Addition Of Ceramic Particles Research Articles

Corrosion behaviour of SiC particulate reinforced AZ31 magnesium matrix composite in 3.5 % NaCl with and without heat treatment

Magnesium is a lightweight structural material widely utilised in automotive applications. To enhance its mechanical properties, ceramic particulate reinforcement can be incorporated, particularly for wear resistance and high-temperature applications. However, the addition of ceramic particles to magnesium can compromise its corrosion resistance due to microgalvanic cell formation at the interfaces between the Mg matrix and the second phase. This reduces the chemical protection provided by the passive film. In this study, the corrosion properties of AZ31 and AZ31-5SiC samples were investigated, with a focus on the effect of heat treatment. Detailed microstructural and electrochemical analyses revealed that the AZ31 cast sample forms an effective passive film, resulting in improved corrosion resistance. However, the addition of SiC particles to AZ31 increased the corrosion rate, with corrosion mechanisms evolving over time. To mitigate these effects, a heat treatment process was employed to dissolve β-Mg17Al12 eutectic and Al8Mn5 intermetallic phases. The heat-treated AZ31 with SiC exhibited an improvement in corrosion resistance. These findings highlight the potential for heat treatment to enhance their corrosion resistance, thereby broadening their application prospects.

Oxide/metal interface enhancement for improved dispersion strengthening mechanism in oxide-strengthened tungsten

The addition of secondary ceramic particles has shown to be effective in enhancing the mechanical properties of tungsten alloys. The diverse strengthening effects observed with various secondary particles necessitate further investigation. Herein, three ultrafine-grained, oxide-dispersed-strengthened tungsten alloys were prepared using solution combustion synthesis combined with low-temperature sintering. We thoroughly investigated the influence of Al2O3, La2O3, and Y2O3 on the microstructure and mechanical properties of tungsten, as well as their respective strengthening mechanisms. A detailed comparison revealed discrepancies between the yield strength experimentally measured and the theoretically predicted strength based on conventional grain refinement strengthening and dispersion strengthening theories, highlighting the significance of the intrinsic nature of dispersed oxides. Electron microscopy analysis and density functional theory calculations revealed that, compared to other oxides, the heterogeneous interface of Al2O3 with W exhibited minimal lattice distortion and the highest work of separation, resulting in a robust interface bonding. The prepared W–Al2O3 alloy showed exceptional performance with Vickers hardness HV0.2 of 698.9 and yield strength of 2488 MPa. Its yield strength surpassed that of W–Y2O3 and W–La2O3 alloys, as well as other commonly reported refractory metal materials.

Piezoelectric properties of PVDF‐TrFE/BaTiO3 composite foams with different contents of TrFE units

AbstractPiezoelectric (PE) materials play an important role in the emerging field of micro and wearable electronics. Achieving high PE response is a key feature for their use in energy harvesting and sensing systems. In this study, highly porous lightweight composite foams composed of PVDF‐TrFE (70/30 and 80/20 mol%) and different BaTiO3 content (5, 10, and 20 wt%) are prepared by thermally induced phase separation method. The PE foams were structurally and thermally examined by using Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy, x‐ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis analyses. All composite foams were characterized by high β‐phase content, while the addition of ceramic particles resulted in higher crystallinity and thermal stability of the investigated foams. Two distinct poling methods were employed due to the different molar compositions of the copolymers. The PE response was measured by the PE strain coefficient (d33) and the output current (Ip). The composite foams based on PVDF‐TrFE 70/30 mol% copolymer, having two well‐separated Curie temperatures for the organic and inorganic phases, can be polarized to achieve the contribution of both components to the PE performance, reaching the highest value of −28.3 pC N−1 and 130 nA at 10 Hz for the composite with 20 wt% BaTiO3.

Prediction and Experimental Evaluation of Mechanical Properties of SiC-Reinforced Ti-4.25Al-2V Matrix Composites Produced by Laser Direct Energy Deposition.

An important direction in the development of additive technologies is associated with the addition of ceramic particles (oxide, carbide, boride, and nitride ceramics) to metal powders. The prediction of the physical and mechanical characteristics of SiC-particle-reinforced composite materials (PRCMs) in comparison with experimental results was studied. A near-α Ti-4.25Al-2V titanium-alloy-based composite reinforced by 1 vol.% of SiC ceramic particles was produced using laser direct energy deposition. A multiscale modeling approach at the micro and macro levels was applied. At the micro level, the toughness and strength characteristics for a temperature interval of T = 20-450 °C were predicted using a representative volume element of PRCM with the nearly real shape of SiC particles. At the macro level, the features of plastic deformation and fracture of the PRCM were predicted by numerical modeling using the commercial software Digimat Student Edition ver. 2022.4 and Ansys Student 2023 R2. The addition of SiC particles was found to improve the physical and mechanical properties in the whole temperature range. The results of the numerical modeling were consistent with the experimental data (the deviation did not exceed 10%). The proposed approach for predicting the physical and mechanical properties of Ti-4.25Al-2V/SiC can also be used for other PRCMs obtained by laser direct energy deposition.

The influence of ZrO2 on tribological and mechanical characteristics of Al composite

Metal matrix composites based on aluminium alloys are emerging for industrial applications where a high strength to weight ratio is required. In this work, a reinforced composite made of an aluminiumalloy matrix grade 7010 with zirconium dioxide is developed. Utilizing the stir casting technique, zirconium dioxide is used as reinforcement in composite materials at weight percentages of 2 percent, 4 percent and 6 percent. The composite's mechanical and metallurgical characteristics are examined. SEM and EDS image demonstrating the homogeneous dispersion of the particles inside the matrix alloy. Ceramic particle addition increases material hardness by limiting alloy matrix dislocation. Tensile tests show that adding zirconium dioxide particles increases the material's strength. The Al7010/6% zirconium dioxide composite's ultimate strength (UTS) was 255 MPa, 26% higher than the Al7010 alloy's UTS, and the Brinell hardness of Al7010/6% is 93 BHN, which is 46% higher than the base alloy. Using a pin-on-disc wear testing system, the dry sliding wear behaviour of the Al7010/2 to 6 wt% zirconium dioxide composite is studied at ambient temperature. The prepared samples wear behaviour was evaluated under various weights and speeds. Compared to the base matrix alloy Al7010, the composites showed greater wear resistance.

Compression behaviour and strengthening mechanisms for Cu hybrid composites

ABSTRACT In this investigation, Cu-TiO2-Graphite hybrid composites were fabricated with variations in wt.% of TiO2 and fixed wt.% of Graphite contents through stir casting technique. The size of the grains measured after casting were 83 ± 04, 64 ± 10, 41 ± 10 and 29 ± 04 μm for 0, 3, 6, and 9 wt% hybrid composites, respectively. The addition of 1 wt.% graphite (Gr) was not only to enhance the mechanical and tribological properties but also to improve the wettability during casting. The influence of TiO2 and Gr in Cu-hybrid composite on compression test was investigated followed by characterisation studies involving XRD, EDS, TEM, EBSD. The results reveal that 9 wt% reinforced composite exhibits more strain hardening. Further, composite exhibits higher strength due to the presence of combined strengthening mechanisms such as grain boundary, Orowan and thermal expansion coefficient mismatch in commensurate with ceramic particle addition. Out of these, it is found that Orowan strengthening contributes significantly to the compression strength of the hybrid system investigated.

Microstructure and mechanical properties of SiC-reinforced Inconel 718 composites fabricated by laser cladding

Laser cladding provides the feasibility for fabricating various ceramic-reinforced metal-matrix composite coatings, where the reinforcement content plays a critical role in influencing the residual stresses and the performance of the cladded layer. In this paper, the SiC-reinforced Inconel 718 composites are prepared by LC, and the microstructure and mechanical properties (stress distribution, microhardness, wear behavior) of the cladded layers with different SiC contents are investigated. Based on multi-physics modeling complemented by experimental validation, the thermal stress distribution is analyzed and the residual stresses of the formed Inconel 718/SiC are investigated. The addition of an appropriate amount of SiC can help to relieve residual stresses in the clad layer, with the layer containing 5 wt% SiC corresponding to the minimum residual stress. Moreover, the addition of ceramic particles is conduced to refine the microstructures, and metallic carbides generated by the decomposition of SiC in combination with the diffused elements of the matrix play a positive role in the hardness improvement. The wear resistance of the coatings also increases significantly with increase of SiC content, and the wear mechanism is dominated by abrasive wear, accompanied by oxidation wear, fatigue wear and adhesive wear.

Microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of TiB2/18Ni300 composite material produced by laser additive manufacturing

As a reinforcing phase, TiB2 exhibits exceptional wettability and stability when mixed with steel matrices, making it an ideal reinforcement for steel matrix composites. In this paper, we add TiB2 for additive manufacturing of 18Ni300 steel for weight reduction and reinforcement. TiB2 reinforced 18Ni300 matrix composites were prepared by laser cladding. SEM, EDS, and XRD were used to observe the joints' interface and fracture characteristics and analyse the substance composition. Tissue analysis was then performed using EBSD and TEM. According to the TEM and XRD results, there is a martensite structure within the cell, and the cell boundary is an austenite structure. After adding TiB2, a reinforcing phase ((Mo, Fe)3B2) is distributed at the boundary of the cell structure. The high hardness of boride increases the microhardness of the composite material. The yield strength, modulus, and elongation of the samples prepared with 18Ni300 powder are lower than that of forged 18Ni300, but the tensile strength reaches 1134 MPa. The addition of TiB2 increases the composite material's yield strength and elastic modulus significantly. This strengthening technique, which employs the addition of ceramic particles to martensitic steel, is currently not widely used. This experiment provides a theoretical basis and process reference for preparing high-stiffness and lightweight ceramic particle reinforced metal matrix composites.

Incorporation of Al2O3 and ZrO2 ceramics to AZ31 magnesium alloys composite coating using micro-arc oxidation method

In this research, a composite coating with Al2O3 and ZrO2 particles have been applied on AZ31 magnesium alloy by micro-arc oxidation (MAO) technique. The alkaline electrolyte included a constant based composition and different composition of the Al2O3 and ZrO2 additives. Microstructure observations reveal that the surface pores of composite coating reduced during addition of ZrO2 and Al2O3 ceramic particles. The hardness of coating increased from about 380 for non-added to 620 MPa for Al2O3+ZrO2 added coating and wear rate reduced about 8 times. Wettability of the coating increased by incorporation of Al2O3 and/or ZrO2 particles while, Al2O3 is more effective than ZrO2. Addition of the ceramic particles enhanced the hydrophilicity properties of surface in wettability test and a contact angle of 43° was obtained for coating including Al2O3+ZrO2. The antibacterial properties of MAO coatings showed that S. aureus bacterium is more sensitive to the zirconia and alumina particle than S. typhimurium bacterium after 24 h of incubation.

Highly corrosion and wear-resistant NiW–SiC–CeO2 composite coating

ABSTRACT Crack-free and uniform NiW composite coatings filled with ceramic particles such as SiC and CeO2 were deposited on brass substrates by applying direct current (DC) and a well-designed pulse reverse current waveforms (PRC). PRC coatings displayed the noblest corrosion potential and lowest current density compared to DC electrodeposited coatings. Among all PRC coatings, PRC–NiW–SiC–CeO2 demonstrated the highest corrosion resistance and the lowest current density. It also seems that the addition of ceramic particles to the NiW matrix enhanced the wear resistance of the coatings and the lowest wear volume of about (14.119 × 103 µm3) and the friction coefficient of 0.25 was obtained due to the formation of the uniform, void-free and packed structures with high content of SiC and CeO2 particles in the deposit.

Effect of crack and vibration of waste tyre rubber hybrid composite for energy absorption applications

Composites reinforced with landfill waste materials have find the applications in engineering materials and they can lead to reduce the environmental pollutions. Waste tyre rubber, broken ceramic tiles and wood particles are creating the environmental hazard to the surroundings. In particular, the recycling of used tyre rubber is highly challenging, but it has very good property to absorb the energy. The reinforcement of rubber as single filler in composite has the limitations in processing and applications. Hence, the above waste materials are incorporated to prepare the composite in the present work. The fracture toughness and shear strength of composites were evaluated and compared with other combinations along with pure epoxy specimen. In order to find the application of composite in dynamic conditions the vibration analysis were done. The presents of rubber decreased the fracture toughness and at the same time the incorporation of ceramic largely improved the fracture toughness of epoxy composite. The shear strength of composites increased with the addition of ceramic and wood particles. But the rubber particle has the great influence on the damping behavior of ceramic base epoxy composites. The addition of ceramic with the epoxy increased the natural frequency and decreased the damping factor. This can be compensated by the inclusion of rubber with ceramic in epoxy resin matrix. 15 wt % addition of rubber with ceramic and epoxy increased the natural frequency of 18.52% and damping factor of 288% than 5 wt % of rubber with ceramic and epoxy. The natural frequency and damping factor of ceramic and rubber based epoxy composite have the highest amount of all combinations and can be used for vibration applications to absorb the energy at high frequencies.

Research on casing deformation mechanism and prevention technology in salt rock creep formation

Aiming at casing damage in the salt rock, the creep characteristics of the salt rock in the southeastern China are investigated by triaxial creep test. Based on the experimental results, an unsteady creep model which can describe the creep and steady stage of the salt rock is set up combined with the Kelvin model and the Heard model by the deviation stress. The unsteady creep model was used to calculate the radial displacement of the wellbore based on ABAQUS platform. The results show that the higher casing pressure can effectively reduce the creep displacement of the rock, and the higher horizontal principal stress and the overburden pressure can increase the formation deviation stress, thus increasing the creep displacement of the salt rock. The maximum displacement of the casing caused by the formation is 25 mm by a string simulation device. The elastic modulus of the cement is effectively reduced by adding hollow ceramic particles to the cement, so that the strain energy added to the wellbore system by the formation radial creep can be fully absorbed by this cement sheath. Combined with the numerical simulations and the cement tests with the addition of hollow ceramic particles, a casing deformation prevention method is finally established in this paper.

Comparisons of performances in Ti-V-Al composites with single and multiple in-situ reinforcements

In the present study, various kinds of in-situ reinforcements were introduced into Ti-V-Al shape memory alloys to enhance strength. The results revealed that the addition of TiB2 and B4C ceramic particles can form TiB whiskers and a mixture of TiB whiskers and TiC particles, respectively. Meanwhile, both TiB2 and B4C ceramic particles can refine grain size of Ti-V-Al shape memory alloys. The addition of TiB2 and B4C ceramic particles caused an increase in martensitic transformation temperature. The grain refinement and introduction of in-situ TiB whisker and TiC particles resulted in an obvious improvement in strength without sacrificing the strain recovery characteristics. For comparison, the addition of B4C ceramic particles can obtain high-performance Ti-V-Al shape memory alloys.

A high-stable polyacrylonitrile/ceramic composite membranes for high-voltage lithium-ion batteries

Polymer/ceramic composite gel electrolytes are considered promising alternatives to conventional liquid electrolytes for developing high-energy and safer lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). In this study, we prepare three polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/ceramic composite membranes with 40 wt% Al2O3, BaTiO3, and TiO2 ceramic nanoparticles and compared their properties with those of pristine PAN. Structural and morphological investigations confirm the formation of the polymer/ceramic composites. The interconnected microporous structure PAN/ceramic composites efficiently entrapped a large amount of liquid electrolyte and exhibit improved ionic conductivity compared to that of the pristine PAN electrolyte. The PAN/Al2O3 composite electrolyte displays the highest ionic conductivity of 5.2 × 10−3 S cm−1 under ambient conditions with low Li+-coordinated EC and high free PF6− concentration. Thermal shrinkage tests indicate that the addition of ceramic particles enhance the thermal stability of the PAN/ceramic membranes, as compared to that of commercial polyethylene separators. The PAN/ceramic composite electrolytes are tested as separator-cum-electrolytes in lithium-ion batteries using a LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 (NCM811) high-voltage cathode, and a lithium metal anode. The LIB with the PAN/Al2O3 composite electrolyte delivers a high capacity of 184 mAh g−1 at 0.5 C, which is retained at 85% after 100 cycles, demonstrating the best rate performance among all tested composite electrolytes.

Effect of hBN on Corrosion and Wear Performances of DC Electrodeposited NiW and NiW–SiC on Brass Substrates

Crack-free and uniform nickel–tungsten (NiW) coatings and their composite coatings filled with ceramic particles such as silicon carbide (SiC) and hexagonal-boron nitride (hBN) were deposited on brass substrates by applying direct current (DC) waveforms. Among all coatings, NiW–SiC–hBN coatings displayed the noblest corrosion potential (−0.49 V) and lowest current density (4.36 × 10−6 A·cm−2). It also seems that addition of hBN and SiC ceramic particles to NiW matrix remarkably improved the wear performance of the NiW coatings. However, NiW–hBN exhibited the lowest wear volume (48.84 × 103 µm3) and the friction coefficient of 0.1 due to ultra–low friction coefficient of hBN particles.

Strengthening of Mg-Al-Zn-Mn alloy using SiC/Al nanocomposite extrusion

The use of lightweight alloys such as magnesium (Mg) is critical for achieving improved fuel efficiency and reduced emissions for automobiles, as well as increased range for electric vehicles. To promote their use in industry, in replacing iron-based alloys, their mechanical properties must be improved. This can be achieved through the addition of fine ceramic particles, producing metal matrix composites. One of the most promising alloys of Mg is Mg-Al-Zn-Mn alloy. The current work examined the influence of SiC nanoparticles on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Mg-Al-Zn-Mn alloy composites. The additives were prepared via the extrusion of aluminum powder combined with 60 nm SiC particles. The resultant grain refinement was indeed significant, with a 54 % reduction for the 0.02 wt% SiC addition level. In addition, a more uniform dispersion of the β-Mg17Al12 phase and fine spherical clusters of Mg2Si were observed using scanning electron microscopy. The favorable morphology of the Mg2Si intermetallics and the fine grain size resulted in an improvement in tensile strength of approximately 32 %. The enhancements in mechanical properties were attributed to the Hall-Petch mechanism. Thus, the SiC-containing composite materials may be effectively used for light-alloy strengthening, leading to increased use of Mg alloys in industry.

MECHANICAL IMPROVEMENT OF HARDENING AND TEMPERING STEEL WITH THE ADDITION OF SiC AND TiCN NANOPARTICLES IN THE STEEL MELT

Novel processing technologies have allowed the reinforcement of several steel grades and alloys through the fine dispersion of different types of particles. However, the addition of ceramic particles in the steel melt causes agglomeration and coarsening phenomena. For this reason, little research has been carried out to add ceramic particles in steel in the traditional steelmaking process. Here we report a hardened and tempered steel grade that is reinforced for the first time through the addition of ceramic nanoparticles, such as TiCN and SiC, into the steel melt at laboratory scale. The results obtained from the tensile tests and hardness measurements reveal the mechanical behaviour of the steel grade is enhanced after the addition of the nanoparticles. KEYWORDS: Hardened and tempered steel; Nanoparticle; Laboratory scale casting; Microstructure; Grain refinement; Solid solution hardening; Mechanical properties

Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of (Ti, Nb)C Ceramic-Reinforced 316L Stainless Steel Coating by Laser Cladding

The poor wear resistance of 316L stainless steel restricts further practical application. In this study, to improve its microhardness and wear resistance, the TiC and NbC ceramic particles were introduced to 316L powder fabricate (Ti, Nb)C ceramics-reinforced composite coatings by laser cladding. The effects of ceramics addition on the phase composition, microstructure, microhardness, and wear properties of the composite coating were investigated with an X-ray diffractometer, optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, a Vickers hardness tester, and a multi-functional surface performance tester. Results indicate that the TiC and NbC ceramic particles were distributed at the grain boundaries, effectively inhibiting the grain growth and refining the microstructure. The addition of ceramic particles could have decreased the temperature gradient and promoted the transformation from columnar crystals to equiaxed crystals. In addition, the microhardness was improved due to fine grain strengthening and solid solution strengthening. The friction coefficient and cross-sectional area of the composite coating were 0.381 and 8164.732 μm2, which was 0.846 and 0.603 times that of the 316L coating, respectively. Moreover, severe adhesive wear and plastic deformation was transformed into slight adhesive wear and abrasive wear due to the addition of TiC and NbC particles. This study provides new approaches to improving the wear resistance of 316L stainless steel and broadens its application.

STUDY OF MECHANICAL BEHAVIOUR ON ALUMIN IUM 6061 MATRIX COMPOSITES REINFORCED WITH Al2O3 AND B4C PARTICALS AND FRACTOGRAPHY STRUCTURE

-Al6061 alloy is a wrought alloy with the main alloying constituent’s magnesium (Mg) and silicon (Si). The Al6061 alloy has great qualities at ambient temperature and good at wet ability, but it has poor high-temperature behaviour. Furthermore, by adding conventional reinforcements to make composites, it is important to develop the mechanical behaviour of aluminium metal matrix composites. Usually stir casting involves addition of ceramic particles into the softened melt in the crucible. In this study, Al6061- Al2O3-B4C composites are produced by novel dual stir casting in which particulates are mixed homogeneously with melt by mechanical stirring in two stages and solidification takes place with the suspended particles. These novel two stages of mixing of ceramic and oxide particulates improved the wet ability of these reinforcements with the matrix material. Key Words: Aluminium, Al2O3, B4C, Tensile, Hardness, Impact, Fractography.

Poly-ε-Caprolactone-Hydroxyapatite-Alumina (PCL-HA-α-Al2O3) Electrospun Nanofibers in Wistar Rats

Biodegradable polymers of natural origin are ideal for the development of processes in tissue engineering due to their immunogenic potential and ability to interact with living tissues. However, some synthetic polymers have been developed in recent years for use in tissue engineering, such as Poly-ε-caprolactone. The nanotechnology and the electrospinning process are perceived to produce biomaterials in the form of nanofibers with diverse unique properties. Biocompatibility tests of poly-ε-caprolactone nanofibers embedded with hydroxyapatite and alumina nanoparticles manufactured by means of the electrospinning technique were carried out in Wistar rats to be used as oral dressings. Hydroxyapatite as a material is used because of its great compatibility, bioactivity, and osteoconductive properties. The PCL, PCL-HA, PCL-α-Al2O3, and PCL-HA-α-Al2O3 nanofibers obtained in the process were characterized by infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The nanofibers had an average diameter of (840 ± 230) nm. The nanofiber implants were placed and tested at 2, 4, and 6 weeks in the subcutaneous tissue of the rats to give a chronic inflammatory infiltrate, characteristic foreign body reaction, which decreased slightly at 6 weeks with the addition of hydroxyapatite and alumina ceramic particles. The biocompatibility test showed a foreign body reaction that produces a layer of collagen and fibroblasts. Tissue loss and necrosis were not observed due to the coating of the material, but a slight decrease in the inflammatory infiltrate occurred in the last evaluation period, which is indicative of the beginning of the acceptance of the tested materials by the organism.