Microstructural characterization and oxidation resistance of multicomponent equiatomic CoCrCuFeNi-TiO high-entropy alloy

CoCrCuFeNi-TiO was prepared by arc melting of the pure elements and Ti₂CO powder under an Ar atmosphere. Both CoCrCuFeNi and CoCrCuFeNi-TiO alloys are composed of a face-centered cubic (fcc) solid solution, whereas the alloys of CoCrCuFeNi-TiO are basically composed of an fcc solid solution and TiO crystals. The microstructures of CoCrCuFeNi-TiO are identified as dendrite and interdendrite structures such as CoCrCuFeNi. The morphology of TiO is identified as an equiaxed crystal with a small amount of added Ti₂CO. By increasing the amount of Ti₂CO added, the TiO content was dramatically increased and part of the equiaxed crystals changed to a dendrite structure. A test of the oxidation resistance demonstrates that the oxidation resistance of CoCrCuFeNi-TiO is better than that of CoCrCuFeNi. However, as the TiO content increases further, a corresponding decrease is observed in the oxidation resistance.     

Effect of melting temperature on microstructural evolutions,behavior and corrosion morphology of Hadfield austenitic manganese steel in the casting process

In this study, the effect of melting temperature on the microstructural evolutions, behavior, and corrosion morphology of Hadfield steel in the casting process is investigated. The mold was prepared by the sodium silicate/CO₂ method, using a blind riser, and then the desired molten steel was obtained using a coreless induction furnace. The casting was performed at melting temperatures of 1350, 1400, 1450, and 1500℃, and the cast blocks were immediately quenched in water. Optical microscopy was used to analyze the microstructure, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffractrometry (XRD) were used to analyze the corrosion morphology and phase formation in the microstructure, respectively. The corrosion behavior of the samples was analyzed using a potentiodynamic polarization test and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in 3.5wt% NaCl. The optical microscopy observations and XRD patterns show that the increase in melting temperature led to a decrease of carbides and an increase in the austenite grain size in the Hadfield steel microstructure. The corrosion tests results show that with increasing melting temperature in the casting process, Hadfield steel shows a higher corrosion resistance. The SEM images of the corrosion morphologies show that the reduction of melting temperature in the Hadfield steel casting process induced micro-galvanic corrosion conditions.     

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.     

Effect of particle size distribution on the microstructure,texture,and mechanical properties of Al–Mg–Si–Cu alloy

The effect of particle size distribution on the microstructure,texture,and mechanical properties of Al–Mg–Si–Cu alloy was investigated on the basis of the mechanical properties,microstructure,and texture of the alloy.The results show that the particle size distribution influences the microstructure and the final mechanical properties but only slightly influences the recrystallization texture.After the pre-aging treatment and natural aging treatment(T4 P treatment),in contrast to the sheet with a uniform particle size distribution,the sheet with a bimodal particle size distribution of large constituent particles and small dispersoids exhibits higher strength and a somewhat lower plastic strain ratio(r) and strain hardening exponent(n).After solution treatment,the sheet with a bimodal particle size distribution of large constituent particles and small dispersoids possesses a finer and slightly elongated grain structure compared with the sheet with a uniform particle size distribution.Additionally,they possess almost identical weak recrystallization textures,and their textures are dominated by CubeND {001}310 and P {011}122 orientations.     

Morphology and quantitative analysis of O phase during heat treatment of hot-deformed Ti_2AlNb-based alloy

A 1040°C-hot-deformed Ti_2AlNb-based alloy solution-treated at 950°C and aged at different temperatures was quantitatively investigated. The microstructure, size of the phase, and microhardness of the deformed alloys were measured. The results indicated that the microstructure of the deformed Ti_2AlNb-based alloy specimens comprise coarse O lath, fine O lath, equiaxed O/α_2, and acicular O phase. More O phase was generated in the deformed alloy after heat treatment because the acicular O phase was more likely to nucleate and grow along the deformation-induced crystal defects such as dislocations and subgrain boundaries. After deformation and subsequent heat treatment, the acicular O phase of the resultant alloy became finer compared to that of the undeformed alloy, and the acicular O phase became coarser and longer with the elevated aging temperature, while the width of the O lath exhibited unobvious variations. The hot deformation facilitated the dissolution of the O lath but accelerated the precipitation of the acicular O phase. When the 950°C-solution-treated deformed Ti_2AlNb-based alloy was then aged at 750°C for different periods, the phase content was nearly invariable, O and B2 phases eventually reached equilibrium, and the microstructure became stable and homogeneous.     

Thermal performance and reduction kinetic analysis of cold-bonded pellets with CO and H_2 mixtures

Cold-bonded pellets, to which a new type of inorganic binder was applied, were reduced by H2–CO mixtures with different H2/CO molar ratios(1:0, 5:2, 1:1, 2:5, and 0:1) under various temperatures(1023, 1123, 1223, 1323, and 1423 K) in a thermogravimetric analysis apparatus. The effects of gas composition, temperature, and binder ratio on the reduction process were studied, and the microstructure of reduced pellets was observed by scanning electron microscopy–energy-dispersive spectrometry(SEM-EDS). The SEM-EDS images show that binder particles exist in pellets in two forms, and the form that binder particles completely surround ore particles has a more significant hinder effect on the reduction. The reduction equilibrium constant, effective diffusion coefficient, and the reaction rate constant were calculated on the basis of the unreacted core model, and the promotion effect of temperature on reduction was further analyzed. The results show that no sintering phenomenon occurred at low temperatures and that the increasing reaction rate constant and high gas diffusion coefficient could maintain the promotion effect of temperature; however, when the sintering phenomenon occurs at high temperatures, gas diffusion is hindered and the promotion effect is diminished. The contribution of the overall equilibrium constant to the promotion effect depends on the gas composition.     

Improved dehydriding property of polyvinylpyrrolidone coated Mg-Ni hydrogen storage nano-composite prepared by hydriding combustion synthesis and wet mechanical milling

In this work, polyvinylpyrrolidone(PVP) coated Mg_(95)Ni_5 nano-composites were prepared by hydriding combustion synthesis(HCS) plus wet mechanical milling(WM) with tetrahydrofuran(THF) and donated as WM-x wt% PVP(x = 1, 3, 5 and 7) respectively. The phase compositions, microstructures and dehydriding property, as well as the co-effect of PVP and THF were investigated in detail. XRD results showed that the average crystal size of MgH_2 in the milled Mg_(95)Ni_5 decreased from 23 nm without PVP to 18 nm with 1 wt% PVP. The peak temperature of dehydrogenation of MgH_2 in the milled Mg_(95)Ni_5 decreased from 293.0 ℃ without THF to 250.4 ℃ with THF. The apparent activation energy for decomposition of MgH_2 in WM-7 wt% PVP was estimated to be 66.94 kJ/mol, which is 37.70 kJ/mol lower than that of milled Mg_(95)Ni_5 without THF and PVP. PVP and THF can facilitate the refinement of particle size during mechanical milling process. Attributed to small particle sizes and synergistic effect of PVP and THF, the composites exhibit markedly improved dehydriding properties.     

Influence of minor boron on the microstructures of a second generation Nibased single crystal superalloy

Boron is added into single crystal superalloys as a micro-alloying element to strengthen low angle grain boundaries.However,systematic investigations on the effect of boron on microstructures of single crystal superalloys are limitedly reported.The effect of boron on as-cast and heat-treated microstructures was investigated in two experimental Ni-based single crystal superalloys containing 3 wt% Re.The current results indicated that the volume fraction of(γ+γ′)eutectic and M_3B_2 borides was evidently increased,while the number of micropores was evidently decreased with the addition of 0.02 wt% boron.The(γ+γ′)eutectic could not be dissolved completely due to the lower incipient melting temperature caused by the formation of M_3B_2 borides.Meanwhile,the M_3B_2 borides were found to be enriched with indispensable strengthening elements Cr,Mo,W and Re,and this may lower the strengthening effect and cause stress concentration during high temperature creep.     

Mechanical characterization and strain-rate sensitivity measurement of Ti- 7333 alloy based on nanoindentation and crystal plasticity modeling

The relationship between crystal orientations and meso-mechanical properties of β phase Ti-7333 titanium was investigated through the combination of nanoindentation experiments and simulation. The crystal plasticity finite element(CPFE) model for nanoindentation of single body-centered cubic crystal was established based on the experimental data. And the crystal plasticity constitutive law was implemented to simulate the nanoindentation process, obtaining satisfied results with an acceptable error. From the simulated pileup morphology patterns with different crystal orientations, it was found that the β phase experienced a symmetrical and orientation-related deformation process. Meanwhile, the strain-rate sensitivity(SRS) of β phase was investigated through nanoindentation tests based on continuous stiffness measurement(CSM) under different strain rates,varying between 0.2, 0.05 and 0.01 s~(-1). Two grains with different orientations exhibited similar SRS exponents,m, calculated from the experimental results.     

WO3 nanoflakes decorated with CuO clusters for enhanced photoelectrochemical water splitting

The low quantum efficiency arising from poor charges transfer and insufficient light absorption is one of the critical challenges toward achieving highly efficient water splitting in photoelectrochemical cells. Three dimensions(3D) structures and heterojunctions have received intensive research interests recent years due to their excellent ability to separate photo-generated charges as well as the enhanced light harvesting property. Herein,3 D Cu O/WO_3 structure was fabricated through a facile solvothermal method followed by chemical bath deposition. The loading of Cu O clusters on WO_3 nanoflake arrays results in a much improved photocurrent density compared with that of pristine WO_3 nanoflake arrays, which reaches 1.8 m A/cm2 at 1.23 V vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurement demonstrates that the improved performance of Cu O/WO_3 electrode is attributed to the accelerated charge transfer kinetics as a result of the desirable band alignment in Cu O/WO_3 heterojunction. This work demonstrates a facile strategy to construct superior WO_3 electrode, which will ultimately allow for efficient storage of solar energy into hydrogen.