Directional solidification of aluminum-nickel eutectic alloys using electroslag remelting

Attempts were made to produce directionally solidified, specifically grain aligned Al-6 wt pct Ni eutectic alloy using a laboratory scale ESR unit. For this purpose sand cast alloy electrodes were electroslag remelted under different mold conditions. The grain structure of the ingots obtained from these meltings showed that insulated silica molds gave the best vertical alignment of grains along the length of the ingot. The NiAl3 fibers within the grains tended to fan out and there was only a preferred alignment of fibers along the growth direction under the conditions of our experiments. The ESR parameters most suitable for vertical alignment of eutectic grains have been identified. In some electroslag remelting trials ingots were grown on a seed ingot. This resulted in a fewer vertical grains compared to the case when no seed ingot was used. The sand cast specimen of the eutectic exhibited a maximum tensile strength of around 88.2 MN/m2 (9.0 kg/mm2) whereas conventional ESR using water cooled mold gave strength value of 98.0 MN/m2 (10 kg/mm2). The directionally solidified ESR material showed longitudinal tensile strength as high as 213.7 MN/m2 (21.8 kg/mm2) which could be further increased to 220.6 MN/m2 (22.5 kg/mm2) by using the seed ingot. The average growth rate was varied between 5 to 25 mm/min during electroslag remelting in this study. The flow stresses, tangent modulus and ultimate tensile strength of directionally solidified eutectic increased with increasing growth rates.

Novel mechanism for high speed growth of transparent and conducting tin oxide thin films by spray pyrolysis

A novel mechanism is proposed for efficient manipulation of transport forces acting on the droplets during spray pyrolytic deposition of thin films. A ‘‘burst mode’’ technique of spraying is used to adjust the deposition conditions so as to transport the droplets under the new mechanism. Transparent, conducting thin films of undoped tin oxide prepared by this method showed significant improvement in growth rate. The films are found to be of fairly good quality with optical transmission of 82% and sheet resistance of 35 Ω/☒. The films are chemically homogeneous and grow preferentially along 〈200〉 direction.

Resistance of Norway spruce (Picea abies) to root and butt rot (Heterobasidion parviporum) in peatland and mineral soil

Root and butt rot is the most harmful fungal disease affecting Norway spruce in southern Finland. In approximately 90 % of cases the causal agent is Heterobasidion parviporum. Root and butt rot infections have not been reported in Finnish peatlands. However, the increase in logging operations in peatlands means there is a risk that the fungus will eventually spread to these areas. The aim of this study was to find out the impact of growing site on the resistance of Norway spruce to Heterobasidion parviporum infections. This was investigated by artificially inoculating H. parviporum to spruce trees in pristine mire, drained peatland and mineral soil and comparing the defence reactions. Additionally, the effect of genotype on resistance was studied by comparing the responses of spruce clones representing different geographic origins. The roots and stems of the trees to be sampled were wounded and inoculated with wood dowels pre-colonised by H. parviporum hyphae. The resulting necrosis around the point of inoculation was observed. It was presumed that increased length of necrosis indicates high susceptibility of the tree to the disease. The relationship between growth rate and host resistance was also studied. The results indicated that growing site does not have a statistically significant effect on host resistance. The average length of necrosis around the point of inoculation was 35 mm in pristine mire, 37 mm in drained peatland and 40 mm in mineral soil. It was observed that growth rate does not affect resistance, but that the genotype of the tree does have an effect. The most resistant spruce clone was the one with Russian origin. The results suggest that the spruce stands in peatlands are not more resistant to root and butt rot infections than those in mineral soil. These findings should be taken into consideration when logging peatland forests.

A numerical investigation of ductile fracture initiation in a high-strength low-alloy steel

In this work, static and drop-weight impact experiments, which have been conducted using three-point bend fracture specimens of a high-strength low-alloy steel, are analysed by performing finite-element simulations. The Gurson constitutive model that accounts for the ductile failure mechanisms of microvoid nucleation, growth and is employed within the framework of a finite deformation plasticity theory. Two populations of second-phase particles are considered, including large inclusions which initiate voids at an early stage and small particles which require large strains to nucleate voids. The most important objective of the work is to assess quantitatively the effects of material inertia, strain rate sensitivity and local adiabatic temperature rise (due to conversion of plastic work into heat) on dynamic ductile crack initiation. This is accomplished by comparing the evolution histories of void volume fraction near the notch tip in the static analysis with the dynamic analyses. The results indicate that increased strain hardening caused by strain rate sensitivity, which becomes important under dynamic loading, plays a benign role in considerably slowing down the void growth rate near the notch tip. This is partially opposed by thermal softening caused by adiabatic heating near the notch tip.

Role of elasto-plastic analysis under cyclic loading in fatigue crack growth studies

Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics (LEFM) has been widely used in the past for fatigue crack growth studies, but this is acceptable only in situations which are within small scale yielding (SSY). In many practical structural components, conditions of SSY could be violated and one has to look for fracture criteria based on elasto-plastic analysis. Crack closure phenomenon, one of the most striking discoveries based on inelastic deformations during crack growth, has significant effect on fatigue crack growth rate. Numerical simulation of this phenomenon is computationally intensive and involved but has been successfully implemented. Stress intensity factors and strain energy release rates lose their meaning, J-integral (or its incremental) values are applicable only in specific situations, whereas alternate path independent integrals have been proposed in the literature for use with elasto-plastic fracture mechanics (EPFM) based criteria. This paper presents certain salient features of two independent finite element (numerical) studies of relevance to fatigue crack growth, where elasto-plastic analysis becomes significant. These problems can only be handled in the current day computational environment, and would have been only a dream just a few years ago.

Fatigue crack growth under an eqivalent falstaff spectrum

Optical fractography was used to estimate growth of small cracks at notches under programmed FALSTAFF loading in an Al-Cu alloy. Crack sizes as low as 25 microns and growth rates over two orders of magnitude could be resolved using this technique. Randomized MiniFALSTAFF load sequence was modified into a programmed load equivalent with major loads either preceding or following marker loads. Crack growth rate under programmed FALSTAFF spectrum as estimated by optical fractography conformed to compliance based estimates on a SE(T) specimen. Long crack growth rates under programmed and randomized MiniFALSTAFF spectrum were essentially similar. Spectrum load fatigue crack growth was studied in central hole coupons under notch inelastic conditions. Scatter in growth rates for small notch cracks was found to be of the same magnitude as that of long cracks. Multiple fatigue cracks are observed at the notch root, and they appear to influence each other.

Growth of nanowires of beta-NaxV2O5 by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

Films comprised of nanowires of beta-NaxV2O5 measuring 20-200 nm in diameter and 10-30 mum in length have been prepared on glass substrates by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition using the beta-diketonate complex, vanadyl acetyl acetonate, as precursor, but without the use of either templates or catalysts. Films consisting of nanowires of monophasic beta-NaxV2O5 with a preferred orientation along (h0l) are formed only at 550 degreesC, whereas those deposited at 540 degreesC comprise a mixture of nanowires (beta-NaxV2O5) and platelets (V2O5). The films deposited at lower temperatures are less crystalline and comprise a mixture of vanadium oxide phases. From the observations that nanowires are formed only in the narrow temperature range of 540-550 degreesC, and from the critical dependence of the formation of nanowires on the balance between the CVD growth rate and the evaporation rate of the film, it is inferred that the formation of nanowires of beta-NaxV2O5 is due to chemical vapor transport.

Fatigue de-bond growth in adhesively bonded single lap joints

The fatigue de-bond growth studies have been conducted on adhesively bonded lap joint specimens between aluminium and aluminium with Redux-319A adhesive with a pre-defined crack of 3 mm at the bond end. The correlations between fracture parameters and the de-bond growth data are established using both numerical and experimental techniques. In the numerical method, geometrically non-linear finite element analyses were carried out on adhesively bonded joint specimen for various de-bond lengths measured from the lap end along the mid-bond line of the adhesive. The finite element results were post processed to estimate the SERR components G (I) and G (II) using the Modified Virtual Crack Closure Integral (MVCCI) procedure. In experimental work, specimens were fabricated and fatigue de-bond growth tests were conducted at a stress ratio R = -1. The results obtained from both numerical analyses and testing have been used to generate de-bond growth curve and establish de-bond growth law in the Paris regime for such joints. The de-bond growth rate is primarily function of mode-I SERR component G (I) since the rate of growth in shear mode is relatively small. The value of Paris exponent m is found to be 6.55. The high value of de-bond growth exponent in Paris regime is expected, since the adhesive is less ductile than conventional metallic materials. This study is important for estimating the life of adhesively bonded joints under both constant and variable amplitude fatigue loads.

Fatigue crack growth due to overloads in plain concrete using scaling laws

Scaling laws are represented in power law form and can be utilized to extract the characteristic properties of a new phenomenon with the help of self-similar solutions. In this work, an attempt has been made to propose a scaling law analytically, for plain concrete when subjected to variable amplitude loading. Due to the application of overload on concrete structures, acceleration in the crack growth process takes place. A closed form expression has been developed to capture the acceleration in crack growth rate in conjunction with the principles of dimensional analysis and self-similarity. The proposed model accounts for parameters such as, the tensile strength, fracture toughness, overload effect and the structural size. Knowing the governed and the governing parameters of the physical problem and by using the concepts of self-similarity, a relationship is obtained between the different parameters involved. The predicted results are compared with experimental crack growth data for variable amplitude loading and are found to capture the overload effect with sufficient accuracy. Through a sensitivity analysis, fracture toughness is found to be the most dominant parameter in accelerating the crack length due to application of overload.

Vapor-liquid-solid growth of Si nanowires: A kinetic analysis

A steady state kinetic model has been developed for the vapor-liquid-solid growth of Si whiskers or nanowires from liquid catalyst droplets. The steady state is defined as one in which the net injection rate of Si into the droplet is equal to the ejection rate due to wire growth. Expressions that represent specific mechanisms of injection and ejection of Si atoms from the liquid catalyst droplet have been used and their relative importance has been discussed. The analysis shows that evaporation and reverse reaction rates need to be invoked, apart from just surface cracking of the precursor, in order to make the growth rate radius dependent. When these pathways can be neglected, the growth rate become radius independent and can be used to determine the activation energies for the rate limiting step of heterogeneous precursor decomposition. The ejection rates depend on the mechanism of wire growth at the liquid-solid interface or the liquid-solid-vapor triple phase boundary. It is shown that when wire growth is by nucleation and motion of ledges, a radius dependence of growth rate does not just come from the Gibbs-Thompson effect on supersaturation in the liquid, but also from the dependence of the actual area or length available for nucleation. Growth rates have been calculated using the framework of equations developed and compared with experimental results. The agreement in trends is found to be excellent. The same framework of equations has also been used to account for the diverse pressure and temperature dependence of growth rates reported in the literature. © 2012 American Institute of Physics.

Performance of established native seedlings in relation to invasive Lantana camara, rainfall and species' habitat preferences in a seasonally dry tropical forest

Native species' response to the presence of invasive species is context specific. This response cannot be studied in isolation from the prevailing environmental stresses in invaded habitats such as seasonal drought. We investigated the combined effects of an invasive shrub Lantana camara L. (lantana), seasonal rainfall and species' microsite preferences on the growth and survival of 1,105 naturally established seedlings of native trees and shrubs in a seasonally dry tropical forest. Individuals were followed from April 2008 to February 2010, and growth and survival measured in relation to lantana density, seasonality of rainfall and species characteristics in a 50-ha permanent forest plot located in Mudumalai, southern India. We used a mixed effects modelling approach to examine seedling growth and generalized linear models to examine seedling survival. The overall relative height growth rate of established seedlings was found to be very low irrespective of the presence or absence of dense lantana. 22-month growth rate of dry forest species was lower under dense lantana while moist forest species were not affected by the presence of lantana thickets. 4-month growth rates of all species increased with increasing inter-census rainfall. Community results may be influenced by responses of the most abundant species, Catunaregam spinosa, whose growth rates were always lower under dense lantana. Overall seedling survival was high, increased with increasing rainfall and was higher for species with dry forest preference than for species with moist forest preference. The high survival rates of naturally established seedlings combined with their basal sprouting ability in this forest could enable the persistence of woody species in the face of invasive species.

Analysis of fatigue crack growth in RC beams

In this work, a fatigue crack propagation model developed using dimensional analysis for plain concrete is used in conjunction with the steel closing force to predict the crack growth behavior of reinforced concrete beams. A numerical procedure is followed using the proposed model to compute the fatigue life of RC beams and the dissipated energy in the steel reinforcement due to shake down behavior. Through a sensitivity study, it is found that the structural size is the most sensitive parameter on which the crack growth rate is dependent. Furthermore, the moment carrying capacity of an RC beam is computed as function of crack size by considering the effect of bond slip.

Euglena sp as a suitable source of lipids for potential use as biofuel and sustainable wastewater treatment

Prolific algal growth in sewage ponds with high organic loads in the tropical regions can provide cost-effective and efficient wastewater treatment and biofuel production. This work examines the ability of Euglena sp. growing in wastewater ponds for biofuel production and treatment of wastewater. The algae were isolated from the sewage treatment plants and were tested for their nutrient removal capability. Compared to other algae, Euglena sp. showed faster growth rates with high biomass density at elevated concentrations of ammonium nitrogen (NH4-N) and organic carbon (C). Profuse growth of these species was observed in untreated wastewaters with a mean specific growth rate (mu) of 0.28 day(-1) and biomass productivities of 132 mg L-1 day(-1). The algae cultured within a short period of 8 days resulted in the 98 % removal of NH4-N, 93 % of total nitrogen 85 % of ortho-phosphate, 66 % of total phosphate and 92 % total organic carbon. Euglenoids achieved a maximum lipid content of 24.6 % (w/w) with a biomass density of 1.24 g L-1 (dry wt.). Fourier transform infrared spectra showed clear transitions in biochemical compositions with increased lipid/protein ratio at the end of the culture. Gas chromatography and mass spectrometry indicated the presence of high contents of palmitic, linolenic and linoleic acids (46, 23 and 22 %, respectively), adding to the biodiesel quality. Good lipid content (comprised quality fatty acids), efficient nutrient uptake and profuse biomass productivity make the Euglena sp. as a viable source for biofuel production in wastewaters.

An enthalpy-based model of dendritic growth in a convecting binary alloy melt

Purpose-In the present work, a numerical method, based on the well established enthalpy technique, is developed to simulate the growth of binary alloy equiaxed dendrites in presence of melt convection. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach-The principle of volume-averaging is used to formulate the governing equations (mass, momentum, energy and species conservation) which are solved using a coupled explicit-implicit method. The velocity and pressure fields are obtained using a fully implicit finite volume approach whereas the energy and species conservation equations are solved explicitly to obtain the enthalpy and solute concentration fields. As a model problem, simulation of the growth of a single crystal in a two-dimensional cavity filled with an undercooled melt is performed. Findings-Comparison of the simulation results with available solutions obtained using level set method and the phase field method shows good agreement. The effects of melt flow on dendrite growth rate and solute distribution along the solid-liquid interface are studied. A faster growth rate of the upstream dendrite arm in case of binary alloys is observed, which can be attributed to the enhanced heat transfer due to convection as well as lower solute pile-up at the solid-liquid interface. Subsequently, the influence of thermal and solutal Peclet number and undercooling on the dendrite tip velocity is investigated. Originality/value-As the present enthalpy based microscopic solidification model with melt convection is based on a framework similar to popularly used enthalpy models at the macroscopic scale, it lays the foundation to develop effective multiscale solidification.

Seasonal variability of rainfall recorded in growth bands of the Giant African Land Snail Lissachatina fulica (Bowdich) from India

Seasonal rainfall patterns in Bangalore, India, have been reconstructed using stable isotopic ratios in the growth bands of Giant African Land Snail shells. The present study was conducted at Bangalore, India which receives rain during the summer months. The oxygen isotopic record in the rainwater samples collected during different months covering the period of the summer monsoon of the year 2008 is compared with the isotopic ratio in the gastropod growth bands deposited simultaneously. The chronology of the shell growth band is independently established assuming the growth rate observed in a chamber experiment maintaining similar relative humidity and temperature conditions. A consistent pattern observed in the isotopic ratio in the gastropod growth bands and rainwater is demonstrated and provides a novel approach for precipitation reconstruction at seasonal and weekly time scales. This approach of using isotopic ratios in the gastropod growth bands for rainfall can serve as a substitute for filling gaps in rainfall data and for cases where no rain records are available. In addition, they can be used to determine the frequencies and magnitudes of dry spells from the past records. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.