Creep Rupture Behavior in Dissimilar Weldment between FB2 and 30Cr1Mo1V Heat-Resistant Steel

Creep rupture behavior of dissimilar weldments between FB2 and 30Cr1Mo1V heat-resistant steel by multipass welding at 783 K (510°C) under different stresses (260 to 420 MPa) was researched. The fitted creep rupture exponent is 14.53, and the 10,000 h extrapolating strength values predicted by the power law and Larson-Miller parameter show good agreement with experimental data. The samples exhibit a ductile fracture character and fracture in the weld fusion zone, which has a highly heterogeneous microstructure and grains with different morphologies and sizes and an obvious softening. There exist a decrease in the dislocation and precipitate density and an increase in the subgrain size in the weld metal after creep. The rupture is a transgranular fracture characterized by dimples as a result of microvoid coalescence. Laves phases along with copper-rich precipitates are observed in the vicinity of fracture surface, which creates a stress concentration that can cause transgranular fracture initiation.

Properties of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) after Thermo-Oxidative Aging

The influence of the thermo-oxidative aging semi-crystalline polyethylene terephthalate process on the thermal and mechanical properties was analysed in the article. For this purpose, PET was aged at 140 °C for 21, 35 and 56 days. The research showed that as a result of aging, the amount of the crystalline phase increases by about 8%, which translates into the properties of the aged material. The glass transition and melt temperature of lamellar crystals formed during first and second crystallisation increase with aging. The mechanical properties of the material were analysed in the temperature range of 25 to 75 °C. The tests were showing an increase in Young’s modulus and a decrease in elongation at the break as a result of aging. This phenomenon was particularly visible during tests at 75 °C and during the morphological observation of the fracture surface, where the fracture character of the material changes from ductile to brittle. In the case of the material aged for the longest time, the temperature has a negligible influence on the elongation at break.

Microstructural evidence of the toughening mechanisms of polyurethane reinforced with halloysite nanotubes under high strain-rate tensile loading

In this study, we have investigated the relationship between the spherulitic morphology and the dynamic tensile response of polyurethane reinforced with Halloysite nanotubes (HNTs). The polyurethane prepolymer is partially silane end-capped and filled with only 0.8 wt.% of acid-treated Halloysite nanotubes. The resultant nanocomposite material presents a 35% higher spall strength compared to the neat polyurethane and 21% higher fracture toughness. We show evidence that the HNTs are not the toughening phase in the nanocomposite, but rather it is their influence on the resultant spherulitic structures which alters the polymer microstructure and leads to a tougher dynamic response. Microstructural characterization is performed via Scanning Electron Microscopy, Atomic Force Microscopy and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy, and crystallinity examination via X-ray diffraction. The spherulitic structures present a brittle fracture character, while the interspherulitic regions are more ductile and show large deformation. The nanocomposite presents a finer and more rigid spherulitic structure, and a more energy dissipative fracture mechanism characterized by a rougher fracture surface with highly deformed interspherulitic regions.

Fracture of Electron Beam Welding Joints of Titan Alloys

Analysis of fracture surfaces morphology of material of welded joints of Ti-TiB system alloys and (α + β) Тi alloy, obtained by electron-beam welding under various technological modes, is carried out. Parameters alterable were the electron beam displacement velocity and initial temperature of the parts welded. Prevalent effect of boron phase on fracture character of Ti-TiB system alloys and possibility of ductility increase both Ti-TiB system and (α+β Тi alloy, due to thermal effect action, is shown.

Production and Properties of Electron-Beam-Welded Joints on Ti-TiB Titanium Alloys

In this article, structural features of Ti-TiB and (α+β) Ti alloys in the initial state, in the weld and in the heat-affected zone of electron beam welds were investigated. The influences of welding parameters, such as influence of the electron beam velocity, preheating of the welded alloys and the subsequent annealing of the welded joint on the its microstructure, and the mechanical strength and ductility of the critical elements of the joint were studied by scanning electron microscopy using microprobe Auger spectral and X-ray diffraction analysis and tensile tests. It has been shown that the conditions for rapid crystallization of the material from the melt of the weld contribute to refining of reinforcing fibers of TiB and its hardening in comparison with the starting material Ti-TiB. Besides that, influences of the preferential orientation of TiB reinforcing microfibers (along and across the welded butt joint) on the mechanical properties of the welded joint were investigated bz tensile testing. Using the methods of fractographic analysis, the effect of the boron-containing phase on the fracture character of Ti-TiB welded joints was established. It was shown that, along with the strengthening effect, TiB fibers cause embrittlement of the material.

Fatigue Behavior of Two Acrylic Denture Base Resins

Acrylic resins based on polymetyl metacrylate are used in dental prosthetics as base for dentures. One of the major failure causes of dentures is the fatigue damage of the acrylic resins. These materials, in addition to mechanical behavior, also present a high risk of structural defects (voids, micro-cracks, residual monomer) that can significantly affect the fatigue behavior. In this paper, two commercial acrylic resins have been experimentally analyzed in terms of mechanical and fatigue behavior. Tensile constant amplitude fatigue tests with stress ratio R = 0 and frequency of 2 Hz have been carried out on samples of the two acrylic resins, prepared according to the manufacturer�s recommendations. The results revealed, besides the brittle fracture character, a similar fatigue behavior following a Weibull distribution. Also, through statistical processing of the results, the fatigue curve equations of the two analyzed materials were estimated for different levels of confidence.

Plastic Instabilities Induced by the Portevin - Le Châtelier Effect and Fracture Character of Deformed Mg-Li Alloys Investigated Using the Acoustic Emission Method

The results of the investigation of both mechanical and acoustic emission (AE) behaviors of Mg4Li5Al and Mg4Li4Zn alloys subjected to compression and tensile tests at room temperature are compared with the test results obtained using the same alloys and loading scheme but at elevated temperatures. The main aim of the paper is to investigate, to determine and to explain the relation between plastic flow instabilities and the fracture characteristics. There are discussed the possible influence of the factors related with enhanced internal stresses such as: segregation of precipitates along grain boundaries, interaction of solute atoms with mobile dislocations (Cottrell atmospheres) as well as dislocation pile-ups which may lead to the microcracks formation due to the creation of very high stress concentration at grain boundaries. The results show that the plastic flow discontinuities are related to the Portevin-Le Châtelier phenomenon (PL effect) and they are correlated with the generation of characteristic AE pulse trains. The fractography of broken samples was analyzed on the basis of light (optical), TEM and SEM images.