Characterization of opportunity for upgrading of the system based on arc plasma torch for thermal spaying of ceramic materials, by means of use of fuel vortex intensifier. Part I: Thermodynamic modeling of the system efficiency parameters

One of the main trends in the field of improving the modern technologies of thermal spraying, including plasma one, for functional ceramic coatings formation is the reducing the energy consumption of the process. In this regard, one of the important directions for improving these technologies is the development of their new versions, using the principle of adding inexpensive fuel-oxidizer mixtures based on hydrocarbons with air. This type of plasma-fuel type of spraying will be promising for application at the present time, first of all, in order to obtain refractory functional coatings. For this purpose, we investigated the opportunity for upgrading an industrial unit/system for plasma spraying of ceramic powder materials with arc plasma torch of 25–40 kW power by the use of experimental variant of a fuel gas-vortex intensifier. The thermodynamic assessment of possible parameters of the generated mixed flow after the torch with this fuel intensifier was carried out to estimate the applicability of this system to optimize the spraying of oxide and carbide coatings (based on the examples of Al2O3, Cr3C2 and other powders). The analysis of possible parameters of the produced flow after the torch with intensifier was performed for the cases of main C–H–O–N–Ar–Me (Me = Al, Cr) systems and additional C–H–O–Al-system to assess the potential of this system to modify the technology of oxide and carbide ceramic coatings formation. New regimes, which were analyzed in our research as the simulants of Al2O3 spraying, surpass on calculated energy efficiency characteristics (by 10–20 %) one of the new prospective spraying methods with (СO2+СH4)-plasma, as well as the conventional method of powder heating during the spraying with N2-plasma. The case of our proposed fuel assisted process (FA-APS) with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) fuel for the heating of ceramic powders (especially, Al2O3) demonstrates the advantage of the process (in particular, on the energy efficiencies and energy consumption) in a comparison with the conventional regimes of APS of the powders (in N2 plasma of the standard torch). For the variants of the FA-APS with Al2O3 and Cr3C2 feedstock powders it was established to be potentially possible to obtain (at the moderate values of total electric energy consumption for the torch and auxiliary equipment, – near 1.8 and 1.0 kWh/(kg of product)) such high level of the process productivity on the final product as approximately 17 and 28 kg/h, respectively; at the values of required power of the torch:  28.2 and  22.3 kW.

LUMINESCENCE OF YAG:Ce DOPED WITH SILVER NANOPARTICLES

В работе впервые было исследовано влияние наночастиц серебра на люминесценцию иттрий-алюминиевого граната, легированного церием. С помощью метода химического восстановления был синтезирован золь с размером наночастиц серебра ≈100 нм. Керамический порошок люминофора иттрий-алюминиевого граната, легированного церием, был получен методом двухстадийного осаждения в уротропин. Золь наночастиц серебра в концентрациях от 0,125 до 0,1 мл вводили в порошок-прекурсор перед прокаливанием. Было показано, что при данном способе введения наночастиц серебра интенсивность фотолюминесценции возрастала по сравнению с эталоном. Оптимальной концентрацией в рамках исследования являлась концентрация 0,25 мл. При данной концентрации увеличение интенсивности фотолюминесценции на длине волны 540 нм составило порядка 10%. Проведенные исследования показали, что наночастицы серебра могут с успехом применяться для увеличения яркости люминофора иттрий-алюминиевого граната, легированного церием, без искажения и ухудшения спектральных характеристик. This work was the first to study the effect of silver nanoparticles on the luminescence of cerium doped yttrium-aluminum garnet. A sol with the size of silver nanoparticles of ≈100 nm was synthesized using the method of chemical reduction. Phosphor ceramic powder of the yttrium-aluminum garnet doped with cerium was obtained by the two-stage precipitation method. The silver nanoparticles sol was introduced into the precursor powder before calcination in concentrations from 0,125 to 0,1 ml. It was shown that the photoluminescence intensity increased in comparison with the reference when we used this method of introducing silver nanoparticles. The optimal concentration within the study was 0,25 ml. At this concentration, the increase in the photoluminescence intensity at a wavelength of 540 nm was about 10 %. Studies have shown that silver nanoparticles can be successfully used to increase the brightness of the phosphor of the yttrium-aluminum garnet doped with cerium without distortion and deterioration of spectral characteristics.

Fracture Toughness of Poly (Methyl Methacrylate)/Hydroxyapatite Denture Base Composite: Effect of Planetary Ball Milling Mixing Time

Hydroxyapatite (HA) has great potential as a reinforcing filler for poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) denture base materials. Nevertheless, filler particles need to be homogeneously distributed throughout the PMMA particles to get the maximum benefit from using the filler. Therefore, the physical mixing of the powder components (PMMA and the filler) is strongly preferred to provide the required dispersion of the filler in the matrix. However, conventional techniques that have been tried, such as hand mixing and stirrer mixing techniques, were not effective. Therefore, the current study was designed to experimentally investigate the effect of different mixing times on the fracture toughness of PMMA/HA using a developed ball milling method. In this study, heat cured PMMA reinforced with 15 wt% HA ceramic powder was ground for different times (i.e., 10, 20, 30, and 40 min) via the technique of planetary ball milling (PBM). The ground powder mixtures were used for the fabrication of denture base testing samples. The particle size and distribution of the PMMA/HA composites after milling for several times were determined by the laser light scattering technique. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of the PMMA/HA composites were obtained. However, no new phase was observed. The effects of mixing time using the PBM technique on the fracture toughness were investigated. The effect of mixing time on the microporosity (voids) on the fractured surface of PMMA/HA was studied with field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). Within the limitation of the current study, 30 min is considered the optimum mixing time for the tested PMMA/HA composite.

Strength and Microstructural Investigation of Quaternary Blended High-Strength Concrete

This research focuses on studying the effect of different supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) such as waste ceramic powder (WCP), lime powder (LP), and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) in combination on strength characteristics and microstructure of quaternary blended high-strength concrete. To achieve the aims of the study, necessary physical and chemical composition tests were done for the raw materials. Then, mixes were designed into control mix with 100% Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) and experimental mixes containing 30%, 40%, 50%, and 60% of GGBS, WCP, and LP in combination. Tests were conducted during casting and at curing ages of 7 and 28 days. Accordingly, the control mix which is concrete grade 50 (C-50) as per American Concrete Institute (ACI) mix design is used as a reference for comparison of test results with those specimens produced by partial replacement of SCMs. The characterizations of high-strength concrete are done using consistency, setting time, workability, compressive strength, flexural strength, and morphological tests. The optimum percentage replacement is 50% OPC replacement by 30% GGBS + 10% WCP + 10% LP. Based on the experimental investigations, the workability increases as the replacement level of SCMs increases from 30% to 60% by weight. Compressive strength and flexural strength results increase up to 11.41% and 20% when the percentage replacement increases from 30% to 50% of SCMs replacement at 28 days of curing time, respectively. There are also improvement in the microstructure and significant cost saving due to replacing OPC partially with SCMs with proportions mentioned above. Therefore, the practice of utilizing increased percentage of SCMs in quaternary blend in concrete can be beneficial for the construction industry and sustainability without compromising the quality of the concrete product.

Experimental investigation on Ferrocement slab using partial replacement of cement by ceramic powder

In this study, flexural behaviour of the Ferrocement panels of size 500 mm x 500 mm x 50 mm with partial replacement of ceramic powder under monotonic loading is observed. All the Ferrocement panels were casted with cement mortar of mix proportion 1:4 with w/c ratio of 0.45 and all the specimens were casted with single layer of galvanized welded wire mesh of 2mm diameter with mesh opening of 12.5 mm x 12.5 mm. The ceramic powder is administered at various percentage replacement of cement by weight and the adopted variations are 0%, 5%, 10% and 15%. Compressive strength of the mortar mix for all the different ratios of ceramic powder was carried out and the results were discussed. It can be concluded that the Panel with 10% replacement of ceramic powder offers appreciable results than the other panels.