Silicon Carbide Nanoparticles Research Articles

SiC nanoparticles promote CO2 fixation and biomass production of Chlorella sorokiniana via expanding the abilities of capturing and transmitting photons

Microalga-semiconductor hybrids for solar-to-biomass conversion which integrate microalgal photosynthesis with the efficient light capture of artificial semiconductors can significantly promote CO2 fixation and productivity of microalgal cells. However, such pertinent studies are poor and the promoting mechanism is unclear yet. Silicon carbide nanoparticles (SiC NPs) have remarkable biocompatibility and photocatalytic ability. Here, to get insights into the promoting mechanism the hybrids were constructed by using SiC NPs and microalga Chlorella sorokiniana, and tested the cell growth, chlorophyll fluorescence, changes in extracellular morphology and structure, absorption spectroscopy and photo-electrochemistry. The results showed that in the hybrid systems with SiC NPs in 0-20 mg/L the cell growth, CO2 fixating and biomass accumulation rate were promoted significantly, with 90 %, 49 % and 38 % increase in the maximum relative electron transport rates, maximal biomass and lipid yields, respectively, in the hybrid with 10 mg/L SiC NPs added. It suggested that SiC NPs can promote microalgal photosynthesis by transferring photogenerated electrons into the electron transport chain, expanding the capture of photoenergy and enhancing intracellular electron transport, rather than photoluminescence or photocatalytic CO2 reduction products.

Silicon Carbide Nanoparticle-Enabled Strengthening of Aluminum and Copper Resistance Spot Welds

Resistance spot welding (RSW) is a widely employed technique for joining aluminum and copper alloys, valued for its efficiency and effectiveness. However, the mechanical properties of the resulting welds, particularly their tensile strength and resistance to deformation, often fall short of industrial demands. This study explores the incorporation of Silicon Carbide nanoparticles (SiC NPs) as a method to enhance the mechanical performance of RSW joints in aluminum and copper alloys. Experimental results demonstrate that the addition of SiC NPs significantly improves tensile strength, with gains primarily attributed to grain refinement and the formation of dispersion-strengthening mechanisms. Advanced characterization techniques, including Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) and EDS analysis, provide detailed insights into the morphological and structural transformations within the weld zones. These findings underscore the potential of SiC NPs to not only enhance the strength and durability of RSW joints but also to advance the overall quality and reliability of welding processes in aluminum and copper alloys. This research opens new avenues for the application of nanoparticle reinforcement in industrial welding, offering a pathway to achieve superior joint performance.

Production and Characterization of Hybrid Al6061 Nanocomposites

Aluminum-based hybrid nanocomposites, namely the Al6061 alloy, have gained prominence in the scientific community due to their unique properties, such as high strength, low density, and good corrosion resistance. The production of these nanocomposites involves incorporating reinforcing nanoparticles into the matrix to improve its mechanical and thermal properties. The Al6061 hybrid nanocomposites were manufactured by conventional powder metallurgy (cold pressing and sintering). Ceramic silicon carbide (SiC) nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were used as reinforcements. The nanocomposites were produced using different reinforcement amounts (0.50, 0.75, 1.00, and 1.50 wt.%) and sintered from 540 to 620 °C for 120 min. The characterization of the Al6061 hybrid nanocomposites involved the analysis of their mechanical properties, such as hardness and tensile strength, as well as their micro- and nanometric structures. Techniques such as optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) were used to study the distribution of nanoparticles, the grain size of the microstructure, and the presence of defects in the matrix. The microstructural evaluation revealed significant grain refinement and greater homogeneity in the hybrid nanocomposites reinforced with 0.75 wt.% of SiC and CNTs, resulting in better mechanical performance. Tensile tests showed that the Al6061/CNT/SiC hybrid composite had the highest tensile strength of 104 MPa, compared to 63 MPa for the unreinforced Al6061 matrix. The results showed that adding 0.75% SiC nanoparticles and CNTs can significantly improve the properties of Al6061 (65% in the tensile strength). However, some nanoparticle agglomeration remains one of the challenges in manufacturing these nanocomposites; therefore, the expected increase in mechanical properties is not observed.

Dielectric Properties and Microwave Absorbing Properties of Silicon Carbide Nanoparticles and Silicon Carbide Nanowhiskers

Silicon carbide (SiC) is well known for their outstanding microwave absorbing properties. SiC nanomaterials (SiCNMs) are expected to have better microwave absorption performance due to their high specific surface area. To date, no study was reported to compare the dielectric properties and microwave absorbing properties of different type of SiCNMs. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to compare the dielectric properties and microwave absorption properties of different types of SiCNMs. In this paper, SiC nanoparticles (SiCNPs) and SiC nanowhiskers (SiCNWs) were characterised using SEM and XRD. In addition, their dielectric properties and microwave absorbing properties were measured using network analyser and transmission line theory. It was found that SiCNWs achieved higher dielectric constant and loss factor which are and εr’ =17.94 and εr″ = 2.64 compared to SiCNPs that only achieved εr’ = 2.83 and εr″ = 0.71. For microwave absorbing properties, SiCNWs and SiCNPs attained minimum reflection loss of -10.41 dB and -6.83 dB at 5.68 GHz and 17.68 GHz, respectively. The minimum reflection loss of SiCNPs and SiCNWs obtained in this study is much lower than the nanometer-SiC reported previously. These results suggested that SiCNWs can be an ideal candidate of microwave susceptors for various microwave applications.

Entropy generation analysis of unsteady MHD nanofluid flow in a porous pipe

This article presents a numerical investigation into the entropy production of nanofluids flowing through a porous medium in a permeable conduit, focusing on water-based solutions containing Titanium Carbide (TiC) and Silicon Carbide (SiC) nanoparticles. These nanoparticles are selected for their heat transfer properties. The flow system's governing equations are developed and solved using the Runge-Kutta-Fehlberg method. The study examines the influence of key nondimensional parameters, including the solid volume fraction of nanoparticles, radiation parameters, and Reynolds number, on temperature, velocity profiles, and entropy generation. The results show that Silicon Carbide-water nanofluids perform efficiently in terms of heat transfer and entropy minimization. Additionally, Silicon Carbide exhibits low skin friction at the pipe wall, with this effect increasing as the solid volume percentage of nanoparticles rises. The study also indicates that irreversibility due to heat transfer becomes more significant near the pipe wall as the solid volume fraction decreases and increases with higher radiation parameters and Reynolds number. These findings are presented graphically and in tabular form to illustrate the physical significance of the problem.

Harnessing nano-synergy: A comprehensive study of thermophysical characteristics of silver, beryllium oxide, and silicon carbide in hybrid nanofluid formulations

Nanofluids, promising to improve heat transfer efficiency, encounter stability and durability challenges, hindering their industrial applications. The emerging concept of hybrid nanofluids, alongside surfactant-driven stability research, presents a promising solution to tackle challenges in heat transfer, potentially revolutionizing thermal management systems and advancing nanomaterial science. This comprehensive study investigates the thermophysical properties of simple and hybrid nanofluid formulations composed of silver (Ag), beryllium oxide (BeO), and silicon carbide (SiC) nanoparticles dispersed in water. Hybrid nanofluids were prepared with varying volumetric ratios of 20:80, 40:60, 60:40, and 80:20 and examined across temperatures ranging from 15 to 45 °C. The influence of surfactants on stability was explored to augment thermal characteristics. Results revealed that the surfactants have a significant effect on stability and the specific mixing ratios can lead to more favourable thermal characteristics. Thermal conductivity enhancements, evaluated via the transient hot-wire method, demonstrated improvements of 7.43 %, 7.17 %, and 5.31 % for Ag/SiC (60:40), Ag/BeO (60:40), and SiC/BeO (80:20) hybrid nanofluids, respectively, compared to water. Viscosity measurements revealed Newtonian behaviour for the Ag, SiC, and BeO nanofluids, with a minimum viscosity enhancement of 3.01 % observed for the BeO nanofluid. Hybrid Ag/SiC nanofluid demonstrated a maximum viscosity enhancement of 4.90 % for 20:80 formulation. Density analysis showed maximum augmentation of 0.25 %, 0.097 %, and 0.0775 % for the Ag, SiC, and BeO nanofluids respectively at 0.025 vol% while hybrid Ag/SiC nanofluid exhibited a maximum of 0.23 % density increase for the 80:20 composition. The statistical models were also developed to predict properties against temperature. Furthermore, the cost analysis identified Ag nanofluid as the most expensive option, while the SiC/BeO hybrid was the most economical. However, the Ag-SiC (60:40) hybrid nanofluid offered a balanced trade-off between properties and cost.

Investigation of tool traverse speed on surface integrity of nano composites processed by friction stir process

This work examines the effects of different tool traverse speeds on the surface integrity of AA7075 reinforced with graphene oxide (GO), silicon carbide (SiC) and graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) nanoparticles during Friction Stir Processing (FSP). Three different traverse speeds of 20, 25 and 30 mm/min, respectively, were used for FSP operations. The resulting nanocomposites were thoroughly analysed using methods including optical microscopy, tensile testing, fracture morphology analysis, microhardness testing, X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (FESEM-EDAX) and non-contact surface interferometry. The results show that the creation of a refined microstructure with equiaxed grains was aided by tool traverse speeds between 20 and 25 mm/min. Notably, an Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS) of 358 MPa, microhardness of 139 HV, refined crystalline size of 47.162 nm and average roughness (Ra) of 1.53 μm were obtained with the AA7075+SiC nanocomposite under tool traverse speed of 25 mm/min. On the contrary, surface layer defects developed at a traversal speed of 30 mm/min. Through the use of mechanical stirring and severe plastic deformation (SPD), this study aids in changing the microstructure of the airplane frames.

Impact of silicon carbide, boron nitride, and zirconium dioxide nanoparticles on ester‐based dielectric fluids

AbstractThis research study investigates the influence of various nanoparticles on the dielectric breakdown voltage, oil dissipation factor, viscosity, and thermal conductivity of nanofluids. Nanofluids were prepared using synthetic ester oil as the base fluid, and three nanoparticles, silicon carbide (SiC), boron nitride (BN), and zirconium dioxide (ZrO2), were added at different concentrations (0.125 wt%, 0.250 wt%, and 0.375 wt%), which are basically the nano‐sized powder that can be blended in the oil. The dielectric breakdown voltage testing was conducted to evaluate the electrical performance of the nanofluids. Additionally, rheological measurements were performed to study the kinematic viscosity, while thermal conductivity was determined using appropriate techniques. The enhancements in each property were evaluated and compared for the different nanoparticle concentrations and types. Previous studies focused only on the investigation of the electrical properties of nanofluids. However, in the present study, the electrical as well as thermo‐physical characterisation of nanofluids is performed and analysed as they directly affect the cooling performance of transformers. The results provide dielectric and thermo‐physical characterisation that exhibit excellent insulation and cooling functionalities and valuable insights into the potential applications of nanofluids as dielectrics in various high‐voltage electrical equipment. ZrO2 and SiC nanoparticles exhibited a reduction in the oil dissipation factor. SiC consistently improved breakdown voltage (Bdv), while ZrO2 nanoparticles showed concentration‐dependent effects, enhancing Bdv at low concentrations but degrading it at higher ones. Unexpectedly, nanoparticle dispersion and lubrication effects can lead to viscosity reductions, countering conventional expectations. Surprisingly, at the highest concentration, the thermal conductivity decreases compared to the lower nano‐concentrations in synthetic ester oil.

Silicon carbide-embedded AZ91E alloy nanocomposite hybridised with chopped basalt fibre: performance measures

ABSTRACT This study uses vacuum stir casting to manufacture magnesium alloy hybrid nanocomposites of silicon carbide nanoparticles (50 nm) and chopped basalt fibre. The different weight percentages (0 wt%, 3 wt%, 6 wt% and 9 wt%) of chopped basalt fibres with a constant weight percentage of 7.5 wt.% silicon carbide nanoparticles were added into molten AZ91E magnesium alloy at 600 rpm constant stirring speed. During the final casting process, 0.1 MPa vacuum pressure was applied to all the composites to reduce the casting defects. The prepared hybrid composite was characterised by physical, mechanical, microstructural and wear properties. The Quanta FEG model SEM apparatus was used to examine the distribution of silicon carbide nanoparticles and basalt fibre. The mechanical characteristics, such as ultimate tensile strength (UTS), yield strength and impact strength, were obtained for 7.5 wt% SiCnp/9 wt% basalt fibre reinforced AZ91E magnesium alloy matrix hybrid nanocomposite. Adding chopped basalt fibre enhanced the wear properties of conventional AZ91E magnesium alloy.

The optimization of mechanical properties of polypropylene/styrene butadiene rubber/silicon carbide nanocomposites using response surface methodology

AbstractPolypropylene is a useful and widely consumed thermoplastic with very good properties that can be mixed with a combination of rubber and nanoparticles in order to eliminate its shortcomings. In this paper, the simultaneous combination of both the toughening effect of styrene–butadiene rubber (SBR) and the reinforcing effect of silicon carbide (SiC) nanoparticles were investigated in polypropylene matrix. Mechanical properties (tensile and impact strength [TS and IS]) of compounds were analyzed using the central composite design approach in Design‐Expert software. With two factors for input variables of SBR and SiC weight percentages, and their five levels (5, 10, 15, 20, and 25) and (0, 1.5, 3, 4.5, and 6), respectively, the central composite design approach employs 11 experiments for creation of models and the analysis of variance investigations with two output responses of TS and IS. Statistical results revealed that SBR and SiC contents had a significant effect on TS, IS, and the microstructure of compounds, as confirmed by scanning electron microscopy and energy‐dispersive spectroscopy images. To maximize all mechanical properties simultaneously with desirability functions, TS and IS of the optimum sample were computed to be 21.98 MPa and 8.66 kJ/m2 in amounts of 13.45 and 2.80 weight percentage (wt%) of SBR and SiC, respectively.Highlights By increasing silicon carbide (SiC) in polypropylene/styrene–butadiene rubber (SBR), tensile strength decreases after a peak due to agglomeration effect. By increasing SiC in polypropylene/SBR, impact strength decreases after a peak due to agglomeration effect. By increasing SiC, the rubber particles' dimensions decrease according to scanning electron microscopy analysis. Simultaneous maximum of tensile strength and impact strength are 21.98 MPa and 8.66 KJ/m2, respectively. Optimum value of SBR and SiC in above maximums are 13.45 and 2.8 wt%, respectively.

Performance evaluation of kevlar fiber reinforced epoxy composite by depositing graphene/SiC/Al2O3 nanoparticles

The synergistic effect of adding Silicon Carbide (SiC), Aluminum Oxide (Al2O3), and Graphene (GR) nanoparticles into Kevlar fiber-reinforced epoxy composites is investigated in this study. Within the epoxy matrix and Kevlar fibre reinforcement, these nanoparticles come in a variety of compositions. The mechanical and flammability features of the composite are revealed by experimental evaluation. Of the nanoparticles, graphene performs the best; the composite reinforced with graphene shows 324 MPa of tensile strength, 8 J/mm of impact strength, and 75.2 HRC of hardness. The composite layers' interior structure is investigated using scanning electron microscopy examination. To evaluate thermal stability of the composition the thermogravimetric (TG) and the differential thermal analysis (DTA) investigations were performed. Thermal stability is achieved by the graphene-reinforced composite at 775 °C. Additionally, corrosion tests and water absorption tests were conducted to assess the material's moisture sensitivity. The overall goal of the research is to ascertain whether adding various nanoparticles to Kevlar produces the best outcomes; graphene has demonstrated promising results in terms of improving mechanical and thermal stability.

Comparative investigation of mechanical properties in banana fiber and ramie fiber composites enhanced by SiC nanoparticles

This research explores into analyzing the mechanical characteristics of banana fiber and ramie fiber composites bolstered with silicon carbide (SiC) nanoparticles. The integration of SiC nanoparticles aims to amplify the mechanical robustness and endurance of these natural fiber composites. Through water absorption assessments, we evaluated the composites’ resistance to moisture. In addition, we assessed the mechanical performance via hardness, impact, and three-point bending tests. The results indicate a significant enhancement in the mechanical attributes of both banana and ramie fiber composites due to SiC nanoparticle inclusion. The results reveal a notable enhancement in mechanical characteristics following the incorporation of SiC nanoparticles. Notably, composites containing 8% SiC nanoparticles demonstrated the highest hardness value of 102 HV and the lowest water absorption percentage of 1.5%. In addition, these composites exhibited a superior flexural strength (80 MPa) and modulus of elasticity (4.3 GPa), alongside a maximum impact energy absorption of 18 J. These findings underscore the beneficial influence of SiC nanoparticles on the mechanical properties of the composites, including increased strength, reduced water absorption, enhanced hardness, and improved impact resistance.

Treated sisal fiber made epoxy composite hybridize with silicon carbide nanoparticles: Characteristics study

Treated sisal fiber made epoxy composite hybridize with silicon carbide nanoparticles: Characteristics study

Enhancing strength and toughness of GNS/Al nanocomposites via a hybridization strategy

Good strength-ductility balance in graphene nanosheet (GNS)-reinforced aluminum nanocomposites can be achieved through tailorable and facile agglomeration control. Our previous study showed that pre-modulating the Al powder morphology by adding hard silicon carbide nanoparticles (SiCnp) during the two-step ball milling process effectively promotes the uniform dispersion of GNSs. However, excess SiCnp content causes SiCnp aggregate and premature cracking of composites. Here, GNS-reinforced aluminum nanocomposites with different SiCnp content (0.3–1.5 vol%) were prepared, and the optimal SiCnp-to-GNS ratio was determined after optimizing the SiCnp content in a pre-studied composite preparation process. The effect of SiCnp on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the composites was systematically investigated. The cold welding deformation of Al flakes increased with the SiCnp content. Nonetheless, inadequate or excessive SiC content caused insufficient lamination or excessive cold-weld stacking of Al flakes, respectively. Al-0.9vol.%SiCnp powders possessed the highest specific surface area which resulted in high homogeneous dispersion of 3.0 vol% GNS during the second ball-milling stage. Consequently, the resulting hybrid reinforced (GNS + SiCnp)/Al composites showed simultaneous improvement in strength and plasticity, unlike Al-3.0vol.%GNS composites. This showed that introducing hard nanoparticles (i.e., the hybridization strategy) is a promising method to simultaneously enhance strength and plasticity of aluminum nanocomposites.

Heat transfer evaluation of (CaTe+SiC) hybrid nanofluid flow based RT42 HC (Rubitherm) phase change material: Cooling photovoltaic panels application

This paper inspects the combined effects of heat and mass transfers in a hybridized Williamson viscous nanofluid composed of cadmium telluride (CdTe) and silicon carbide (SiC) nanoparticles in RT42 (Rubitherm) as base fluid in the existence of heat source and thermal radiative aspects. Knowing that the base fluid RT42 is a phase change material (PCM), it is also considered that the surface on which the nanofluid flows is an expandable surface with varying thickness. The influence of chemical reactions process and viscous dissipation on the flow and temperature of the hybridized nanofluid is examined. The parameters’ influences on the problem are evaluated after setting appropriate similarity transformations to transform the collection of major partial differential equations (PDEs) into nondimensional ordinary differential equations (ODEs). The study concludes that the presence of hybridized nanoparticles of CdTe and SiC reduces the horizontal and vertical surface frictional forces of the hybrid nanofluid. The integration of nanoparticles in RT42 enhances heat transfer rates and reduces mass transfer. The thermal radiative variable declines the heat transfer of hybridized nanofluid. The results indicate that altering the variable parameter of surface thickness reduces frictional forces in both directions.

Polycarbosilane-grafted silicon carbide nanoparticles as a high-yielding non-oxide ceramic precursor

Silicon carbide (SiC) is a multifunctional material with a myriad of potential applications, from high-power electronics to friction applications to power generation. Grafting preceramic polymers (PCPs) from SiC nanoparticles would create a platform for forming SiC via a polymer derived route that would have advantages over simple particle-PCP slurries and may enable new additive manufacturing inks or spreadable coatings with controlled rheology. Grafting PCPs directly on SiC powders would greatly improve dispersion of these particles and yield a single component system. Moreover, PCP-grafted-SiC would be a new addition to the burgeoning field of polymer grafted nanoparticles (PGNPs). Herein, SiC nanoparticles were surface-modified in a grafting-from polymerization reaction to create polycarbosilane (PCS) grafted SiC. Surface grafting was verified through a number of analytical techniques and the synthesized materials were pyrolyzed at 1600 °C. The PCS-grafted SiC retained 66 % of its pre-pyrolysis mass, representing a significant improvement over PCS-grafted silica nanoparticles from our previous work (20 wt% yield). In addition to an increased ceramic yield, the grafting of PCS to SiC also resulted in the formation of a SiC phase not present in the simple physical mixture of SiC nanopowder in PCS. This study demonstrated that PCP-grafted nanoparticles (GNPs) can be synthesized utilizing non-oxide nanoparticle cores with desirable rheology, opening possibilities for future ceramic inks and coatings.

Investigation of ablation efficiency and properties of silicon carbide nanoparticles synthesised using pulsed laser ablation in liquid

This study optimised the synthesis and ablation efficiency of 3C silicon carbide (SiC) nanoparticles (NPs) using nanosecond pulsed laser ablation in liquid for electronic and biomedical applications. Various process parameters, including laser fluence, scanning speed, and ablation time, were systematically varied to assess their impact on ablation efficiency and NP properties. Statistical analysis identified optimal conditions: a 15 min ablation time, 0.5 m/s scanning speed, and 7.5 J/cm² laser fluence with the maximum mass productivity of 1.196 mg.h−1W−1. Characterisation techniques, including UV-Vis, Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), FESEM with EDX, FTSEM, and XRD, confirmed that higher laser fluence, scanning speed, and ablation time increased colloid concentrations without altering NP shape or size. XRD analysis verified the phase composition as 3C SiC, with DLS showing smaller NP sizes than image analysis. The results also suggested that increasing the NP size decreased the optical band gap. A direct correlation was found between ablated mass and colloid concentration.

All Screen Printed and Flexible Silicon Carbide NTC Thermistors for Temperature Sensing Applications.

In this study, Silicon Carbide (SiC) nanoparticle-based serigraphic printing inks were formulated to fabricate highly sensitive and wide temperature range printed thermistors. Inter-digitated electrodes (IDEs) were screen printed onto Kapton® substrate using commercially avaiable silver ink. Thermistor inks with different weight ratios of SiC nanoparticles were printed atop the IDE structures to form fully printed thermistors. The thermistors were tested over a wide temperature range form 25 °C to 170 °C, exhibiting excellent repeatability and stability over 15 h of continuous operation. Optimal device performance was achieved with 30 wt.% SiC-polyimide ink. We report highly sensitive devices with a TCR of -0.556%/°C, a thermal coefficient of 502 K (β-index) and an activation energy of 0.08 eV. Further, the thermistor demonstrates an accuracy of ±1.35 °C, which is well within the range offered by commercially available high sensitivity thermistors. SiC thermistors exhibit a small 6.5% drift due to changes in relative humidity between 10 and 90%RH and a 4.2% drift in baseline resistance after 100 cycles of aggressive bend testing at a 40° angle. The use of commercially available low-cost materials, simplicity of design and fabrication techniques coupled with the chemical inertness of the Kapton® substrate and SiC nanoparticles paves the way to use all-printed SiC thermistors towards a wide range of applications where temperature monitoring is vital for optimal system performance.

Strength-Plasticity Relationship and Intragranular Nanophase Distribution of Hybrid (GNS + SiCnp)/Al Composites Based on Heat Treatment.

The distribution of reinforcements and interfacial bonding state with the metal matrix are crucial factors in achieving excellent comprehensive mechanical properties for aluminum (Al) matrix composites. Normally, after heat treatment, graphene nanosheets (GNSs)/Al composites experience a significant loss of strength. Here, better performance of GNS/Al was explored with a hybrid strategy by introducing 0.9 vol.% silicon carbide nanoparticles (SiCnp) into the composite. Pre-ball milling of Al powders and 0.9 vol.% SiCnp gained Al flakes that provided a large dispersion area for 3.0 vol.% GNS during the shift speed ball milling process, leading to uniformly dispersed GNS for both as-sintered and as-extruded (0.9 vol.% SiCnp + 3.0 vol.% GNS)/Al. High-temperature heat treatment at 600 °C for 60 min was performed on the as-extruded composite, giving rise to intragranular distribution of SiCnp due to recrystallization and grain growth of the Al matrix. Meanwhile, nanoscale Al4C3, which can act as an additional reinforcing nanoparticle, was generated because of an appropriate interfacial reaction between GNS and Al. The intragranular distribution of both nanoparticles improves the Al matrix continuity of composites and plays a key role in ensuring the plasticity of composites. As a result, the work hardening ability of the heat-treated hybrid (0.9 vol.% SiCnp + 3.0 vol.% GNS)/Al composite was well improved, and the tensile elongation increased by 42.7% with little loss of the strength. The present work provides a new strategy in achieving coordination on strength-plasticity of Al matrix composites.

Revolutionizing hardness via nanoparticle flux in welding of high-hardness armor steel

Given the direct correlation between the hardness of high-hardness armor (HHA) steel and its ballistic performance, mitigating softening in the heat-affected zone (HAZ) becomes essential. In this study, welding was performed using a nanoparticle flux composed of Tungsten Carbide (WC), Titanium Carbide (TiC), Silicon Carbide (SiC) nanoparticles, and ethanol. Subsequently, the shape and hardness distribution of each weld bead were comprehensively analyzed. The analysis revealed an increase in penetration depth in the order of 0.37 mm for WC 8 %, 0.31 mm for SiC 8 %, and 0.12 mm for TiC 2 %. Furthermore, the hardness evaluation results demonstrated a significant improvement at the fusion line (FL) when nanoparticle flux was utilized. Specifically, hardness values of 654.0 HV and 590.4 HV were observed at 8 % WC and 8 % SiC, respectively, representing increases of 16.6 % and 5.28 % compared to the absence of nanoparticle flux. Additionally, further investigations were conducted to elucidate the mechanism behind the improvement in hardness. This experimental evidence confirms the effectiveness of incorporating WC 8 % and SiC 8 % nanoparticles into the welding process of ARMOX 500 T in preventing hardness degradation due to softening.