Mathematical Modelling of Particle Movement Ahead of the Solid-liquid Interface in Continuous Casting

Whether the particle will be trapped by the solid-liquid interface or not is dependent on its moving behavior ahead of the interface, so a mathematical model has been developed to investigate the movement of the particle ahead of the solid-liquid interface. Based on the theory for the boundary layer, the fluid velocity field near the solid-liquid interface was obtained, and the trajectories of particles were calculated by the equations of motion for particles. In this model, the drag force, the added mass force, the buoyance force, the gravitational force, the Saffman force and the Basset history force are considered. The results show that the behavior of the particle ahead of the solid-liquid interface is affected by the physical property of the particle and fluid flow. And in the continuous casting process, if it moves in the stream directed upward or downward near vertical solid-liquid interface or in the horizontal flow under the solid-liquid interface, the particle with the diameter from 5 um to 60um can reach the solid-liquid interface. But if it moves in horizontal flow above the solid-liquid interface, only the particle with the diameter from 5 um to 10 um can reach the solid-liquid interface.

The Richtmyer–Meshkov instability of a 'V' shaped air/helium interface subjected to a weak shock

The Richtmyer-Meshkov instability ofa ‘V＇ shaped air/helium gaseous interface subjected to a weak shock wave is experimentally studied. A soap film technique is adopted to create a ‘V＇ shaped interface with accurate initial conditions. Five kinds of ‘V＇ shaped interfaces with different vertex angles are formed to highlight the effects of initial conditions on the flow characteristics. The results show that a spike is generated after the shock impact, and grows constantly with time. As the vertex angle increases, vortices generated on the interface become less noticeable, and the spike develops less pronouncedly. The linear growth rate of interface width after compression phase is estimated by a linear model and a revised linear model, and the latter is proven to be more effective for the interface with high initial amplitudes. The linear growth rate of interface width is, for the first time in a heavy/light interface configuration, found to be a non-monotonous function of the initial perturbation amplitude-wavelength ratio.

Microstructure and fractal characteristics of the solid-liquid interface forming during directional solidification of Inconel 718

The solidification microstructure and fractal characteristics of the solid-liquid interfaces of Inconel 718,under different cooling rates during directional solidification,were investigated by using SEM. Results showed that 5 μm/s was the cellular-dendrite transient rate. The prime dendrite arm spacing (PDAS) was measured by Image Tool and it decreased with the cooling rate increased. The fractal dimension of the interfaces was calculated and it changes from 1.204310 to 1.517265 with the withdrawal rate ranging from 10 to 100 μm/s. The physical significance of the fractal dimension was analyzed by using fractal theory. It was found that the fractal dimension of the dendrites can be used to describe the solidification microstructure and parameters at low cooling rate,but both the fractal dimension and the dendrite arm spacing are needed in order to integrally describe the evaluation of the solidification microstructure completely.

Numerical simulations of stress wave propagation and attenuation at arc-shaped interface inlayered SiC/Al composite

The effects of interface shape on stress wave distribution and attenuation were investiga- ted using finite element method （ FEM ）. The simulation results indicate that when the stress wave propagates from SiC ceramic to A1 alloy, the tensile stress decreases and the attenuation coefficient of the stress wave increases with increasing central angle of the concave interface between SiC and A1. But for the convex interface, the tensile stress increases and attenuation coefficient decreases with increasing central angle. As the stress wave propagates from A1 alloy to SiC ceramic, the atten- uation coefficient of stress wave decreases with increasing the central angle of the concave interface. For the convex interface, the attenuation coefficient increases with increasing central angle.

Apparent Active Adsorption Force at a Solid-Liquid Interface with Active Adsorption

The paper presents a new relationship between the three surface tensions on the solid-liquid-vapor interface, γ_(sl)-γ_(sv)+γ_(lv)cosθ=βin order to understand the wetting on the liquid-solid interface in the case of active adsorption.The authors suggest a new force“apparent active adsorption force”βto take part in the balance at the three interface lines of contact in the solid-liquid-vapor phases,its dimen- sion isβ=Σα_iRT(Γ_i^(sl)-Γ_i^(sv)+Γ_i^(lv)cosθ),and its direction is dependent on the sign of β,whenβis a positive, the direction is agree with surface tension of the sol- id-vapor interface γ and vice versa.

Tunable topological interface states and resonance states of surface waves based on the shape memory alloy

Topological interface state(TIS)of elastic wave has attracted significant research interest due to its potential prospects in strengthening acoustic energy and enhancing the signal accuracy of damage identification and quantification.However,previous implementations on the interface modes of surface waves are limited to the non-adjustable frequency band and unalterable mode width.Here,we demonstrate the tunable TIS and topological resonance state(TRS)of Rayleigh wave by using a shape memory alloy(SMA)stubbed semi-infinite one-dimensional(1D)solid phononic crystals(PnCs),which simultaneously possesses the adjustable mode width.The mechanism of tunability stems from the phase transformation of the SMA between the martensite at low temperature and the austenite at high temperature.The tunable TIS of Rayleigh wave is realized by combining two bandgap-opened PnCs with different Zak phases.The TRS with adjustable mode width is achieved in the heterostructures by adding PnCs with Dirac point to the middle of two bandgap-opened PnCs with different Zak phases,which exhibits the extraordinary robustness in contrast to the ordinary Fabry–Perot resonance state.This research provides new possibilities for the highly adjustable Rayleigh wave manipulation and find promising applications such as tunable energy harvesters,wide-mode filters,and high-sensitivity Rayleigh wave detectors.

First-principles thermodynamics of metal-oxide surfaces andinterfaces:A case study review

An important step for achieving the knowledge-based design freedom on nano-and interfacial materials is attained by elucidating the related surface and interface thermodynamics from the first principles so as to allow engineering the microstructures for desired properties through smartly designing fabrication processing parameters.This is demonstrated for SnO2 nano-particle surfaces and also a technologically important Ag-SnO2 interface fabricated by in-situ internal oxidation.Based on defect thermodynamics,we first modeled and calculated the equilibrium surface and interface structures,and as well corresponding properties,as a function of the ambient temperature and oxygen partial pressure.A series of first principles energetics calculations were then performed to construct the equilibrium surface and interface phase diagrams,to describe the environment dependence of the microstructures and properties of the surfaces and interfaces during fabrication and service conditions.The use and potential application of these phase diagrams as a process design tool were suggested and discussed.

Investigation on hydrate growth at the oil–water interface:In the presence of asphaltene

Natural gas hydrates can readily form in deep-water oil production processes and pose a great threat to the oil industry.Moreover,the coexistence of hydrate and asphaltene can result in more severe challenges to subsea flow assurance.In order to study the effects of asphaltene on hydrate growth at the oil-water interface,a series of micro-experiments were conducted in a self-made reactor,where hydrates nucleated and grew on the surface of a water droplet immersed in asphaltene-containing oil.Based on the micro-observations,the shape and growth rate of the hydrate shell formed at the oil-water interface were mainly investigated and the effects of asphaltene on hydrate growth were analyzed.According to the experimental results,the shape of the water droplet and the interfacial area changed significantly after the formation of the hydrate shell when the asphaltene concentration was higher than a certain value.A mechanism related to the reduction of the interfacial tension caused by the absorption of asphaltenes on the interface was proposed for illustration.Moreover,the growth rate of the hydrate shell decreased significantly with the increasing asphaltene concentration under experimental conditions.The conclusions of this paper could provide preliminary insight how asphaltene affect hydrate growth at the oil-water interface.

Electronic and geometric structure of the copper-ceria interface on Cu/CeO2 catalysts

The atomic structure of the active sites in Cu/CeO2 catalysts is intimately associated with the copper-ceria interaction. Both the shape of ceria and the loading of copper affect the chemical bonding of copper species on ceria surfaces and the electronic and geometric character of the relevant interfaces. Nanostructured ceria, including particles(polyhedra), rods, and cubes, provides anchoring sites for the copper species. The atomic arrangements and chemical properties of the(111),(110) and(100) facets, preferentially exposed depending on the shape of ceria, govern the copper-ceria interactions and in turn determine their catalytic properties. Also, the metal loading significantly influences the dispersion of copper species on ceria with a specific shape, forming copper layers, clusters, and nanoparticles. Lower copper contents result in copper monolayers and/or bilayers while higher copper loadings lead to multi-layered clusters and faceted particles. The active sites are usually generated via interactions between the copper atoms in the metal species and the oxygen vacancies on ceria, which is closely linked to the number and density of surface oxygen vacancies dominated by the shape of ceria.

Interfacial phase formation of Al-Cu bimetal by solid-liquid casting method

The solid-liquid method was used to prepare the continuous casting of copper cladding aluminium by liquid aluminum alloy and solid copper, and the interfacial phase formation of Al-Cu bimetal at different pouring temperatures(700, 750, 800 oC) was investigated by means of metallograph, scanning electron microscopy(SEM) and energy dispersive spectrometry(EDS) methods. The results showed that the pouring temperature of aluminum melt had an important influence on the element diffusion of Cu from the solid Cu to Al alloy melt and the reactions between Al and Cu, as well as the morphology of the Al-Cu interface. When the pouring temperature was 800 oC, there were abundant Al-Cu intermetallic compounds(IMCs) near the interface. However, a lower pouring temperature(700 oC) resulted in the formation of cavities which was detrimental to the bonding and mechanical properties. Under the conditions in this study, the good metallurgical bonding of Al-Cu was achieved at a pouring temperature of 750 oC.

Research on changes of hydrodynamics and ion-exchange adsorption in Brackish-Water Interface

In light of multiple field experiments in typical tidal areas with active sea-land interaction, corresponding analysis through hydrodynamic simulation and of ion composition evolution all insist on following conclusions. Due to the tide, the groundwater level is basically in line with its level but with a slight lag. Moreover, smaller amplitude of such changes were always accompanied by greater distance from shores. In this paper, two salt-freshwater interfaces were identified, namely, a large wedge-shaped interface and an inverted U-shaped one located at K5 (monitoring point). The critical hydraulic gradient of saltwater intrusion was between 0.0345 and 0.0377. Apart from that, mathematical and physical models were adopted to measure the influence of tides, showing a inverse proportion to the hydraulic gradient In addition, characteristics of ionic components can prove that K^+ was adsorbed and Ca^2+ was displaced during saline intrusion, while a reverse process was witnessed during desalting. In summary, cation exchange adsorption plus other complex physical chemical effects would take place during saltwater intrusion.

A cellular automata model for simulating grain structures with straight and hyperbolic interfaces

A description of a mathematical algorithm for simulating grain structures with straight and hyperbolic interfaces is shown. The presence of straight and hyperbolic interfaces in many grain structures of metallic materials is due to different solidification conditions, in- eluding different solidification speeds, growth directions, and delaying on the nucleation times of each nucleated node. Grain growth is a complex problem to be simulated; therefore, computational methods based on the chaos theory have been developed for this purpose. Straight and hyperbolic interfaces are between columnar and equiaxed grain structures or in transition zones. The algorithm developed in this work involves random distributions of temperature to assign preferential probabilities to each node of the simulated sample for nucleation according to previously defined boundary conditions. Moreover, more than one single nucleation process can be established in order to gen- erate hyperbolic interfaces between the grains. The appearance of new nucleated nodes is declared in sequences with a particular number of nucleated nodes and a number of steps for execution. This input information influences directly on the final grain structure （grain size and dislribution）. Preferential growth directions are also established to obtain equiaxed and columnar grains. The simulation is done using rou- tines for nucleation and growth nested inside the main function. Here, random numbers are generated to place the coordinates of each new nucleated node at each nucleation sequence according to a solidification probability. Nucleation and growth routines are executed as a func- tion of nodal availability in order to know if a node will be part of a grain. Finally, this information is saved in a two-dimensional computa- tional array and displayed on the computer screen placing color pixels on the corresponding position forming an image as is done in cellular automaton.

INTERACTION OF PARTICLES WITH A SOLIDIFIED INTERFACE DURING SOLIDIFICATION OF METAL MATRIX COMPOSITE REINFORCED WITH PARTICLES

The interaction of particles with a solid-liquid interface during solidification of metal matrix composites has been investigated theoretically in this paper.Owing to the presence of particles in the melt,the shape of the solidification front and solute concentration field in front of solidification interface have been disturbed The thermodynamic method was employed,and a mathematical expression of the shape of the solidification interface and solute concentration field were deduced.Meanwhile,a theory is developed for evaluation of critical velocities of particles pushed by the solidification interface.A numerical simulation is done in which the critical velocity is evaluated as a function of particle size,thermal conductivity,diffusion coefficient,temperature gradient at the solidification front,the solid-liquid interfacial energy and the melt viscosity.The critical velocity is shown to be closely linked to the shape of the solidification interface and solute concentration field, and hence all the parameters also affect the shape of the solidification interface and solute concentration field of the front.

THE THERMAL STRESS ANALYSIS OF THE INTERFACIAL EDGE IN DISSIMILAR STRUCTURE AND THE EFFECTS OF GEOMETRIC SHAPE

This paper describes the analysis of the thermal stress concentration and the effects of geometrical shape in the interfacial edge by FEM. It is shown that the elevated stress in a dissimilar material caused by temperature is only restricted in a minor region of the interfacial edge, where the stress peak value and and the stress gradient are high. It is also found that narrowing the boundary angle can effectively reduce the peak value of stress components on the interfacial layer, especially the peeling stress σ y , which is a condition of the debonding failure in the interface.θ=60, an obvious variation, proves that selecting a reasonable edge geometrical shape helps to reduce the value of the maximum stress. At last the methods of relaxing stress concentration and effects of the geometric blunt are also discussed.

Effects of Ca(Y)-Si modifier on interface morphology and solute segregation during directional solidification of an austenite medium Mn steel

The austenite medium Mn steel modified with controlled additions of Ca, Y, Si were directionally solidified using the vertical Bridgman method to study the effects of Ca（Y）-Si modifier on the solid-liquid （S-L） interface morphology and solute segregation. The interface morphology and the C and Mn segregation of the steel directionally solidified at 6.9 μtrn/s were investigated with an image analysis and a scanning electron microscope equipped with energy dispersive X-ray analysis. The 0.5wt% Ca-Si modified steel is solidified with a planar S-L interface. The interface of the 1.0wt% Ca-Si modified steel is similar to that of the 0.5wt% Ca-Si modified steel, but with larger nodes. The 1.5wt% Ca-Si modified steel displays a cellular growth parttern. The S-L interface morphology of the 0.5wt% Ca-Si＋1.0wt% Y-Si modified Mn steel appears as dendritic interface, and primary austenite dendrites reveal developed lateral branching at the quenched liquid. In the meantime, the independent austenite colonies are formed ahead of the S-L interface. A mechanism involving constitutional supercooling explains the S-L interface evolution. It depends mainly on the difference in the contents of Ca, Y, and Si ahead of the S-L interface. The segregation of C and Mn ahead of the S-L interface enhanced by the modifiers is observed.

Improving comprehensive properties of Cu-11.9Al-2.5Mn shape memory alloy by adding multi-layer graphene carried by Cu_(51)Zr_(14)inoculant particles

In order to improve the comprehensive properties of the Cu-11.9Al-2.5Mn shape memory alloy(SMA),multilayer graphene(MLG)carried by Cu_(51)Zr_(14)inoculant particles was incorporated and dispersed into this alloy through preparing the preform of the cold-pressed MLG-Cu_(51)Zr_(14)composite powders.In the resultant novel MLG/Cu-Al-Mn composites,MLG in fragmented or flocculent form has a good bonding with the Cu-Al-Mn matrix.MLG can prevent the coarsening of grains of the Cu-Al-Mn SMA and cause thermal mismatch dislocations near the MLG/Cu-Al-Mn interfaces.The damping and mechanical properties of the MLG/Cu-Al-Mn composites are significantly improved.When the content of MLG reaches 0.2 wt.%,the highest room temperature damping of 0.0558,tensile strength of 801.5 MPa,elongation of 10.8%,and hardness of HV 308 can be obtained.On the basis of in-depth observation of microstructures,combined with the theory of internal friction and strengthening and toughening theories of metals,the relevant mechanisms are discussed.

Online composite shape recognition based on relevance feedback

This paper describes a novel method of online composite shape recognition interms of the relevance feedback technology to capture a user's intentions incrementally, and adynamic user modeling method to adapt to various users' styles. First, the relevance feedback isadapted to refine the recognition results and reduce the ambiguity incrementally based on theestablishment of a feature-based vector model of a user's sketches. Secondly, a dynamic usermodeling is introduced to model the user's sketching habits based on recording and analyzinghistorical information incrementally. A model-based matching strategy is also employed in the methodto recognize sketches dynamically. Experiments prove that the proposed method is both effective andefficient.

Nanostructured lubricant additives for titanium alloy:Lubrication by the solid-liquid interface with Coulomb repulsion

In this work,the advantage of Coulomb repulsion in the intermolecular forces experienced by molecules on the solid–liquid nanosized contact interface is taken,and the superior friction-reducing property of Cu_(3)(PO_(4))2·3H_(2)O(CuP)oil-based additives has been confirmed for titanium alloy.Three-dimensional(3D)CuP nanoflowers(CuP-Fs)with a strong capillary absorption effect are prepared to achieve the homogeneous mixing of solid CuP and lubricating oil.Lubrication by CuP-Fs additives for titanium alloy,friction coefficient(COF)can be reduced by 73.68%,and wear rate(WR)reduced by 99.69%.It is demonstrated that the extraordinary friction-reducing property is due to the repulsive solid–liquid interface with low viscous shear force originating from Coulomb repulsion between polar water molecules in CuP and non-polar oil molecules.However,any steric hindrance or connection between this repulsive solid–liquid interface will trigger the adhesion and increase the viscous shear force,for example,dispersant,hydrogen bondings,and shaky adsorbed water molecules.Besides,the lamellar thickness of CuP and the molecular size of lubricant both have a great influence on tribological properties.Here the lubrication mechanism based on interface Coulomb repulsion is proposed that may help broaden the scope of the exploration in low-friction nanomaterial design and new lubricant systems.

Ultrafast laser-chemical modification hybrid fabrication of hydrostatic bearings with a superhydrophobicity solid-liquid interface

Oil film vortex severely reduces the stability of hydrostatic bearings. A solid-liquid interface with drag and slip properties can weaken the oil film vortex of the bearing. Here, a combined picosecond laser ablation and chemical modification method is proposed to prepare surfaces with microbulge array structure on 6061 aluminum alloy substrates. Because of the low surface energy of the perfluorododecyltriethoxysilane modification and the bulge geometry of the microbulge array structure, the surface shows excellent superhydrophobicity. The optimum contact angle in air for water is 164°, and that for oil is 139°. Two surfaces with “lotus-leaf effect” and “rose-petal effect” were obtained by controlling the processing parameters. The drag reduction properties of superhydrophobic surfaces were systematically investigated with slip lengths of 22.26 and 36.25 μm for deionized water and VG5 lubricant, respectively. In addition, the superhydrophobic surface exhibits excellent mechanical durability and thermal stability. The proposed method provides a new idea for vortex suppression in hydrostatic bearings and improves the stability of bearings in high-speed operation.

Shape impact of nanostructured ceria on the dispersion of Pd species

The shape impact of nanostructured ceria on the dispersion of Pd species was investigated by analyzing the atomic configuration and the bonding environment of Pd species over spherical and cubic ceria particles,using STEM and XPS.Amorphous Pd particles of about 2.0 nm,with a substantial amount of tiny Pd species,dispersed on spherical ceria,primarily due to the enriched surface oxygen vacancies that bonded the Pd species tightly.While faceted Pd particles of about 2.9 nm located on cubic ceria with distinct interfaces where Pd atoms embedded into the ceria lattice.The crystalline Pd particles on ceria cubes were highly active and stable for methane combustion that occurred on the metal surface via a facile PdO/Pd redox cycle;while the amorphous Pd particles on spherical ceria particles were featured by a significantly higher activity and stability towards CO oxidation,where the Pd-ceria interface served as the active sites.