Crystal Diffraction Techniques Were Used to Investigate the Structural Properties of Some Aluminum Alloys.

Due to the importance of these alloys in the manufacture of aircraft, coatings, radiation shields, and electronic circuits, the study’s objectives include investigating previously unstudied structural properties of some aluminum alloys, alloy A (Al-Zn-Mg-Ti) and alloy B (Al-Zn-Mg-Mn) were prepared using the casting method, and their structural properties were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques (granular size and theoretical density). The results of analyzing the X-ray diffraction data and determining the phases formed on the two alloys after matching them with the international standard cards (JCPDS) revealed that it is polycrystalline, with structures (cubic and hexagonal) on alloy A and structures (cube, hexagonal, and anorthic) on alloy B. The results revealed that the average grain size estimated by the Debye-Scherer method is less than that estimated by the Williamson-Hall method, and that the grain size of alloy A is less than that of alloy B due to the presence of titanium in alloy A’s composition, which works to reduce particle size. The theoretical density of Alloy A and B that was used in X-ray diffraction was calculated. SEM analysis of the spherical shape of the grains on the surfaces of alloys A and B revealed that the average grain size on the surface of alloy A is smaller than on the surface of alloy B, which is consistent with the results of XRD analyses.

Easily Sinterable Low-Alloy Steel Powders for P/M Diamond Tools

The work presents the design and fabrication procedures used to manufacture inexpensive iron-base powders employed as a matrix in diamond-impregnated tool components. Three newly developed low alloy steel powders, containing from 94.4 to 99.4 wt.% Fe, have been formulated with the assistance of ThermoCalc software and produced by means of a proprietary process patented by AGH-UST. It has been shown that the powders are readily pressureless sintered to a closed porosity condition (>95% theoretical density) at a temperature range between 840 and 950 °C. All as-consolidated materials achieve the desired tool matrix hardness of more than 200 HV. One of the experimental powders has been designed to partly melt within the sintering window. This is particularly important in fabrication of wire saw beads by the conventional press and sinter route because sintering of a diamond-impregnated ring and its further brazing to a tubular steel holder can be combined into one operation.

Mechanical Properties and Rapid Sintering of Nanostructured WC-Al2O3-Al Hard Materials

Nanostructured WC-Al2O3-Al composites was sintered using rapid high-frequency induction heated sintering (HFIHS) and the mechanical properties such as hardness and fracture toughness with consolidation were investigated. The HFIHS method induced a very fast densification nearly at the level of theoretical density and successfully prohibited grain growth, resulting in nano-sized grains. The fracture toughness was improved due to the consolidation facilitated by adding Al to WC-Al2O3 matrix. The WC-Al2O3 composites added with 5 and 10 vol.% Al showed higher hardness and fracture toughness compared with that of WC-Al2O3.

Microstructure evolution of yttria compacts by powder technology

Background: Innovation in ceramic materials relies on processing of powders. Yttria also known as yttrium oxide belongs to rare earths group, which usual form is RE2O3 (RE from La to Lu, including Sc and Y). Due to great end use of RE based materials since agriculture until astronomy, the main economies such as United States of America and European Union addressed REs as critical materials. The aim of this paper is to obtain dense compacts of yttria by powder technology, in which the effect of sintering temperature on samples microstructure is evaluated. Methods: Yttria powders (Y2O3) were used as starting material, being characterized by Photon Correlation Spectroscopy (PCS); X-ray Diffraction (XRD); Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Powder compacts in cylindrical shape formed by uniaxial compaction, followed by hydrostatic compaction were evaluated by means of apparent density. Sintered samples under sintering temperatures from 1350 to 1550ºC were evaluated by SEM, XRD, apparent density, and true density. Results: Cubic C-type yttria powders exhibited mean particle size (d50) of 1.6μm, and morphology like acicular. Powder compacts (diameter x height) of 9.57mm ± 0.01 x 1.53mm ± 0.01 presented mean apparent density of 53.69% (based on free powder density). As sintered samples at 1550ºC, exhibited the most densification 65.0% related to green density and 91.0% related to theoretical density, respectively. Conclusion : Yttria cylindrical compacts with dense microstructure and symmetric dimensions were formed by powder technology from powders with mean particle size of 6.51μm, by compaction methods (uniaxial and hydrostatic), followed by sintering. The most densification of samples was achieved by the sintering condition of 1550ºC for 2h, providing samples with theoretical density of 91%. These results provide useful subsidies to advance toward full densification of ytrria based materials.

Pressure-induced chemical decomposition of copper orthovanadate (α-Cu3V2O8)

The high pressure stability of α-Cu3V2O8 has been investigated via complementary high pressure synchrotron X-ray diffraction experiments and theoretical density functional theory calculations. The results of both experiment and theory...

Sintering Behavior of AL2O3 Ceramics Doped with Pre-Sintered NB2O5 and LiF

A study was carried out on the behavior during the sintering of Al2O3 ceramics with pre-sintering of the additives Nb2O5 and LiF at different temperatures. It was observed through XRD and DSC the formation of the LiNb3O8, Nb3O7F and LiNbO3 phases during the pre-sintering of the additive powders and the formation of the LiAl5O8, AlNbO4 phases during the sintering of the samples The samples showed densities around 91% of the theoretical density, and pre-sintered samples showed low growth in grain size.

Influence of Porosity and Alloy addition on the Wear behaviour of a Sinter-Forged C45 Steel using Taguchi Method

Elemental powders of Atomized Iron (Fe), Carbon (C) and Molybdenum (Mo) were weighed and mixed in a pot mill to yield the composition of C45, C45-1%Mo and C45-2%Mo Steels, then compacted and sintered. The Sintered preforms had a density- 75% of the Theoretical Density. Then the Sintered preforms were subjected to densification to get two densities- 80% and 85% of the theoretical density through Forging. The sintered and densified preforms of alloy steels were subsequently machined to get the required wear test specimens.The experiments were conducted on a Pin-on-disc Tribometer, conforming to ASTM G99 standards, on a rotating EN32 disc. Using Minitab 16 software, the Dry Sliding wear experiments were planned using L27 Orthogonal Array.The % Theoretical Density of the Specimens (1-%Porosity), % Mo Addition, Load and Sliding Velocity were taken as input parameters, mass loss was the output parameter. It was observed that the increasing density of alloy steels adversely affects the wear resistance of the alloy steels and mass loss is increased. It was found that the addition of Mo significantly improves the wear resistance of the alloy steels irrespective of the densities .Empirical correlations for mass loss with respect to input parameters had been developed.