Chemical and physical studies of metallic alloy-based old Indian coins with LIBS coupled with multivariate analysis

The present work aims to demonstrate the capabilities of Laser-induced Breakdown Spectroscopy(LIBS)coupled with a multivariate technique for rapid quantification and classification of old Indian coins made of various alloys.Thirteen old Indian coins in different years of circulation,(1922–1986)were selected for the study.The concentrations were determined by Calibration free LIBS(CF-LIBS)method.The concentration of cuprum(Cu)is negligible,and aluminum(Al)is maximum in the first five coins,and vice-versa in the remaining eight coins.Two different multivariate methods,Principal Component Analysis(PCA)and Soft Independent Modelling of Class Analogy(SIMCA)have been used to classify and identify the coins.PCA classified all thirteen samples into four main alloy categories.The discernment of unknown samples to their probable class membership of alloy was performed using SIMCA.The surface hardness(Brinell hardness number)is linearly correlated with the plasma temperature and LIBS intensity ratios.The sample surface of the first and fifth coin belongs to Al-alloy,having the least surface hardness,and it became harder for Cu–Ni alloy,Ni-brass alloy,and bronze alloy.The hardness of the surface is more for bronze sample twelve.It is also observed that the plasma temperature increases monotonically with the Brinell hardness number.This analysis provides valuable information on fabrication methodology and explains large diversification in the elementary composition of old coins.

Molecule-like chemical units in metallic alloys

Each conventional alloy has its own specific compositions but the compositional origin is largely unknown due to our insufficient understanding about chemical shortrange ordering in the alloy,in particular,in the solid-solution state.In the present paper,the compositions of metallic alloys are discussed and formulated,by unveiling the basic moleculelike structural units in solid solutions.Friedel oscillation theory,which describes the partial charge screening behavior in solid solutions,and henceforth the origin of short-range ordering,is applied to pin down the ideal chemical compositions of conventional metallic alloys.We propose that,at a specific composition,atoms self-assemble into an ideally ordered structure consisting of atoms residing in the nearestneighbor shell(denoted as cluster)plus those in the next outer shell(denoted as glue atoms),which can be formulated as[cluster](glue atoms).This simplified version of short-rangeorder structure represents the smallest charge-neutral and mean-density zone(termed as“chemical units”)and can be regarded as the‘molecules’of solid solutions.Accordingly,the chemical units and the corresponding molecule-like formulas for face-centered-cubic(FCC),hexagonal close-packed(HCP),and body-centered cubic(BCC)structures are analyzed and equations are obtained to identify the chemical formulas for FCC solid solutions.For instance,well-knownα-brass Cu-30 Zn alloy is formulated as[Zn-Cu_(12)]Zn4.Examples of aluminum alloys,superalloys and stainless steels are also illustrated,demonstrating the versatility of the present model to interpret chemically complex alloys.

In-situ synthesis of Al(76.8)Fe(24) complex metallic alloy phase in Al-based hybrid composite

The complex metallic alloy（CMA）, Al（76.8）Fe（24）, was in-situ synthesized in the Al-based hybrid composite by powder metallurgy technique. The structural analysis by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy,and transmission electron microscopy indicated that the Al（76.8）Fe（24） CMA phase was formed by diffusion of Fe atoms into the Al matrix during the sintering stage. The formation of the CMA phase was mainly determined by the sintering temperature which was just above the eutectic temperature of Al–Fe. Moreover,the fully dense Al-based hybrid composite was obtained and exhibited ultrahigh strength ～1100 MPa,indicating that this method is expected to be effective in producing CMA particle reinforced Al-based hybrid composite.

Theoretical investigations of half-metallic ferromagnetism in new Half-Heusler YCrSb and YMnSb alloys using first-principle calculations

Structural,electronic,and magnetic properties of new predicted half-Heusler YCrSb and YMnSb compounds within the ordered MgAgAs Clb-type structure are investigated by employing first-principal calculations based on density functional theory.Through the calculated total energies of three possible atomic placements,we find the most stable structures regarding YCrSb and YMnSb materials,where Y,Cr(Mn),and Sb atoms occupy the(0.5,0.5,0.5),(0.25,0.25,0.25),and(0,0,0) positions,respectively.Furthermore,structural properties are explored for the non-magnetic and ferromagnetic and anti-ferromagnetic states and it is found that both materials prefer ferromagnetic states.The electronic band structure shows that YCrSb has a direct band gap of 0.78 eV while YMnSb has an indirect band gap of 0.40 eV in the majority spin channel.Our findings show that YCrSb and YMnSb materials exhibit half-metallic characteristics at their optimized lattice constants of 6.67 and 6.56 ,respectively.The half-metallicities associated with YCrSb and YMnSb are found to be robust under large in-plane strains which make them potential contenders for spintronic applications.

Microstructure and mechanical properties of new Mg-Zn-Y-Zr alloys with high castability and ignition resistance

Complex studies of new Mg-Zn-Y-Zr system alloys have been carried out.The content range for the formation of the two-phase structure MgSS(Mg solid solution)+LPSO(long-period stacking ordered)in alloys of the Mg-Zn-Y-Zr system was determined by thermodynamic calculations.The effect of heat treatment regimes on microstructure,mechanical,and corrosion properties was invest-igated.The fluidity,hot tearing tendency,and ignition temperature of the alloys were determined.The best combination of castability,mechanical,and corrosion properties was found for the Mg-2.4Zn-4Y-0.8Zr alloy.The alloys studied are superior to their industrial counterparts in terms of technological properties,while maintain high corrosion and mechanical properties.The increased level of pro-perties is achieved by a suitable heat treatment regime that provides a complete transformation of the 18R to 14H modification of the LPSO phase.

Sustainable solid-state synthesis of uniformly distributed PdAg alloy nanoparticles for electrocatalytic hydrogen oxidation and evolution

New sustainable syntheses based on solid-state strategies have sparked enormous attention and provided novel routes for the synthesis of supported metallic alloy nanocatalysts(SMACs).Despite considerable recent progress in this field,most of the developed methods suffer from either complex operations or poorly controlled morphology,which seriously limits their practical applications.Here,we have developed a sustainable strategy for the synthesis of PdAg alloy nanoparticles(NPs)with an ultrafine size and good dispersion on various carbon matrices by directly grinding the precursors in an agate mortar at room temperature.Interestingly,no solvents or organic reagents are used in the synthesis procedure.This simple and green synthesis procedure provides alloy NPs with clean surfaces and thus an abundance of accessible active sites.Based on the combination of this property and the synergistic and alloy effects between Pd and Ag atoms,which endow the NPs with high intrinsic activity,the PdAg/C samples exhibit excellent activities as electrocatalysts for both the hydrogen oxidation and evolution reactions(HOR and HER)in a basic medium.Pd9Ag1/C showed the highest activity in the HOR with the largest j0,m value of 26.5 A g Pd^–1 and j0,s value of 0.033 mA cmPd^–2,as well as in the HER,with the lowest overpotential of 68 mV at 10 mA cm^–2.As this synthetic method can be easily adapted to other systems,the present scalable solid-state strategy may open opportunity for the general synthesis of a wide range of well-defined SMACs for diverse applications.

Structure and Magnetic Properties of Fe1-xCx Solid Solution Prepared by Mechanical Alloying

Supersaturated solid solutions Fe1-xCx （0≤x≤0.9 ） of wide composition range have been prepared by mechanical alloying process. Nanocrystalline phase was formed for 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.67 and a large grain phase for 0.75 ≤ x ≤ 0.9. The large fraction of graphite volume puts off formation of nanocrystalline phase for high carbon content. In the large grain phase, magnetization follows simple magnetic dilution, and eoereivity He is mainly due to dissolution of carbon at grain boundaries. In the nanocrystalline phase the alloying effect of carbon is revealed by a distinct reduction of average magnetic moment. The increasing lattice constant with increasing carbon content is observed for x ≤ 0.5, suggesting that the high carbon concentration may enhance diffusion of carbon into the Fe lattice. It shows a discontinuity in the Hc variation with a grain size D of nanocrystalline phase. For small grain D below the critical value, Hc increases with D. For a large grain D, Hc decreases with increasing D. The solubility limit of carbon in a-Fe extended by nanocry- stalline phase formation is discussed.

Liquid−liquid structure transition in metallic melt and its impact on solidification:A review

Understanding the nature of liquid structures and properties has always been a hot field in condensed matter physics and metallic materials science.The liquid is not homogeneous and the local structures inside change discontinuously with temperature,pressure,etc.The liquid will experience liquid−liquid structure transition under a certain condition.Liquid−liquid structure transition widely exists in many metals and alloys and plays an important role in the final microstructure and the properties of the solid alloys.This work provides a comprehensive review on this unique structure transition in the metallic liquid together with the recent progress of its impact on the following microstructure and properties after solidification.These effects are discussed by integrating them into different experimental results and theoretical considerations.The application of liquid−liquid structure transition as a strategy to tailor the properties of metals and alloys is proven to be practical and efficient.

Effect of Mg and Si on infiltration behavior of Al alloys pressureless infiltration into porous SiCp preforms

The effect of Mg and Si additon to Al matrix on infiltration kinetics and rates of Al alloys pressureless infiltration into porous SiCp preform was investigated by observing the change of infiltration distance with time as the Al alloys infiltrate into SiCp preforms at different temperatures.The results show that infiltration of SiCp preforms by Al melt is a thermal activation process and there is an incubation period before the infiltration becomes stable.With the increase of Mg content in the Al alloys from 0wt% to 8wt%,the infiltration will become much easier,the incubation period becomes shorter and the infiltration rate is faster,but these effects are not obvious when the Mg content is higher than 8wt%.As for Si addition to the Al alloys,it has no obvious effect on the incubation period,but the infiltration rate increases markedly with the increase of Si content from 0wt% to 12wt% and the rate has no obvious change when the content is bigger than 12wt%.The effect of Mg and Si on the incubation period is related to the infiltration mechanism of Al pressureless infiltration into SiCp preforms and their impact on the infiltration rate is a combined result from viscosity and surface tension of Al melt and SiC-Al wetting ability.

Effect of multiaxial deformation on structure, mechanical properties, and corrosion resistance of a Mg-Ca alloy

This article provides a report on the effect of multiaxial deformation(MAD) on the structure, texture, mechanical characteristics, and corrosion resistance of the Mg-0.8(wt.)% Ca alloy. MAD was carried out on the alloy in the as-cast and the annealed states in multiple passes, with a stepwise decrease in the deformation temperature from 450 to 250 ℃ in 50 ℃ steps. The cumulative true strain at the end of the process was 22.5. In the case of the as-cast alloy, this resulted in a refined microstructure characterized by an average grain size of 2.7 μm and a fraction of high-angle boundaries(HABs) of 57.6%. The corresponding values for the annealed alloy were 2.1 μm and 68.2%. The predominant mechanism of structure formation was associated with discontinuous and continuous dynamic recrystallization acting in concert. MAD was also shown to lead to the formation of a rather sharp prismatic texture in the as-cast alloy, whilst in the case of the annealed one the texture was weakened. A displacement of the basal poles {00.4} from the periphery to the center of a pole figure was observed. These changes in the microstructure and texture gave rise to a significant improvement of the mechanical characteristics of the alloy. This included an increase of the ultimate tensile strength reaching 308 MPa for annealed material and 264 MPa for the as-cast one in conjunction with a twofold increase in ductility. A further important result of the MAD processing was a reduction of the rate of electrochemical corrosion, as indicated by a significant decrease in the corrosion current density in both microstructural states of the alloy studied.

Anti-tarnish property of sterling silver alloy with yttrium addition

It has been demonstrated that sterling silver alloy is a widely used material in the jewelry industry. The anti-tarnish property is one of the most important properties of this material. In this work, the effect of yttrium on the corrosion resistance, and tarnish resistance properties of sterling silver alloy were investigated with the use of CIE-LAB uniform color scale, which gained acceptance as an effective way to assess color. To better understand the mechanism of the effect, the distribution of yttrium in the alloy was analyzed by mainly segregating in gaps among dendrite crystals and grain boundary. An increase in yttrium content in sterling silver alloy resulted in a decrease in the amount of eutectic structure. The tarnish and corrosion resistance of sterling silver were improved with yttrium content increase. However, too high yttrium content will lead to poor anti-tarnish properties.

Modification of Recrystalization Grain Structure of Ytria Dispersion Strengthened MA956 Alloy by Pre-deformation

The effects of cold deformation on recrystallization characteristics of a mechanically alloyed yttria dispersion strengthened alloy (Fe 20%Cr 4.5%Al 0.5%Ti 0.01%C 0.5%Y 2O 3 (wt%)) are studied. Experimental techniques employed include optical and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and laser processing methods. In addition, a recrystallization grain growth model is presented to explain the observed reduction of recrystallized grain aspect ratio as a result of cold forging.

Mechanical and ballistic properties of powder metal 7039 aluminium alloy joined by friction stir welding

7039 Al alloy plates which were used as armor materials were produced by powder metallurgy method. The prepared mixed powders were pressed and plated by extrusion process. These plates, after being subjected to T6 heat treatment, were joined double-sided by friction stir welding method. Microstructure and microhardness of the welded plate were investigated. It was determined that the finest grain structure and the lowest hardness value occurred in the stir zone as 2-6 mm and HV 80.9, respectively. In order to determine the ballistic properties of welded plates, 7.62 mm armor piercing projectiles were shot to the base metal（BM）, heat affected zone（HAZ）, and thermomechanically affected zone＋stir zone（TMAZ＋SZ）. Ballistic limits（v_（50）） of these zones were determined. The ballistic limits of the BM, TMAZ＋SZ, and HAZ of the plate were approximately 14.7%, 15.3%, and 17.9% lower than that of the standard plate at the same thickness, respectively. It was determined that the armor piercing projectiles created petaling and ductile hole enlargement failure types at the armor plate. Ballistic and mechanical results can be enhanced by hot-cold rolling mills after extrusion and particle reinforcement.

Remarkable synergistic effect in cobalt-iron nitride/alloy nanosheets for robust electrochemical water splitting

Design and synthesis of noble-metal-free bifunctional catalysts for efficient and robust electrochemical water splitting are of significant importance in developing clean and renewable energy sources for sustainable energy consumption.Herein,a simple three-step strategy is reported to construct cobalt-iron nitride/alloy nanosheets on nickel foam(CoFe-NA/NF)as a bifunctional catalyst for both hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)and oxygen evolution reaction(OER).The electrocatalyst with optimized composition(CoFe-NA2/NF)can achieve ultralow overpotentials of 73 mV and 250 mV for HER and OER,respectively,at a current density of 10 mA cm^(-2) in 1 M KOH.Notably,the electrolyzer based on this electrocatalyst is able to boost the overall water splitting with a cell voltage of 1.564 V to deliver 10 mA cm^(-2) for at least 50 h without obvious performance decay.Furthermore,our experiment and theoretical calculation demonstrate that the combination of cobalt-iron nitride and alloy can have low hydrogen adsorption energy and facilitate water dissociation during HER.In addition,the surface reconstruction introduces metal oxyhydroxides to optimize the OER process.Our work may pave a new pathway to design bifunctional catalysts for overall water splitting.

Formation and Mechanical Properties of Zr-Nb-Cu-Ni-Al-Lu Bulk Glassy Alloys with Superior Glass-Forming Ability

Glass-forming ability（GFA） and mechanical properties of（Zr_（0.58）Nb_（0.03）Cu_（0.16）Ni_（0.13）Al_（0.10））_（100-x）Lu_x（x= 0-3 at%） alloys have been investigated.The GFA of Zr_（58）Nb_3Cu_（16）Ni_（13）Al_（10） alloy is dramatically enhanced by adding Lu.The（Zr_（0.58）Nb_（0.03）Cu_（0.16）Ni_（0.13）Al_（0.10））_（98）Lu_2 alloy possesses the highest GFA in the studied Zr-Nb-Cu-Ni-Al-Lu alloys,with its critical diameter for glass formation reaching 20 mm by copper-mould casting method,while that of the Lu-free Zr_（58）Nb_3Cu_（16）Ni_（13）Al_（10） alloy is 7 mm.The critical diameters of（Zr_（0.58）Nb_（0.03）Cu_（0.16）Ni_（0.13）Al_（0.10））_（100-x）Lu_x（x =1 at%and 3 at%） alloys are 15 mm and 12 mm,respectively.The Lu addition to Zr_（58）Nb_3Cu_（16）Ni_（13）Al_（10） alloy induces the change of initial crystallization phases from face-centred-cubic Zr_2Ni and tetragonal Zr_2Ni phases for the Lu-free Zr_（58）Nb_3Cu_（16）Ni_（13）Al_（10） alloy to an icosahedral quasi-crystalline phase for the Lu-doped alloys,which may be the origin for the enhanced GFA of the Lu-doped alloys.The compressive fracture strength and plastic strain of the bulk glassy（Zr_（0.58）Nb_（0.03）Cu_（0.16）Ni_（0.13）Al_（0.10））_（98）Lu_2 alloy are1 610 MPa and 1.5%,respectively.

Magnetism of Metals, Alloys and of Clusters of Transition Metal Atoms

A condition for local moment formation in metals derived by Stoddart and March (Ann. Phys. NY 1972 64, 174) is first used to discuss the ferromagnetism of body-centred-cubic Fe. A less detailed discussion is also added on Ni and Co. This leads into a treatment of the non- linear response of such 3d ferromagnets to dilute substitutional impurities. Antiferromagnets responding to local changes in the exchange field caused by such impurities are also studied, Mn in Cr being one such system discussed. The paper concludes with a brief summary of clusters of transition metal atoms, with most attention devoted to Cr and to Mn.

TRANSIENT TEMPERATURE FIELDS AND RESIDUAL STRESS FIELDS OF METALLIC MATERIALS UNDER WELDING

Based on the situation of welding thermal conduction and thermo-elasto-platicity research, this paper explores some problems in this field. First, the boundary element method for nonlinear problems is improved by linearization of nonlinear problems and used in welding thermal conduction analysis. Second, the thermo-elasto-plastic finite element method is used for the welding stress calculation, in which the phase transformation is considered by the 'equivalent linear expansion coefficient method'. The comparison of the calculated results with experimental data shows that the methods provided in this paper are available.

Electroplating of Zr-Ti Alloy

The electrodeposition of Zr-Ti alloy has been studied in molten fluoride system consisting of fluorides of both zirconium and titanium dissolved in FLINAK (KF:NaF:LiF = 42.0:11.5:46.5 mol). A coherent dense deposit of the alloy with a smooth surface is obtained on different material substrates. X-ray diffraction has demonstrated that the alloy deposit is a Ti-Zr solid solution with Ti mainly and its preferred orientation is strongly along Ti[110] direction. The properties of the deposit are better than those of a pure zirconium coating. The optimum operating parameters are a temperature of about 800°C, a current density less than 40mA/cm2, a solution about 15wt% ZrF4 and 15wt% K2TiF6 in FLINAK as well as pure zirconium as anode material.

Extending the Lifetime of Copper-beryllium Alloys as Plastic Injection High-end Needle Valve Mold Nozzle Tips Through a Heat-treatment-based Microstructure Optimization Approach

The relationship between the microstructure and the practical performance of two different copper-beryllium alloys including their lifetime has been investigated.Herein,two valves made of two different alloys with very similar compositions and the same heat treatment methods were investigated by various standard techniques including metallography,X-ray diffraction,chemical composition,microhardness,and thermal conductivity measurements.Although both alloys experienced the same heat-treatment processes,they revealed different thermal and mechanical properties due to the minor difference in their chemical composition.The alloy providing a longer lifetime (40%more) as the tip had a higher thermal conductivity of 280.3 W(m·K)^(-1) (about two times that of the other alloy).Regarding the metallography images and the measured thermal conductivity values of the alloys,the extended lifetime of the nozzle with the optimum performance is ascribed to its biphasic microstructure and the minor grain boundaries and interfacial thermal resistance.And important difference in the chemical composition was investigated in this study.

TEM Morphology and FCP Rate of Ti-5Al-2Mo-3Zr Alloy

The transmission electron microscopic morphology of the phases and fatigue crack propagation (FCP) rate of Ti-5Al-2Mo-3Zr alloy were investigated in this study. Microstructure of the alloy consists of α and β phases after furnace- and air-cooling, and interfacial phase appears at the boundaries between these two phases. After water quenching, the microstructure consists primary of α and h.c.p. martensite α′ which assumes acicular. There are many twins within the α′ plates. No retained β phase exists after quenching from any temperature. During aging, β particles precipitated along the boundaries and inside the martensite plates with Burgers orientation relationship. The fatigue crack propagation rate (low frequency) is not sensitive to the microstructure, tensile strength and rolling direction. Analysis of the fractography shows that main cracks propagated serpentinely and secondary cracks existed everywhere. In high stress intensity range, the resistance of FCP is better than that of Ti-6Al-4V.