STRUCTURES AND PROPERTIES IN IN-SITU COMPOSITES ITES OF LC70/PET

Structures and properties of the blends of thermotropic liquid crystallinepolymer(LC70)and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) were investigated by usingWAXD,DSC,SEM and mechanical test.The results revealed that Wc,x markdly decreased withLC70/PET>30%,and at about LC70/PET=10%, this blend can yield better mechanicalproperties.In these blends LC70 can play the role of the nuclear agent for PET.SEMphoto showed that LC70/PET in in-situ composites possessed 'core-shell' structure andwas immiscible, but at LC70/PST=10%, the LC70 can be uniformly dispersed into matrix PET.

Microstructure Evolution and Thermal Stability of Cu-15Cr in-situ Composites

The Cu-15Cr in-situ fiber-reinforced composites sheets were prepared by cold drawing combined with cold rolling process. The evolution process of Cr fibers was studied, and when cold rolling reduction ε = 95%, the morphology of Cr fiber at different annealing temperature and the thermal stability of Cu-15Cr alloy were studied. Microstructure was also studied by scanning electron microscopy（SEM）. Meanwhile, the tensile strength of the alloy was tested by means of a precision universal tester, and the resistance value of the alloy was determined by using a digital micro-Euclidean instrument. The experimental results show that, with the increase of deformation, Cr dendrites evolve into homogeneous and parallelly arranged Cr fibers, and the cross-section of Cr fibers undergoes a ＂V＂ shape transition to ＂一＂ shape. In addition, spheroidization of the Cr fibers occurs on edges and extends to the center as annealing temperature rises. Moreover, the Cr fibers remains stable when the annealing temperature is below 550 ℃. Furthermore, the tensile strength of Cu-15Cr alloy decreases gradually as the annealing temperature increases, while the electrical conductivity maximizes when annealing at 550 ℃. Our study also shows that Cu-15Cr alloy has obtained a better comprehensive performance with tensile strength of 656 MPa and electrical conductivity of 82%IACS after annealing at 450 ℃.

FILLED POLYOLEFIN COMPOSITES PREPARED FROM IN-SITU POLYMERIZATION VIA A CATALYST-SUPPORTED APPROACH——Ⅰ.MORPHOLOGY OF PE IN CARBON BLACK(CB)/PE IN-SITU COMPOSITES

The morphology of PE in the in-situ CB/PE composites prepared from in-situ polymerization via a catalyst-supported approach was studied by DSC. It is found that both the melting peak temperature and crystallinity of the PE shelldecrease as filler level increases. The unexpected phenomena are ascribed to the strong interaction between PE and CB andthe very high specific area of CB. It is suggested that the lamellar thickness should be well correlated to the PE shell thickness. A two-layer PE model is successfully used to explain the experiment results.

Corrosion Behaviour of TiC-Reinforced Hadfield Manganese Austenitic Steel Matrix In-Situ Composites

The corrosion behaviour of Hadfield manganese austenitic steel matrix composite reinforced with the varying amount of TiC and unreinforced Hadfield manganese austenitic steel matrix alloy has been evaluated in 3.5% NaCl aqueous solution with the pH value of 6 by the potentiodynamic polarization curves and linear polarization resistance measurements at a scan rate of 1 mV/s at room temperature (25°C ± 2°C). The corrosion rate of the composites is higher than that of their unreinforced matrix alloy and it increases with the increasing volume fraction of TiC. The poor corrosion resistance of the composites can be attributed to the galvanic effects between the matrix and reinforcement.

Sb-Mn Alloy in-situ Composites and Magnetic Properties

The microstructures and magnetic properties of two in-situ composites, directionally solidified Sb-9.5%Mn and Sb-50%Mn alloys, were investigated. The aligned ferromagnetic compound MuSb or Mn2Sb was embedded in Sb or Mn matrix with varying Mn content. The magnetization curves and thermal magnetic Curves were examined along solidification direction, which reveals the magnetic behaviors of the composites.

Microstructure of Nb/Nb_5Si_3 in-situ composites

The Nb 10Si (mole fraction, %) alloy was fabricated using the vacuum arc melting method and heat treated at 1850?℃ and 1?550?℃ for 2～100?h in Ar atmosphere. The microstructure of the alloy has been investigated using X ray diffractometry(XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with X ray energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results show that 1?550?℃, 100?h is an optimum heat treatment condition to acquire the equilibrium Nb+Nb 5Si 3 two phase microstructure. The microstructure of Nb 10Si alloy in the as cast condition consists of continuous Nb 3Si matrix and dispersed Nb particles, which implies that the alloy is in the metastable equilibrium state. In the case of 1?850?℃, 2?h heat treatment the Nb particles are coarsened evidently. However, in the heat treatment condition of 1?550?℃ for 25～100?h the growth of Nb particles is unconspicuous. After heat treated at 1?550?℃, Nb 3Si phase transforms into the equilibrium Nb 5Si 3 and Nb phase with the increase of heat treatment time gradually. TEM observations reveal that the interface of Nb phase and Nb 5Si 3 phase is clean and some twins with about 10?nm in width are found.

Effect of alloying elements on mechanical properties in Cu-15%Cr in-situ composites

The effects of alloying elements on the mechanical properties as well as electrical conductivity in Cu-15%Cr(mass fraction) in-situ composites were systematically studied and high strength and high electrical conductive Cu base in-situ composites have been developed. The best combination is the addition of 0.1% to 0.2% Zr, Ti, or Sn in Cu-15%Cr in-situ composite, thermomechanical treatment to refine the microstructure and optimizing the precipitation of second phase. The strength is controlled by high density of dislocations in the Cu matrix, the lamellar spacing of the second phase, and the fine Cr precipitates. The aging treatment to reduce solute atoms has a beneficial effect on the increase of electrical conductivity. The addition of Zr, or Ti of about 0.15% to 0.2% promotes the precipitation of Cr particles.

Effects of V and Al on Microstructure and Room Temperature Fracture Toughness of Nb-Si In-situ Composites

The effect of alloying elements V and Al on microstructure and room temperature fracture toughness of an experimental Nb-Si in-situ composite was investigated. The Nb-Si alloys with different amount of V and Al were prepared by non-consumable arc-melting furnace. The experimental results showed that with the addition of V and Al, the microstructure of the Nb-Si materials transformed from Nbss+Nb3Si to Nbss+Nb5Si3 and the lattice parameters of Nbss phase decreased, and the alloying element V promoted the formation of the finer Nbss structure. It was observed that the room temperature fracture toughness was improved by the addition of V and Al, and the optimum room-temperature fracture toughness of the material appeared in the alloy with 2.6at.%V and 3.6at.%Al. The improvement of room temperature fracture toughness may be mainly attributed to the increment of the volume fraction of Nbss phase and the decrement of the silicide phase size.

Structures and properties of deformation-processed Cu-16Fe-2Cr in-situ composites

Microstructure and properties of deformation processed Cu 16Fe 2Cr and Cu 18Fe in situ composite wires obtained by cold drawing combined with intermediate annealing were investigated. At lower strains( η <2.52), most of the Fe(Cr) phases were elongated into filaments except some remain granular because of their higher hardness. The ultimate tensile strengths of Cu 16Fe 2Cr and Cu 18Fe are approximately equal at the same drawing strains, suggesting the increase of strength of Cu 16Fe 2Cr due to higher strength of Fe(Cr) filaments than that of Fe filaments which is counteracted by the somewhat coarse Fe(Cr) filaments in Cu 16Fe 2Cr at the same drawing strains. The increase of the electrical conductivity of Cu 16Fe 2Cr and Cu 18Fe after intermediate annealing is attributed to the precipitation of Fe, Cr atoms, which dissolved during melting processing. Electrical conductivity of the Cu 16Fe 2Cr in situ composites is higher than Cu 18Fe in situ composites at the same drawing strains. The addition of Cr to Cu Fe system can increase mechanical stability of the filaments in the composites.

Strength of deformation-processed Cu-Fe in-situ composites

The strength of the deformation-processed Cu-Fe in-situ composite was conducted by material test system(MTS). The results show that the strength increases with the increasing deformation strain and iron content,which is greater than that of the calculated value based on the rule of mixture. The mechanism of strengthening was analysed and evidenced by interface barrier. The correlation between the strength and the thickness of copper phase (tcu) obeys Hall-Petch relationship and can be described well by geometrical necessary dislocation model and interface as dislocation source model.

Microstructure and properties of deformation-processed Cu-Fe in-situ composites

The effects of intermediate annealings on the microstructure, the strength and the electrical resistivity of deformation-processed Cu-Fe in-situ composites were studied. The results show that intermediate annealings favour the formation of uniform tiny fibres from the iron dendrites but they have no obvious effect on the strength of the composite. The bigger the strain is, the higher the strength is. As the strain increases, the resistivity increases due to the increase of interface density. Intermediate annealings result in notable decreasing resistivity due to the precipitation of the iron atoms from the Cu matrix and decrease of solute scattering resistivity. The doping with Zr improves the strength of the composite slightly and the ultimate tensile strength(UTS) increases about 10%. The colligated performances of deformation-processed Cu-11.5%Fe and Cu- 11.5%Fe-Zr composites at strain η= 5.37 are 64.6% IACS/752MPa and 61.4% IACS/824MPa respectively.

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.

Effects of Sinusoidal Vibration of Crystallization Roller on Composite Microstructure of Ti/Al Laminated Composites by Twin-Roll Casting

A new,innovative vibration cast-rolling technology of “electromagnetic stirring+dendrite breaking+asynchronous rolling” was proposed with the adoption of sinusoidal vibration of crystallization roller to prepare Ti/Al laminated composites,and the effect of sinusoidal vibration of crystallization roller on composite microstructure was investigated in detail.The results show that the metallurgical bonding of titanium and aluminum is realized by mesh interweaving and mosaic meshing,instead of transition bonding by forming metal compound layer.The meshing depth between titanium and aluminum layers (6.6μm) of cast-rolling materials with strong vibration of crystallization roller (amplitude 0.87 mm,vibration frequency 25 Hz) is doubled compared with that of traditional cast-rolling materials (3.1μm),and the composite interfacial strength(27.0 N/mm) is twice as high as that of traditional cast-rolling materials (14.9 N/mm).This is because with the action of high-speed superposition of strong tension along the rolling direction,strong pressure along the width direction and rolling force,the composite linearity evolves from "straight line" with traditional casting-rolling to "curved line",and the depth and number of cracks in the interface increases greatly compared with those with traditional cast-rolling,which leads to the deep expansion of the meshing area between interfacial layers and promotes the stable enhancement of composite quality.

Rational design and synthesis of Cr_(1-x)Te/Ag_(2)Te composites for solid-state thermoelectromagnetic cooling near room temperature

Materials with both large magnetocaloric response and high thermoelectric performance are of vital importance for all-solid-state thermoelectromagnetic cooling.These two properties,however,hardly coexist in single phase materials except previously reported hexagonal Cr_(1-x)Te half metal where a relatively high magnetic entropy change(-△S_(M))of~2.4 J·kg^(-1)·K^(-1)@5 T and a moderate thermoelectric figure of merit(ZT)of~1.2×10^(-2)@300 K are simultaneously recorded.Herein we aim to increase the thermoelectric performance of Cr_(1-x)Te by compositing with semiconducting Ag_(2)Te.It is discovered that the in-situ synthesis of Cr_(1-x)Te/Ag_(2)Te composites by reacting their constitute elements above melting temperatures is unsuccessful because of strong phase competition.Specifically,at elevated temperatures(T>800 K),Cr_(1-x)Te has a much lower deformation energy than Ag_(2)Te and tends to become more Cr-deficient by capturing Te from Ag_(2)Te.Therefore,Ag is insufficiently reacted and as a metal it deteriorates ZT.We then rationalize the synthesis of Cr_(1-x)Te/Ag_(2)Te composites by ex-situ mix of the pre-prepared Cr_(1-x)Te and Ag_(2)Te binary compounds followed by densification at a low sintering temperature of 573 K under a pressure of 3.5 GPa.We show that by compositing with 7 mol%Ag_(2)Te,the Seebeck coefficient of Cr_(1-x)Te is largely increased while the lattice thermal conductivity is considerably reduced,leading to 72%improvement of ZT.By comparison,-△S_(M)is only slightly reduced by 10%in the composite.Our work demonstrates the potential of Cr_(1-x)Te/Ag_(2)Te composites for thermoelectromagnetic cooling.

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

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

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.

Understanding the corrosion and bio-corrosion behaviour of Magnesium composites – a critical review

Realising the potential of Magnesium(Mg),several globally leading ventures have invested in the Mg industry,but their relatively poor corrosion resistance is a never ending saga till date.The corrosion and bio-corrosion behaviour of Mg has gained research attention and still remains a hot topic in the application of automobile,aerospace and biomedical industries.The intrinsic high electrochemical nature of Mg limits their utilization in diverse application.This scenario has prompted the development of Mg composites with an aim to achieve superior corrosion and bio-corrosion resistance.The present review enlightens the influence of grain size(GS),secondary phase,texture,type of matrix and reinforcement on the corrosion and bio-corrosion behaviour of Mg composites.Firstly,the corrosion and bio-corrosion behaviour of Mg composites manufactured by primary and secondary processing routes are elucidated.Secondly,the comprehensive corrosion and bio-corrosion mechanisms of these Mg composites are proposed.Thirdly,the individual role of GS,texture and corrosive medium on corrosion and bio-corrosion behaviour of Mg composites are clarified and revealed.The challenges encountered,unanswered issues in this field are explained in detail and accordingly the scope for future research is framed.The review is presented from basic concrete background to advanced corrosion mechanisms with an aim of creating interest among the readers like students,researchers and industry experts from various research backgrounds.Indeed,the corrosion and bio-corrosion behaviour of Mg composites are critically reviewed for the first time to:(i)contribute to the body of knowledge,(ii)foster research and development,(iii)make breakthrough,and(iv)create life changing innovations in the field of Mg composite corrosion.

Valorization of Tree Bark-Derived Suberin in Applications for the Bio-Based Composites Industry–A Recent Review

Bark extracts are sustainable sources of biopolymers and hold great promise for replacing fossil fuel-based polymers,for example,in wood-based composites.In addition to primary and secondary metabolites,tree bark also contains suberin,which plays a major role in protecting the tree from environmental conditions.Suberin is a natural aliphatic-aromatic cross-linked polyester present in the cell walls of both normal and damaged external tissues,the main component of which are long-chain aliphatic acids.Its main role as a plant ingredient is to protect against microbiological factors and water loss.One of the most important suberin monomers are suberin fatty acids,known for their hydrophobic and barrier properties.Therefore,due to the diverse chemical composition of suberin,it is an attractive alternative to hydrocarbon-based materials.Although its potential is recognized,it is not widely used in biocomposites technology,including wood-based composites and the polymer industry.The article will discuss the current knowledge about the potential of suberin and its components in biocomposites technology,which will include surface finishes,composite adhesives and polymer blends.

Supposition of graphene stacks to estimate the contact resistance and conductivity of nanocomposites

In this study,the effects of stacked nanosheets and the surrounding interphase zone on the resistance of the contact region between nanosheets and the tunneling conductivity of samples are evaluated with developed equations superior to those previously reported.The contact resistance and nanocomposite conductivity are modeled by several influencing factors,including stack properties,interphase depth,tunneling size,and contact diameter.The developed model's accuracy is verified through numerous experimental measurements.To further validate the models and establish correlations between parameters,the effects of all the variables on contact resistance and nanocomposite conductivity are analyzed.Notably,the contact resistance is primarily dependent on the polymer tunnel resistivity,contact area,and tunneling size.The dimensions of the graphene nanosheets significantly influence the conductivity,which ranges from 0 S/m to90 S/m.An increased number of nanosheets in stacks and a larger gap between them enhance the nanocomposite's conductivity.Furthermore,the thicker interphase and smaller tunneling size can lead to higher sample conductivity due to their optimistic effects on the percolation threshold and network efficacy.