Achieving Narrowed Bandgaps and Blue-Light Excitability in Zero-Dimensional Hybrid Metal Halide Phosphors via Introducing Cation-Cation Bonding

Zero-dimensional(0D)hybrid metal halides,which consist of organic cations and isolated inorganic metal halide anions,have emerged as phosphors with efficient broadband emissions.However,these materials generally have too wide bandgaps and thus cannot be excited by blue light,which hinders their applications for efficient white light-emitting diodes(WLEDs).The key to achieving a blue-light-excitable 0D hybrid metal halide phosphor is to reduce the fundamental bandgap by rational chemical design.In this work,we report two designed hybrid copper(I)iodides,(Ph_(3)MeP)_(2)Cu_(4)I_(6)and(Cy_(3)MeP)_(2)Cu_(4)I_(6),as blue-light-excitable yellow phosphors with ultrabroadband emission.In these compounds,the[Cu_(4)I_(6)]^(2-)anion forms an I6 octahedron centered on a cationic Cu_(4)tetrahedron.The strong cation-cation bonding within the unique cationic Cu_(4)tetrahedra enables significantly lowered conduction band minimums and thus narrowed bandgaps,as compared to other reported hybrid copper(I)iodides.The ultrabroadband emission is attributed to the coexistence of free and self-trapped excitons.The WLED using the[Cu_(4)I_(6)]^(2-)anion-based single phosphor shows warm white light emission,with a high luminous efficiency of 65 Im W^(-1)and a high color rendering index of 88.This work provides strategies to design narrow-bandgap 0D hybrid metal halides and presents two first examples of blue-light-excitable 0D hybrid metal halide phosphors for efficient WLEDs.

Hard-carbon hybrid Li-ion/metal anode enabled by preferred mesoporous uniform lithium growth mechanism

To achieve high energy density in lithium batteries,the construction of lithium-ion/metal hybrid anodes is a promising strategy.In particular,because of the anisotropy of graphite,hybrid anode formed by graphite/Li metal has low transport kinetics and is easy to causes the growth of lithium dendrites and accumulation of dead Li,which seriously affects the cycle life of batteries and even causes safety problems.Here,by comparing graphite with two types of hard carbon,it was found that hybrid anode formed by hard carbon and lithium metal,possessing more disordered mesoporous structure and lithophilic groups,presents better performance.Results indicate that the mesoporous structure provides abundant active site and storage space for dead lithium.With the synergistic effect of this structure and lithophilic functional groups(–COOH),the reversibility of hard carbon/lithium metal hybrid anode is maintained,promoting uniform deposition of lithium metal and alleviating formation of lithium dendrites.The hybrid anode maintains a 99.5%Coulombic efficiency(CE)after 260 cycles at a specific capacity of 500 m Ah/g.This work provides new insights into the hybrid anodes formed by carbon-based materials and lithium metal with high specific energy and fast charging ability.

Metal oxides heterojunction derived Bi-In hybrid electrocatalyst for robust electroreduction of CO_(2) to formate

Electrochemical reduction of Bi-based metal oxides is regarded as an effective strategy to rationally design advanced electrocatalysts for electrochemical CO_(2)reduction reaction(CO_(2)RR).Realizing high selectivity at high current density is important for formate production,but remains challenging.Herein,the BiIn hybrid electrocatalyst,deriving from the Bi2O3/In2O3heterojunction(MOD-Biln),shows excellent catalytic performance for CO_(2)RR.The Faradaic efficiency of formate(FEHCOO-) can be realized over 90% at a wide potential window from-0.4 to-1.4 V vs.RHE,while the partial current density of formate(jHCOO-) reaches about 136.7 mA cm^(-2)at-1.4 V in flow cell without IR-compensation.In additio n,the MOD-Biln exhibits superior stability with high selectivity of formate at 100 mA cm^(-2).Systematic characterizations prove the optimized catalytic sites and interface charge transfer of MOD-Biln,while theoretical calculation confirms that the hybrid structure with dual Bi/In metal sites contribute to the optimal free energy of*H and*OCHO intermediates on MOD-Biln surface,thus accelerating the formation and desorption step of*HCOOH to final formate production.Our work provides a facile and useful strategy to develop highly-active and stable electrocatalysts for CO_(2)RR.

In Situ Formed Tribofilms as Efficient Organic/Inorganic Hybrid Interlayers for Stabilizing Lithium Metal Anodes

The practical application of Li metal anodes(LMAs)is limited by uncontrolled dendrite growth and side reactions.Herein,we propose a new friction-induced strategy to produce high-performance thin Li anode(Li@CFO).By virtue of the in situ friction reaction between fluoropolymer grease and Li strips during rolling,a robust organic/inorganic hybrid interlayer(lithiophilic LiF/LiC_(6)framework hybridized-CF_(2)-O-CF_(2)-chains)was formed atop Li metal.The derived interface contributes to reversible Li plating/stripping behaviors by mitigating side reactions and decreasing the solvation degree at the interface.The Li@CFO||Li@CFO symmetrical cell exhibits a remarkable lifespan for 5,600 h(1.0 mA cm^(-2)and 1.0 mAh cm^(-2))and 1,350 cycles even at a harsh condition(18.0 mA cm^(-2)and 3.0 mAh cm^(-2)).When paired with high-loading LiFePO4 cathodes,the full cell lasts over 450 cycles at 1C with a high-capacity retention of 99.9%.This work provides a new friction-induced strategy for producing high-performance thin LMAs.

Sulfur-doped hard carbon hybrid anodes with dual lithium-ion/metal storage bifunctionality for high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries

Bifunctional hybrid anodes(BHAs),which are both a high-performance active host material for lithium-ion storage as well as a guiding agent for homogeneous lithium metal nucleation and growth,exhibit significant potential as anodes for next-generation high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries(LIBs).In this study,sulfur-doped hard carbon nanosphere assemblies(S-HCNAs)were prepared through a hydrothermal treatment of a liquid organic precursor,followed by high-temperature thermal annealing with elemental sulfur for application as BHAs for LIBs.In a carbonate-based electrolyte containing fluoroethylene carbonate additive,the S-HCNAs showed high lithium-ion storage capacities in sloping as well as plateau voltage sections,good rate capabilities,and stable cyclabilities.In addition,high average Coulombic efficiencies(CEs)of~96.9%were achieved for dual lithium-ion and lithium metal storage cycles.In the LIB full-cell tests with typical NCM811 cathodes,the S-HCNA-based BHAs containing~400 mA h g^(−1) of excess lithium led to high energy and power densities of~500Wh kg^(−1) and~1695Wkg^(−1),respectively,and a stable cycling performance with~100%CEs was achieved.

Multicomponent mixed metallic hierarchical ZnNi@Ni@PEDOT arrayed structures as advanced electrode for high-performance hybrid electrochemical cells

Engineering multicomponent nanomaterials as an electrode with rationalized ordered structures is a promising strategy for fulfilling the high-energy storage needs of supercapacitors(SCs).Even now,the fundamental barrier to utilizing hydroxides/hydroxyl carbonates is their poor electrochemical performance,resulting from the significantly poor electrical conductivity and sluggish charge storage kinetics.Hence,a multilayered structural approach is primarily and successfully used to construct electrodes as one of the efficient approaches.This method has made it possible to develop well-ordered nanostructured electrodes with good performance by taking advantage of tunable approach parameters.Herein,we report the design of multilayered heterostructure porous zinc-nickel nanosheets@nickel flakes hydroxyl carbonates and/or hydroxides integrated with conductive PEDOT fibrous network(i.e.,ZnNi@Ni@PEDOT) via facile synthesis methods.The combined hybrid electrode acquires the features of high electrical conductivity from one part and various valance states from another one to develop a well-organized nanosheet/flake/fibrous-like heterostructure with decent mechanical strength,creating robust synergistic results.Thus,the designed binder-free ZnNi@Ni@PEDOT electrode delivers a high areal capacity value of 1050.1 μA h cm^(-2) at 3 mA cm^(-2) with good cycling durability,significantly outperforming other individual electrodes.Moreover,its feasibility is also tested by constructing a hybrid electrochemical cell(HEC).The assembled HEC exhibits a high areal capacity value of 783.8 μA h cm^(-2) at5 mA cm^(-2).and even at a high current density of 100 mA cm^(-2)(484.6 μA h cm^(-2)),the device still retains a rate capability of 61,82%,Also,the HEC shows maximum energy and power densities of0.595 mW h cm^(-2) and 77.23 mW cm^(-2),respectively,along with good cycling stability.The obtained energy storage capabilities effectively power various electronic components.These results provide a viable and practical way to construct a positive electrode with innovative heterostructures for highperformance energy storage devices and profoundly influence the development of electrochemical SCs.

Manipulating d-d orbital hybridization induced by Mo-doped Co_(9)S_(8) nanorod arrays for high-efficiency water electrolysis

Precisely refining the electronic structure of electrocatalysts represents a powerful approach to further optimize the electrocatalytic performance.Herein,we demonstrate an ingenious d-d orbital hybridization concept to construct Mo-doped Co_(9)S_(8) nanorod arrays aligned on carbon cloth(CC)substrate(abbreviated as Mo-Co_(9)S_(8)@CC hereafter)as a high-efficiency bifunctional electrocatalyst toward water electrolysis.It has experimentally and theoretically validated that the 4d-3d orbital coupling between Mo dopant and Co site can effectively optimize the H_(2)O activation energy and lower H^(*)adsorption energy barrier,thereby leading to enhanced hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)and oxygen evolution reaction(OER)activities.Thanks to the unique electronic and geometrical advantages,the optimized Mo-Co_(9)S_(8)@CC with appropriate Mo content exhibits outstanding bifunctional performance in alkaline solution,with the overpotentials of 75 and 234 mV for the delivery of a current density of 10 mA cm^(-2),small Tafel slopes of 53.8 and 39.9 mV dec~(-1)and long-term stabilities for at least 32 and 30 h for HER and OER,respectively.More impressively,a water splitting electrolylzer assembled by the self-supported Mo-Co_(9)S_(8)@CC electrode requires a low cell voltage of 1.53 V at 10 mA cm^(-2)and shows excellent stability and splendid reversibility,demonstrating a huge potential for affordable and scalable electrochemical H_(2) production.The innovational orbital hybridization strategy for electronic regulation herein provides an inspirable avenue for developing progressive electrocatalysts toward new energy systems.

Understanding the roles of Brønsted/Lewis acid sites on manganese oxide-zeolite hybrid catalysts for low-temperature NH_(3)-SCR

Although metal oxide-zeolite hybrid materials have long been known to achieve enhanced catalytic activity and selectivity in NO_(x)removal reactions through the inter-particle diffusion of intermediate species,their subsequent reaction mechanism on acid sites is still unclear and requires investigation.In this study,the distribution of Brønsted/Lewis acid sites in the hybrid materials was precisely adjusted by introducing potassium ions,which not only selectively bind to Brønsted acid sites but also potentially affect the formation and diffusion of activated NO species.Systematic in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy analyses coupled with selective catalytic reduction of NO_(x)with NH_(3)(NH_(3)-SCR)reaction demonstrate that the Lewis acid sites over MnO_(x)are more active for NO reduction but have lower selectivity to N_(2)than Brønsted acids sites.Brønsted acid sites primarily produce N_(2),whereas Lewis acid sites primarily produce N_(2)O,contributing to unfavorable N_(2)selectivity.The Brønsted acid sites present in Y zeolite,which are stronger than those on MnO_(x),accelerate the NH_(3)-SCR reaction in which the nitrite/nitrate species diffused from the MnO_(x)particles rapidly convert into the N_(2).Therefore,it is important to design the catalyst so that the activated NO species formed in MnO_(x)diffuse to and are selectively decomposed on the Brønsted acid sites of H-Y zeolite rather than that of MnO_(x)particle.For the physically mixed H-MnO_(x)+H-Y sample,the abundant Brønsted/Lewis acid sites in H-MnO_(x)give rise to significant consumption of activated NO species before their inter-particle diffusion,thereby hindering the enhancement of the synergistic effects.Furthermore,we found that the intercalated K+in K-MnO_(x)has an unexpected favorable role in the NO reduction rate,probably owing to faster diffusion of the activated NO species on K-MnO_(x)than H-MnO_(x).This study will help to design promising metal oxide-zeolite hybrid catalysts by identifying the role of the acid sites in two different constituents.

A new strategy for the fabrication of covalent organic framework‐metal‐organic framework hybrids via in‐situ functionalization of ligands for improved hydrogen evolution reaction activity

The development of novel porous materials have attracted significant attention owing to its possible application in several fields.In this study,we designed a novel covalent organic framework‐metal‐organic framework(COF‐MOF)material through an in‐situ ligand self‐assembly method.The in‐situ modified ligands not only act as nucleation sites to form Ti‐MOF,but also as a channel to rapidly transfer photogenerated electrons without introducing additional chemical bonds.The photocatalytic hydrogen production rate achieved over B‐CTF‐Ti‐MOF(1:1)was 1975μmol·g^(–1)·h^(–1) with an apparent quantum efficiency of 4.76%,which is 11.8 times higher than that of the pure CTF‐1.In addition,compared with the sample prepared by separating the ligands(CTF‐1/Ti‐MOF),B‐CTF‐Ti‐MOF shows excellent activity and stability.Finally,a reasonable photocatalytic mechanism was proposed using the results of electrochemical tests and spectral analyses.This study provides a universal method for the construction of highly efficient and stable COF/MOF materials with excellent properties.

Hybridization of metal–organic framework and monodisperse spherical silica for chromatographic separation of xylene isomers

Metal–organic frameworks(MOFs) packed in the column have been a promising candidate as the stationary phase for high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC). However, the direct packing of irregular MOF powder could raise some problems like high back pressure and low column efficiency in the HPLC separation. In this work, UiO-66 capable of separating xylenes was supported effectively on the surface of the monodisperse spherical silica microspheres by one-pot method. The hybridization of Ui O-66 and silica microspheres(termed UiO-66@SiO2 shell–core composite) was prepared by stirring the suspension of the precursors of Ui O-66 and\\COOH terminated silica in the N,N-dimethylformamide with heating. The shell–core composite material UiO66@SiO2 was characterized by SEM, TEM, PXRD and FTIR. Then, it was used as a packing material for the chromatographic separation of xylene isomers. Xylene isomers including o-xylene, m-xylene and p-xylene were efficiently separated on the column with high resolution and good reproducibility. Moreover, the Ui O-66@SiO2 shell–core composites packed column still remained reverse shape selectivity as Ui O-66 possessed, and the retention of xylenes was probably ascribed to the hydrophobic effect between analytes and the aromatic rings of the Ui O-66 shell. The Ui O-66@SiO2 shell–core composites obtained in this study have some potential for the separation of structural isomers in HPLC.

Ultrathin 2D Metal–Organic Framework Nanosheets In situ Interpenetrated by Functional CNTs for Hybrid Energy Storage Device

The controllable construction of two-dimensional(2D)metal–organic framework(MOF)nanosheets with favorable electrochemical performances is greatly challenging for energy storage.Here,we design an in situ induced growth strategy to construct the ultrathin carboxylated carbon nanotubes(C-CNTs)interpenetrated nickel MOF(Ni-MOF/C-CNTs)nanosheets.The deliberate thickness and specific surface area of novel 2D hybrid nanosheets can be effectively tuned via finely controlling C-CNTs involvement.Due to the unique microstructure,the integrated 2D hybrid nanosheets are endowed with plentiful electroactive sites to promote the electrochemical performances greatly.The prepared Ni-MOF/C-CNTs nanosheets exhibit superior specific capacity of 680 C g^−1 at 1 A g^−1 and good capacity retention.The assembled hybrid device demonstrated the maximum energy density of 44.4 Wh kg^−1 at a power density of 440 W kg^−1.Our novel strategy to construct ultrathin 2D MOF with unique properties can be extended to synthesize various MOF-based functional materials for diverse applications.

Effects of material of metallic frame on the penetration resistances of ceramic-metal hybrid structures

The effects of metallic material on the penetration resistances of ceramic-metal hybrid structures against vertical long-rod tungsten projectiles were studied by artillery-launched experiments and numerical simulation.Hybrid structures with rectangular cores in transverse orthogonal arrangement and slidefitting ceramic inserts of zirconia toughened alumina prisms were fabricated with titanium alloy TC4(Ti6 Al4 V),AISI 4340 steel and 7075 aluminum alloy panels,respectively.The results showed that the hybrid structure of Ti6A14V exhibited the highest penetration resistance,followed by that of 7075 aluminum alloy with the same area density.The penetration resistance of the hybrid structure of AISI4340 steel was the lowest.The underlying mechanisms showed that the metallic material of a ceramicmetal hybrid structure can directly affect its energy absorption from the impact projectile,which further affects its penetration resistance.Different metallic frames exhibited different failure characteristics,resulting in different constraint conditions or support conditions for ceramic prisms.The high penetration resistance of the Ti6Al4V hybrid structure was due to its stronger back support to ceramic prisms as compared with that of AISI 4340 steel hybrid structure,and better constraint condition for ceramic prisms by metallic webs as compared with that of 7075 aluminum alloy hybrid structure.The results of mass efficiency and thickness efficiency showed that the Ti6Al4V hybrid structure has advantages in reducing both the thickness and the mass of protective structure.In addition,because the ceramic-metal hybrid structures in the present work were heterogeneous,impact position has slight influence on their penetration resistances.

Upper bound analysis for hybrid sheet metals extrusion process through curved dies

The extrusion process of hybrid sheet metals through arbitrarily curved dies was analyzed by the method of upper bound. The material under deformation was divided into two deformation regions, bimetal and mono-metal regions, and the flow of the material in each region was assumed as plane strain state. The internal, shearing and frictional power terms were derived and they were used in the upper bound model. The extrusion forces for two types of die shapes, an optimum wedge shaped die and an optimum streamlined die shape for a hybrid sheet composed of copper as sleeve and aluminum as core were determined. The corresponding results for those two die shapes were also determined by using the finite element code, ABAQUS, and compared with the upper bound results. These comparisons show a good agreement.

Pyridinic nitrogen enriched porous carbon derived from bimetal organic frameworks for high capacity zinc ion hybrid capacitors with remarkable rate capability

Aqueous zinc ion hybrid capacitors(ZIHCs)hold great potential for large-scale energy storage applications owing to their high safety and low cost,but suffer from low capacity and energy density.Herein,pyridinic nitrogen enriched porous carbon(nPC)was successfully synthesized via the growth,subsequent annealing and acid etching of bimetal organic frameworks for high capacity and safe ZIHCs with exceptional rate capability.Benefiting from the mesopores for easy ion diffusion,high electrical conductivity enabled by in-situ grown carbon nanotubes matrix and residual metal Co nanoparticles for fast electron transfer,sufficient micropores and high N content(8.9 at%)with dominated pyridinic N(54%)for enhanced zinc ion storage,the resulting nPC cathodes for ZIHCs achieved high capacities of 302 and137 m Ah g^(-1) at 1 and 18 A g^(-1),outperforming most reported carbon based cathodes.Theoretical results further disclosed that pyridinic N possessed larger binding energy of-4.99 eV to chemically coordinate with Zn2+than other N species.Moreover,quasi-solid-state ZIHCs with gelatin based gel electrolytes exhibited high energy density of 157.6 Wh kg^(-1) at 0.69 kW kg^(-1),high safety and mechanical flexibility to withstand mechanical deformation and drilling.This strategy of developing pyridinic nitrogen enriched porous carbon will pave a new avenue to construct safe ZIHCs with high energy densities.

Slurry-like hybrid electrolyte with high lithium-ion transference number for dendrite-free lithium metal anode

Lithium metal anode is regarded as the ultimate choice for next-generation energy storage systems,due to the lowest negative electrochemical potential and super high theoretical specific capacity.However,the growth of lithium dendrite during the cycling process is still one of the most critical bottlenecks for its application.In this work,a slurry-like hybrid electrolyte is proposed towards the application for lithium metal anode,which is composed of a liquid electrolyte part and a nanometric silane-Al2O3 particle part.The hybrid electrolyte shows high ionic conductivity(3.89×10-3 S cm-1 at 25℃)and lithium-ion transference number(0.88).Especially,the resistance of hybrid electrolyte decreases compared to that of liquid electrolyte,while the viscosity of hybrid electrolyte increases.It is demonstrated that the hybrid electrolyte can effectively suppress the growth of lithium dendrite.Stable cycling of Li/Li cells at a current density up to 1 mA cm-2 is possible.The hybrid electrolyte helps to uniform the lithium ion flux inside the battery and partly comes from the formation of a rigid and highly conductive hybrid interfacial layer on the surface of lithium metal.This work not only provides a fresh way to stabilize lithium metal anode but also sheds light on further research for electrolyte optimization and design of lithium metal battery system.

Recent Developments of Transition Metal Compounds-Carbon Hybrid Electrodes for High Energy/Power Supercapacitors

Due to their rapid power delivery,fast charging,and long cycle life,supercapacitors have become an important energy storage technology recently.However,to meet the continuously increasing demands in the fields of portable electronics,transportation,and future robotic technologies,supercapacitors with higher energy densities without sacrificing high power densities and cycle stabilities are still challenged.Transition metal compounds(TMCs)possessing high theoretical capacitance are always used as electrode materials to improve the energy densities of supercapacitors.However,the power densities and cycle lives of such TMCs-based electrodes are still inferior due to their low intrinsic conductivity and large volume expansion during the charge/discharge process,which greatly impede their large-scale applications.Most recently,the ideal integrating of TMCs and conductive carbon skeletons is considered as an effective solution to solve the above challenges.Herein,we summarize the recent developments of TMCs/carbon hybrid electrodes which exhibit both high energy/power densities from the aspects of structural design strategies,including conductive carbon skeleton,interface engineering,and electronic structure.Furthermore,the remaining challenges and future perspectives are also highlighted so as to provide strategies for the high energy/power TMCs/carbon-based supercapacitors.

Competitive precipitation behavior of hybrid reinforcements in copper matrix composites fabricated by powder metallurgy

Copper matrix composites reinforced by in situ-formed hybrid titanium boride whiskers(TiB_(w))and titanium diboride particles(TiB_(2p))were fabricated by powder metallurgy.Microstructural observations showed competitive precipitation behavior between TiB_(w) and TiB_(2p),where the relative contents of the two reinforcements varied with sintering temperature.Based on thermodynamic and kinetic assessments,the precipitation mechanisms of the hybrid reinforcements were discussed,and the formation of both TiB_(w) and TiB_(2p) from the local melting zone was thermodynamically favored.The precipitation kinetics were mainly controlled by a solid-state diffusion of B atoms.By forming a compact compound layer,in situ reactions were divided into two stages,where Zener growth and Dybkov growth prevailed,respectively.Accordingly,the competitive precipitation behavior was attributed to the transition of the growth model during the reaction process.

Dual-layer vermiculite nanosheet based hybrid film to suppress dendrite growth in lithium metal batteries

Lithium metal anode has become a favorable candidate for next-generation rechargeable batteries.However, the unstable interface between lithium metal and electrolyte leads to the growth of dendrites,resulting in the low Coulombic efficiency and even the safety concerns. Herein, a rigid-flexible dual-layer vermiculite nanosheet(VN) based organic-inorganic hybrid film on lithium metal anode is proposed to suppress dendrite growth and relieve volume fluctuations. The inner mechanically robust VN layer(3 μm thick) enhances the mechanical properties of the protective layer, while the outer polymer(4 μm thick) can enhance the flexibility of the hybrid layer. The Li | Li symmetric cell with protected lithium shows an extended life of over 670 h. The full cell with Li anode protected by dual-layer interface exhibits a better capacity retention of 80% after 174 cycles in comparison to bare Li anode with 94 cycles.This study provides a novel approach and a significant step towards prolonging lifespan of lithium metal batteries.

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.

Influence of Machining Parameter on Tool Life While Machining Hybrid Metal Matrix Composites

A metal matrix composite constitutes a continuous metallic matrix and a discontinuous phase known as reinforcement. The hybrid metal matrix composites (Hmmcs) have been used to manufacture drive shafts, disc brake rotors, brake drums, connecting rods pistons, engine block cylinder liners for automotive and rail vehicle applications. The Hmmcs castings of diameter 120 mm and length 300 mm were prepared through sand mould technique following stir casting methodology. The cast components further subjected to evaluation of physical properties and machining tests using two grades of coated inserts and PCD inserts. The experiments were carried out following ISO 3685 standards. The coating thickness of the TiN coated and TiAlN coated inserts were measured using Kalo testing method; the results of the test show that the interface of the substrate and coating was free from the porosity, and the coating thickness of TiN coating was 4.84 microns and TiAlN coating was measured 4.6 microns. The results of the experiments show that performance of the PCD insert was better than coated inserts at 0.1 mm/rev feed; however at 0.2 mm/revolution feed PCD insert failed by micro chipping of cutting edge while machining Hmmcs. When TiAlN coated inserts were used to machine Hmmcs the coated inserts failed by gradual wear and BUE formation.