Excellent Resistance Research Articles

Component regulation and high-entropy engineering for enhanced antioxidant and high-temperature mechanical properties of protective films

Transition metal nitrides (TMNs) have gained widespread application in protecting structural components due to their high strength and hardness. However, TMNs still have the challenge of structural instability and mechanical deterioration caused by oxidation under harsh high temperature conditions. Herein, we present a strategy combining component regulation with high-entropy engineering to develop an advanced high-temperature Al-containing high-entropy nitrides (HENs) material. To prevent the phase decomposition of AlN within the (NbMoTaWAl)N, theoretical simulations were employed to determine a critical atomic percent of 25.0% Al for maintaining the stability of the high-entropy structure. Ensuing experimental synthesis creates three Nb-Mo-Ta-W-Al-N films with varying Al content: a high-entropy film with 0.0% Al (HEN), a high-entropy film with 21.2% Al (HEN-Al), and an amorphous transition metal nitride film with 30.2% Al (a-TMN-Al), validating key high-entropy engineering benchmarks. It is found that the unique HEN-Al film exhibits excellent oxidation resistance and high-temperature hardness, attributed to the uniform distribution of Al atoms in the robust high-entropy structure, which creates conditions for forming a dense and continuous Al2O3 barrier layer, effectively hindering the diffusion of oxygen into the film interior. This study provides new insights to develop a new generation of high-temperature protective materials.

Solvent-resistant isoporous membranes with tailored pore characteristics and on-demand sieving by site-selective hyper-crosslinking

Isoporous block copolymer membranes with high porosity and narrow pore size distribution have been viewed as ideal membrane platforms for precise separation of similarly sized particles or solutes. However, tailored made fabrication of solvent-resistant isoporous membranes with switchable pores and rigid pores for customizable sieving have been rarely reported. Herein, we show that site-selective hyper-crosslinking is effective and robust to prepare such membranes from polystyrene-block-poly(4-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P4VP). The selective crosslinking in PS domains endows the membrane with excellent solvent resistance and structural stability. Since not participated in the crosslinking reaction, the P4VP brushes located in pore walls endow the crosslinked membranes with adaptive pore size, switchable permeance and tunable rejections that vary with Hansen solubility parameter of solvents. Moreover, by a facile while complete etching the P4VP from pores, the switchable performance is removed and resultant membranes show rigid pore characteristics and constant rejections. Crosslinked membranes with either switchable pores or rigid-likes pores exhibit superior long-term stability (30 days) in harsh solvents. This work presents a top-down method to construct highly stable isoporous membranes with both switchable and rigid pore characteristics from the same block copolymer, which will shed the light on precisely tailoring the pore size and pore rigidity for crosslinked isoporous membranes that will not only enable the tailored sieving but also the modelling of solvent flowing behaviours in nanopores.

Gas channeling control with CO2-responsive gel system in fractured low-permeability reservoirs: Enhancing oil recovery during CO2 flooding

During the CO2 flooding process in fractured low-permeability oil reservoirs, the injected CO2 is prone to channeling along fractures due to severe reservoir heterogeneity, resulting in poor development effect. The CO2-responsive gel system shows dual advantages in achieving CO2 capture and plugging gas channeling to enhance oil recovery. This paper constructed a system with good CO2 sensitivity based on long-chain alkyl amide propyl dimethyl tertiary amine first. Subsequently, the properties of the system before and after the response were evaluated through rheological test, and its microstructure was characterized by Cryo-TEM. The system exhibited good CO2 responsiveness, transitioning from low-viscosity solution system to high-viscosity CO2-responsive gel system upon contact with CO2, with its viscosity increasing by nearly five orders of magnitude. The CO2-responsive gel demonstrated excellent shear resistance, viscoelasticity and shear self-repairing ability. The change of microstructure further verified the mechanism of molecules self-assembly in the system under the action of CO2. Then, a series of core physical simulation experiments were carried out to comprehensively evaluate the effects of different factors on the injection capacity, plugging characteristics, dynamic filtration damage performance and EOR effect of CO2-responsive gel. The gel maintained injectability while achieving an exceptional deep plugging effect, and the plugging rate reached 98.77%. It showed good characteristics of low filtration and permeability damage in low permeability reservoirs, effectively ensuring the fracture plugging effect. After the fracture was plugged by gel, the sweep range of CO2 to the matrix significantly expanded, and the gas flooding recovery increased by 18.19–21.7%. Finally, the matrix-fracture dual-media chip model was used to conduct microfluidic experiment, the oil displacement characteristics in different displacement stages were visually clarified, and the synergistic plugging and oil displacement mechanism between the CO2-responsive gel and CO2 was summarized. The research results can provide important insights for the green and efficient application of CO2-responsive gel in fractured low-permeability reservoirs.

Optimizing the Microstructure and Properties of Fe–Ni–Cu–Mo–C Sintered Steel by TiB2

The Fe–Ni–Cu–Mo–C powder metallurgy sintered steels with TiB2 reinforced were prepared by the conventional powder metallurgy techniques. This study explored the influence of incremental TiB2 additions, ranging from 0.1 to 0.6 wt.%, on the microstructure and properties of these steels. The results reveal that the microstructures primarily consist of martensite, Ni-rich austenite, Cu-rich pearlite, TiB2, and Ti–O rich nanoparticles. The latter form via a reaction between TiB2 and free oxygen. Notably, both the density and impact strength of the steels showed enhancement with increasing TiB2 content. The optimal values, 7.25 g/cm3 for density and 17.23 J/cm2 for impact strength, were observed at a TiB2 concentration of 0.5%. The hardness and ultimate tensile strength also increased steadily, reaching maxima of 38.7 and 1083.7 MPa at 0.6% TiB2, respectively. However, excessive TiB2 led to the formation of a net-like B-containing eutectic network, adversely affecting the steel properties. Steels with 0.5% TiB2 exhibited excellent wear resistance. At 200 rpm, the dominant failure mode was abrasive wear, which shifted to adhesive wear with oxidation at 400 rpm, followed by abrasive wear.

Insights into the effects of La on the grain refinement and mechanical properties of Al-Ti-C intermediate alloy and pure Al: A first-principle study and experimental investigation

This paper employs the self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) to prepare Al-Ti-C master alloys and explores the effects of integrating the rare earth element lanthanum to create Al-Ti-C-La composites. This research focuses on the microstructural changes in both the master alloy and pure aluminum, which aimed to elucidate the mechanisms that enhance grain refinement and resistance to grain refinement fading. The analysis reveals that when Al-Ti-C-La master alloys are incorporated into molten Al, the predominant structures formed include an Al matrix, rod-like Al3Ti phases, and TiC particles, alongside AlLa phases and substantial Al20Ti2La compounds. The grain refining capability of Al-Ti-C-La master alloys is significantly exceeds that of the Al-Ti-C master alloys. The addition of La markedly reduces the settling of TiC particles, thereby granting the Al-Ti-C-La master alloys excellent resistance to grain refinement fading. The newly formed Al20Ti2La phase plays a crucial role in refining the aluminum matrix, with metallic bond characteristics present on the side towards the Al matrix at the Al20Ti2La/Al interface and distinct covalent bond characteristics on the Al20Ti2La side. Moreover, the Al20Ti2La (110)/Al (110) interface exhibits the highest interfacial adhesion energy and stronger covalent bond features. Consequently, α-Al is prone to heterogeneously nucleate on the Al20Ti2La phase via the Al20Ti2La (110)/Al (110)-HCP orientation, which refines the grains of the aluminum matrix, ultimately enhancing the performance of aluminum-based alloys.

Structure-involved critical alloy design strategy for enhancing antioxidation performance of porous Fe-Cr-Al materials

Porous Fe-Cr-Al materials with different compositions and pore structures were prepared by reactive synthesis. Oxidation tests for porous Fe-Cr-Al materials were performed in static air at 800 °C for 25 h to reveal the relationship between alloy composition and corresponding oxide film types, and clarify the influence of pore structure on the critical contents of film-forming elements. The results revealed that near the critical Al content, an alumina-enriched oxide film was formed on the samples, which provided excellent resistance against oxidation, spalling and cracking. Porous Fe-Cr-Al alloys with higher specific surface areas deserved higher critical Al content.

Fast reversion of hydrophility-superhydrophobicity on textured metal surface by electron beam irradiation

Reversible hydrophilic-hydrophobic transitions on metal surfaces are challenging in surface-wetting treatment. Existing preparation methods have the disadvantages of requiring a long time, producing a metal oxide layer, and being difficult to implement. In this paper, a rapid reversible transitions between hydrophilicity and superhydrophobicity was achieved on the surface of 316L stainless steel using laser etching combined with electron beam irradiation. The contents of C–C/C–H hydrophobic functional groups was found to be notably increased by low electron dose in the experiments. The contents of C-O-C, O-C = O and –OH hydrophilic functional groups decreased. The interaction of excited secondary electrons with precursor molecules generated free radical fragments that adsorbed onto surfaces and formed new chemical bonds, changing the content of the functional groups. Reversible hydrophilic and superhydrophobic transitions could be achieved by adjusting the electron dose. The contact angle continually changed from 91° to 160° with a beam current of 100 μA, to 17° with 300 μA, and back to 90° with cleaning. The entire procedure required only four minutes. Meanwhile, the superhydrophobic state with contact angle of 160° has a sliding angle of 6°, presenting excellent resistance to bacterial adhesion, UV irradiation, and delayed icing.

Effect of binder phases on the microstructure and sliding wear properties of HVOF-sprayed WC-based coatings

This study aimed to evaluate the microstructure and wear properties of WC-10Co-4Cr, WC-12Co, and WC-17Co coatings on TC4 titanium alloy. The coatings were deposited using high velocity oxygen-fuel (HVOF) technique. To analyze the influence of binder phases, the coatings were thoroughly examined using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometer, microhardness tester, and friction and wear tester. The analysis of the results reveals that the primary phases in all three coatings consist mainly of WC, with smaller quantities of W2C and amorphous phases present. The WC-10Co-4Cr powder demonstrates a relatively even particle size distribution, high degree of sphericity, and rough porous surface, allowing for efficient heat absorption and uniform heat distribution, resulting in a dense coating. Notably, the WC-10Co-4Cr coating exhibits significantly smaller tungsten carbide grain size compared to the other coatings. Moreover, the microhardness of the WC-10Co-4Cr coating, measured at 1377.8 HV0.05, is significantly higher than that of the WC-12Co and WC-17Co coatings, which measured at 1258.8 HV0.05 and 1182.4 HV0.05, respectively. Additionally, the WC-10Co-4Cr coating demonstrates low friction coefficient and wear volume, indicating excellent wear resistance. Subsequently, a comprehensive analysis was conducted to determine the reasons for the relative enhancement in binder performance.

Photocurable comb polyamic acid for solvent-free direct ink writing with low dimensional shrinkage

Polyimides are high-performance organic polymers with excellent insulation, high-temperature resistance, and mechanical properties. However, their poor solubility makes it challenging to use them to prepare solvent-free high-performance photocurable polyimide inks with low dimensional shrinkage. In this study, photocurable comb polyamic acid resins were synthesized, and their solubility was examined based on density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Experiments showed that polyamic acid resins with specific topologies could be dissolved in photocurable monomers to prepare solvent-free photocured polyimide inks. A custom-made UV-assisted direct ink writing 3D printer was used to fabricate complex three-dimensional devices. Further heat treatment caused the polyamic acids to undergo dehydration and cyclization into rigid polyimide structures, and this process exhibited less than 6% dimensional shrinkage. The final material had a maximum storage modulus of 3.1 GPa (40 ℃) and a glass transition temperature of 204 ℃. The good comprehensive performance suggests great potential for aerospace applications.

Mn-Ag bimetals supported on plate-like ZSM-5 as efficient and stable catalysts for the catalytic combustion of toluene: Synergistic effects and catalytic mechanisms

Ag-modified MnO2 loaded on plate-like ZSM-5 (PZ5) with different Ag/Mn ratios were synthesized by an in-situ growth method and used as catalysts for toluene combustion, as a probe molecule of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The results showed that Ag doping greatly enhanced the toluene combustion activity (Mn50Agy/PZ5). Among them, Mn50Ag0.04/PZ5 showed the highest catalytic activity for toluene combustion with 90 % conversion of toluene at 234 °C (T90), and the reaction rate calculated per unit mass of Mn was 1.22×10−7 at 220 °C, which was 2.7 times higher than that of MnO2. In addition, Mn50Ag0.04/PZ5 exhibited excellent long-term stability and water resistance. Various characterizations indicated that the excellent performance of Mn50Ag0.04/PZ5 was attributed to its higher Mn2++Mn3+/Mn4+ ratios, higher reducibility, and more active surface adsorbed oxygen species. Finally, in-situ DRIFTS studies confirmed that Ag doping did not alter the catalytic combustion pathway of toluene over the Mn50Ag0.04/PZ5 catalyst but could accelerate the rate of conversion of toluene to the final products because the transfer of electrons from Ag+ to lattice oxygen persuaded the weaken of the Mn-O bond, and then made it easier for bulk lattice oxygen to migrate towards the Ag-MnO2 interface or catalysts’ surface, thus showing the better catalytic performance for toluene combustion.

Properties of radiation-induced point defects in austenitic steels: a molecular dynamics study

Austenitic steels are recognized as excellent structural materials for pressurized water reactors due to their outstanding mechanical properties and radiation resistance. However, compared to the widely studied FeCrNi series of steels, little is known about the radiation resistance of FeCrNiMn steel. In this study, the generation and evolution of radiation-induced defects in FeCrNiMn steel were investigated by molecular dynamics simulations. The results showed that more defect atoms were produced in the thermal spike stage, but fewer defects survived at the end of the cascades in FeCrNiMn compared to pure Fe. Point defect properties were analyzed by molecular statics, and the formation energies of defects in FeCrNiMn were lower than those of pure Fe, while the migration energies were higher. Compared to FeCrNi, FeCrNiMn had smaller migration energies and a larger overlap of vacancy and interstitial migration energies. The low vacancy formation energies and widely overlapping migration energies suggested that the number of point defects in the thermal spike stage was higher, but the possibility of recombination was greater. Additionally, Mn exhibited the smallest interstitial formation energies and migration energies. The difference in defect migration energies revealed that vacancy and interstitial defects migrate through different alloy constituent elements. This study revealed the underlying mechanism for the excellent irradiation resistance of FeCrNiMn.

Hollow microsphere-reinforced ablative materials for thermal protection systems of solid rocket motors

The rapid development of large heavy-duty solid rockets has placed increasing demands on the density and ablation resistance of thermal protection system (TPS) materials. Hollow microspheres (HMs) are promising reinforcing materials. However, HMs break under mechanical extrusion during material preparation, which limits their development into high-performance TPS materials. In this study, a novel preparation scheme was designed for low-damage TPS materials. High-strength HMs were selected to reduce their breakage. Moreover, a TPS material with low density and excellent ablation resistance was developed. The density reduction of the HM formulation was considerably higher than that reported in other studies. This study addressed the problem of easy HM breakage during material preparation. Consequently, HM-reinforced TPS materials with low density and excellent ablation resistance were developed to help reduce the negative mass and improve the comprehensive performance of solid rocket motors.

Effect of long-time annealing at high temperature on the microstructure and mechanical properties of different types of SiC fibers

SiC fibers play a crucial role in ceramic-matrix composites due to their excellent high-temperature resistance. To analyze the high temperature stability of different types of SiC fibers, this work investigated three typical SiC fibers (KD-II, KD-S, KD-SA) after being annealed at 1600 °C and 1800 °C for 1 h ∼ 200 h, respectively. For annealing at 1600 °C, the decomposition of the SiCxOy phase and grain growth were the main reasons for strength degradation in KD-II and KD-S fibers, while the KD-SA fiber maintained good thermal stability due to its large grain size. For long-time annealing at 1800 °C, obvious Si sublimation in the three fibers, leading to appearance of skin-core structure, resulted in obvious strength decline. This phenomenon was more pronounced over 1800 °C. These results in this work could be helpful guidance for the preparation of higher performance SiC fibers and SiCf/SiC composites.

Performance and application of pultrusion-processed fibre-reinforced composites in large-scale wind turbine blades

Pultruded composite materials have broad application prospects in the field of wind power generation. In this study, we explored the application of three different pultruded composites for the spar caps of wind turbine blades. Through comprehensive morphological, thermal, and mechanical analyses, as well as static and fatigue loading tests, we assessed the properties of these composites. Notably, the pultruded composites demonstrated high modulus, adequate strength, and excellent fatigue resistance. Among them, the optimal composite had an elastic modulus that was 46.4% higher than that of an E-glass vacuum-assisted resin-infused laminate. To further investigate their viability, we constructed a finite element model for a wind turbine blade with a pultruded composite spar cap using ANSYS. The results indicated that in a 94-m blade, replacing the E-glass vacuum-assisted resin-infused blade spar cap with the pultruded composite would result in a substantial 32.5% weight reduction. Finally, a 94-m blade was prototyped and tested, confirming its compliance with static and fatigue loading requirements. This study contributes to the advancement of composite materials and manufacturing methods for large-scale wind turbine blades.

Performance enhancement of phenolic resin by glycol‐modified lignin

AbstractWithout using fossil resources such as petroleum and coal, which are likely to be depleted and have a large load on the environment, we studied the improvement of the performance of phenolic resin using lignin‐based natural material, which is a non‐fossil resource that is less likely to cause environmental problems. Using modified lignin with polyethylene glycol, the modified lignin phenolic novolac resin was synthesized, and the properties of the phenolic resin molding material and molded article containing the modified lignin were evaluated. As a result, it was found that the phenolic resin into which the modified lignin was introduced not only has excellent moldability, but also excellent heat resistance, mechanical strength, and electrical insulation, and can achieve both heat resistance and flexibility.

Investigation of sustainable pervious concrete pavement performance using waste travertine aggregate and powder

Travertine cutting generates rubble and waste powder, prompting the need for effective waste utilization. This study aims to develop travertine permeable concrete (TPC) using travertine aggregate and waste powder. An orthogonal test method assessed TPC variations in travertine powder replacement rates, aggregate grading, and void content for porosity, permeability, mechanical strength, and heavy metal adsorption ability. The void content greatly influences the amount of cementitious material and is crucial for TPC performance. To guarantee compliance with the engineering performance for fully pervious pavement, the recommended void content of TPC should not exceed 20 % to have satisfactory compressive strength and permeability. Cement replacement with 5–10 % travertine powder can satisfy engineering requirements, heavy metal adsorption, waste utilization, and CO2 emission reduction. TPC demonstrates much lower removal rates under the rapid method than the immersion method for Cd2+, Cu2+ and Pb2+, mainly due to the difference in contact time. After 25 cycles, the optimized TPC shows less mass and strength loss, demonstrating excellent freeze-thaw resistance. Furthermore, a novel lab-scale rainfall simulation system for travertine permeable concrete pavement (TPCP) was built to assess the water infiltration of TPCP. TPCP can effectively reduce runoff, reaching over 96 % within 1 h for various inflow intensities. After half an hour, the removal rates of Cd2+ and Cu2+ by TPCP were only 41.5 and 79.1 %, respectively, but TPCP achieves exceptional Pb2+ adsorption with a removal rate of over 97 % under the ternary competitive mechanism.

A facile approach to prepare Cu(I) based adsorbents for selective CO adsorption with excellent oxidation resistance ability

A facile approach to prepare Cu(I) based adsorbents for selective CO adsorption with excellent oxidation resistance ability

Design & Impact Analysis of Automobile Chassis/Frame

The impact performance of a vehicle chassis is critical for safety and durability, influenced significantly by the materials used. Two common materials are AISI 4130 and AISI 1018, each with distinct properties affecting their impact resistance. AISI 4130, a chromium-molybdenum steel, is known for its high strength and toughness, providing excellent resistance to deformation and cracking. This makes it ideal for high-performance vehicles where impact resistance is crucial. However, its increased weight can be a drawback in some applications. Conversely, AISI 1018 is a low-carbon steel offering a balance of strength, ductility, and formability. It is lighter and more easily formed into complex shapes, making it a cost-effective choice for many applications. Despite its lower strength compared to AISI 4130, it is suitable for scenarios where weight and cost are more critical. Choosing between AISI 4130 and AISI 1018 depends on specific application needs. For high impact resistance and performance, AISI 4130 is preferred. For weight-sensitive and cost-efficient applications, AISI 1018 is more suitable. The decision requires careful consideration of material properties, application requirements, and design constraints. Key Words: AISI 4130, AISI 1018, Chromium Molybdenum Steel, Low Carbon Steel, Impact Resistance.

Biochemical Characterization of a Heat-Resistant κ-Carrageenase Capable of Tolerating High Temperatures up to 100 °C.

κ-Carrageenase plays a crucial role in the high-value utilization of carrageenan. Heat resistance is a key factor in the practical application of κ-carrageenase, as carrageenan exhibits gel-like properties. Previous studies have shown that the C-terminal noncatalytic domains (nonCDs) can affect the thermostability of κ-carrageenases. In this study, we expressed and characterized a κ-carrageenase, MtKC16A, which contains three nonCDs, from Microbulbifer thermotolerans. MtKC16A has the highest activity at 80 °C and pH 7.0. Surprisingly, it exhibits excellent heat resistance, with 71.58% relative activity at 100 °C and still retains over 50% residual activity after incubation at 100 °C for 60 min. Additionally, MtKC16A has been shown to have a dual substrate hydrolysis activity. It can degrade κ-carrageenan to produce highly single Nκ4 and degrade β/κ-carrageenan to produce Nκ2 and desulfated Nκ4 DA-G-DA-G4S, suggesting its potential in producing κ- and β/κ-hybrid oligosaccharides. Furthermore, we found that the unknown function domain (UNFD) in MtKC16A plays the most vital role among the three nonCDs. When this UNFD is truncated, the resulting mutants completely lose their catalytic ability at 100 °C. Finally, by introducing this UNFD to the C-terminal of another κ-carrageenase CaKC16B, we were able to improve its heat resistance at 100 °C.

Temperature dependence mechanism of high-temperature oxidation of transition metal silicide MoSi2

Transition metal silicides represented by MoSi2 have excellent oxidation resistance and are widely used as high-temperature anti-oxidation coatings in hot end components of power equipment. However, the mechanism of temperature-dependent growth of MoSi2 oxidation products has not been revealed. Therefore, this study investigated the formation characteristics of oxide film and silicide-poor compound on MoSi2 at temperatures of 1000 °C–1550 °C through high-temperature oxidation experiments, combined with microscopic Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, and x-ray diffraction (XRD) characterizations. The result showed that MoSi2 underwent high-temperature selective oxidation reactions at 1000 °C–1200 °C, forming MoO2 and SiO2 oxide film on the substrate. As the oxidation temperature increased to 1550 °C, after 100 h of oxidation, along with the disappearance of MoO2 and the phase transformation of SiO2, a continuous Mo5Si3 layer with a thickness of approximately 47 μm was formed at the SiO2–MoSi2 interface. Thermodynamics and kinetic calculations further revealed the mechanism of temperature-dependent growth of oxidation products (MoO2 and Mo5Si3) during high-temperature oxidation process of MoSi2. As the temperature increased, the diffusion flux ratio of O and Si decreased, leading to a decrease in oxygen concentration at the interface and promoting the growth of the Mo5Si3 layer. Its thickness is an important indicator for evaluating the oxidation resistance of MoSi2 coatings during service. This study provides experimental and mechanistic insights into the temperature-dependent growth behavior of Mo5Si3 during the high-temperature oxidation of MoSi2 coating, and provides guidance for predicting the service life and improving the oxidation resistance of silicide coatings.