Microstructural characterization and mechanical properties of(TiC+TiB)/TA15 composites prepared by an in-situ synthesis method

Titanium matrix composites reinforced with ceramic particles are considered a promising engineering material due to their combination of high specific strength,low density,and high modulus.In this study,the TA15-based composites reinforced with a volume fraction of 10% to 25%(TiB+TiC)were prepared using powder metallurgy and casting technique.Microstructural characterization and phase constitution were examined using optical microscopy(OM),scanning electron microscopy(SEM),and X-ray diffraction(XRD).In addition,the microhardness,room temperature(RT)and high temperature(HT)tensile properties of the composites were evaluated.Results revealed that the reinforcements are distributed uniformly even in the composites with a high volume of TiB and TiC.However,as the volume fraction exceeds 15%,TiB and TiC particles become coarsening and exhibit rod-like and dendritic-like morphology.Microhardness increases gradually from 321.2 HV for the base alloy to a maximum of 473.3 HV as the reinforcement increases to 25vol.%.Tensile test results indicate that a reinforcement volume fraction above 20% is beneficial for enhancing tensile strength and yield strength at high temperatures,but it has an adverse effect on room temperature elongation.Conversely,if the reinforcement volume fraction is below 20%,it can improve high-temperature elongation when the temperature exceeds 600℃.

In-situ additive manufacturing of high strength yet ductility titanium composites with gradient layered structure using N_(2)

It has always been challenging work to reconcile the contradiction between the strength and plasticity of titanium materials.Laser powder bed fusion(LPBF) is a convenient method to fabricate innovative composites including those inspired by gradient layered materials.In this work,we used LPBF to selectively prepare Ti N/Ti gradient layered structure(GLSTi)composites by using different N_(2)–Ar ratios during the LPBF process.We systematically investigated the mechanisms of in-situ synthesis Ti N,high strength and ductility of GLSTi composites using microscopic analysis,TEM characterization,and tensile testing with digital image correlation.Besides,a digital correspondence was established between the N_(2) concentration and the volume fraction of LPBF in-situ synthesized Ti N.Our results show that the GLSTi composites exhibit superior mechanical properties compared to pure titanium fabricated by LPBF under pure Ar.Specifically,the tensile strength of GLSTi was more than 1.5times higher than that of LPBF-formed pure titanium,reaching up to 1100 MPa,while maintaining a high elongation at fracture of 17%.GLSTi breaks the bottleneck of high strength but low ductility exhibited by conventional nanoceramic particle-strengthened titanium matrix composites,and the hetero-deformation induced strengthening effect formed by the Ti N/Ti layered structure explained its strength-plasticity balanced principle.The microhardness exhibits a jagged variation of the relatively low hardness of 245 HV0.2 for the pure titanium layer and a high hardness of 408 HV0.2 for the N_(2) in-situ synthesis layer.Our study provides a new concept for the structure-performance digital customization of 3D-printed Ti-based composites.

Graphene Aerogel Composites with Self‑Organized Nanowires‑Packed Honeycomb Structure for Highly Efficient Electromagnetic Wave Absorption

With vigorous developments in nanotechnology,the elaborate regulation of microstructure shows attractive potential in the design of electromagnetic wave absorbers.Herein,a hierarchical porous structure and composite heterogeneous interface are constructed successfully to optimize the electromagnetic loss capacity.The macro–micro-synergistic graphene aerogel formed by the ice template‑assisted 3D printing strategy is cut by silicon carbide nanowires(SiC_(nws))grown in situ,while boron nitride(BN)interfacial structure is introduced on graphene nanoplates.The unique composite structure forces multiple scattering of incident EMWs,ensuring the combined effects of interfacial polarization,conduction networks,and magnetic-dielectric synergy.Therefore,the as-prepared composites present a minimum reflection loss value of−37.8 dB and a wide effective absorption bandwidth(EAB)of 9.2 GHz(from 8.8 to 18.0 GHz)at 2.5 mm.Besides,relying on the intrinsic high-temperature resistance of SiC_(nws) and BN,the EAB also remains above 5.0 GHz after annealing in air environment at 600℃ for 10 h.

Effects of temperature on fracture behavior of Al-based in-situ composites reinforced with Mg_2Si and Si particles fabricated by centrifugal casting

An aluminum-based in-situ composites reinforced with Mg2Si and Si particles were produced by centrifugal casting A1-20Si-5Mg alloy. The microstructure of the composites was examined, and the effects of temperature on fracture behavior of the composite were investigated. The results show that the average fraction of primary Si and Mg2Si particles in the composites is as high as 38%, and ultimate tensile strengths （UTS） of the composites first increase then decrease with the increase of test temperature. Microstructures of broken specimens show that both the particle fracture and the interface debonding affect the fracture behavior of the composites, and the interface debonding becomes the dominant fracture mechanism with increasing test temperature. Comparative results indicate that rich particles in the composites and excellent interface strength play great roles in enhancing tensile property by preventing the movement of dislocations.

Microstructure evolution and nitrides precipitation in in-situ Ti_2 AlN/TiAl composites during isothermal aging at 900°C

Microstructures of Ti2AlN/TiAl composites prepared by in-situ method were characterized in in-situ and aging treatment conditions and the nitride precipitation was investigated in Ti2AlN/TiAl composites aged at 900 ℃ for 24 h after being heat treated at 1400 ℃ for 0.5 h. The in-situ composites consist of γ＋α2 lamellar colonies, equiaxed y grains and Ti2AlN reinforcements. Matrix with nearly fully lamellar structure formed after solution and subsequently aging treatment. With the increase of Ti2AlN content, the nearly fully lamellar structure becomes instable for the aged composites. According to TEM study, fine Ti2AlN precipitates are found to distribute at the grain boundaries of lamellar colony. Needle-like Ti3AlN precipitates arrange in line with growing axis parallel to [001] direction of the γ-TiAl matrix and another needle-like Ti3AlN precipitates with lager size distribute at the dislocations. Key words：

Effects of two modification methods on the mechanical properties of wood flour/recycled plastic blends composites: addition of thermoplastic elastomer SEBS-g-MAH and in-situ grafting MAH

The effect of maleic anhydride grafted styrene-ethylene- buty-lene-styrene block copolymer （SEBS-g-MAH） and in-situ grafting MAH on mechanical, dynamic mechanical properties of wood flour/recycled plastic blends composites was investigated. Recycled plastic polypro-pylene （PP）, high-density polyethylene （HDPE） and polystyrene （PS）, were mixed with wood flour in a high speed blender and then extruded by a twin/single screw tandem extruder system to form wood flour/recycled plastic blends composites. Results show that the impact properties of the composites were improved more significantly by using SEBS-g-MAH compatibilizer than by using the mixtures of MAH and DCP via reactive blending in situ. However, contrary results were ob-served on the tensile and flexural properties of the corresponding com-posites. In General, the mechanical properties of composites made from recycled plastic blends were inferior to those made from virgin plastic blends, especially in elongation break. The morphological study verified that the interfacial adhesion or the compatibility of plastic blends with wood flour was improved by adding SEBS-g-MAH or in-situ grafting MAH. A better interfacial bonding between PP, HDPE, PS and wood flour was obtained by in-situ grafting MAH than the addition of SEBS-g-MAH. In-situ grafting MAH can be considered as a potential way of increasing the interfacial compatibility between plastic blends and wood flour. The storage modulus and damping factor of composites were also characterized through dynamic mechanical analysis （DMA）.

Effect of Ti-Si-Mg-Al wire on microstructure and mechanical properties of plasma arc in-situ welded joint of SiC_p/Al composites

The influence of Ti-Si-Mg-AI wire on microstructure and mechanical properties of SiCp/A1 metal matrix composite joints produced by plasma arc in-situ weld-alloying was investigated. Argon-nitrogen mixture was used as plasma gas and Ti-Si-Mg-A1 flux-cored wires as filled composites. Weldments were submitted to tensile test. Meanwhile, the macro morphology and microstructure of the joints were examined. The result shows that the formation ofneedie-like harmful phase A14C3 is effectively inhibited and the wettability of molten pool is improved by adding Ti-Si-Mg-A1 flux-cored wires. With 15Ti-5Si-5Mg-A1 flux-cored wire as filled composite, the maximum tensile strength of the welded joint is 267 MPa, which is up to 83% that of the matrix composites under annealed condition.

In-situ homogeneous synthesis of carbon nanotubes on aluminum matrix and properties of their composites

Using nickel catalyst supported on aluminum powders, carbon nanotubes （CNTs） were successfully synthesized in aluminum powders by in-situ chemical vapor deposition at 650 ℃. Structural characterization revealed that the as-grown CNTs possessed higher graphitization degree and straight graphite shell. By this approach, more homogeneous dispersion of CNTs in aluminum powders was achieved compared with the traditional mechanical mixture methods. Using the in-situ synthesized CNTs/Al composite powders and powder metallurgy process, CNTs/Al bulk composites were prepared. Performance testing showed that the mechanical properties and dimensional stability of the composites were improved obviously, which was attributed to the superior dispersion of CNTs in aluminum matrix and the strong interfacial bonding between CNTs and matrix.

Preparation and wear properties of TiB_2/Al-30Si composites via in-situ melt reactions under high-energy ultrasonic field

TiB2/Al-30Si composites were fabricated via in-situ melt reaction under high-energy ultrasonic field. The microstructure and wear properties of the composite were investigated by XRD, SEM and dry sliding testing. The results indicate that TiB2 reinforcement particles are uniformly distributed in the aluminum matrix under high-energy ultrasonic field. The morphology of the TiB2 particles is in circle-shape or quadrangle-shape, and the size of the particles is 0.1-1.5μm. The primary silicon particles are in quadrangle-shape and the average size of them is about 10μm. Hardness values of the Al-30Si matrix alloy and the TiB2/Al-30Si composites considerably increase as the high energy ultrasonic power increases. In particular, the maximum hardness value of the in-situ composites is about 1.3 times as high as that of the matrix alloy when the ultrasonic power is 1.2 kW, reaching 412 MPa. Meanwhile, the wear resistance of the in-situ TiB2/Al-30Si composites prepared under high-energy ultrasonic field is obviously improved and is insensitive to the applied loads of the dry sliding testing.

Enhanced thermal and electrical properties of poly (D,L-lactide)/ multi-walled carbon nanotubes composites by in-situ polymerization

Biodegradable poly （D,L-lactide） （PLA）/carboxyl-functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes （c-MWCNTs） composites were achieved via in-situ polymerization. These as-prepared composite materials were characterized with FT-IR, XRD, TG, DSC, SEM, and high insulation resistance meter. The results demonstrate that the multi-walled carbon nanotube was carboxyl functionalized, which improved the collection between c-MWCNTs and PLA, and further realized the graft copolymerization of c-MWCNTs and PLA. There is a higher glass transition temperature and a lower pyrolysis temperature of PLA/c-MWCNTs composites than pure PLA. The c-MWCNTs gave a better dispersion than unmodified MWCNTs in the PLA matrix, and an even coating of PLA on the surface of c-MWCNTs was obtained, which increased the interfacial interaction. High insulation resistance analysis showed that the addition of c-MWCNTs increased the electric conductivity, and c-MWCNTs performed against the large dielectric coefficient and electrostatic state of PLA. These results demonstrated that c-MWCNTs modified PLA composites were beneficial for potential application in the development of heat-resisting and conductivity plastic engineering.

Influence of solution treatment on microstructure and properties of in-situ Mg_2Si/AZ91D composites

The influence of solution treatment on the microstructure and properties of Mg2Si/AZ91D composites fabricated from Mg-SiO2 system via in-situ processing method was investigated.The results show that coarse Chinese script shape Mg2Si phases can be formed by adding SiO2 into AZ91D magnesium alloy with Si content up to 1.5% of the alloy melt.During solution treatment,the morphology and distribution of the coarse Chinese script shape Mg2Si phases are modified.Meanwhile,the β-Mg17Al12 phase is dissolved into the magnesium matrix.With increasing holding time,the coarse Mg2Si phases tend to dissolve,break and spheroidize.After solution treatment at 420 ℃ for 16 h,Mg2Si phases become the finest and relatively well-distributed phase.The tensile strength and elongation are increased by 14.9% and 38.9%,respectively.It is believed that the Mg2Si phases continuously dissolve and break,and finally the spheroidized Mg2Si particles are obtained due to the interface tension of Mg2Si/Mg interface.

Friction and wear properties of in-situ synthesized Al_2O_3 reinforced aluminum composites

Al-5%Si-AI2O3 composites were prepared by powder metallurgy and in-situ reactive synthesis technology. Friction and wear properties of Al-5%Si-Al2O3 composites were studied using an M-2000 wear tester. The effects of load, sliding speed and long time continuous friction on friction and wear properties of Al-5%Si-Al2O3 composites were investigated, respectively. Wear surface and wear mechanism of Al-5%Si-Al2O3 composites were studied by Quanta 200 FE-SEM. Results showed that with load increasing, wear loss and coefficient of friction increased. With sliding speed going up, the surface temperature of sample made the rate of the producing of oxidation layer increase, while wear loss and coefficient of friction decreased. With the sliding distance increasing, coefficient of friction increased because the adhesive wear mechanism occurred in the initial stage, then formation and destruction of the oxide layer on the surface of the sample tended to a dynamic equilibrium, the surface state of the sample was relatively stable and so did the coefficient of friction. The experiment shows that the main wear mechanism of Al-5%Si-Al2O3 composites includes abrasive wear, adhesive wear and oxidation wear.

Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x) MXene/carbon composites for advanced supercapacitors:Synthesis,progress,and perspectives

MXenes are a family of two-dimensional(2D)layered transition metal carbides/nitrides that show promising potential for energy storage applications due to their high-specific surface areas,excellent electron conductivity,good hydrophilicity,and tunable terminations.Among various types of MXenes,Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x) is the most widely studied for use in capacitive energy storage applications,especially in supercapacitors(SCs).However,the stacking and oxidation of MXene sheets inevitably lead to a significant loss of electrochemically active sites.To overcome such challenges,carbon materials are frequently incorporated into MXenes to enhance their electrochemical properties.This review introduces the common strategies used for synthesizing Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x),followed by a comprehensive overview of recent developments in Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)/carbon composites as electrode materials for SCs.Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)/carbon composites are categorized based on the dimensions of carbons,including 0D carbon dots,1D carbon nanotubes and fibers,2D graphene,and 3D carbon materials(activated carbon,polymer-derived carbon,etc.).Finally,this review also provides a perspective on developing novel MXenes/carbon composites as electrodes for application in SCs.

Wearing resistance of in-situ Al-based composites with different SiO_2/C/Al molar ratios fabricated by reaction hot pressing

The in-situ Al-based composites with different SiO2/C/Al molar ratios were fabricated by reaction hot pressing. The dry sliding wear characteristics of the composites were investigated using a pin-on-disc wear tester. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) were used to investigate the surface composition and its morphology. The results show that when the SiO2/C/Al molar ratio is 3:6:9, more in-situ synthesized Al2O3 and SiC along with Si particles are produced, and Al4C3 is prevented completely from the Al?SiO2?C system. Thereby, a significant improvement of wear resistance is obtained. When the sliding velocity increases from 0.4 to 1.6 m/s, the wear loss decreases gradually. With increasing the normal load, the wear loss increases as well. Ploughing, craters and micro-grooving are observed as dominant abrasive wear mechanisms. Whereas, when a high velocity is employed, only the oxidation mechanism controls the wear behavior of the composites.

In-situ fabrication of particulate reinforced aluminum matrix composites under high-frequency pulsed electromagnetic field

Pulsed magnetic field is generated when imposing pulse signal on high-frequency magnetic field. Distribution of the inner magnetic intensity in induction coils tends to be uniform. Furthermore oscillation and disturbance phenomena appear in the melt. In. situ Al2O3 and Al3Zr particulate reinforced aluminum matrix composites have been synthesized by direct melt reaction using AlZr（CO3）2 components under a foreign field. The size of reinforced particulates is 2-3 μm. They are well distributed in the matrix. Thermodynamic and kinetic analysis show that high-frequency pulsed magnetic field accelerates heat and mass transfer processes and improves the kinetic condition of in-situ fabrication.

Strength and elastic modulus enhancement in Mg-Li-Al matrix composites reinforced by ex situ TiB2 particles via stir casting

A novel Mg^(-1)0Li-3Al(wt.%,LA103)matrix composite reinforced by ex situ micron TiB_(2) particles was developed in the present study.The ball milling and cold pressing pretreatment of the reinforcements made it feasible to prepare this material under stir casting conditions with good dispersion.The microstructure and mechanical properties of the composites prepared by different pretreatment methods were analyzed in detail.The TiB_(2) particles in the Al-TiB_(2)/LA103 composite using the pretreatment process were uniformly distributed in the microstructure due to the formation of highly wettable core-shell units in the melt.Compared with the matrix alloys,the Al-TiB_(2)/LA103 composite exhibited effective strength and elastic modulus improvements while maintaining acceptable elongation.The strengthening effect in the composites was mainly attributed to the strong grain refining effect of TiB2.This work shows a balance of high specific modulus(36.1 GPa·cm^(3)·g^(-1))and elongation(8.4%)with the conventional stir casting path,which is of considerable application value.

Friction and wear properties of casting in-situ silicon particle reinforced ZA27 composites

The effects of silicon particle content and testing temperature on friction and wear properties of casting in-situ silicon particle reinforced ZA27 composites were investigated.The wear mechanisms were mainly discussed by observations of both worn surfaces and their side views.The results indicated that the variations of wear resistance with increasing of silicon particle content,at all of the testing temperatures applied,showed a similar tendency with a manner of non-monotonous change.It was surprised that the wear resistance decreased with the increase of silicon particle content from 2 vol.%to 5 vol.%,while it increased when the content was less than 2 vol.%or more than 5 vol.%.Similarly,the friction coefficient also did not change monotonously.The dominative wear mechanism changed from a relatively severe regime of plastic deformation accompanied by adhesion wear to a mild regime of smear,then to a very severe regime of severe plastic deformation induced wear,and finally again to a relatively mild regime of smear accompanied by abrasive wear as the silicon content increased.The wear resistance always decreased with elevating testing temperature,but the decrease ranges were different for the composites with different silicon contents.The friction coefficients changed irregularly for the different composites with the increase of testing temperature.Correspondingly,the wear mechanism alternated from a mild regime of smear accompanied by abrasive wear to a severe regime of plastic deformation accompanied by adhesion wear.

Mechanical behaviors of backfill-rock composites: Physical shear test and back-analysis

The shear behavior of backfill-rock composites is crucial for mine safety and the management of surface subsidence.For exposing the shear failure mechanism of backfill-rock composites,we conducted shear tests on backfill-rock composites under three constant normal loads,compared with the unfilled rock.To investigate the macro-and meso-failure characteristics of the samples in the shear tests,the cracking behavior of samples was recorded by a high-speed camera and acoustic emission monitoring.In parallel with the experimental test,the numerical models of backfill-rock composites and unfilled rock were established using the discrete element method to analyze the continuous-discontinuous shearing process.Based on the damage mechanics and statistics,a novel shear constitutive model was proposed to describe mechanical behavior.The results show that backfill-rock composites had a special bimodal phenomenon of shearing load-deformation curve,i.e.the first shearing peak corresponded to rock break and the second shearing peak induced by the broken of aeolian sand-cement/fly ash paste backfill.Moreover,the shearing characteristic curves of the backfill-rock composites could be roughly divided into four stages,i.e.the shear failure of the specimens experienced:stage I:stress concentration;stage II:crack propagation;stage III:crack coalescence;stage IV:shearing friction.The numerical simulation shows that the existence of aeolian sand-cement/fly ash paste backfill inevitably altered the coalescence type and failure mode of the specimens and had a strengthening effect on the shear strength of backfillrock composites.Based on damage mechanics and statistics,a shear constitutive model was proposed to describe the shear fracture characteristics of specimens,especially the bimodal phenomenon.Finally,the micro-and meso-mechanisms of shear failure were discussed by combining the micro-test and numerical results.The research can advance the better understanding of the shear behavior of backfill-rock composites and contribute to the safety of mining engineering.

Ultraviolet‑Irradiated All‑Organic Nanocomposites with Polymer Dots for High‑Temperature Capacitive Energy Storage

Polymer dielectrics capable of operating efficiently at high electric fields and elevated temperatures are urgently demanded by next-generation electronics and electrical power systems.While inorganic fillers have been extensively utilized to improved high-temperature capacitive performance of dielectric polymers,the presence of thermodynamically incompatible organic and inorganic components may lead to concern about the long-term stability and also complicate film processing.Herein,zero-dimensional polymer dots with high electron affinity are introduced into photoactive allyl-containing poly(aryl ether sulfone)to form the all-organic polymer composites for hightemperature capacitive energy storage.Upon ultraviolet irradiation,the crosslinked polymer composites with polymer dots are efficient in suppressing electrical conduction at high electric fields and elevated temperatures,which significantly reduces the high-field energy loss of the composites at 200℃.Accordingly,the ultraviolet-irradiated composite film exhibits a discharged energy density of 4.2 J cm^(−3)at 200℃.Along with outstanding cyclic stability of capacitive performance at 200℃,this work provides a promising class of dielectric materials for robust high-performance all-organic dielectric nanocomposites.

Properties of Functionalized Graphene/Room Temperature Vulcanized Silicone Rubber Composites Prepared by an In-situ Reduction Method

Functionalized graphene oxide （FGO） was prepared by treating graphene oxide with y-aminopropyl triethoxysilane （KH-550） before the mixture was dispersed into a, ω-dihydroxy polydimethylsiloxane to get room temperature vulcanized （RTV） silicone rubber composites by solution casting. The cured composites were then reduced with hydrazine hydrate to obtain functionalized graphene （FG）/RTV silicone rubber composites. The structures of FGO and the resultant composites were characterized by atomic force microscopy, FT-IR spectra and X-ray diffraction. KH-550 was found to be grafted onto graphene sheets, leading to an increased interlayer spacing. Significant improvements in thermal and mechanical properties were obtained. Both the FGO/RTV silicone rubber composite contain 1.0 wt% of FGO, and its reduced product showed an increase of one-step weight loss temperature with 61 ℃ and 133 ℃ higher than that of pure silicone rubber. Tensile strength and elongation at break of FG/RTV silicone rubber composite （with 0.5 wt% FGO content） increased by 175% and 67%, respectively, compared with those of pure silicone rubber.