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.

Galerkin-based quasi-smooth manifold element(QSME)method for anisotropic heat conduction problems in composites with complex geometry

The accurate and efficient analysis of anisotropic heat conduction problems in complex composites is crucial for structural design and performance evaluation. Traditional numerical methods, such as the finite element method(FEM), often face a trade-off between calculation accuracy and efficiency. In this paper, we propose a quasi-smooth manifold element(QSME) method to address this challenge, and provide the accurate and efficient analysis of two-dimensional(2D) anisotropic heat conduction problems in composites with complex geometry. The QSME approach achieves high calculation precision by a high-order local approximation that ensures the first-order derivative continuity.The results demonstrate that the QSME method is robust and stable, offering both high accuracy and efficiency in the heat conduction analysis. With the same degrees of freedom(DOFs), the QSME method can achieve at least an order of magnitude higher calculation accuracy than the traditional FEM. Additionally, under the same level of calculation error, the QSME method requires 10 times fewer DOFs than the traditional FEM. The versatility of the proposed QSME method extends beyond anisotropic heat conduction problems in complex composites. The proposed QSME method can also be applied to other problems, including fluid flows, mechanical analyses, and other multi-field coupled problems, providing accurate and efficient numerical simulations.

Research on Value Evaluation Method of Investment Project Based on Fuzzy Composite Real Options

Venture capital investments are characterized by high input,high yield,and high risk.Due to the complexity of the market environment,stage-by-stage investment is becoming increasingly important.Traditional evaluation methods like comparison,proportion,maturity,internal rate of return,scenario analysis,decision trees,and net present value cannot fully consider the uncertainty and stage characteristics of the project.The fuzzy real options method addresses this by combining real option theory,fuzzy number theory,and composite option theory to provide a more accurate and objective evaluation of Public-Private Partnership(PPP)projects.It effectively considers the interaction of options and the ambiguity of project parameters,making it a valuable tool for project evaluation in the context of venture capital investment.

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）.

In-situ deposition of apatite layer to protect Mg-based composite fabricated via laser additive manufacturing

Biodegradable magnesium(Mg) and its alloy show huge potential as temporary bone substitute due to the favorable biocompatibility and mechanical compatibility. However, one issue deserves attention is the too fast degradation. In this work, mesoporous bioglass(MBG)with high pore volume(0.59 cc/g) and huge specific surface area(110.78 m^(2)/g) was synthesized using improved sol-gel method, and introduced into Mg-based composite via laser additive manufacturing. Immersion tests showed that the incorporated MBG served as powerful adsorption sites, which promoted the in-situ deposition of apatite by successively adsorbing Ca2+and HPO42-. Such dense apatite film acted as an efficient protection layer and enhanced the corrosion resistance of Mg matrix, which was proved by the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements. Thereby, Mg based composite showed a significantly decreased degradation rate of 0.31 mm/year. Furthermore,MBG also improved the mechanical properties as well as cell behavior. This work highlighted the advantages of MBG in the fabrication of Mg-based implant with enhanced overall performance for orthopedic application.

Investigation into machining performance of microstructurally engineered in-situ particle reinforced magnesium matrix composite

Magnesium and magnesium in-situ composites have significant potential in the application of design and manufacturing for automotive and aerospace industries because of their high specific strength and reduced fuel consumption.But there are many challenges for machining of Mg based alloys and composites because of the high tendency of fire and oxidation.These challenges can be minimized through microstructural engineering.In this present study,the machining performances of AZ91 Mg alloy and in-situ hybrid TiC+TiB_(2)reinforced AZ91 metal matrix composite was investigated.The effectβ-Mg_(17)Al_(12)phases and grain refinement with and without in-situ particles on machinability were studied through microstructural engineering via aging and friction stir processing.The end milling operation was carried out at different cutting speeds ranging from 25 mm/min to 90 mm/min under dry environment by using an AlTiN-coated tungsten carbide tool.The optimum cutting speed for machining was found to be 75 mm/min based on the surface roughness values of all conditioned materials.The base material with dendritic microstructure was found to have poor machinability in terms of inadequate surface finish and edge-burrs formation.The combined effect of in-situ TiC+TiB_(2)particles addition and grain refinement enhanced the machining performance of the material with superior surface finish,negligible edge-burr formation and better tool wear resistance.The influence of in-situ TiC+TiB_(2)particles,β-Mg_(17)Al_(12)phases and grain refinement on machining characteristics are explained based on the tool wear mechanisms,chip behavior and machining induced affected zone.

Support design method for deep soft-rock tunnels in non-hydrostatic high in-situ stress field

Due to the long-term plate tectonic movements in southwestern China,the in-situ stress field in deep formations is complex.When passing through deep soft-rock mass under non-hydrostatic high in-situ stress field,tunnels will suffer serious asymmetric deformation.There is no available support design method for tunnels under such a situation in existing studies to clarify the support time and support stiffness.This study first analyzed the mechanical behavior of tunnels in non-hydrostatic in-situ stress field and derived the theoretical equations of the ground squeezing curve(GSC)and ground loosening curve(GLC).Then,based on the convergence confinement theory,the support design method of deep soft-rock tunnels under non-hydrostatic high in-situ stress field was established considering both squeezing and loosening pressures.In addition,this method can provide the clear support time and support stiffness of the second layer of initial support.The proposed design method was applied to the Wanhe tunnel of the China-Laos railway in China.Monitoring data indicated that the optimal support scheme had a good effect on controlling the tunnel deformation in non-hydrostatic high in-situ stress field.Field applications showed that the secondary lining could be constructed properly.

Novel wood-plastic composite fabricated via modified steel slag:Preparation,mechanical and flammability properties

A novel method was developed to enhance the utilization rate of steel slag(SS).Through treatment of SS with phosphoric acid and aminopropyl triethoxysilane(KH550),we obtained modified SS(MSS),which was used to prepare MSS/wood-plastic composites(MSS/WPCs)by replacing talcum powder(TP).The composites were fabricated through melting blending and hot pressing.Their mechanical and combustion properties,which comprise heat release,smoke release,and thermal stability,were systematically investigated.MSS can improve the mechanical strength of the composites through grafting reactions between wood powder and thermoplastics.Notably,MSS/WPC#50(16wt%MSS)with an MSS-to-TP mass ratio of 1:1 exhibited optimal comprehensive performance.Compared with those of WPC#0 without MSS,the tensile,flexural,and impact strengths of MSS/WPC#50 were increased by 18.5%,12.8%,and 18.0%,respectively.Moreover,the MSS/WPC#50 sample achieved the highest limited oxygen index of 22.5%,the highest vertical burning rating at the V-1 level,and the lowest horizontal burning rate at 44.2 mm/min.The formation of a dense and stable char layer led to improved thermal stability and a considerable reduction in heat and smoke releases of MSS/WPC#50.However,the partial replacement of TP with MSS slightly compromised the mechanical and flame-retardant properties,possibly due to the weak grafting caused by SS powder agglomeration.These findings suggest the suitability of MSS/WPCs for high-value-added applications as decorative panels indoors or outdoors.

Preparation,Characterization and Photothermal Study of PVA/Ti_(2)O_(3) Composite Films

In this work,flexible photothermal PVA/Ti_(2)O_(3) composite films with different amount(0 wt%,5 wt%,10 wt%,15 wt%)of Ti_(2)O_(3) particles modified by steric acid were prepared by a simple solution casting method.The microstructures,XRD patterns,FTIR spectra,UV-Vis-NIR spectra thermo-conductivity,thermo-stability and photothermal effects of these composite films were all characterized.These results indicated that Ti_(2)O_(3) particles were well dispersed throughout the polyvinyl alcohol(PVA)matrix in the PVA/Ti_(2)O_(3) composite films.And Ti_(2)O_(3) particles could also effectively improve the photothermal properties of the composite films which exhibited high light absorption and generated a high temperature(about 57.4℃for film with 15 wt%Ti_(2)O_(3) amount)on the surface when it was irradiated by a simulated sunlight source(1 kW/m^(2)).

Template synthesis of copper azide primary explosive through Cu2O@HKUST-1 core-shell composite prepared by “bottle around ship” method

Copper azide(CA), as a primary explosive with high energy density, has not been practically used so far because of its high electrostatic sensitivity. The Cu2O@HKUST-1 core-shell structure hybrid material was synthesized by the “bottle around ship” methodology in this research by regulating the dissolution rate of Cu2O and the generation rate of metal-organic framework(MOF) materials. Cu2O@HKUST-1 was carbonized to form a Cu O@porous carbon(CuO@PC) composite material. CuO@PC was synthesized into a copper azide(CA) @PC composite energetic material through a gas-solid phase in-situ azidation reaction.CA is encapsulated in PC framework, which acts as a nanoscale Faraday cage, and its excellent electrical conductivity prevents electrostatic charges from accumulating on the energetic material’s surface. The CA@PC composite energetic material has a CA content of 89.6%, and its electrostatic safety is nearly 30times that of pure CA(1.47 mJ compared to 0.05 mJ). CA@PC delivers an outstanding balance of safety and energy density compared to similar materials.

Using Flowable Composite as Gingival Retraction Cord in Prosthodontics Dentistry: Two Case Reports: A Dental Technique

One of the most challenging factors affecting impression quality and good marginal fit is the gingival retraction method, which aims to separate the gingiva from the tooth to expose the finishing line of the prepared tooth. Bleeding and contamination from the crevicular fluid may compete for space with the impression material within the sulcus, leading to indistinct preparations and a lack of detail at the margin. In addition, such procedures might damage the PDL and cause permanent recession. Flowable composite cable, as opposed to traditional retraction cords, offers the proper marginal seal and visibility during the impression record because of its lower viscosity, improved adaptability, and elastic properties. The aim of this report is to present a brand-new, innovative method for controlling gingival hemorrhage in addition to the gingival retraction in restorative and prosthodontic treatment by utilizing a flowable composite during the final impression record procedure. In these case reports, the flowable composite cord technique is used instead of traditional gingival cords to modify and refine the gingival tissue before taking the traditional final impression or digital scan. Two cases were done for patients undergoing fixed prosthodontics and veneer treatment within a 2-year follow-up period. In addition, the flowable composite cord was used as temporary restoration before the final prosthetic cementation or under the provisional crowns. As a result, clean and healthy gingival tissues render cementation of the final prosthesis quicker and easier to perform. The patients in both cases claimed that their prosthodontic treatments, which involved the application of a flowable composite cord to temporarily retraction the gingiva, had produced good outcomes at the yearlong follow-up. In conclusion, the flowable composite cord technique is found to be a useful tool to improve the quality of impressions in fixed prosthodontics by providing excellent access for impression material to record fine details of the finish line of the prepared tooth structure, and to alter the inflamed tissue into a healthy tissue.

Construction of a High‑Performance Composite Solid Electrolyte Through In‑Situ Polymerization within a Self‑Supported Porous Garnet Framework

Composite solid electrolytes(CSEs)have emerged as promising candidates for safe and high-energy–density solid-state lithium metal batteries(SSLMBs).However,concurrently achieving exceptional ionic conductivity and interface compatibility between the electrolyte and electrode presents a significant challenge in the development of high-performance CSEs for SSLMBs.To overcome these challenges,we present a method involving the in-situ polymerization of a monomer within a self-supported porous Li_(6.4)La_(3)Zr_(1.4)Ta_(0.6)O_(12)(LLZT)to produce the CSE.The synergy of the continuous conductive LLZT network,well-organized polymer,and their interface can enhance the ionic conductivity of the CSE at room temperature.Furthermore,the in-situ polymerization process can also con-struct the integration and compatibility of the solid electrolyte–solid electrode interface.The synthesized CSE exhibited a high ionic conductivity of 1.117 mS cm^(-1),a significant lithium transference number of 0.627,and exhibited electrochemical stability up to 5.06 V vs.Li/Li+at 30℃.Moreover,the Li|CSE|LiNi_(0.8)Co_(0.1)Mn_(0.1)O_(2) cell delivered a discharge capacity of 105.1 mAh g^(-1) after 400 cycles at 0.5 C and 30℃,corresponding to a capacity retention of 61%.This methodology could be extended to a variety of ceramic,polymer electrolytes,or battery systems,thereby offering a viable strategy to improve the electrochemical properties of CSEs for high-energy–density SSLMBs.

A Study of EM Algorithm as an Imputation Method: A Model-Based Simulation Study with Application to a Synthetic Compositional Data

Compositional data, such as relative information, is a crucial aspect of machine learning and other related fields. It is typically recorded as closed data or sums to a constant, like 100%. The statistical linear model is the most used technique for identifying hidden relationships between underlying random variables of interest. However, data quality is a significant challenge in machine learning, especially when missing data is present. The linear regression model is a commonly used statistical modeling technique used in various applications to find relationships between variables of interest. When estimating linear regression parameters which are useful for things like future prediction and partial effects analysis of independent variables, maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) is the method of choice. However, many datasets contain missing observations, which can lead to costly and time-consuming data recovery. To address this issue, the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm has been suggested as a solution for situations including missing data. The EM algorithm repeatedly finds the best estimates of parameters in statistical models that depend on variables or data that have not been observed. This is called maximum likelihood or maximum a posteriori (MAP). Using the present estimate as input, the expectation (E) step constructs a log-likelihood function. Finding the parameters that maximize the anticipated log-likelihood, as determined in the E step, is the job of the maximization (M) phase. This study looked at how well the EM algorithm worked on a made-up compositional dataset with missing observations. It used both the robust least square version and ordinary least square regression techniques. The efficacy of the EM algorithm was compared with two alternative imputation techniques, k-Nearest Neighbor (k-NN) and mean imputation (), in terms of Aitchison distances and covariance.

Synthesis and Characterization of Hollow Strontium Carbonate Pompons by Composite Soft Template Method

The hollow strontium carbonate pompons was synthesized for the first time by a controlled reaction precipitation method with sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate(SDBS)and polyvinyl pyrrolidone(PVP)work together as template.The sampled particles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy(SEM),transmission electron microscopy(TEM),nitrogen adsorption-desorption measurement,X-ray diffraction(XRD),Energy dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy(EDX),Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR),Thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry(TGA-DSC),etc.It is shown that the assynthesized hollow strontium carbonate pompons with the size of about 2μm consist of flake-like particles under the optimal reaction conditions.The formation mechanism of hollow strontium carbonate pompons was preliminarily explored.

Adaptive Boundary and Semantic Composite Segmentation Method for Individual Objects in Aerial Images

There are two types of methods for image segmentation.One is traditional image processing methods,which are sensitive to details and boundaries,yet fail to recognize semantic information.The other is deep learning methods,which can locate and identify different objects,but boundary identifications are not accurate enough.Both of them cannot generate entire segmentation information.In order to obtain accurate edge detection and semantic information,an Adaptive Boundary and Semantic Composite Segmentation method(ABSCS)is proposed.This method can precisely semantic segment individual objects in large-size aerial images with limited GPU performances.It includes adaptively dividing and modifying the aerial images with the proposed principles and methods,using the deep learning method to semantic segment and preprocess the small divided pieces,using three traditional methods to segment and preprocess original-size aerial images,adaptively selecting traditional results tomodify the boundaries of individual objects in deep learning results,and combining the results of different objects.Individual object semantic segmentation experiments are conducted by using the AeroScapes dataset,and their results are analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively.The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can achieve more promising object boundaries than the original deep learning method.This work also demonstrates the advantages of the proposed method in applications of point cloud semantic segmentation and image inpainting.

Tungsten nanoparticle-strengthened copper composite prepared by a sol–gel method and in-situ reaction

Tungsten nanoparticle-strengthened Cu composites were prepared from nanopowder synthesized by a sol–gel method and in-situ hydrogen reduction.The tungsten particles in the Cu matrix were well-dispersed with an average size of approximately 100–200 nm.The addition of nanosized W particles remarkably improves the mechanical properties,while the electrical conductivity did not substantially decrease.The Cu–W composite with 6 wt%W has the most comprehensive properties with an ultimate strength of 310 MPa,yield strength of 238 MPa,hardness of HV 108 and electrical conductivity of 90%IACS.The enhanced mechanical property and only a small loss of electrical conductivity demonstrate the potential of this new strategy to prepare W nanoparticle-strengthened Cu composites.

In-situ TiC_P/Al Composites Prepared by TE/QP Method

An in-situ TiCp/Al composite was prepared by a thermal explosion/quick pressure method （TE/QP）. The effect of Al content on the reaction temperature as well as the reaction rate has been studied. Phase constituents and the microstructure of the composites and the particle size of the reinforcement were analysed using X-ray diffraction （XRD） and scanning electron microscopy （SEM）. The results have shown that TiCp/Al composite with 40～70 vol. pct TiC particle reinforcement and high relative density can be directly obtained by TE/QP. TiC is the only reaction product when Al content in Al-Ti-C system is no more than 60 vol. pct, but Al3Ti phase will also form when Al content is more than 60 vol. pct. Increasing Al content prolongs the initial reaction time, reduces the highest reaction temperature and the reaction rate, and decreases the size of TiC particles. In addition, the microstructure of TiCp/Al composite and the structure of interface between TiCp and Al are studied using SEM and transmission electron microscopy （TEM）. The results show that the in-situ synthesized TiC particle has fcc cubic structure. The orientation between TiC particles and Al matrix can be described as （220）Al//（022）TiC and [112]Al//[011]TiC. Results of the mechanical property tests reveal that the ultimate strength （σ） and modulus （E） are 687 MPa and 142 GPa respectively when the Al content is 40 vol. pct. On contrary, 6 elongation increases by 3.2% with increasing Al content.

Fabrication and Characterizations of Mechanical Properties of Al-4.5%Cu/10TiC Composite by <i>In-situ</i>Method

Addition of reinforcement such as TiC, SiC, Al2O3, TiO2, TiN, etc. to Aluminium matrix for enhancing the mechanical properties has been a well established fact. In-situ method of reinforcement of the Aluminium matrix with ceramic phase like Titanium Carbide (TiC) is well preferred over the Ex-situ method. In the present investigation, Al-Cu alloy (series of 2014 Aluminium alloy) was used as matrix and reinforced with TiC using In-situ process. The Metal Matrix Composite (MMC) material, Al-4.5%Cu/10%TiC developed exhibited higher yield strength, ultimate strength and hardness as compared to Al-4.5%Cu alloy. Percentage increase in yield and ultimate tensile strengths were reported to be about 15% and 24% respectively whereas Vickers hardness increased by about 35%. The higher values in hardness indicated that the TiC particles contributed to the increase of hardness of matrix. Fractured surface of the tensile specimen of the composite material indicated presence of dimpled surface, indicating thereby a ductile type of fracture. During the fabrication of composite, reaction products such as Al3Ti, Al2Cu and Al3C4 were identified with various morphologies and sizes in metal matrix.

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.