Improving Separation Efficiency in End-of-Life Lithium-Ion Batteries Flotation Using Attrition Pre-Treatment

The comminution of spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) produces a powder containing the active cell components, commonly referred to as “black mass.” Recently, froth flotation has been proposed to treat the fine fraction of black mass (<100 µm) as a method to separate anodic graphite particles from cathodic lithium metal oxides (LMOs). So far, pyrolysis has been considered as an effective treatment to remove organic binders in the black mass in preparation for flotation separation. In this work, the flotation performance of a pyrolyzed black mass obtained from an industrial recycling plant was improved by adding a pre-treatment step consisting of mechanical attrition with and without kerosene addition. The LMO recovery in the underflow product increased from 70% to 85% and the graphite recovery remained similar, around 86% recovery in the overflow product. To understand the flotation behavior, the spent black mass from pyrolyzed LIBs was compared to a model black mass, comprising fully liberated LMOs and graphite particles. In addition, ultrafine hydrophilic particles were added to the flotation feed as an entrainment tracer, showing that the LMO recovery in overflow products is a combination of entrainment and true flotation mechanisms. This study highlights that adding kerosene during attrition enhances the emulsification of kerosene, simultaneously increasing its (partial) spread on the LMOs, graphite, and residual binder, with a subsequent reduction in selectivity.

Diffusion Bonding of Ti6Al4V at Low Temperature via SMAT

Titanium alloys used to be welded to gain good joint strength at 920 °C through diffusion bonding. However, due to the heat preservation at high temperatures for a long time, we obtain joints with great bond strength while the mechanical properties of the sheet are lost. In this paper, taking Ti6Al4V alloy as an example, we studied the microstructure of the surface under the different times of surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT). In addition, the microstructure and mechanical properties after diffusion bonding at 800 °C-5 MPa-1 h were also conducted. The results show that the shear strength of TC4 alloy welded joint after SMAT treatment is improved, and the maximum shear strength can reach 797.7 MPa, up about 32.4%

Corrosion resistance of surface-conditioned 301 and 304 stainless steels by salt spray test

The corrosion rate of surface-conditioned 301 and 304 stainless steels (SS) was determined by salt spray test in a controlled accelerated corrosive medium (9.5 L of pure distilled water + 500 g NaCl). By surface conditioning via mechanical attrition treatment, a gradient-structured layer was firstly generated on the surface of the samples before the salt spray test. The corrosion rate was determined by the weight loss before and after the salt spray test. Compared to the untreated 301 SS sample with a weight loss of 0.15 g, the surface-conditioned samples treated for 300 s and 1200 s experienced a lower weight loss of 0.04 and 0.02 g, respectively. A similar reduction in weight loss was achieved for 304 SS sample when treated for 5, 10, and 20 mins.

Aerodynamic Performance of a Nanostructure-Induced Multistable Shell

Multistable shells that have the ability to hold more than one stable configuration are promising for adaptive structures, especially for airfoil. In contrast to existing studies on bistable shells, which are well demonstrated by the Venus flytrap plant with the ability to feed itself, this work experimentally studies the aerodynamic response of various stable configurations of a nanostructure-induced multistable shell. This multistable shell is manufactured by using nanotechnology and surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT) to locally process nine circular zones in an original flat plate. The aerodynamic responses of eight stable configurations of the developed multistable shell, including four twisted configurations and four untwisted configurations with different cambers, are visually captured and quantitively measured in a wind tunnel. The results clearly demonstrate the feasibility of utilizing different controllable configurations to adjust the aerodynamic performance of the multistable shell.

Gradient Microstructure Induced by Surface Mechanical Attrition Treatment in Grade 2 Titanium Studied Using Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy and Complementary Methods

Microstructural changes in grade 2 titanium generated by surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT) were studied using positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy and complementary methods. A significant increase in the mean positron lifetime indicated many lattice defects introduced by SMAT. Two positron lifetime components were resolved in the positron lifetime spectra measured. The longer lifetime revealed the presence of vacancy clusters containing about 3 or 4 vacancies, while the shorter one was attributed to the annihilation of positrons trapped at dislocations. The changes of the positron lifetime indicated a decreasing dislocation density and the presence of a deeper layer with a higher concentration of vacancy clusters at the distance from the treated surface for which the microhardness approached the value for the strain-free matrix. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy showed the positive effect of SMAT on the corrosion resistance of the titanium studied in a saline environment also after removal of the original oxide layer that was formed during the SMAT.

Gradient Microstructure Design in Stainless Steel: A Strategy for Uniting Strength-Ductility Synergy and Corrosion Resistance

Martensite transformation and grain refinement can make austenitic stainless steel stronger, but this comes at a dramatic loss of both ductility and corrosion resistance. Here we report a novel gradient structure in 301 stainless steel sheets, which enables an unprecedented combination of high strength, improved ductility and good corrosion resistance. After producing inter-layer microstructure gradient by surface mechanical attrition treatment, the sheet was annealed at high temperature for a short duration, during which partial reverse transformation occurred to form recrystallized austenitic nano-grains in the surface layer, i.e., introducing extra intra-layer heterogeneity. Such 3D microstructure heterogeneity activates inter-layer and inter-phase interactions during deformation, thereby producing back stress for high yield strength and hetero-deformation induced (HDI) hardening for high ductility. Importantly, the recrystallized austenitic nano-grains significantly ameliorates the corrosion resistance. These findings suggest an effective route for evading the strength–ductility and strength–corrosion tradeoffs in stainless steels simultaneously.