Complete Amorphous Structure Research Articles

Effect of heat treatment on chemical durability and TL dosimetric properties of Na2O-SrO-B2O3 glass system

Na2O-SrO-B2O3 glass system prepared by the known melting-quenching method was applied to a progressive heat treatment (HT) at 600 °C for 4, 6, 8 and 10 h. Glass (G) and its corresponding heat treated (HT) samples were characterized by density, molar volume and XRD technique that revealed the complete amorphous structure of the glassy matrix and the coexistence of two crystalline phases in the corresponding glass ceramics; monoclinic phase of NaSrBO3 and the triclinic phase of sodium strontium pentaborate Na3SrB5O10. Testing chemical durability of G and HT samples at 95 °C for 24 h, revealed higher chemical stability in aqueous (H2O) and acidic (H2SO4) solutions, while the highest leachability was detected in the alkaline medium (NaOH). pH of leaching solution was found to control the leaching process and displayed rising behavior with time of immersion. The progressive rising of leaching solution temperature; 25, 40, 60 and 95 °C, revealed a quiet leachable enhancement as well. SEM photographs represented rough and heterogeneous surface morphology with continual leaching and the formation of colloidal layers at the later stages of corrosion.The TL-dosimetric properties indicated extremely higher thermoluminescence properties of HT samples than the untreated glass. The analysis of the exhibited TL signals revealed the composition of the glow curves of the treated and untreated samples of eight TL components. The obtained results recommend the acceptable chemical durability of the heat treated samples especially in the neutral medium that displayed no more than 8.5% leachability rate yearly, besides their promising TL-dosimetric features, accordingly their possible application in the field of radiation dosimetry.

Abnormal fretting wear behavior of Fe-based amorphous coating

To promote the application of Fe-based amorphous coating (AMC)-protected magnesium alloys in fretting wear conditions, a Fe-based AMC with a thickness of about 164 μm was deposited on AZ31B magnesium alloy substrate by detonation spraying. The microstructure and fretting wear behaviors against GCr15 counterpart ball in different frequencies of the Fe-based AMC were studied in detail. The results show that the Fe-based AMC has a substantially complete amorphous structure, the porosity and surface hardness are ≤1.2 vol %, and 764.7 ± 37.5 Hv0.1, respectively. Therefore, the Fe-based AMC presents excellent fretting wear resistance, and its wear rate is almost 1/10 of that of AZ31B magnesium alloy, and 1/5 of that of high-velocity oxygen-fuel sprayed 316L stainless steel coating on AZ31B magnesium alloy substrate. The fretting wear behavior of Fe-based AMC was found to be sensitive to the fretting frequency: as the frequency increases from 5 to 100 Hz, the average steady-state friction coefficient increases from 0.77 to 1.07, but the wear rate exhibits an anomalous phenomenon, decreasing from 5.26 × 10−5 mm3N−1m−1 to 3.47 × 10−5 mm3N−1m−1. The improvement in wear rate is mainly attributed to the formation of an oxygen-rich river-like friction layer on the worn surface as the transient contact temperature increases with frequency, effectively suppressing delamination wear. Additionally, the occurrence of high transient frictional temperatures at high frequencies leads to evident crystallization within the coating, accompanied by the formation of nanocrystals, oxide films, and a large area river-like friction layer consisting of debris-compacted layers, which strengthens the Fe-based AMC. Consequently, the wear mechanism changes from delamination wear and abrasive wear at low frequencies to oxidative wear and adhesive wear at high frequencies, resulting in superior fretting wear resistance of the Fe-based AMC at high frequencies.

Nickel content-dependent microstructure and mechanical properties of TiZrNbHfNi high entropy alloy thin films

Alloying is known as an effective strategy to improve the mechanical properties of metallic materials. Here we show that the microstructure and mechanical behavior of a TiZrNbHf1.6 high entropy alloy film can be highly tuned by Ni addition. The newly designed TiZrNbHf1.6Nix (x = 0, 0.4, 1.2, 1.8, 2.5, 3.0, 4.6) alloy films are synthesized by co-sputtering Ti, Zr, Nb, Hf and Ni elemental targets. The microstructure and mechanical behavior of the alloy films are investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and nano/micro-indentations. The microstructural analysis indicates that the TiZrNbHf1.6 film has a single body-centered cubic with columnar-nanograined structure. As Ni content increases to 0.4 or above, the films show a complete amorphous structure. Our theoretical analysis shows that the transition from the crystalline to the amorphous structure can be attributed to the large atomic radius difference and the change of the thermodynamic parameters (e.g., mixing entropy and mixing enthalpy) due to the Ni addition. Compared to the TiZrNbHf1.6 film with a hardness of 4.8 GPa, a hardness increase of 8–35% is achieved in the Ni-doped alloy films (5.2–6.5 GPa) as measured by nanoindentation. The elevated hardness may be attributed to the severe lattice distortion and the amorphous structure induced by the Ni addition. Furthermore, microindentation reveals a diversity of deformation behavior in those films with different Ni content. A homogeneous deformation (slight plastic pileup) occurred in the films with Ni content of 1.2 and 4.6, which is close to the deformation behavior of the crystal TiZrNbHf1.6 film. While the film with a Ni content of 1.8 exhibits a catastrophic cracking deformation. Finally, multiple shear banding dominates the deformation of these films with Ni content of 0.4, 2.5 and 3.0. Our findings demonstrate that ultrastrong and highly deformable amorphous high entropy alloy thin films can be developed by appropriate element addition, making them promising materials for corrosion and wear-resistant coatings.

Mixed ionic and electronic conductivity in the quaternary V2O5–Na2O–ZnO–P2O5 glass system

The melt quenching method was adopted to synthesize glasses with the formula xV2O5–(0.4-x) Na2O–0.35ZnO–0.25P2O5 (x = 0.05, 0.1, 0.15, 0.2, and 0.25). X-ray diffraction patterns for the x = 0.05 sample showed the complete amorphous structure, whereas other composites revealed the development of nanocrystallites over the amorphous glassy networks. DSC measurement showed that glass transition temperature reduced as V2O5 concentration rose, and values were consistent with modified CBH model theoretical (fitting) data. DC conductivity for x = 0.05 and 0.1 composites followed an Arrhenius-type relation and linearity against the reciprocal of temperature, revealing ionic conductivity. On the contrary, the electronic or small polaron hopping mechanism was responsible for DC conductivity for all other composites. AC conductivity mechanism was described by the modified correlated barrier hopping model, and ideal glass transition temperatures were predicted (361 °C (x = 0.05) to 412 °C (x = 0.25)). It was observed that with rising V2O5 content (x), there was blockage of ionic pathways of Na+ ions, causing the ionic conductivity to decline and the electronic or small polaronic conductivity to enhance, as the radius of small polaron reduces. AC conductivity scaling property established that the time-temperature superposition principle and the BNN relation did not hold for the systems.

Development of Biocompatible Bulk MgZnCa Metallic Glass with Very High Corrosion Resistance in Simulated Body Fluid.

Magnesium-zinc-calcium (Mg-Zn-Ca) alloys as a biomaterial have attracted much attention recently, owing to their excellent biocompatibility, similar mechanical properties to natural bone, and biodegradable properties. Despite the numerous advantages of MgZnCa alloys, the rapid degradation of magnesium proved challenging as the implant in unable to retain its structural integrity for a sufficient duration of time. For metallic glasses, the capability to produce a bulk sample that is sufficiently large for useful applications have been far less successful owing to challenging processing parameters that are required for rapid cooling. In this study, Mg65Zn30Ca5 melt-spun ribbons were produced using melt-spinning followed by spark plasma sintering under high pressure (60 MPa) at different temperatures (130-170 °C) to provide an insight into the consolidation, mechanical, and corrosion behavior. Microstructural interfaces were characterized using scanning electron microscopy while the thermal stability of the amorphous phase was characterized using differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction. Here, pellets with 10 mm diameter and 10 mm height with a complete amorphous structure were achieved at a sintering temperature of 150 °C with densification as high at ~98%. Sintering at higher temperatures, while achieving higher densification, resulted in the presence of nano-crystallites. The mechanical properties were characterized using microhardness and compression tests. The hardness values of the sintered products were relatively higher to those containing crystallite phases while the ultimate compressive strength increased with increasing sintering temperature. Bio-corrosion properties were characterized via electrochemical testing with PBS as the electrolyte at 37 °C. The corrosion results suggest that the sintered samples have a significantly improved corrosion resistance as compared to as-cast samples. More notably, SPS150 (samples sintered at 150 °C) exhibited the best corrosion resistance (35× compared to as-cast in the context of corrosion current density), owing to its single-phase amorphous nature. This study clearly shows the potential of spark plasma sintering in consolidating amorphous ribbons to near-full density bulk pellets with high corrosion resistance for bio-applications.

Biocompatibility and antibacterial properties of TiCu(Ag) thin films produced by physical vapor deposition magnetron sputtering

Mechanical robustness, biocompatibility, and antibacterial performance are key features for materials suitable to be used in tissue engineering applications. In this work, we investigated the link existing between structural and functional properties of TiCu(Ag) thin films deposited by physical vapor deposition magnetron sputtering (MS-PVD) on Si substrates. Thin films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), nanoindentation, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The TiCu(Ag) films showed complete amorphous structure and improved mechanical properties in comparison with pure Ti films. However, for contents in excess of 20% Ag we observed the appearance of nanometric Ag crystallite. The TiCu(Ag) thin films displayed excellent biocompatibility properties, allowing adhesion and proliferation of the human fibroblasts MRC-5 cell line. Moreover, all the investigated TiCu(Ag) alloys display bactericidal properties, preventing the growth of both Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. Results obtained from biological tests have been correlated to the surface structure and microstructure of films. The excellent biocompatibility and bactericidal properties of these multifunctional thin films opens to their use in tissue engineering applications.

Study on Properties and Heat Treatment Process of Fe75.9Cu1Si13B8Nb1.5Mo0.5Dy0.1

The soft magnetic properties of Fe[Formula: see text]Cu1Si[Formula: see text]B8Nb[Formula: see text]Mo[Formula: see text]Dy[Formula: see text] nanocrystalline alloy were studied which is designed on the basis of the Finemet type alloys. The X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), electric inductance measuring-testing instrument and MATS soft magnetic material AC/DC tester were used to study the effects of the effective permeability ([Formula: see text], saturation magnetic induction ([Formula: see text]), coercivity ([Formula: see text]), and hysteresis losses ([Formula: see text]) at 100[Formula: see text]kHz and 0.2[Formula: see text]T under factors such as different annealing temperatures, different thicknesses, and whether there is a need for transverse field for annealing. The results show that the commercial amorphous alloy ribbons Fe[Formula: see text] Cu1Si[Formula: see text]B8Nb[Formula: see text]Mo[Formula: see text]Dy[Formula: see text] have complete amorphous structure in as-cast state, and [Formula: see text]-Fe nanocrystalline phase precipitates on the amorphous matrix after vacuum annealing. Fe[Formula: see text] Cu1Si[Formula: see text]B8Nb[Formula: see text]Mo[Formula: see text]Dy[Formula: see text] alloy has high [Formula: see text] value and good thermal stability, which can better control the formation of nanocrystalline structure. The transverse magnetic field annealing can greatly increase the [Formula: see text] of the material and reduce the [Formula: see text], which is more significant for the ribbons. The optimum annealing process of Fe[Formula: see text]Cu1Si[Formula: see text]B8Nb[Formula: see text]Mo[Formula: see text]Dy[Formula: see text] alloy is that the transverse magnetic field of 1000[Formula: see text]Gs is applied and the temperature is kept at 833[Formula: see text]k for 30[Formula: see text]min. And the best properties for [Formula: see text] are 1.39[Formula: see text]T, for [Formula: see text] is 4.6[Formula: see text]A/m and [Formula: see text]@1[Formula: see text]kHz, [Formula: see text]@100[Formula: see text]kHz. With the high frequency and miniaturization of electronic components, this material has potential application value.

Room Temperature Processed Transparent Amorphous InGaTiO Cathodes for Semi-Transparent Perovskite Solar Cells.

In order to ensure high-performance semitransparent perovskite solar cells (ST-PSCs), the deposition of high-quality scalable transparent cathodes on ST-PSCs at room temperature is necessary. In this study, we designed an amorphous InGaTiO (IGTO) electrode, prepared by linear facing target sputtering (LFTS) as a transparent cathode for ST-PSCs. Even in the room temperature sputtering process, the amorphous IGTO cathode showed a low sheet resistance of 9.895 Ohm/square and a high optical transmittance of 87.53% without the occurrence of in situ or postannealing, unlike Sn-doped In2O3 (ITO) electrodes. Due to its complete amorphous structure and low energy sputtering, the amorphous IGTO electrode showed superior mechanical properties, when compared to other typical crystalline ITO films. Additionally, the LFTS process led to a low energy deposition of the amorphous IGTO cathode on ST-PSCs, and did not result in plasma damage on perovskite active layers, which is often typical in conventional situations of direct current sputtering. On the basis of these optimized plasma damage-free sputtering conditions, we examined the feasibility of LFTS-grown IGTO cathodes for ST-PSCs. In our results, we observed that a similar performance of the ST-PSC with an IGTO cathode with the opaque PSC with Ag cathode, indicated that amorphous IGTO cathode is a prospective transparent cathode for ST-PSCs on both rigid or flexible substrates.

Effect of Pb/B ion replacement in B2O3.PbO.Fe2O3.Na2O glasses: Optical, magnetic, and fluorescence properties

Abstract Glasses of the formula (70-x) %B2O3. x%PbO.10%Fe2O3.20%Na2O are prepared by the melt quenching technique. Complete amorphous structure is confirmed for the XRD checked glasses. Molar polarizability, optical basicity and refractive index are found to decrease with increasing the mol% of PbO in the glasses. Single bond strength and interaction parameters suggest the transfer from covalent to ionic nature with the increase of the mol% of PbO in the glasses. The increase of the polarizability values of the studied glasses leads to a high optical nonlinear properties of the glasses. Metallization criterion is found to increase from 0.37 to 0.53 with increasing the mol% of PbO. Continuous addition of PbO is found to control the paramagnetic character of the glasses. The absorption and emission characteristics are studied. The system band gap and absorption intensity are found to be tunable. Also, it is found that the glass system under investigation experiences fluorescence characteristics with green color.

Preparation and Characterization of High-Strength Geopolymer Based on BH-1 Lunar Soil Simulant with Low Alkali Content

The construction of a lunar base and habitation on the Moon has always been on researchers’ minds. Building materials used in in situ lunar resources are of great significance for saving expensive space freight. In this study, a new type of lunar soil simulant named Beihang (BH)-1 was developed. The chemical mineral composition and microstructure of BH-1 closely resemble those of real lunar soil, as verified by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and reflectance spectra. This research also synthesized a geopolymer based on BH-1 cured at simulated lunar atmospheric conditions. We also investigated the effect of supplementing aluminum (Al) sources on the enhancement of geopolymer strength based on BH-1. The rheological behavior of alkali-activated BH-1 pastes was determined for workability. XRF, XRD, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, SEM coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy, and 27Al magic angle spinning-nuclear magnetic resonance were used to characterize resulting geopolymers. Rheological test findings showed that the rheology of BH-1 pastes fits the Herschel–Bulkley model, and they behaved like a shear-thinning fluid. The results showed that the 28-day compressive strength of the BH-1 geopolymer was improved by up to 100.8%. Meanwhile, the weight of additives required to produce per unit strength decreased, significantly reducing the mass of materials transported from the Earth for the construction of lunar infrastructure and saving space transportation costs. Microscopic analyses showed that the mechanism to improve the mechanical properties of the BH-1 geopolymer by adding an additional Al source enhances the replacement of silicon atoms by Al atoms in the silicon–oxygen group and generates a more complete and dense amorphous gel structure.

Dry sliding wear behaviors of Fe-based amorphous metallic coating synthesized by d-gun spray

The Fe-based amorphous coating has been successfully deposited on a 9Ni steel substrate by d-gun spray. The microstructure and wear behaviors of the coating were studied in detail under dry sliding condition in a ball-on-disk mode by using Si3N4 ball as the counterpart. The results show that the Fe-based amorphous coating has a substantially complete amorphous structure, and the thickness, porosity, and surface hardness are 200 ± 30 µm, and 822 ± 10 Hv0.1, respectively. Therefore, the coating presented pretty good wear-resistant properties under dry sliding wear conditions with wear rates of (2.74~16.30) × 10−6 mm3N−1m−1. Besides, the results show that the wear rate of coatings is more sensitive to the applied sliding speed than the normal load. As the sliding speed changes from low (0.1 m s − 1) to high (1.0 m s − 1), the wear mechanism of the present Fe-based amorphous coating changes from oxidative wear to delamination wear.

Effect of rapid thermal annealing on the properties of zinc tin oxide films prepared by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition

The effect of rapid thermal annealing treatments on the microstructure, surface morphology, and optical characteristics of zinc tin oxide (ZTO) films produced by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition was investigated. The ZTO films were annealed in oxygen atmosphere for 2 min at four selected temperatures from 500 to 800 °C. The X-ray diffraction showed that the annealing temperature has a great influence on the crystalline characteristics of ZTO films. The film shows complete amorphous structure for as-deposited ZTO film. Meanwhile, the spinel zinc stannate Zn2SnO4 was obtained for the samples annealed from 500 to 800 °C, which shows polycrystalline nature. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy proved that the annealing process in oxygen gas can effectively can reduce the oxygen vacancy defects in the films. In addition, the photoluminescence spectroscopy manifests an ultraviolet emission with a broad peak range from 345 to 385 nm. Moreover, the ultraviolet luminescence intensity increases continuously with the increase of annealing temperature. Spectroscopic ellipsometry analyses demonstrate that the refractive index of annealed films increases as the increase of annealing temperature, while the extinction coefficient decreases gradually with the increase of annealing temperature in the visible light range.

Experimental validation of glass forming ability of melt spun ribbons of pig iron and its derivative compositions and their corrosion behavior

In the present study, pig iron (alloy I) and its derivative compositions (alloy II and III) were used to form ribbons by melt spinning at different melt spun speeds. Glass forming behavior of the alloys was experimentally validated by characterizing the ribbon samples by X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The corrosion behavior of the ribbons was investigated by linear polarization, dynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in 3.5% freely-aerated NaCl solution. Glass forming ability and corrosion resistance of ribbons of alloy I were found to increase with higher melt spun speed, whereas the ribbons made of alloy II and III in general showed comparable glass forming ability and corrosion resistance at all the melt spun speeds. The highest corrosion resistance of the ribbons of the alloy II attributes to the complete amorphous structure as well as Cr2O3 formation.

Effects of deposition temperature on the nanomechanical properties of refractory high entropy TaNbHfZr films

The refractory high-entropy TaNbHfZr films with various microstructures have been synthesized by magnetron sputtering via tuning different deposition temperature from 25 °C to 700 °C. At 25 °C, a complete amorphous structure with featureless surface morphology is formed. With the increase of deposition temperature, the precipitation of crystallites is observed at 500 °C and a nanocrystalline bcc structure high-entropy TaNbHfZr alloy film with the surface morphology of needle-like islands at 700 °C due to the significantly improved atom diffusion ability. Nanoindentation results also indicate that the hardness and reduced elastic modulus of the films are strongly dependent on their distinct microstructures. For amorphous dominated films, the hardness increases with the elevated temperature accompanied with enhanced modulus. The bcc TaNbHfZr high-entropy alloy film displays superior hardness of ∼15.3 GPa. The strengthening mechanism can be attributed to the distortion induced solid-solution strengthening and the grain boundary strengthening in the nanocrystalline microstructure.

Influence of Cu Substitution on the Structure and Magnetic Properties of Partially Crystallized Fe62-xCo10Y8MexB20 Alloys

The paper presents results of structural and magnetic properties investigation of partially crystallized Fe62Co10Y8B20 and Fe61Co10Y8Cu1B20 alloys. Multicomponent bulk amorphous alloys exhibit a significant sensitivity to the composition changes. Even a small quantitative element substitution in composition of the initial alloy may lead to substantial changes in its various properties. Samples in form of thin plates were obtained by radial cooling method resulting in a complete amorphous structure material. Then, the one-step controlled heat treatment process led to partial crystallization of the sample causing the coexistence of amorphous matrix and embedded nanocrystalline phases. As shown in article, amorphous matrix has a noticeable influence on nano-sized grains resulting in a deformation of primary cell structure. Isothermal annealing process also had an impact on the magnetic properties of obtained samples, which was examined by the vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM).

Solid state amorphization of nanocrystalline nickel by cryogenic laser shock peening

In this study, complete solid state amorphization in nanocrystalline nickel has been achieved through cryogenic laser shock peening (CLSP). High resolution transmission electron microscopy has revealed the complete amorphous structure of the sample after CLSP processing. A molecular dynamic model has been used to investigate material behavior during the shock loading and the effects of nanoscale grain boundaries on the amorphization process. It has been found that the initial nanoscale grain boundaries increase the initial Gibbs free energy before plastic deformation and also serve as dislocation emission sources during plastic deformation to contribute to defect density increase, leading to the amorphization of pure nanocrystalline nickel.

Cooling-rate-dependent microstructure and mechanical properties of a CuZrAlAg alloy

A Cu36Zr48Al8Ag8 alloy rod with a diameter of 10 mm was fabricated using a copper-mould suction casting method. Structural characterization revealed that the rod has different microstructures along the casting direction, including a complete amorphous structure and an amorphous/crystalline composite structure with different amount of B2 CuZr phase. Nanoindentation tests showed that the hardness and the elastic modulus of the crystalline phase are lower than those of the amorphous matrix. The hardness and the elastic modulus of the amorphous matrix decrease with decreasing crystalline proportion of the alloy, while the Vickers hardness of the alloy increases with a reduction in the crystalline proportion.

Manipulating the Structure and Morphology of Cobalt-Boron Nanoparticles through a Chemical Approach

Cobalt-boron nanoparticles have been synthesized by a chemical reaction between NaBH4 and CoCl2.6H2O through manipulating pH value of the reaction mixture. The morphology, structure, phase composition, and thermal behavior have been examined via FESEM, TEM, XRD, EDS, and DSC techniques, respectively. It is demonstrated that the morphology and structure of ultimate nanoparticles completely depends on the pH value of reaction mixture. While the neutral pH value favors the smallest nanoparticles with a mean particle size of 50 nm and complete amorphous structure, the acidic condition promotes the growth process and the crystal structure. Furthermore, these nanoparticles transform into cobalt nanocrystallites after heated at 600°C, and retained the discrepancies in the morphology and the structure of the parent cobalt-boron nanoparticles. A detailed characterization of the nanoparticulates, discussions on the synthesis mechanism, and subsequent formation transformation have been provided.

Role of aluminium addition on structure of Fe substituted Fe73·5 − x Si13·5B9Nb3Cu1Al x alloy ribbons

The investigation has dealt with the structure and magnetic properties of rapidly solidified and annealed Fe73·5 − x Si13·5B9Nb3Cu1Al x (x = 0, 2, 4, 6 at%) ribbons prepared by melt spinning. Complete amorphous structure was obtained in as-spun ribbons of x = 0 and 2 at% compositions, whereas structure of ribbons containing higher Al was found to be partially crystalline. Detailed thermal analyses of the alloys and the melt spun ribbons revealed that the glass forming ability in the form of \({{ \textit{T}}}_{\mathbf{x}}{/}{{ \textit{T}}}_{\mathbf{l}}\) (ratio between crystallization and liquidus temperature) is the highest for 2 at% Al alloys and decreases with further addition of Al. Annealing of all as spun ribbons resulted in the precipitation of nanocrystalline phase embedded in amorphous matrix in the form of either \({ \textit{DO}}_{{ 3}}\) phase or bcc \({\upalpha}\)-Fe(Si/Al) solid solution depending on the initial composition of the alloy. Only bcc \({\upalpha}\)-Fe(Si/Al) solid solution was formed in 2 at% Al ribbons whereas ordered DO3 structure was found to be stabilized in other ribbons including 0 at% Al. A detailed study on determination of precision lattice parameter of nanocrystalline phase revealed that the lattice parameter increases with the addition of Al indicating the partitioning behaviour of Al in nanocrystalline phase.

Investigation on microstructure and mechanical properties of samples obtained by injection from Arbofill

The use of recyclable materials has become an important trend in all activity areas, reason why the arbofill, arboblend and arboform are the materials that will replace plastic in the near future. The tensile strength reached (28.05±1.09) MPa at 23°C and (13.50±0.23) MPa at 60°C, respectively and the results are not surprising because at room temperature (23°C), the material had a brittle behavior, while with the increasing in temperature this feature has decreased. The friction coefficient by disk rotation registers a slight decrease approximately in the first 25s and then throughout the whole tested period it registers a slight increase. The average friction coefficient by disk rotation is 0.145. The variation of the friction coefficient by oscillation is similar, whereas the average friction coefficient is 0.1523. As the diffraction analysis shows, the material does not have a complete amorphous structure and it has several typical phases between 15° and 30°. The specific diffraction technique used was X-ray diffraction. The SEM analysis shows a uniform structure with unidirectional dendritical ramifications and small secondary dendrites and the chemical elements range indicate a high presence, in mass and atomic percentages, of the carbon followed by the oxygen.