High-pressure Sintering of Boron Carbide-Titanium Diboride Composites and Its Densification Mechanism

A high-pressure hot-pressing process was applied to densify a commercial boron carbide-titanium diboride (B4C-TiB2) powder mixture.Nearly fully dense (98.6%) materials were obtained at 1700℃ under a pressure of 100MPa.Compared to the sintering temperature required to achieve similar results when a pressure of only 30MPa was applied,the sintering temperature was found to decrease by about 200℃ under pressure of 100 MPa.Analysis of the thermodynamics and microstructure showed that the plastic deformation of the B4C grains induced by high pressure dominated the densification mechanism when high pressure was applied.Furthermore,higher pressure resulted in remarkably improved mechanical properties of the composites,which could be traced back to the generation of stacking faults in the B4C grains and aggregation of TiB2.

High-pressure sintering and magnetic properties of Fe_(86)Zr_(11-x)Nb_xB_3(x=5.5, 6) amorphous alloys

The thermal stability of milling Fe86Zr11-xNbxB3（x=5.5, 6） melt-spun strip powders and the influence of high-pressure sintering conditions on phase component and grain size of bulk alloys were investigated by X-ray diffractometry（XRD）, differential scanning calorimetry（DSC） and scanning electron microscopy（SEM）. The results show that milling melt-spun powder remains in the amorphous state, and the crystallization temperature of which is 480530℃, the apparent activation energy Ep of crystallization process is 294.1219.5kJ/mol. The increasing Nb content can increase crystallization temperature and decrease Ep. Under the sintering conditions of 5.5GPa/3min, when Pw is 1150W, single phase α-Fe nanocrystalline （20.626.7nm） bulk alloy with relative density higher than 99.0% can be obtained. Under the sintering conditions of 5.5GPa/1150W/3min, the magnetic properties of these nanocrystalline bulk alloys are Fe86Zr5.5Nb5.5B3 alloy, Bs=1.15T, Hc=5.08kA·m-1; Fe86Zr5Nb6B3 alloy, Bs=1.26T, Hc=4.27kA·m-1.

Experimental and Finite Element Analysis of Corroded High-Pressure Pipeline Repaired by Laminated Composite

Repairs of corroded high-pressure pipelines are essential for fluids transportation under high pressure.One of the methods used in their repairs is the use of layered composites.The composite used must have the necessary strength.Therefore,the experiments and analytical solutions presented in this paper are performed according to the relevant standards and codes,including ASME PCC-2,ASME B31.8S,ASME B31.4,ISO 24817 and ASME B31.G.In addition,the experimental tests are replicated numerically using the finite element method.Setting the strain gauges at different distances from the defect location,can reduce the nonlinear effects,deformation,and fluctuations due to the high pressure.The direct relationship between the depth of an axial defect and the stress concentration is observed at the inner side edges of the defect.Composite reparation reduces the non-linearities related to the sharp variation of the geometry and a more reliable numerical simulation could be performed.

Phase-Field Simulation of Sintering Process:A Review

Sintering,a well-established technique in powder metallurgy,plays a critical role in the processing of high melting point materials.A comprehensive understanding of structural changes during the sintering process is essential for effective product assessment.The phase-field method stands out for its unique ability to simulate these structural transformations.Despite its widespread application,there is a notable absence of literature reviews focused on its usage in sintering simulations.Therefore,this paper addresses this gap by reviewing the latest advancements in phase-field sintering models,covering approaches based on energy,grand potential,and entropy increase.The characteristics of various models are extensively discussed,with a specific emphasis on energy-based models incorporating considerations such as interface energy anisotropy,tensor-form diffusion mechanisms,and various forms of rigid particle motion during sintering.Furthermore,the paper offers a concise summary of phase-field sintering models that integrate with other physical fields,including stress/strain fields,viscous flow,temperature field,and external electric fields.In conclusion,the paper provides a succinct overview of the entire content and delineates potential avenues for future research.

Spark Plasma Sintering of Boron Carbide Using Ti_(3)SiC_(2) as a Sintering Additive

Boron carbide has unique properties for wide application possibilities;however,poor sinterability limits its applications.One approach to overcome this limitation is the addition of secondary phases into boron carbide.Boron carbide based composite ceramics are produced by the direct addition of secondary phases into the structure or via reactive sintering using a sintering additive.The present study investigated the effect of Ti_(3)SiC_(2) addition to boron carbide by reactive spark plasma sintering in the range of 1700-1900℃.Ti_(3)SiC_(2) phase decomposed at high temperatures and reacted with B4C to form secondary phases of TiB2 and SiC.The results demonstrated that the increase of Ti_(3)SiC_(2) addition(up to 15 vol%)effectively promoted the densification of B4C and yielded higher hardness.However,as the amount of Ti_(3)SiC_(2) increased further,the formation of microstructural inhomogeneity and agglomeration of secondary phases caused a decrease in hardness.

Effect of Sintering Temperature on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Nanocrystalline Cemented Carbide

WC-Co nanocrystalline nitrogen-containing cemented carbides were prepared by vacuum sintering and low pressure sintering.The sintering processes of Cr_(2)(C,N)doped nano WC-Co powders were studied by using thermogravimetric analysis(TGA)and differential scanning calorimetry(DSC).The effect of sintering temperature on the microstructure and mechanical properties of nanocrystalline cemented carbide was studied by scanning electron microscope(SEM),high resolution transmission electron microscope(HRTEM)and mechanical property test.The results showed that the nano WC grains began to grow in the solid phase sintering stage.A high-performance nano-nitrogen-containing cemented carbide with uniform microstructure and good interfacial bonding can be obtained by increasing the sintering temperature to 1380℃.It has a transverse rupture strength(TRS)of 5057 MPa and a hardness of 1956 HV30.

Spark Plasma Sintering of Mg-based Alloys:Microstructure,Mechanical Properties,Corrosion Behavior,and Tribological Performance

Within the past ten years,spark plasma sintering(SPS)has become an increasingly popular process for Mg manufacturing.In the SPS process,interparticle diffusion of compressed particles is rapidly achieved due to the concept of Joule heating.Compared to traditional and additive manufacturing(AM)techniques,SPS gives unique control of the structural and microstructural features of Mg components.By doing so,their mechanical,tribological,and corrosion properties can be tailored.Although great advancements in this field have been made,these pieces of knowledge are scattered and have not been contextualized into a single work.The motivation of this work is to address this scientific gap and to provide a groundwork for understanding the basics of SPS manufacturing for Mg.To do so,the existing body of SPS Mg literature was first surveyed,with a focus on their structural formation and degradation mechanisms.It was found that successful Mg SPS fabrication highly depended on the processing temperature,particle size,and particle crystallinity.The addition of metal and ceramic composites also affected their microstructural features due to the Zener pinning effect.In degradative environments,their performance depends on their structural features and whether they have secondary phased composites.In industrial applications,SPS'd Mg was found to have great potential in biomedical,hydrogen storage,battery,automotive,and recycling sectors.The prospects to advance the field include using Mg as a doping agent for crystallite size refinement and using bulk metallic Mg-based glass powders for amorphous SPS components.Despite these findings,the interactions of multi-composites on the processing-structure-property relationships of SPS Mg is not well understood.In total,this work will provide a useful direction in the SPS field and serve as a milestone for future Mg-based SPS manufacturing.

Fabrication of YAG:Ce^(3+) and YAG:Ce^(3+),Sc^(3+) Phosphors by Spark Plasma Sintering Technique

In this study,a single-doped phosphors yttrium aluminum garnet(Y_(3)Al_(5)O_(12),YAG):Ce^(3+),single-doped YAG:Sc^(3+),and double-doped phosphors YAG:Ce^(3+),Sc^(3+) were prepared by spark plasma sintering(SPS)(lower than 1 200℃).The characteristics of synthesized phosphors were determined using scanning electron microscopy(SEM),X-ray diffraction(XRD),and fluorescence spectroscopy.During SPS,the lattice structure of YAG was maintained by the added Ce^(3+) and Sc^(3+).The emission wavelength of YAG:Ce^(3+) prepared from SPS(425-700 nm) was wider compared to that of YAG:Ce^(3+) prepared from high-temperature solid-state reaction(HSSR)(500-700 nm).The incorporation of low-dose Sc^(3+) in YAG:Ce^(3+) moved the emission peak towards the short wavelength.

Spark plasma sintering of tungsten-based WTaVCr refractory high entropy alloys for nuclear fusion applications

W-based WTaVCr refractory high entropy alloys (RHEA) may be novel and promising candidate materials for plasma facing components in the first wall and diverter in fusion reactors. This alloy has been developed by a powder metallurgy process combining mechanical alloying and spark plasma sintering (SPS). The SPSed samples contained two phases, in which the matrix is RHEA with a body-centered cubic structure, while the oxide phase was most likely Ta2VO6through a combined analysis of X-ray diffraction (XRD),energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and selected area electron diffraction (SAED). The higher oxygen affinity of Ta and V may explain the preferential formation of their oxide phases based on thermodynamic calculations. Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) revealed an average grain size of 6.2μm. WTaVCr RHEA showed a peak compressive strength of 2997 MPa at room temperature and much higher micro-and nano-hardness than W and other W-based RHEAs in the literature. Their high Rockwell hardness can be retained to at least 1000°C.

Feasibility Analysis of the Sintering Flue Gas Oxidation Method for Denitrification Technology Route

With the vigorous development of China’s iron and steel industry and the introduction of ultra-low emission policies, the emission of pollutants such as SO2 and NOx has received unprecedented attention. At present, the commonly used denitrification methods include selective catalytic reduction (SCR), active coke, etc. As a newly developed denitrification technology, oxidation denitrification is not widely used, and the technical level is mixed, and there might be problems such as yellow smoke, secondary pollution and ozone escape in the practical application. In this paper, problems existing in the denitrification process of sintering flue gas oxidation are analyzed, and a 320 m2 sintering machine is taken as an example. Comparing the denitrification technology of sintering industry, it could be seen that the denitrification technology route of oxidation method has low pollution, low cost and high comprehensive environmental benefits, and has greatly potential development.

Anti-sintering behavior and combustion process of aluminum nano particles coated with PTFE:A molecular dynamics study

The characteristic of easy sintering of aluminum nanoparticle(ANP)limits its application in solid propellants.Coating ANP with fluoropolymer could effectively improve its combustion performance.To find out how the coating layer inhibits sintering and promotes complete combustion of particles from an atomic view,a comparative study has been done for bare ANP and PTFE coated ANP by using reactive molecular dynamics simulations.The sintering process is quantified by shrinkage ratio and gyration radius.Our results show that,at the same heating rate and combustion temperatures,bare ANPs are sintered together after the temperature exceeds the melting point of aluminum but the decomposition of PTFE coating layer pushes particles away and increases reaction surface area by producing small Al-F clusters.The sintering of ANPs which are heated in PTFE is alleviated compared with particles heated in oxygen,but particles still sinter together due to the lack of intimate contact between PTFE and alumina surface.The effect of temperature on the combustion of PTFE coated ANPs is also studied from 1000 to3500 K.The number density analysis shows the particles will not be sintered at any temperature.Aluminum fluoride prefers diffusing to the external space and the remained particles are mainly composed of Al,C and O.Fast ignition simulations are performed by adopting micro canonical ensemble.With the expansion of aluminum core and the melting of alumina shell,bare ANPs are sintered into a liquid particle directly.For PTFE coated ANPs,the volatilization of gaseous aluminum fluoride products continually endows particles opposite momentum.

Recent advances of high-pressure generation in a multianvil apparatus using sintered diamond anvils

The tried and tested multianvil apparatus has been widely used for high-pressure and hightemperature experimental studies in Earth science. As a result, many important results have been obtained for a better understanding of the components, structure and evolution of the Earth. Due to the strength limi- tation of materials, the attainable multianvil pressure is generally limited to about 30 GPa （corresponding to about 900 km of the depth in the Earth） when tungsten carbide cubes are adopted as second-stage anvils. Compared with tungsten carbide, the sintered diamond is a much harder material. The sintered diamond cubes were introduced as second-stage anvils in a 6--8 type multianvil apparatus in the 1980s, which largely enhanced the capacity of pressure generation in a large volume press. With the development of material synthesis and processing techniques, a large sintered diamond cube （14 ram） is now available. Recently, maximum attainable pressures reaching higher than 90 GPa （corresponding to about 2700 km of the depth in the Earth） have been generated at room temperature by adopting 14-mm sintered diamond anvils. Using this technique, a few researches have been carried out by the quenched method or combined with synchrotron radiation in situ observation. In this paper we review the properties of sintered diamond and the evolu- tion of pressure generation using sintered diamond anvils. As-yet unsolved problems and perspectives for uses in Earth Science are also discussed.

A new transition metal diphosphideα-MoP_(2) synthesized by a high-temperature and high-pressure technique

Monoclinicα-MoP_(2),with the OsGe2-type structure(space group C2/m,Z=4)and lattice parameters a=8.7248(11)Å,b=3.2322(4)Å,c=7.4724(9)Å,andβ=119.263°,was synthesized under a pressure of 4~GPa at a temperature between 1100℃and 1200℃.The structure ofα-MoP_(2) and its relationship to other transition metal diphosphides are discussed.Surprisingly,the ambient pressure phase orthorhombicβ-MoP_(2)(space group Cmc21)is denser in structure thanα-MoP_(2).Room-temperature high-pressure x-ray diffraction studies exclude the possibility of phase transition fromβ-MoP_(2) to α-MoP_(2),suggesting thatα-MoP_(2) is a stable phase at ambient conditions;this is also supported by the total energy and phonon calculations.

Numerical Simulation Analysis of the Transformer Fire Extinguishing Process with a High-Pressure Water Mist System under Different Conditions

To thoroughly study the extinguishing effect of a high-pressure water mist fire extinguishing system when a transformer fire occurs,a 3D experimental model of a transformer is established in this work by employing Fire Dynamics Simulator(FDS)software.More specifically,by setting different parameters,the process of the highpressure water mist fire extinguishing system with the presence of both diverse ambient temperatures and water mist sprinkler laying conditions is simulated.In addition,the fire extinguishing effect of the employed high-pressure water mist system with the implementation of different strategies is systematically analyzed.The extracted results show that a fire source farther away fromthe centerline leads to a lower local temperature distribution.In addition,as the ambient temperature increases,the temperature above the fire source decreases,while the temperature and the concentrationof theupperflue gas layer bothdecrease.Interestingly,after thehigh-pressurewatermist sprinkler begins to operate,both the temperature distribution above the fire source and the concentration of the flue gas decrease,which indicates that the high-pressure water mist system plays the role of cooling and dust removal.By comparing various sprinkler laying methods,it is found that the lower sprinkler height has a better effect on the temperature above the fire source,the temperature of the upper flue gas layer,and the concentration of the flue gas.Moreover,when the sprinkler is spread over thewhole transformer,the cooling effect on both the temperature above the fire source and the temperature of the upper flue gas layer is good,whereas the change in the concentration of the flue gas above the fire source is not obvious compared to the case where the sprinkler is not fully spread.

High-pressure new phases of V–N compounds

The high-pressure diagram of V–N compounds is enriched by proposed seven new stable high-pressure phases.The P-1-VN_4with the armchair N-rich structure may be quenched to ambient conditions.The formed N–N covalent bond plays an important role for the structural stability of N-chain.The charge transfer results in a V–N ionic bond interaction,which further improves the stability of N-chain structure.The P-1-VN_4,P4mnc-VN_8,and Immm-VN_(10)with the outstanding detonation properties have potential application in explosive field.

The discovery of TiO_(2)-Ⅱ,the α-PbO_(2)-structured high-pressure polymorph of rutile,in the Suizhou L6 chondrite

We report the discovery of TiO_(2)-Ⅱ in the unmelted rock of the shocked Suizhou L6 chondrite.Natural TiO_(2)-Ⅱ was previously found in ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic and mantle-derived rocks,terrestrial impact structures,and tektite.Our microscopic,Raman spectroscopic,electron microprobe and transmission electron microscopic investigations have revealed:(1) All observed TiO_(2)-Ⅱ grains are related with ilmenite and pyrophanite;(2) TiO_(2)-Ⅱ occurs as needle-and leaf-shaped inclusions in llmenite and patch-,tape-shaped body in pyrophanite;(3)The composition of TiO_(2)-Ⅱ is identical with that of its precursor rutile;(4) The Raman spectrum of TiO_(2)-Ⅱ is in good agreement with that of natural and synthesized α-PbO_(2)-type TiO_(2);(5) TiO_(2)-Ⅱ occurs mainly in the form of well-ordered nano-domains and small mis-orientation among the domains can be observed.(6) All electron diffraction reflections from TiO_(2)-Ⅱ can be indexed to α-PbO_(2)structure in space group Pbcn with lattice parameters of a=4.481 ?,b=5.578 A and c=4.921 A;(7) The exsolution inclusions of rutile from host ilmenite are mostly connected with an alternation process along the lamellar twinning plane of ilmenite induced by shockinduced high pressure and high temperature;(8) The P-T regime of 20-25 GPa and 1000 ℃ estimated for the Suizhou unmelted rock is suitable for phase transition of rutile into TiO_(2)-Ⅱ phase.

Influences of oxide content and sintering temperature on microstructures and mechanical properties of intragranular-oxide strengthened iron alloys prepared by spark plasma sintering

How to increase strength without sacrificing ductility has been developed as a key goal in the manufacture of high-performance metals or alloys. Herein, the double-nanophase intragranular yttrium oxide dispersion strengthened iron alloy with high strength and appreciable ductility was fabricated by solution combustion route and subsequent spark plasma sintering, and the influences of yttrium oxide content and sintering temperature on microstructures and mechanical properties were investigated. The results show at the same sintering temperature,with the increase of yttrium oxide content, the relative density of the sintered alloy decreases and the strength increases. For Fe–2wt%Y_(2)O_(3)alloy, as the sintering temperature increases gradually, the compressive strength decreases, while the strain-to-failure increases. The Fe–2wt%Y_(2)O_(3)alloy with 15.5 nm Y_(2)O_(3)particles uniformly distributed into the 147.5 nm iron grain interior sintered at 650℃ presents a high ultimate compressive strength of 1.86 GPa and large strain-to-failure of 29%. The grain boundary strengthening and intragranular second-phase particle dispersion strengthening are the main dominant mechanisms to enhance the mechanical properties of the alloy.

Evaluation of the Air Leakage Flowrate in Sintering Processes

Iron ore sintering is a pre-treatment technology by which orefines are converted into porous and permeable sin-ters,which are the used in blast furnaces.This process can be adversely affected by air leakage phenomena of various types.As experimental measurements are relatively difficult and often scarcely reliable,here a theoretical model based on typicalfluid-dynamic concepts and relationships is elaborated.Through the analysis of two extreme cases,namely,those in which leakage is due to a small hole or a full rupture,a generalized hole-bed mod-el is introduced,which for thefirst time also includes a complete bed permeability equation and can deal with different leakage position conditions.The results show that the model can evaluate the influence of leakage on the system at one time and be used to calculate theflowrate and pressure drop.Notably,the obtained results are within a 15%deviation with respect to available experiment values,used for comparison.

Effect of sintering temperature on microstructure and properties of 3D printing polysilazane reinforced Al_(2)O_(3)core

Ceramic cores are the key intermediate components of hollow blades for aero-engine.Conventional processes,such as hot-press molding and gel film casting,face difficulties in fabricating complex-structured ceramic cores due to the complexity of moulds and long process cycles.Stereolithography 3D printing provides a new idea for the fabrication of complex-structured ceramic cores.The effect of sintering temperature on open porosity,bulk density,weight loss rate,shrinkage rate,flexural strength and microstructure of the Al_(2)O_(3)-based ceramic core doped with 10vol.%polysilazane(PSZ)was studied.The sintering mechanism of PSZ-reinforced ceramic cores was analyzed.Results show that the optimum sintering temperature of PSZ-reinforced ceramic cores is 1,450°C.At this temperature,the open porosity of the ceramic core is 36.60%,bulk density is 2.33 g·cm^(-3),weight loss rate is 22.11%,shrinkage rate along the X,Y,Z directions is 5.72%,5.01%,9.61%,respectively;the flexural strength is 28.794 MPa at 25°C and 13.649 MPa at 1,500°C.Properties of 3D printing PSZ-reinforced ceramic cores can meet the casting requirement of superalloy hollow blades,which is expected to promote the industrial application of 3D printing complex structure ceramic cores.

Preparation of coated sand for selective laser sintering and optimization of baking process of sand moulds

A cold method was used to prepare coated sand for application in the selective laser sintering(SLS)process.Tensile strength,loss on ignition,gas evolution,and accuracy of the SLS samples were tested and analyzed,and the baking process was thoroughly investigated.Compared with coated sand prepared by the hot method,the cold method yields a more uniform and complete resin film on the sand's surface,resulting in enhanced tensile strength and accuracy.Additionally,the cold method requires a lower binder content to meet the same strength requirements,thereby minimizing gas evolution,reducing porosity defects,and ultimately improving casting quality.The coated sand samples prepared through the cold method exhibit superior accuracy,with a size error of within±0.4 mm.In contrast,the coated sand samples prepared by the hot method display a lower accuracy,with an average negative error of 2.1993 mm.The highest tensile strength could be attained by controlling the baking temperature within a suitable range(180-190°C),which can effectively reduce the generation of gas,thus contributing to improved overall performance.