Greatly enhanced corrosion/wear resistances of epoxy coating for Mg alloy through a synergistic effect between functionalized graphene and insulated blocking layer

The poor corrosion and wear resistances of Mg alloys seriously limit their potential applications in various industries.The conventional epoxy coating easily forms many intrinsic defects during the solidification process,which cannot provide sufficient protection.In the current study,we design a double-layer epoxy composite coating on Mg alloy with enhanced anti-corrosion/wear properties,via the spin-assisted assembly technique.The outer layer is functionalized graphene(FG)in waterborne epoxy resin(WEP)and the inner layer is Ce-based conversion(Ce)film.The FG sheets can be homogeneously dispersed within the epoxy matrix to fill the intrinsic defects and improve the barrier capability.The Ce film connects the outer layer with the substrate,showing the transition effect.The corrosion rate of Ce/WEP/FG composite coating is 2131 times lower than that of bare Mg alloy,and the wear rate is decreased by~90%.The improved corrosion resistance is attributed to the labyrinth effect(hindering the penetration of corrosive medium)and the obstruction of galvanic coupling behavior.The synergistic effect derived from the FG sheet and blocking layer exhibits great potential in realizing the improvement of multi-functional integration,which will open up a new avenue for the development of novel composite protection coatings of Mg alloys.

Graphene-calcium carbonate coating to improve the degradation resistance and mechanical integrity of a biodegradable implant

Biodegradable implants are critical for regenerative orthopaedic procedures,but they may suffer from too fast corrosion in human-body environment.This necessitates the synthesis of a suitable coating that may improve the corrosion resistance of these implants without compromising their mechanical integrity.In this study,an AZ91 magnesium alloy,as a representative for a biodegradable Mg implant material,was modified with a thin reduced graphene oxide(RGO)-calcium carbonate(CaCO_(3))composite coating.Detailed analytical and in-vitro electrochemical characterization reveals that this coating significantly improves the corrosion resistance and mechanical integrity,and thus has the potential to greatly extend the related application field.

Effect of graphene nanoplatelets(GNPs)addition on strength and ductility of magnesium-titanium alloys

Effect of graphene nanoplatelets(GNPs)addition on mechanical properties of magnesium–10wt%Titanium(Mg–10Ti)alloy is investigated in current work.The Mg-(10Ti+0.18GNPs)composite was synthesized using the semi powder metallurgy method followed by hot extrusion.Microstructural characterization results revealed the uniform distribution of reinforcement(Ti+GNPs)particles in the matrix,therefore(Ti+GNPs)particles act as an effective reinforcing filler to prevent the deformation.Room temperature tensile results showed that the addition of Ti+GNPs to monolithic Mg lead to increase in 0.2%yield strength(0.2%YS),ultimate tensile strength(UTS),and failure strain.Scanning Electron Microscopy(SEM),Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy(EDS)and X-Ray Diffraction(XRD)were used to investigate the surface morphology,elemental dispersion and phase analysis,respectively.

Reduced graphene oxide supported PdNi alloy nanocrystals for the oxygen reduction and methanol oxidation reactions

The research on electrocatalysts with relatively lower price than Pt and excellent electrocatalytic performance for the cathode oxygen reduction reaction(ORR) and anode methanol oxidation reaction(MOR) is vital for the development of direct methanol fuel cells(DMFCs). In this work, we develop a cyanogel-reduction method to synthesize reduced graphene oxide(rGO) supported highly dispersed PdNi alloy nanocrystals(PdNi/rGO) with high alloying degree and tunable Pd/Ni ratio. The large specific surface area and the d-band center downshift of Pd result in excellent activity of Pd4 Ni1/rGO nanohybrids for the ORR. The modification of Pd electronic structure can facilitate the adsorption of CH3 OH on Pd surface and the highly oxophilic property of Ni can eliminate/mitigate the COadsintermediates poisoning, which make PdNi/r GO nanohybrids possess superior MOR activity. In addition, rGO improve the stability of PdNi alloy nanocrystals for the ORR and MOR. Due to high activity and stability for the ORR and MOR, PdNi/rGO nanohybrids are promising to be an available bifunctional electrocatalyst in DMFCs.

Mechanical properties of graphene nanoplatelets reinforced 7075 aluminum alloy composite fabricated by spark plasma sintering

A 0.3wt%graphene nanoplatelets(GNPs)reinforced 7075 aluminum alloy matrix(7075 Al)composite was fabricated by spark plasma sintering and its strength and wear resistance were investigated.The microstructures of the internal structure,the friction surface,and the wear debris were characterized by scanning electron microscopy,X-ray diffraction,and Raman spectroscopy.Compared with the original 7075 aluminum alloy,the hardness and elastic modulus of the 7075 Al/GNPs composite were found to have increased by 29%and 36%,respectively.The results of tribological experiments indicated that the composite also exhibited a lower wear rate than the original 7075 aluminum alloy.

Tribological behaviors of graphene oxide partly substituted with nano-SiO_(2) as lubricant additives in water for magnesium alloy/steel interfaces

Although graphene oxide(GO)has emerged as an excellent lubricant additive in water,there remain great challenges in their practical application due to high production costs.By taking into account the low cost and also its excellent tribological properties,it is likely that nano-SiO_(2)can be used as a lubricant additive to partially replace GO.Hence,this paper aims to explore the tribological properties of nano-SiO_(2)incorporated in GO nanofluids for partial GO replacement by investigating the friction coefficient and wear volume of the prepared SiO_(2)/GO hybrid nanofluids for magnesium alloy/steel sliding pairs.The experiments reveal that the SiO_(2)/GO hybrids retain low friction coefficients as compared to individual GO or SiO_(2)at all test conditions in this study.However,as for the bearing capacity test,all samples can provide a low wear volume under the loads of 1 and 3 N.With the increase of the normal load,there is considerable differences in the anti-wear behavior.Compared with that of individual GO nanofluids,the wear volume of the GO/SiO_(2)(mass ratio of 0.3:0.2)hybrid nanofluids was reduced by50.5%at 5 N and by 49.2%at 8 N.Furthermore,the wear volume of the GO/SiO_(2)(mass ratio of 0.3:0.2)hybrid nanofluids was reduced by46.3%under the rigorous conditions,as compared to individual GO nanofluids.The findings provide new insights into developing carbon nanomaterial-based hybrid nanofluids for magnesium alloy formation.

In situ growth of N-doped carbon coated CoNi alloy with graphene decoration for enhanced HER performance

Non-noble metal-based catalysts,especially stable ones,have gained increasing attentions in the field of electronically catalytic hydrogen evolution reaction(HER).In this work,an N-doped carbon confined Co–Ni alloy with reduced graphene oxide(rGO) decoration(CoNi@N-C/rGO) was fabricated for HER.The prepared catalyst exhibited excellent HER activity in an acidic electrolyte(Tafel slope of ～133.7 m V).The results showed that the enhanced HER performance of the nanostructures is attributed to the chemical and electronic synergic effect between the confined Co–Ni alloy and r GO.Stability tests,realized via longterm potential cycles and extended electrolysis,provided the confirmation of the exceptional durability of the catalyst,which originated from the confining effect of the N-doped carbon shell.This versatile method provides a strategy for designing stable non-precious metal electrocatalysts confined by carboncoating.

Nd–Mg–Ni alloy electrodes modified by reduced graphene oxide with improved electrochemical kinetics

To improve the electrochemical kinetics of Nd–Mg–Ni alloy electrodes, the alloy surface was modified with highly conductive reduced graphene oxide(rGO) via a chemical reduction process. Results indicated that rGO sheets uniformly coated on the alloy surface, yielding a threedimensional network layer. The coated surfaces contained numerous hydrophilic functional groups, leading to better wettability of the alloy in aqueous alkaline media. This, in turn, increased the concentration of electro-active species at the interface between the electrode and the electrolyte, improving the electrochemical kinetics and the rate discharge of the electrodes. The high rate dischargeability at 1500 mA·g^(–1) increased from 53.2% to 83.9% after modification. In addition, the modification layer remained stable and introduced a dense metal oxide layer to the alloy surface after a long cycling process. Therefore, the protective layer prevented the discharge capacity from quickly decreasing and improved cycling stability.

A tightly bonded reduced graphene oxide coating on magnesium alloy with photothermal effect for tumor therapy

Photothermal therapy becomes a hotspot in the treatment of bone tumors. Magnesium and its alloys are regarded as potential bone implants for their favorable mechanical property and biodegradable in vivo. However, there is few research devoted to fabricating a photothermal coating on Mg alloy. In the present study, reduced graphene oxide coating with a strong photothermal effect was prepared on the surface of AZ31via two steps. Firstly, graphene oxide coating was deposited on the surface via electrophoresis deposited(GO#), followed by a reduction process of the graphene oxide coating in ultrapure water(rGO#). GO# and rGO# coatings were characterized by SEM, Raman, XRD, FTIR,and XPS. The results revealed that, compared with GO# coating, the content of oxygen-containing(C-O/C-O-C, C=O, O-C=O) groups on rGO# coating was significantly decreased. rGO# coating was found tightly adhered to AZ31 substrate. According to the first-principles calculations, the well-bonded heterostructure between MgO and rGO is the main reason for the strong bonding force. Moreover, the prepared rGO# coating showed a superior photothermal effect, which brings a new strategy to the treatment of bone tumors with Mg-based implants.

Novel Corrosion Inhibitors for Carbon Steel Alloy in Acidic Medium of 1N HCl Synthesized from Graphene Oxide

In this study, two nano-derivatives from nano-Graphene oxide (GO) were synthesized. Regarding to GON and GOS by reaction GO with 2-amino ethanol and 2-marcapto ethanol respectively, the GO, GON, GOS were characterized by FTIR, XRD and FSEM. Evaluation prepared compound to inhibitors corrosion for Carbon steel in acidic media at (1 - 6 ppm) concentration and different temperature 298, 308, 318, 328 K. The electrochemical technique used Tafel plot to measure the efficiency of inhibitor. It was observed that the corrosion rate and charge transfer of the carbon steel for the inhibitor increase with increase of temperature and decrease with increase of the inhibitor concentration in the same temperature. The GON had inhibition efficiency reached 96.96% for the 6 ppm concentration at 298 K.

Enhancing alkaline water oxidation with NiFe alloy-encapsulated nitrogen-doped vertical graphene array

Advancing efficient and affordable electrocatalysts to boost the oxygen evolution reaction(OER)is pivotal for sustainable green hydrogen production.Herein,we propose the fabrication of nickel-iron alloy nanoparticles-encapsulated on N-doped vertically aligned graphene array on carbon cloth(NiFe@NVG/CC)as a highly active three-dimensional(3D)catalyst electrode for OER.In 1 M KOH,such NiFe@NVG/CC demonstrates outstanding catalytic performance,necessitating merely overpotential of 245 mV for achieving a current density of 10 mA·cm^(−2),a remarkably low Tafel slope of 36.2 mV·dec^(−1).Furthermore,density functional theory calculations validate that the incorporate of N species into graphene can reinforce the electrocatalytic activity though reducing the reaction energy barrier during the conversion of*O to*OOH intermediates.The outstanding performance and structural benefits of NiFe@NVG/CC offer valuable insights for the development of innovative and efficient electrocatalysts for water oxidation.

Microstructure and Properties of Cu-Cr-Zr Alloy after Rapidly Solidified Aging and Solid Solution Aging

The structure and properties of Cu-Cr-Zr alloy were studied after rapidly solidified aging and solid solution aging.At the early stage of aging （500℃ for 15 rain）, the hardness and the conductivity of the alloy rapidly solidified are 143 HV and 72% IACS, respectively. Under the same aging condition, the hardness and electrical conductivity of the alloy solid solution treated can reach 86 HV and 47% IACS, respectively. The microstructure was analyzed, and the grain size after rapid solidification is much smaller than that after solid solution treatment. By rapidly solidified aging the fine precipitates distribute inside the grains and along the grain boundary, while by solid solution aging there are large Cr particles along the grain boundary.

Influence of Cerium and Yttrium on Cu-Cr-Zr Alloys

Testing results shows that alloying with Ce and Y improves the hardness and softens temperature of cold worked Cu-Cr-Zr alloys obviously, while the conductivity was fluctuant with the variation of RE content. Observation and analysis indicate that micro-dosage RE elements helps to refine microstructure and morphology of Cu-Cr-Zr-RE alloys, suppress microstructure coarsening and improves homogeneous level of Cu-Cr-Zr alloys. Alloying with 0.01% Ce causes about 1% IACS increment of conductivity, and reduces about 2%～3.5% IACS conductivity after alloying with 0.03%～0.04% RE (Ce or Ce+Y) for Cu-Cr-Zr alloys. The microstructure of as-cast Cu-Cr-Zr alloy is refined after alloying with 0.01% Ce while the plasticity is improved slightly. Alloying with 0.01%～0.04% RE improves the softening temperature of deformed Cu-Cr-Zr alloys about 20～40 K; hardness is also improved about 20～35 HV. Test data indicate that alloying with Ce+Y raises softening temperature and hardness of Cu-Cr-Zr alloys more notably than alloying with pure Ce.

Phase and Microstructure Analysis of Cu-Cr-Zr Alloys

Phases of Cu-（0.4%-2.0%） Cr-（0.05%-0.16%） Zr alloys were analyzed in both as cast and deformed state. Solute-rich clusters of Cr, which was supposed to form during aging treatment, were observed in as cast state; along with the morphology character, corresponding preferential orientation of Cr phase in as cast state was also investigated. Precipitates were observed to distribute in the matrix with a bimodal distribution, viz. coarse precipitates with dimension larger than several hundred nanometers and fine precipitates with size of 2- 10 nm. Three types of intermetallics, the common compound of Cu51Zr14, correspondingly infrequent Cu5Zr and rare Cu5Zr3, were characterized in different samples.

Establishing the knowledge repository of rapidly solidified aging Cu-Cr-Zr alloy on the artificial neural-network

The non-linear relationship between parameters of rapidly solidified agingprocesses and mechancal and electrical properties of Cu-Cr-Zr alloy is available by using asupervised artificial neural network (ANN). A knowledge repository of rapidly solidified agingprocesses is established via sufficient data learning by the network. The predicted values of theneural network are in accordance with the tested data. So an effective measure for foreseeing andcontrolling the properties of the processing is provided.

Effect of deep cryogenic treatment on mechanical behavior of a Cu-Cr-Zr alloy for electrodes of spot welding

The effects of deep cryogenic treatment on mechanical behavior of a Cu-Cr-Zr alloy for electrodes of spot welding were investigated employing Brinell-hardness testing unit, abrasion examination machine, electronic almighty testing machine and X-ray stress analyzer. Tensile fracture surfaces of the alloy were characterized by scanning electronic microscope （SEM） with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy （EDS）. The results showed that, after deep cryogenic treatment, σb and σ0.2 increased 23 MPa and 21 MPa respectively, the wear rate of the alloy exhibited the trend of decrease with the decreasing temperature and increasing time of deep cryogenic treatment, and the surface residual stress of the alloy was partially eliminated by deep cryogenic treatment.

Texture of deformed Cu-Cr-Zr alloys

The influences of plastic deformation, aging treatment, and alloying elements on the texture of Cu-Cr-Zr alloys were ex- plored. The texture component and intensity of Cu-Cr-Zr alloys under various working conditions after aging treatment were characterized using the orientation distributing function （ODF）. The influence of Zr content on the texture of Cu-Cr-Zr alloys was also analyzed. The reduction pass and deformation level were primary factors influencing the texture. Rolling texture appeared in a rolled plate and the fibrous textures of {111} and {001} were detected after 80% deformation. Fibrous texture with a main constituent of {111} improved the tensile strength of the alloy wire. The texture contents of {110}〈331〉 and {110}〈112〉 were predominated, whereas, those of {113}〈332〉 and {112}〈111〉 were in the minority in the Cu-Cr-Zr alloy with a higher Zr content （〉0.5wt%）. However, in the samples with a lower Zr content （〈0.1wt%）, the texture contents of {113}〈332〉, {112}〈111〉, and {111}〈110〉 were in the majority.

Effect of sintering temperature on pore ratio and mechanical properties of composite structure in nano graphene reinforced ZA27 based composites

Nano graphene platelet(Gr)reinforced nano composites with a zinc–aluminum alloy(ZA27)matrix were produced by powder metallurgy at four different mass ratios(0.5wt%,1.0wt%,2.0wt%and 4.0wt%)and three different sintering temperatures(425,450,and 475°C).In order to investigate the effect of sintering temperatures and nano graphene reinforcement materials on the composite structure,the microstructures of the composite samples were investigated and their densities were determined with a scanning electron microscope.Hardness,transverse rupture,and abrasion wear tests were performed to determine the mechanical properties.According to the test results,the porosity increased and the mechanical strength of the nano composites decreased as the amount of nano graphene reinforcement in ZA27 increased.However,when the composites produced in different reinforcement ratios were evaluated,the increase in sintering temperature increased the mechanical structure by positively affecting the composite structure.