Investigation of Microstructure, Microhardness and Thermal Properties of Ag-In Intermetallic Alloys Prepared by Vacuum Arc Meltings

Ag-In intermetallic alloys were produced by using vacuum arc furnace. Differential Scanning Calorimetry(DSC) and Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectrometry(EDX) were used to determine the thermal properties and chemical composition of the phases respectively. Microhardness values of Ag-In intermetallics were calculated with Vickers hardness measurement method. According to the experimental results, Ag-34 wt%In intermetallic system generated the best results of energy saving and storage compared to other intermetallic systems. Also from the microhardness results, it was observed that intermetallic alloys were harder than pure silver and Ag-26 wt%In system had the highest microhardness value with 143.45 kg/mm^(2).

Effects of BN on the Mechanical and Thermal Properties of PP/BN Composites

In order to explore the thermal conductivity of polypropylene(PP)/hexagonal boron nitride(BN) composites,PP composites filled with different proportions of BN were prepared through extrution compounding,injection moulding and compression moulding.The composites were filled with BN particles of 5 and 20 μm respectively,and their mass fractions in composites were considered.Percentage of BN was varied from 0 to 25wt% in steps of 5wt%.The effects of BN filler on mechanical properties of the composites were evaluated.The thermal behaviors were studied using DSC and TGA,and the thermal conductivity was also investigated by Laser Flash Device and the Model of 3D Heat Conduction respectively.The experimental results show that impact strength of PP/BN can be enhanced with the addition of BN,but that composites exhibit lower breaking elongation & tensile strength when compared to unfilled ones.It is found that mass fraction of BN influenced the final thermal stability and degree of crystallization of PP matrix,the degree of crystallization of PP with 15wt% of 20 μm BN can be improved by 25% than neat PP.Meanwhile,crystallization temperatures of PP composites are elevated by about 10 ℃.The thermal conductivity results demonstrate that the maximum value of the thermal conductivity is achieved from PP/BN with 20wt% of 20 μm BN,higher than that of pure PP by 95.65%,close to the simulation one.

Composite Panels from the Combination of Rice Husk and Wood Chips with a Natural Resin Based on Tannins Reinforced with Sugar Cane Molasses Intended for Building Insulation: Physico-Mechanical and Thermal Properties

The objective of this work is to develop new biosourced insulating composites from rice husks and wood chips that can be used in the building sector. It appears from the properties of the precursors that rice chips and husks are materials which can have good thermal conductivity and therefore the combination of these precursors could make it possible to obtain panels with good insulating properties. With regard to environmental and climatic constraints, the composite panels formulated at various rates were tested and the physico-mechanical and thermal properties showed that it was essential to add a crosslinker in order to increase certain solicitation. an incorporation rate of 12% to 30% made it possible to obtain panels with low thermal conductivity, a low surface water absorption capacity and which gives the composite good thermal insulation and will find many applications in the construction and real estate sector. Finally, new solutions to improve the fire reaction of the insulation panels are tested which allows to identify suitable solutions for the developed composites. In view of the flame tests, the panels obtained are good and can effectively combat fire safety in public buildings.

Thermal Properties of Earth Bricks Stabilised with Cement and Sawdust Residue Using the Asymmetrical Hot-Plane Method

This paper presents an experimental study of the characterisation of local materials used in the construction and thermal insulation of buildings. These materials are compressed earth bricks stabilised with cement and sawdust. The thermal conductivity, diffusivity, effusivity, and specific heat of earth-based materials containing cement or sawdust have been determined. The results show that the blocks with earth + sawdust are better thermal insulators than the blocks with simple earth. We observe an improvement in thermal efficiency depending on the presence of sawdust or cement stabilisers. For cement stabilisation, the thermal conductivity increases (λ: 1.04 to 1.36 W·m-1·K-1), the diffusivity increases (from 4.32 × 10-7 to 9.82 × 10-7 m2·s-1), and the effusivity decreases (1404 - 1096 J·m-2·K-1·s-1/2). For sawdust stabilisation, the thermal conductivity decreases (λ: 1.04 to 0.64 W·m-1·K-1), the diffusivity increases (from 4.32 × 10-7 to 5.9 × 10-7 m2·s-1), and the effusivity decreases (1404 - 906 J·m-2·K-1·s-1/2). Improving the structural and thermal efficiency of BTC via stabilisation with derived binders or cement is beneficial for the load-bearing capacity and thermal performance of buildings.

Microstructure,Mechanical,and Thermal Properties of B4C-TiB2-SiC Composites Prepared by Reactive Hot-pressing

B4C-TiB2-SiC composites with excellent properties were prepared by reactive hot-pressing using B4C,TiC,and Si powders as the raw materials.The phase transition process was investigated by heating the powder mixture to different temperatures and combined with XRD tests.TiB2 and SiC phases were synthesized through an in situ reaction,and the mechanical and thermal properties were improved simultaneously.Microstructure and mechanical properties were also studied,and the 60wt% B4C-21.6wt% TiB2-18.4wt% SiC composite showed a relative density of 99.1%,Vickers hardness of 34.6 GPa,flexural strength of 582 MPa,and fracture toughness of 5.08 MPa·m1/2.In addition,the values of thermal conductivity and thermal expansion coefficient were investigated,respectively.

Direct incorporation of paraffin wax as phase change material into mass concrete for temperature control: mechanical and thermal properties

Taking advantage of heat absorbing and releasing capability of phase change material(PCM),Paraffin wax-based concrete was prepared to assess its automatic temperature control performance.The mechanical properties of PCM concrete with eight different Paraffin wax contents were tested by the cube compression test and four-point bending test.The more Paraffin wax incorporated,the greater loss of the compressive strength and bending strength.Based on the mechanical results,four contents of Paraffin wax were chosen for studying PCM concrete's thermal properties,including thermal conductivity,thermal diffusivity,specific heat capacity,thermal expansion coefficient and adiabatic temperature rise.When the Paraffin wax content increases from 10%to 20%,the thermal conductivity and the thermal diffusivity decrease from 7.31 kJ/(m·h·°C)to 7.10 kJ/(m·h·°C)and from 3.03×10−3 m2/h to 2.44×10−3 m2/h,respectively.Meanwhile the specific heat capacity and thermal expansion coefficient rise from 5.38×10−1 kJ/(kg·°C)to 5.76×10−1 kJ/(kg·°C)and from 9.63×10−6/°C to 14.02×10−6/°C,respectively.The adiabatic temperature rise is found to decrease with an increasing Paraffin wax content.Considering both the mechanical and thermal properties,15%of Paraffin wax was elected for the mass concrete model test,and the model test results confirm the effect of Paraffin wax in automatic mass concrete temperature control.

Effect of nonuniform sintering on mechanical and thermal properties of silica-based ceramic cores

During sintering of the silica-based ceramic core of turbine blades,a phenomenon called"nonuniform sintering"occurs that negatively affects the thermal and mechanical properties of the core.Standard samples of silica-based core were prepared by an injection molding method and sintered with alumina backfilling powder with different sodium contents.The effect of sodium content on the nonuniform sintering of silica-based cores and the thermal and mechanical properties was evaluated.Results show that the sintering level and the content ofα-cristobalite in the surface layer are significantly higher than that of the sample interior.A considerable number of microcracks are found in the surface layer due to theβtoα-phase transition of cristobalite.As the sodium content in the alumina powder decreases,the level of the nonuniform sintering and the amount of crystallized cristobalite in the surface layer decrease,which is beneficial to the thermal expansion and flexural strength at ambient temperature.The flexural strength and thermal deformation at high temperature are improved by reducing the surface cracks,but deteriorated with the decrease of the cristobalite crystallization when the surface cracks are macroscopically invisible.

Characterizing Subzero-Temperature Thermal Properties of Seasonally Frozen Soil in Alpine Forest in the Western Sichuan Province, China

Seasonally frozen soil in alpine and subalpine zones in the mountains of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau is particularly sensitive to global climate change. Therefore, a better understanding of the thermal properties of frozen soil is crucial for predicting the responses of frozen soils to soil warming. In this study, thermal properties of frozen soil with different moisture contents under subzero temperature (0°C - 20°C) in an alpine forest in western Sichuan were analyzed by KD2 Pro in its cooling and heating processes, respectively. Our results reveal that the soil apparent volumetric specific heat capacity (Cv) and apparent thermal conductivity (K) under the same water content show similar response patterns to changing temperature lower than -2°C in both heating and cooling processes. Moreover, ice content of frozen soils can be well predicted by Logistic model in cooling and heating processes. The Cv and K tend to increase along with increasing soil moisture contents. Remarkably, asymptotic characters of the value of Cv and K are at the vicinity of the initial temperature of phase transitions, indicating that both Cv and K are particularly sensitive to changing soil temperature at the range of -2°C to 0°C. Therefore, the widely distributed frozen soil layers with temperature above -2°C in alpine and subalpine zones over Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau are susceptible to the observed climate warming during cold season.

Improvement of the Thermal Properties of Cement Mortars by Adding Banana Pseudo-Trunkfibres

The present work examined the influence on thermal properties of the incorporation of banana pseudo-trunkfibres in a cementitious matrix mortar that can be used as rendering or masonry block. The banana pseudo-trunkfibres are extracted, cut and characterized. Then the mortars are made with different proportions of fibres and characterized in order to identify the parameters influencing the characteristics of the material, both in the fresh and hardened state. The physical, mechanical and thermal tests carried out have shown an increase in the porosity and water absorption of the mortar with a decrease in the density, thus making the mortar lighter. It was also noted a decrease in the mortar’s flexural and compressive strengths as a function of the percentage of fibres;nevertheless, the values remain within an acceptable range.

Thermal Properties of PHB/PEG Blends

Thermal properties of PHB and PHB/PEG blends were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and melt index (Ml) test. DSC thermograms indicate that two components of blend are miscible. From the DSC thermogram, we can also conclude that the melting point of PHB descends with the increased content of PEG, this can improve PHB processing properties.From Ml data, we may draw the same conclusion.

Effects of filler loading and surface modification on electrical and thermal properties of epoxy/montmorillonite composite

Epoxy-based composites containing montmorillonite(MMT) modified by silylation reaction with γ-aminopropyltriethoxysilane(γ-APTES) and 3-(glycidyloxypropyl) trimethoxysilane(GPTMS) are successfully prepared.The effects of filler loading and surface modification on the electrical and thermal properties of the epoxy/MMT composites are investigated. Compared with the pure epoxy resin, the epoxy/MMT composite, whether MMT is surface-treated or not, shows low dielectric permittivity, low dielectric loss, and enhanced dielectric strength. The MMT in the epoxy/MMT composite also influences the thermal properties of the composite by improving the thermal conductivity and stability.Surface functionalization of MMT not only conduces to the better dispersion of the nanoparticles, but also significantly affects the electric and thermal properties of the hybrid by influencing the interfaces between MMT and epoxy resin.Improved interfaces are good for enhancing the electric and thermal properties of nanocomposites. What is more, the MMT modified with GPTMS rather than γ-APTES is found to have greater influence on improving the interface between the MMT filler and polymer matrices, thus resulting in lower dielectric loss, lower electric conductivity, higher breakdown strength, lower thermal conductivity, and higher thermal stability.

The impact of high hydrostatic pressure treatment time on the structure,gelatinization and thermal properties and in vitro digestibility of oat starch

As a non-thermal processing technology,high hydrostatic pressure(HHP)can be used for starch modification without affecting the quality and flavour constituents.The effect of HHP on starch is closely related to the treatment time of HHP.In this paper,we investigated the impacts of HHP treatment time(0,5,10,15,20,25,30 min)on the microstructure,gelatinization and thermal properties as well as in vitro digestibility of oat starch by scanning electron microscopy,X-ray diffraction,Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy,13C NMR and differential scanning calorimeter.Results showed that 5-min HHP treatment led to deformation and decreases in short-range ordered and doublehelix structures of oat starch granules,and further extending the treatment time to 15 min or above caused the formation of a gelatinous connection zone,increase of particle size,disintegration of short-range ordered and double-helix structures,and crystal structure change from A type to V type,indicating gelatinization occurred.Longer treatment time also resulted in the reduction in both the viscosity and the stability of oat starch.These indicated that HHP treatment time greatly influenced the microstructure of oat starch,and the oat starch experienced crystalline destruction(5 min),crystalline disintegration(15 min)and gelatinization(>15 min)during HHP treatment.Results of in vitro digestibility showed that the rapidly digestible starch(RDS)content declined first after treatment for 5 to 10 min then rose with the time extending from 15 to 30 min,indicating that longer pressure treatment time was unfavourable to the health benefits of oat starch for humans with diabetes and cardiovascular disease.Therefore,the 500-MPa treatment time for oat starch is recommended not more than 15 min.This study provides theoretical guidance for the application of HHP technology in starch modification and development of health foods.

Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Apocynum and Ramie Fiber Mat Reinforced Polylactic Acid Composites

With the increasing awareness of environmental protection and rational utilization of resources,natural fiber reinforced composites have shown broad development prospects.Apocynum fiber,known as the“king of wild fiber”,not only has moisture absorption,air permeability,and good mechanical properties but also has many health-related advantages such as antibacterial properties.In this study,four types of needle-punched Apocynum fiber and ramie fiber mat reinforced polylactic acid(PLA)composites were fabricated.Mechanical and thermal properties of the composites were tested and analyzed.The results showed that compared with those of the ramie fiber finish needle-punched mat reinforced composites,the tensile strength and the tensile modulus of Apocynum fiber finish needle-punched mat reinforced composites had increased by 15.3%and 60.1%,respectively.In comparison,the bending strength and the bending modulus were decreased by 21.8%and 7.6%,respectively.Moreover,compared with the Apocynum fiber finish needled-punched mat reinforced composites and the ramie fiber finish needle-punched mat reinforced composites,the Apocynum 50/ramie 50 finish needle-punched mat reinforced composites had the best tensile and bending properties.The after-fracture morphology was detected by a scanning electron microscope(SEM).The thermal properties of the composites were also characterized.It was found that the thermal properties of the four types of composites showed very similar behaviors.

Amylose Content,Morphology,Crystal Structure,and Thermal Properties of Starch Grains in Main and Ratoon Rice Crops

Rice ratooning,or the production of a second rice crop from stubble after the harvest of the main crop,is considered to be a green and resource-efficient rice production system.The present study was conducted to examine variance in amylose content(AC),grain morphology,crystal structure,and thermal properties of starch between main-and ratoon-season rice of seven varieties.Ratoon-season rice grains had higher ACs and significantly lower transition gelatinization temperatures(To,Tp,and Tc)than did main-season rice grains.The relative crystallinity and lamellar peak intensity of ratoon-season rice starch were 7.89%and 20.38%lower,respectively,than those of main-season rice starch.In addition,smaller granules with smoother surfaces and lower thermal parameters were observed in the starch of ratoon-season rice.The relative crystallinity and lamellar peak intensity of starch correlated negatively with the AC and positively with transition gelatinization temperatures.These results suggest that the superior cooking quality of ratoon-season rice is attributable to the moderate increase of grain AC,which reduces the relative crystallinity,weakens the crystal structure,and lead to a decrease in the gelatinization temperature.

Thermal properties of a two-dimensional intrinsically curved semiflexible biopolymer

We study the behaviors of mean end-to-end distance and specific heat of a two-dimensional intrinsically curved semiflexible biopolymer with a hard-core excluded volume interaction. We find the mean square end-to-end distance R^2_N∝ N~βat large N, with N being the number of monomers. Both β and proportional constant are dependent on the reduced bending rigidity κ and intrinsic curvature c. The larger the c, the smaller the proportional constant, and 1.5 ≥β≥ 1. Up to a moderate κ = κ_c, or down to a moderate temperature T = T_c, β = 1.5, the same as that of a self-avoiding random walk, and the larger the intrinsic curvature, the smaller the κ_c. However, at a large κ or a low temperature, β is close to 1,and the conformation of the biopolymer can be more compact than that of a random walk. There is an intermediate regime with 1.5 > β > 1 and the transition from β = 1.5 to β = 1 is smooth. The specific heat of the system increases smoothly with increasing κ or there is no peak in the specific heat. Therefore, a nonvanishing intrinsic curvature seriously affects the thermal properties of a semiflexible biopolymer, but there is no phase transition in the system.

Molecular Dynamics Simulation on Friction and Thermal Properties of FCC Copper in Nanoscale Sliding Contacts

In nanoscale sliding contact,adhesion effects and adhesive force are predominant,and high friction force will be produced.Friction energy is mainly converted into heat,and the heat will make nanomaterials become soft to affect friction behaviors,so it is important to investigate the friction and thermal properties of the nanoscale sliding contacts.A model of a nanoscale sliding contact between a rigid cylindrical tip and an FCC copper substrate is developed by molecular dynamics simulation.The thermal properties of the substrate and the friction behaviors are studied at different sliding velocities and different tip radii.The results show that at a low sliding velocity,the friction force fluctuation is mainly caused by material melting⁃solidification,while at a high sliding velocity the material melting is a main factor for the friction reduction.The average friction forces increase at initial phase and then decrease with increasing sliding velocity,and the average temperature of the substrate increases as sliding velocity increases.Increasing tip radius significantly increases the temperature,while the coupled effects of tip radius and temperature rise make friction force increase slightly.

Preparation and Properties of Polylactic Acid( PLA) /Nano-SiO_2 Composite Master Batch with Good Thermal Properties

In order to improve the thermal properties of polylactic acid( PLA) master batch,the nano-SiO2 was applied to mixing with PLA. The structure and thermal properties of the composite master batches were studied. The results showed that the nano-SiO2 modified by 3% coupling agent KH-570 could be dispersed evenly in PLA in small scale. The thermal decomposition temperature of composite master batches increased by 6. 20-10. 80 ℃, the glass transition temperature increased by 0. 22-5. 16 ℃,and the heat enthalpy at the glass transition temperature increased by 0. 574-2. 437 J /g,compared with pure PLA. The composite master batch possessed superior thermal stability and heat resistance.

Microstructure,elastic/mechanical and thermal properties of CrTaO_(4):A new thermal barrier material?

CrTaO_(4)(or Cr_(0.5)Ta_(0.5)O_(2))has been unexpectedly found to play a decisive role in improving the oxidation resistance of Cr and Ta-containing refractory high-entropy alloys(RHEAs).This rarely encountered complex oxide can effectively prevent the outward diffusion of metal cations from the RHEAs.Moreover,the oxidation kinetics of CrTaO_(4)-forming RHEAs is comparable to that of the well-known oxidation resistant Cr_(2)O_(3)-and Al_(2)O_(3)-forming Ni-based superalloys.However,CrTaO_(4)has been ignored and its mechanical and thermal properties have yet to be studied.To fill this research gap and explore the untapped potential for its applications,here we report for the first time the microstructure,mechanical and thermal properties of CrTaO_(4)prepared by hot-press sintering of solid-state reaction synthesized powders.Using the HAADF and ABF-STEM techniques,rutile crystal structure was confirmed and short range ordering was directly observed.In addition,segregation of Ta and Cr was identified.Intriguingly,CrTaO_(4)exhibits elastic/mechanical properties similar to those of yttria stabilized zirconia(YSZ)with Young’s modulus,shear modulus,and bulk modulus of 268,107,and 181 GPa,respectively,and Vickers hardness,flexural strength,and fracture toughness of 12.2±0.44 GPa,142±14 MPa,and 1.87±0.074 MPa·m^(1/2).The analogous elastic/mechanical properties of CrTaO_(4)to those of YSZ has spurred inquiries to lucrative leverage it as a new thermal barrier material.The measured melting point of CrTaO_(4)is 2103±20 K.The anisotropic thermal expansion coefficients areα_(a)=(5.68±0.10)×10^(-6)K^(-1),α_(c)=(7.81±0.11)×10^(-6)K^(-1),with an average thermal expansion coefficient of(6.39±0.11)×10^(-6)K^(-1).The room temperature thermal conductivity of CrTaO_(4)is 1.31 W·m^(-1)·K^(-1)and declines to 0.66 W·m^(-1)·K^(-1)at 1473 K,which are lower than most of the currently well-known thermal barrier materials.From the perspective of matched thermal expansion coefficient,CrTaO_(4)pertains to an eligible thermal barrier material for refractory metals such as Ta,Nb,and RHEAs,and ultrahigh temperature ceramics.As such,this work not only provides fundamental microstructure,elastic/mechanical and thermal properties that are instructive for understanding the protectiveness displayed by CrTaO_(4)on top of RHEAs but also outreaches its untapped potential as a new thermal barrier material.

A review on the multi-scaled structures and mechanical/thermal properties of tool steels fabricated by laser powder bed fusion additive manufacturing

The laser powder bed fusion(LPBF) process can integrally form geometrically complex and high-performance metallic parts that have attracted much interest,especially in the molds industry.The appearance of the LPBF makes it possible to design and produce complex conformal cooling channel systems in molds.Thus,LPBF-processed tool steels have attracted more and more attention.The complex thermal history in the LPBF process makes the microstructural characteristics and properties different from those of conventional manufactured tool steels.This paper provides an overview of LPBF-processed tool steels by describing the physical phenomena,the microstructural characteristics,and the mechanical/thermal properties,including tensile properties,wear resistance,and thermal properties.The microstructural characteristics are presented through a multiscale perspective,ranging from densification,meso-structure,microstructure,substructure in grains,to nanoprecipitates.Finally,a summary of tool steels and their challenges and outlooks are introduced.

Microstructural tailoring,mechanical and thermal properties of SiC composites fabricated by selective laser sintering and reactive melt infiltration

Poor flowability of printable powders and long preparation cycles are the main challenges in the selective laser sintering(SLS)of chopped carbon fiber(C_(f))reinforced silicon carbide(SiC)composites with complex structures.In this study,we develop an efficient and novel processing route in the fabrication of lightweight SiC composites via the SLS of phenolic resin(PR)and Cr powders with the addition of a-SiC particles combined with the one-step reactive melt infiltration(RMI).The effects of a-SiC addition on the microstructural evolution of the C_(f)/SiC/PR printed bodies,C_(f)/SiC/C green bodies,and derived SiC composites were investigated.The results indicate that the added a-SiC particles play an important role in enhancing the flowability of raw powders,reducing the porosity.increasing the reliability of the C/SiC/C green bodies,and contributing to improving the microstructure homogeneity and mechanical properties of the SiC composites.The maximum density,flexural strength,and fracture toughness(Kic)of the SiC composites are 2.749±0.006 g·cm^(3),266±5 MPa,and 3.30±0.06 MPa-m,respectively.The coefficient of thermal expansion(CTE,a)of the SiC composites is approximately 4.29×10^(-6)K^(-1)from room temperature(RT)to 900℃,and the thermal conductivity(x)is in the range of 80.15-92.48 W·m^(-1)·K^(-1)at RT.The high-temperature strength of the SiC composites increase to 287±18 MPa up to 1200℃.This study provides a novel as well as feasible tactic for the preparation of high-quality printable powders as well as lightweight,high-strength,and high-x SiC composites with complex structures by the SLS and RMI.