Microstructures and mechanical properties of Ti−Al−V−Nb alloys with cluster formula manufactured by laser additive manufacturing

Ti−Al−V−Nb alloys with the cluster formula,12[Al−Ti_(12)](AlTi_(2))+5[Al−Ti1_(4)](V,Nb)2Ti,were designed by replacing V with Nb based on the Ti−6Al−4V alloy.Single-track cladding layers and bulk samples of the alloys with Nb contents ranging from 0 to 6.96 wt.%were prepared by laser additive manufacturing to examine their formability,microstructure,and mechanical properties.For single-track cladding layers,the addition of Nb increased the surface roughness slightly and decreased the molten pool height to improve its spreadability.The alloy,Ti−5.96Al−1.94V−3.54Nb(wt.%),exhibited better geometrical accuracy than the other alloys because its molten pool height was consistent with the spread layer thickness of the powder.The microstructures of the bulk samples contained similar columnar β-phase grains,regardless of Nb content.These grains grew epitaxially from the Ti substrate along the deposition direction,with basket-weaveα-phase laths within the columnar grains.Theα-phase size increased with increasing Nb contents,but its uniformity decreased.Along the deposition direction,the Vickers hardness increased from the substrate to the surface.The Ti−5.96Al−1.94V−3.54Nb alloy exhibited the highest Vickers hardness regardless of deposition position because of the optimal matching relationship between theα-phase size and its content among the designed alloys.

Formation of Carbon Nitride Films by Nitrogen Ion Bombardment on C_(60) Films

The synthesis of covalent carbon nitride films becomes an important subject in the materials research field.As a new synthetic method two low-energy(400 and 1000eV)nitrogen ion beams are used to bombard on C_(60) thin films individually.The bombarded films are used for Raman and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS)measurements.The results of the analyses show that under the bombardment of 400eV nitrogen ion beam,the film still contains a large amount of undestructed C_(60) molecules.In the case of l000eV bombardment,only a little amount of C_(60) molecules is kept undestructed.The experimental results also show that the destructed carbon species will combine chemically with nitrogen ions to form stable covalent carbon nitride,confirmed by the Raman peaks of,e.g.,2240cm-1.The XPS Nls and Cls lines also indicate the formation of covalent carbon nitride in the bombarded films.

Effect of temperature on vacuum hot bulge forming of BT20 titanium alloy cylindrical workpiece

Temperature is one of the key parameters for BT20 titanium alloy cylindrical workpiece manufactured by vacuum hot bulge forming. A two-dimensional nonlinear thermo-mechanical coupled FE model was established. Numerical simulation of vacuum hot bulge forming process of titanium alloy cylindrical workpiece was carried out using FE analysis software MSC Marc. The effects of temperature on vacuum hot bulge forming of BT20 titanium alloy cylindrical workpiece were analyzed by numerical simulation. The simulated results show that the Y-direction displacement and the equivalent plastic strain of the workpiece increase with increasing bulge temperature. The residual stress decreases with increasing bulge temperature. The optimal temperature range of BT20 titanium alloy during vacuum hot bulge forming is 750-850 ℃. The corresponding experiments were carried out. The simulated results agreed well with the experimental results.

A New Method for Thin Film Deposition-Faced Microwave Electron Cyclotron Resonance Plasma Sources Enhanced Direct-Current Magnetron Sputtering

A new reactive magnetron sputtering system enhanced by the faced microwave electron cyclotron resonance plasma source was designed and amorphous CN_(x) films has been prepared by using this system.The character ization of the films by interference microscopy,atomic force microscopy,and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy shows that the deposition rate is strongly affected by the direct-current bias,and the films are composed by a single carbon nitride phase and the N/C ratio is 4:3.2,which is close to that of C_(3)N_(4)(4:3).

Improvement of wear resistance of AZ31 and AZ91HP by high current pulsed electron beam treatment

The surface modification of magnesium alloys (AZ31 and AZ91HP) was studied by a high current pulsed electron beam(HCPEB). The results show that the cross-sectional microhardness of treated samples increases not only in the heat affected zone(HAZ), but also beyond HAZ, reaching over 250μm. This is due to the action of quasi-static thermal stress and the shock thermal stress wave with materials, which result in its fast deformation on the surface layer and so increases microhardness. For the AZ91HP alloy, a nearly complete dissolution of the intermetallic phase Mg_ 17Al_ 12 is observed, and a super-saturated solid solution forms on the re-melted surface, which is due to the solute trapping effect during the fast solidification process. Measurements on sliding wear show that wear resistance is improved by approximately 5.6 and 2.4 times for the AZ31 and AZ91HP respectively, as compared with as-received samples.

Feasibility of Trace Alcohol Congener Detection and Identification Using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

In this paper, a feasible scheme is reported for the detection and identification of trace alcohol congeners that have identical elemental composition using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy （LIBS）. In the scheme, an intensive pulsed laser is used to break down trace alcohol samples and the optical emission spectra of the induced plasma are collected for the detection and identifq ication of alcohol molecules. In order to prepare trace alcohol samples, pure ethanol or methanol is bubbled by argon carrier gas and then mixed into matrix gases. The key issue for the scheme is to constitute indices from the LIBS data of the alcohol samples. Two indices are found to be suitable for alcohol detection and identification. One is the emission intensity ratio （denoted as H/C） of the hydrogen line （653.3 nm） to the carbon line （247.9 nm） for identification and the other is the ratio of the carbon line （as C/Ar） or the hydrogen line （as H/Ar） to the argon lines （866.7 nm） for quantitative detection. The calibration experiment result shows that the index H/C is specific for alcohol congeners while almost being independent of alcohol concentration. In detail, the H/C keeps a specific constant of 34 and 23 respectively for ethanol and methanol. In the meanwhile, the C/Ar and H/Ar indices respond almost linearly to the alcohol concentration below 1300 ppm, and are therefore competent for concentration measurement. With the indices, trace alcohol concentration measurement achieves a limit of 140 ppm using a laser pulse energy of 300 mJ.

High-strength Ti-Al-V-Zr cast alloys designed using α and β cluster formulas

Ti-Al-V-Zr quaternary titanium alloys were designed followingα-{[Al-Ti12](AlTi2)}17-n+β-{[Al-Ti12Zr2](V3)}n,where n=1-7(the number ofβunits),on the basis of the dual-cluster formula of popular Ti-6Al-4V alloy.Such an alloying strategy aims at strengthening the alloy via Zr and V co-alloying in theβ-Ti unit,based on the originalβformula[Al-Ti14](V2Ti)of Ti-6Al-4V alloy.The microstructures of the as-cast alloys by copper-mold suction-casting change from pureα(n=1)toα+α’martensite(n=7).When n is 6,Ti-5.6Al-6.8V-8.1Zr alloy reaches the highest ultimate tensile strength of 1,293 MPa and yield strength of 1,097 MPa,at the expense of a low elongation of 2%,mainly due to the presence of a large amount of acicularα’martensite.Its specific strength far exceeds that of Ti-6Al-4V alloy by 35%.

Self-Consistent Model for Pulsed Direct-Current N_2 Glow Discharge

A self-consistent analysis of a pulsed direct-current (DC) N2 glow discharge is presented. The model is based on a numerical solution of the continuity equations for electron and ions coupled with Poisson's equation. The spatial-temporal variations of ionic and electronic densities and electric field are obtained. The electric field structure exhibits all the characteristic regions of a typical glow discharge (the cathode fall, the negative glow, and the positive column). Current-voltage characteristics of the discharge can be obtained from the model. The calculated current-voltage results using a constant secondary electron emission coefficient for the gas pressure 133.32 Pa are in reasonable agreement with experiment.

Transition from Spark Discharge to Constricted Glow Discharge in Atmospheric Air by Capacitor Coupled Discharge

The transition from a spark discharge to a constricted glow discharge in atmospheric air was studied with a capacitor coupled pin-to-water plasma reactor. The reason of the transition is considered to be of various factors, namely the change of the air gap due to the polarization of water molecules by the electric field, the feedback effect of the capacitors, and the ion trapping mechanism. The effects of the frequency of the power supply, inter-electrode gap, and coupled capacitance on the discharge transition were also investigated.

Doped Amorphous Carbon Films Prepared by Liquid Phase Electrodeposition

It has theoretical significance and practical value to synthetize and modify amorphous carbon films by liquid electro-deposition technique due to its low cost, simple equipment, and better operability in uniform deposition of the films with large-area and complex shape work pieces. This article introduces the research situation of the carbon films prepared by liquid phase electrochemical deposition according to the applied voltage, discusses the influence of experimental parameters on the film properties, and describes possible reaction mechanisms. It summarizes the research progress of amorphous carbon films doped with metal and nonmetals. Finally, existing problems have been demonstrated and suggestions on research hotspots in the future are given.

Non-Uniformity of Ion Implantation in Direct-Current Plasma Immersion Ion Implantation

A particle-in-cell simulation is developed to study dc plasma immersion ion implantation. Particular attention is paid to the influence of the voltage applied to the target on the ion path, and the ion flux distribution on the target surface. It is found that the potential near the aperture within the plasma region is not the plasma potential, and is impacted by the voltage applied to the implanted target. A curved equipotential contour expands into the plasma region through the aperture and the extent of the expansion depends on the voltage. Ions accelerated by the electric field in the sheath form a beam shape and a flux distribution on the target surface, which are strongly dependent on the applied voltage. The results of the simulations demonstrate the formation mechanism of the grid-shadow effect, which is in agreement with the result observed experimentally.

Design of Ultra-Strong As-Cast Titanium Alloy at 600℃by Using Cluster Formula

A Ti-5.4Al-6.4Zr-6.2Sn-0.4Mo-1.6W-0.4Nb-3.2Ta-0.5Si alloy is designed following cluster formula approach that achieves a strength level of 1 GPa at 600℃in the as-cast state,superior to any existing high-temperature Ti alloys.Its composition is formulated by 17 basic units,α-{[Al-Ti12](AlTi2)}12+β-{[Al-Ti_(12)Zr_(2)](Mo_(0.125)Nb_(0.125)Ta_(0.5)W_(0.25)Sn_(1.5)Si_(0.5))}_(5),each unit covering a nearest-neighbor cluster plus a few next-neighbor glue atoms.This design is on the basis of the composition formula of Ti65 alloy,with an enhancedβstability via more Zr,Mo,Nb,Ta,W,Sn,and Si co-alloying.Upon copper-mold pour casting,this alloy shows a good microstructure stability.In tensile testing below at 650℃,itsαplates thickness is nearly at the same level of 0.2μm,which is much smaller than 0.7-0.8μm of Ti65 at the same condition.The changes in volume fraction ofβphase are increased by 86%,much less than by 105%in Ti65.Its room-temperature strength reaches the ultra-high-strength level,with an ultimate tensile strength of 1328 MPa and a yield strength of 1117 MPa,with a moderate elongation of 3.8%.At 600℃,its ultimate tensile strength of 1017 MPa and yield strength of 936 MPa are superior to those of any existing high-temperature Ti alloys,with an elongation of 7.2%.At 650℃,its ultimate tensile strength of 848 MPa still maintains a high level.

Composition formulas of Ti alloys derived by interpreting Ti-6Al-4V

Titanium alloys are composed ofαandβphases and are classified as nearα,dual-phaseα+β,andβtypes.This study attempts to derive their general composition formulas within the cluster-plus-glue-atom model by interpreting Ti-6A1-4V and other popular dual-phaseα+βTi alloy s with well-established chemical compositions.Our model identifiedαmolecule-like structural unit that covers onlyαnearest-neighbor cluster along withαfew next-neighbor glue atoms,which can be represented as"[cluster](glue atoms)x".The structural units of theαandβphases in Ti-6Al-4V,α-[Al-Ti_(12)](AlTi_(2)),andβ-[Al-Ti_(14)](V2Ti),were derived first and were in an unusual unit ratio of about 2.33:1.To obtain an alloy composition formula that satisfied this unit ratio,the two clusters were treated as hard spheres of different radii and packed according to the clusterplusglueatom model.Our calculations determined that the Ti-6A1-4V alloy unit is composed of 12α-[Al-Ti_(12)](AlTi_(2))and 5β-[Al-Ti_(14)](V2Ti)units(Ti-6.05A1-3.94V wt.%),with the fractional volume of theβphase being 32.5 vol.%,which is in agreement with experimental data.Finally,we describe how the chemical formulas of theαand p phases explain the high temperature near-a alloys(such as Ti-1100,[Al-(Ti_(0.97)Zr_(0.03))_(12)](Al_(0.67)Si_(0.12)Sn_(0.18)Mo_(0.03))_(1.01)Ti_(1.99))and high-strengthβ-Ti alloys(such as Ti-5553,[Al-Ti_(14)](Al_(0.24)Fe_(0.03)Cr_(0.20)-Mo_(0.18)V0.35)_(2.45)Ti_(0.55)),respectively.

Deposition of ZnO Films on Freestanding CVD Thick Diamond Films

For ZnO/diamond structured surface acoustic wave （SAW） filters, performance is sensitively dependent on the quality of the ZnO films. In this paper, we prepare highly-oriented and fine grained polycrystalline ZnO thin films with excellent surface smoothness on the smooth nucleation surfaces of freestanding CVD diamond films by metal organic chemical vapour deposition （MOCVD）. The properties of the ZnO films are characterized by x-ray diffraction （XRD）, scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, and photoluminescence （PL） spectrum. The influences of the deposition conditions on the quality of ZnO films are discussed briefly. ZnO/freestanding thick-diamond-film layered SAW devices with high response frequencies are expected to be developed.

THE COUPLED FEM ANALYSIS OF THE TRANSIENT TEMPERATURE FIELD DURING INERTIA FRICTION WELDING OF GH4169 ALLOY

The inertia friction welding process is a non-linear process because of the interaction between the temperature field and the material properties as well as the friction force. A thermo-mechanical coupled finite element model is established to simulate the temperature field of this process. The transient temperature distribution during the inertia friction welding process of two similar workpieces of GH4169 alloy is calculated. The region of the circular cross-section of the workpiece is divided into a number of four-nodded isoparametric elements. In this model, the temperature dependent thermal properties, time dependent heat inputs, contact condition of welding interface, and deformation of the flash were considered. At the same time, the convection and radiation heat losses at the surface of the workpieces were also considered. A temperature data acquisition system was developed. The temperature at some position near the welding interface was measured using this system. The calculated temperature agrees well with the experimental data. The deformation of the flash and the factor affecting the temperature distribution at the welding interface are also discussed.

The Interactions of Two Cold Atmospheric Plasma Jets

This paper presents the interactions between two cold atmospheric plasma jets. By changing the experimental conditions including the gas flow rate, the applied voltage, the power supply frequency and the inter-electrode distance d, three different interaction modes, attraction, repulsion and combination, were observed. It is shown that the interaction modes of the two jets are principally affected by the electrodes, the gas flow rate, the plasma jets and the power supply frequency.

Effects of Airflows on Dielectric Barrier Discharge in Air at Atmospheric Pressure

Effect of airflow on the dielectric barrier discharge in ambient air at atmospheric pressure is presented. The influence of airflow on the spatial distribution and intensity of a discharge were investigated experimentally. A critical frequency of 1 kHz was found. With the frequency above 1 kHz, when a fast airflow was introduced into the discharge gap, the discharge patterns varied from filaments to curved stripes and the curvature degree rose with an increase in the airflow speed. At the same time, the discharge intensity decreased. However with the discharge frequency below 1 kHz, the discharge intensity would get greater with an increase in the airflow speed.

Reliable Lateral Manipulation of Single Adatom on Metal fcc（lll） Surfaces with a Single-Atom Tip

Using molecular statistics simulations based on the embedded atom method potential, we investigate the reliability of the lateral manipulation of single Pt adatom on Pt（111） surface with a single-atom tip for different tip heights （tip-surface distance） and tip orientations. In the higher tip-height range, tip orientation has little influence on the reliability of the manipulation, and there is an optimal manipulation reliability in this range. In the lower tip- height range the reliability is sensitive to the tip orientation, suggesting that we can obtain a better manipulation reliability with a proper tip orientation. These results can also be extended to the lateral manipulation of Pd adatom on P d （111） surface.

Simplification of the Plasma Load of Negative-Pulse-Bias Source Used in Arc Ion Plating

Based on the voltage and current fluctuating phenomenon in the arc plasma load under the negative-pulse-bias, usingthe plasma physics theory and analysis of computer simulation expatiates that the nature of plasma load in vacuumarc plasma is a capacitance load caused by plasma sheath and can be simplified as a parallel unit composed of acapacitor and a resistor, which have exact and quantitative description in the plasma physics theory. It concludes thevalues of capacitance and resistance are thousand PF and hundred ohm from the result of simulation and experiment.As a result, this has solved the key theoretical issues for the design of negative-pulse-bias source specifically used forvacuum arc ion plating.

Two-dimensional particle-in-cell plasma source ion implantation of a prolate spheroid target

A two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation is used to study the time-dependent evolution of the sheath surrounding a prolate spheroid target during a high voltage pulse in plasma source ion implantation. Our study shows that the potential contour lines pack more closely in the plasma sheath near the vertex of the major axis, i.e. where a thinner sheath is formed, and a non-uniform total ion dose distribution is incident along the surface of the prolate spheroid target due to the focusing of ions by the potential structure. Ion focusing takes place not only at the vertex of the major axis, where dense potential contour lines exist, but also at the vertex of the minor axis, where sparse contour lines exist. This results in two peaks of the received ion dose, locating at the vertices of the major and minor axes of the prolate spheroid target, and an ion dose valley, staying always between the vertices, rather than at the vertex of the minor axis.