of basalt fiber but also the improvement on the interfacial strength of fiber-matrix interface.However,the surface treatment using the high concentration silane coupling agent solution has an adverse effect on the mechanical properties of the composite materials,because of causing the degradation of the interfacial strength of the composite materials.

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.

A New Interpretation of the Higgs Vacuum Potential Energy Based on a Planckion Composite Model for the Higgs

We present a new interpretation of the Higgs field as a composite particle made up of a positive, with, a negative mass Planck particle. According to the Winterberg hypothesis, space, i.e., the vacuum, consists of both positive and negative physical massive particles, which he called planckions, interacting through strong superfluid forces. In our composite model for the Higgs boson, there is an intrinsic length scale associated with the vacuum, different from the one introduced by Winterberg, where, when the vacuum is in a perfectly balanced state, the number density of positive Planck particles equals the number density of negative Planck particles. Due to the mass compensating effect, the vacuum thus appears massless, chargeless, without pressure, energy density, or entropy. However, a situation can arise where there is an effective mass density imbalance due to the two species of Planck particle not matching in terms of populations, within their respective excited energy states. This does not require the physical addition or removal of either positive or negative Planck particles, within a given region of space, as originally thought. Ordinary matter, dark matter, and dark energy can thus be given a new interpretation as residual vacuum energies within the context of a greater vacuum, where the populations of the positive and negative energy states exactly balance. In the present epoch, it is estimated that the dark energy number density imbalance amounts to, , per cubic meter, when cosmic distance scales in excess of, 100 Mpc, are considered. Compared to a strictly balanced vacuum, where we estimate that the positive, and the negative Planck number density, is of the order, 7.85E54 particles per cubic meter, the above is a very small perturbation. This slight imbalance, we argue, would dramatically alleviate, if not altogether eliminate, the long standing cosmological constant problem.

An R(x)-orthonormal theory for the vibration performance of a non-smooth symmetric composite beam with complex interface

A composite beam is symmetric if both the material property and support are symmetric with respect to the middle point. In order to study the free vibration performance of the symmetric composite beams with different complex nonsmooth/discontinuous interfaces, we develop an R(x)-orthonormal theory, where R(x) is an integrable flexural rigidity function. The R(x)-orthonormal bases in the linear space of boundary functions are constructed, of which the second-order derivatives of the boundary functions are asked to be orthonormal with respect to the weight function R(x). When the vibration modes of the symmetric composite beam are expressed in terms of the R(x)-orthonormal bases we can derive an eigenvalue problem endowed with a special structure of the coefficient matrix A :=[aij ],aij= 0 if i + j is odd. Based on the special structure we can prove two new theorems, which indicate that the characteristic equation of A can be decomposed into the product of the characteristic equations of two sub-matrices with dimensions half lower. Hence, we can sequentially solve the natural frequencies in closed-form owing to the specialty of A. We use this powerful new theory to analyze the free vibration performance and the vibration modes of symmetric composite beams with three different interfaces.

Flexible piezoresistive pressure sensor based on a graphene-carbon nanotube-polydimethylsiloxane composite

Flexible sensors are used widely in wearable devices, specifically flexible piezoresistive sensors, which are common and easy to manipulate.However, fabricating such sensors is expensive and complex, so proposed here is a simple fabrication approach involving a sensor containing microstructures replicated from a sandpaper template onto which polydimethylsiloxane containing a mixture of graphene and carbon nanotubes is spin coated. The surface morphologies of three versions of the sensor made using different grades of sandpaper are observed, and the corresponding pressure sensitivities and linearity and hysteresis characteristics are assessed and analyzed. The results show that the sensor made using 80-mesh sandpaper has the best sensing performance. Its sensitivity is 0.341 kPa-1in the loading range of 0–1.6 kPa, it responds to small external loading of 100 Pa with a resistance change of 10%, its loading and unloading response times are 0.126 and 0.2 s, respectively,and its hysteresis characteristic is ~7%, indicating that the sensor has high sensitivity, fast response, and good stability. Thus, the presented piezoresistive sensor is promising for practical applications in flexible wearable electronics.