Effect of reinforcement content on the adhesive wear behavior of Cu10Sn5Ni/Si3N4 composites produced by stir casting

The main objective of this paper was to fabricate Cu10Sn5Ni alloy and its composites reinforced with various contents of Si₃N₄ particles (5wt%, 10wt%, and 15wt%) and to investigate their dry sliding wear behavior using a pin-on-disk tribometer. Microstructural examinations of the specimens revealed a uniform dispersion of Si₃N₄ particles in the copper matrix. Wear experiments were performed for all combinations of parameters, such as load (10, 20, and 30 N), sliding distance (500, 1000, and 1500 m), and sliding velocity (1, 2, and 3 m/s), for the alloy and the composites. The results revealed that wear rate increased with increasing load and increasing sliding distance, whereas the wear rate decreased and then increased with increasing sliding velocity. The primary wear mechanism encountered at low loads was mild adhesive wear, whereas that at high loads was severe delamination wear. An oxide layer was formed at low velocities, whereas a combination of shear and plastic deformation occurred at high velocities. The mechanism at short sliding distances was ploughing action of Si₃N₄ particles, which act as protrusions; by contrast, at long sliding distances, direct metal-metal contact occurred. Among the investigated samples, the Cu/10wt% Si₃N₄ composite exhibited the best wear resistance at a load of 10 N, a velocity of 2 m/s, and a sliding distance of 500 m.     

超音速等离子喷涂制备的Al–25Si–4Cu–1Mg耐磨涂层的组织与性能

A high content silicon aluminum alloy (Al–25Si–4Cu–1Mg) coating was prepared on a 2A12 aluminum alloy by supersonic plasma spraying. The morphology and microstructure of the coating were observed and analyzed. The hardness, elastic modulus, and bonding strength of the coating were measured. The wear resistance of the coating and 2A12 aluminum alloy was studied by friction and wear test. The results indicated that the coating was compact and the porosity was only 1.5%. The phase of the coating was mainly composed of α-Al and β-Si as well as some hard particles (Al₉Si, Al_3.21Si_0.47, and CuAl₂). The average microhardness of the coating was HV 242, which was greater than that of 2A12 aluminum alloy (HV 110). The wear resistance of the coating was superior to 2A12 aluminum alloy. The wear mechanism of the 2A12 aluminum alloy was primarily adhesive wear, while that of the coating was primarily abrasive wear. Therefore, it is possible to prepare a high content silicon aluminum alloy coating with good wear resistance on an aluminum alloy by supersonic plasma spraying.     

Reaction mechanism for in-situ β-SiAlON formation in Fe3Si-Si3N4-Al2O3 composites

In this work, Fe₃Si-Si₃N₄-Al₂O₃ composites were prepared at 1300℃ in an N₂ atmosphere using fused corundum and tabular alumina particles, Al₂O₃ fine powder, and ferrosilicon nitride (Fe₃Si-Si₃N₄) as raw materials and thermosetting phenolic resin as a binder. The effect of ferrosilicon nitride with different concentrations (0wt%, 5wt%, 10wt%, 15wt%, 20wt%, and 25wt%) on the properties of Fe₃Si-Si₃N₄-Al₂O₃ composites was investigated. The results show that the apparent porosity varies between 10.3% and 17.3%, the bulk density varies from 2.94 g/cm3 and 3.30 g/cm3, and the cold crushing strength ranges from 67 MPa to 93 MPa. Under the experimental conditions, ferrosilicon nitride, whose content decreases substantially, is unstable; part of the ferrosilicon nitride is converted into Fe₂C, whereas the remainder is retained, eventually forming the ferrosilicon alloy. Thermodynamic assessment of the Si₅AlON₇ indicated that the ferrosilicon alloy accelerated the reactions between Si₃N₄ and α-Al₂O₃ fine powder and that Si in the ferrosilicon alloy was nitrided directly, forming β-SiAlON simultaneously. In addition, fused corundum did not react directly with Si₃N₄ because of its low reactivity.     

Crystallization behavior of Fe78Si13B9 metallic glass under high magnetic field

The effects of high magnetic field on the crystallization behavior of the Fe₇₈Si₁₃B₉ metallic glass ribbon were studied. The samples were isothermal annealed for 30 min under high magnetic field and no field,respectively. Microstructure transformation during crystallization was identified by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. It was found that the crystallizations of Fe₇₈Si₁₃B₉ metallic glass processed under different conditions were that the precipitation of dendrite α-Fe(Si) and spherulite (Fe,Si)₃B phases forms amorphous matrix and then the metastable (Fe,Si)₃B phase transforms into the stable Fe₂B phase. The grain size of the crystals is smaller and more homogeneous for the isothermal annealed samples under high magnetic field in comparison with that under no field indicating that the crystallization behavior of Fe₇₈Si₁₃B₉ metallic glass is suppressed by high magnetic field.     

Temperature effect on the corrosion and passivation characterization of Ni<Subscript>82.3</Subscript>Cr<Subscript>7</Subscript>Fe<Subscript>3</Subscript>Si<Subscript>4.5</Subscript>B<Subscript>3.2</Subscript> alloy in acidic media

The effects of temperature on corrosion and the electrochemical behavior of Ni_82.3Cr₇Fe₃Si_4.5B_3.2 glassy alloy in HCl, H₂SO₄, and H₃PO₄ acids were studied using AC and DC techniques. Impedance data reveal that the susceptibility to localized corrosion increases with increasing temperature. Potentiodynamic polarization curves reveal that the bulk glassy alloy is spontaneously passivated at all the investigated temperature in H₂SO₄ and H₃PO₄ solutions. A localized corrosion effect in HCl solution is clearly observed. The apparent activation energies in the regions of Tafel, active, and passive, as well as the enthalpies and entropies of the dissolution process were determined and discussed. The high apparent activation energy (E_a) value for H₃PO₄ solution in Tafel region is explained by the low aggressivity of PO₄3- ions.     

Microstructural characteristics and mechanical properties of Al-2024 alloy processed via a rheocasting route

This article reports the effects of stirring speed and T6 heat treatment on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Al-2024 alloy synthesized by a rheocasting process. There was a decrease in grain size of α-Al particles corresponding to an increase in stirring speed. By increasing the stirring speed, however, the globularity of matrix particles first increased and then declined. It was also found that the hardness, compressive strength, and compressive strain increased with the increase of stirring speed. Microstructural studies revealed the presence of nonsoluble Al₁₅(CuFeMn)₃Si₂ phase in the vicinity of CuAl₂ in the rheocast samples. The required time for the solution treatment stage was also influenced by stirring speed; the solution treatment time decreased with the increase in stirring speed. Furthermore, the rheocast samples required a longer homogenization period compared to conventionally wrought alloys. Improvements in hardness and compressive properties were observed after T6 heat treatment.     

Influence of Al on the magnetostriction of Fe-Ga polycrystal alloys under compressive stress

Fe₈₀Ga_20?xAl_x (x = 0, 6, 9, 14) ingots were prepared from high purity elements using a vacuum induction system. X-ray diffraction patterns show that the alloys are A2 disordered structures. The influence of the partial substitution of Ga in Fe-Ga alloys with Al on their magnetostrictive properties was investigated, and the effects of different heat treatment conditions on the magnetostriction and microstructure of the alloy rods were also examined. The saturation magnetostriction value of Fe₈₀Ga₂₀ can reach to 240·10?6 under a compressive stress of 20 MPa. The Fe₈₀Ga₁₁Al₉ alloy has many good properties, such as low hysteresis, high linearity of the magnetostriction curve, and low saturated magnetic field, which make it a potential candidate for magnetostrictive actuator and transducer applications. It is found that subgrains have little influence on the magnetostriction of Fe-Ga alloys.     

Cu-Zn-Al2O3 nanocomposites:study of microstructure,corrosion,and wear properties

Alumina nanoparticles were added to a Cu-Zn alloy to investigate their effect on the microstructural, tribological, and corrosion properties of the prepared alloys. Alloying was performed using a mixture of copper and zinc powders with 0vol% and 5vol% of α-Al nanopowder in a satellite ball mill. The results showed that the Cu-Zn solid solution formed after 18 h of mechanical alloying. The mechanically alloyed powder was compacted followed by sintering of the obtained green compacts at 750℃ for 30 min. Alumina nanoparticles were uniformly distributed in the matrix of the Cu-Zn alloy. The tribological properties were evaluated by pin-on-disk wear tests, which revealed that, upon the addition of alumina nanoparticles, the coefficient of friction and the wear rate were reduced to 20% and 40%, respectively. The corrosion properties of the samples exposed to a 3.5wt% NaCl solution were studied using the immersion and potentiodynamic polarization methods, which revealed that the addition of alumina nanoparticles reduced the corrosion current of the nanocomposite by 90%.     

Reaction behavior of trace oxygen during combustion of falling FeSi75 powder in a nitrogen flow

To explore the reaction behavior of trace oxygen during the flash combustion process of falling FeSi75 powder in a nitrogen flow, a flash-combustion-synthesized Fe-Si₃N₄ sample was heat-treated to remove SiO₂. The samples before and after the treatment were investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy, and the formation mechanism of SiO₂ was investigated. The results show that SiO₂ in the Fe-Si₃N₄ is mainly located on the surface or around the Si₃N₄ particles in dense areas, existing in both crystalline and amorphous states; when the FeSi75 particles, which are less than 0.074 mm in size, fell in up-flowing hot N₂ stream, trace oxygen in the N₂ stream did not significantly hinder the nitridation of FeSi75 particles as it was consumed by the surface oxidation of the generated Si₃N₄ particles to form SiO₂. At the reaction zone, the oxidation of Si₃N₄ particles decreased the oxygen partial pressure in the N₂ stream and greatly reduced the opportunity for FeSi75 particles to be oxidized into SiO₂; by virtue of the SiO₂ film developed on the surface, the Si₃N₄ particles adhered to each other and formed dense areas in the material.     

PTA clad (Cr,Fe)7C3/γ-Fe in situ ceramal composite coating

A wear-resistant (Cr, Fe)₇C₃/γ-Fe in situ ceramal composite coating was fabricated on the substrate of 0.45wt%C carbon steel by a plasma-transferred arc cladding process using the Fe-Cr-C elemental powder blends. The microstructure, microhardness, and dry-sliding wear resistance of the coating were evaluated. The results indicate that the microstructure of the coating, which was composed of (Cr, Fe)₇C₃ primary phase uniformly distributed in the γ-Fe, and the (Cr, Fe)₇C₃ eutectic matrix was metallurgically bonded to the 0.45wt%C carbon steel substrate. From substrate to coating, the microstructure of the coating exhibited an evident epitaxial growth character. The coating, indehiscent and tack-free, had high hardness and appropriate gradient. It had excellent wear resistance under the dry sliding wear test condition.     

Corrosion-wear behavior of nanocrystalline Fe88Si12 alloy in acid and alkaline solutions

The corrosion?wear behavior of a nanocrystalline Fe88Si12 alloy disc coupled with a Si3N4 ball was investigated in acid (pH 3) and alkaline (pH 9) aqueous solutions. The dry wear was also measured for reference. The average friction coefficient of Fe88Si12 alloy in the pH 9 solution was approximately 0.2, which was lower than those observed for Fe88Si12 alloy in the pH 3 solution and in the case of dry wear. The fluctuation of the friction coefficient of samples subjected to the pH 9 solution also showed similar characteristics. The wear rate in the pH 9 solution slightly increased with increasing applied load. The wear rate was approximately one order of magnitude less than that in the pH 3 solution and was far lower than that in the case of dry wear, especially at high applied load. The wear traces of Fe88Si12 alloy under dif-ferent wear conditions were examined and analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results indicated that the tribo-chemical reactions that involve oxidation of the worn surface and hydrolysis of the Si3N4 ball in the acid solution were restricted in the pH 9 aqueous solution. Thus, water lubrication can effectively improve the wear resistance of nanocrystalline Fe88Si12 alloy in the pH 9 aqueous solution.     

Corrosion-wear behavior of nanocrystalline Fe_(88)Si_(12) alloy in acid and alkaline solutions

The corrosion-wear behavior of a nanocrystalline Fe_(88)Si_(12) alloy disc coupled with a Si_3N_4 ball was investigated in acid(pH 3) and alkaline(pH 9) aqueous solutions. The dry wear was also measured for reference. The average friction coefficient of Fe_(88)Si_(12) alloy in the pH 9 solution was approximately 0.2, which was lower than those observed for Fe_(88)Si_(12) alloy in the pH 3 solution and in the case of dry wear. The fluctuation of the friction coefficient of samples subjected to the pH 9 solution also showed similar characteristics. The wear rate in the pH 9 solution slightly increased with increasing applied load. The wear rate was approximately one order of magnitude less than that in the pH 3 solution and was far lower than that in the case of dry wear, especially at high applied load. The wear traces of Fe_(88)Si_(12) alloy under different wear conditions were examined and analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results indicated that the tribo-chemical reactions that involve oxidation of the worn surface and hydrolysis of the Si_3N_4 ball in the acid solution were restricted in the pH 9 aqueous solution. Thus, water lubrication can effectively improve the wear resistance of nanocrystalline Fe_(88)Si_(12) alloy in the pH 9 aqueous solution.     

Catalytic oxidation of phenol in wastewater-A new application of the amorphous Fe78Si9B13 alloy

The amorphous Fe78Si9B13 alloy was used as a heterogeneous Fenton catalyst in the process of phenol degradation.The influences of main operating parameters such as reaction temperature,catalyst amount,hydrogen peroxide dosage and initial pH of solution on phenol degradation rate were investigated.The maximum mineralization of phenol was achieved at 60°C,6 g/L Fe78Si9B13, 0.31 mol/L hydrogen peroxide,with an initial pH of 2.5.More than 99%of phenol was completely removed under the optimum conditions within 10 min for a solution containing 1000 mg/L of phenol.Batch experiments for solutions containing phenol con- centrations ranging from 50 to 2000 mg/L were investigated under the above conditions and the same excellent degradation rate was obtained.The Fe78Si9B13 showed better catalytic activity than iron powder and Fe 2+ .Addition of n-butannol(hydroxyl radical scavenger)decreased the degradation rate of phenol,which demonstrates that hydroxyl radicals were mainly responsible for the removal of phenol.We demonstrated that phenol may be degraded by hydroxyl radicals decomposed by hydrogen peroxide on the surface of Fe78Si9B13 and illustrated the reaction mechanism for this process.This amorphous alloy exhibited high stability in recycling experiments and showed excellent reuse performance even after continuous operations of 8 cycles.     

Electromagnetic modification of faceted-faceted Ni<Subscript>31</Subscript>Si<Subscript>12</Subscript>-Ni<Subscript>2</Subscript>Si eutectic alloy

In an electromagnetic field, the morphology of a binary faceted-faceted (FF) Ni31Si12-Ni2Si eutectic microstructure and the alloy’s mechanical properties were investigated. Hardness experiments demonstrated that the solidified ingots were significantly strengthened, and the hardness was improved to 63.1 and 786.6 on the Rockwell hardness C and Vickers hardness scales, respectively. Tests of friction and wear in stirred FF eutectic alloys showed excellent anti-fatigue and anti-adhesion wear performance. Alloy changed from an anomalous microstructure to a refined quasi-regular structure, and there was an increase in the lamellar microstructure fraction. The formation process of the refined quasi-regular microstructure and the resulting mechanical properties were investigated.     

The giant magnetocaloric effect in Gd<Subscript>5</Subscript>Si<Subscript>2</Subscript>Ge<Subscript>2</Subscript> with low purity gadolinium

The giant magnetocaloric effect Gd5Si2Ge2 alloy was prepared with 99wt% low purity commercial Gd. Powder XRD and magnetic measurements showed that the Gd5Si2Ge2 alloy annealed at 1200℃ for 1h had a significant magnetic- crystallographic first order phase transition at about 270 K. The maximal magnetic entropy change is 17.55 J· kg^-1· K^-1 under a magnetic field change of 0-5 T. The distinct increase of magnetic entropy change belongs to the first-order phase transition from the orthorhombic Gd5Si4-type to the monoclinic Gd5Si2Ge2-type after high temperature heat-treatment.     

Effect of Fe<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> on the crystallization behavior of glass-ceramics produced from naturally cooled yellow phosphorus furnace slag

CaO-Al₂O₃-SiO₂ (CAS) glass-ceramics were prepared via a melting method using naturally cooled yellow phosphorus furnace slag as the main raw material. The effects of the addition of Fe₂O₃ on the crystallization behavior and properties of the prepared glass-ceramics were studied by differential thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy. The crystallization activation energy was calculated using the modified Johnson-Mehl-Avrami equation. The results show that the intrinsic nucleating agent in the yellow phosphorus furnace slag could effectively promote the crystallization of CAS. The crystallization activation energy first increased and then decreased with increasing amount of added Fe₂O₃. At 4wt% of added Fe₂O₃, the crystallization activation energy reached a maximum of 676.374 kJ·mol-1. The type of the main crystalline phase did not change with the amount of added Fe₂O₃. The primary and secondary crystalline phases were identified as wollastonite (CaSiO₃) and hedenbergite (CaFe(Si₂O₆)), respectively.     

Mineral-phase evolution and sintering behavior of MO-SiO2-Al2O3-B2O3 (M=Ca,Ba) glass-ceramics by low-temperature liquid-phase sintering

In this work, network former SiO₂ and network intermediate Al₂O₃ were introduced into typical low-melting binary compositions CaO·B₂O₃, CaO·2B₂O₃, and BaO·B₂O₃ via an aqueous solid-state suspension milling route. Accordingly, multiple-phase aluminosilicate glass-ceramics were directly obtained via liquid-phase sintering at temperatures below 950℃. On the basis of liquid-phase sintering theory, mineral-phase evolutions and glass-phase formations were systematically investigated in a wide MO-SiO₂-Al₂O₃-B₂O₃ (M=Ca, Ba) composition range. The results indicate that major mineral phases of the aluminosilicate glass-ceramics are Al₂₀B₄O₃₆, CaAl₂Si₂O₈, and BaAl₂Si₂O₈ and that the glass-ceramic materials are characterized by dense microstructures and excellent dielectric properties.