Mechanical properties and energy absorption of ceramic particulate and resin-impregnation reinforced aluminium foams

The mechanical properties of aluminium foams can be improved by matrix reinforcement and resin-impregnation methods. In the present study, aluminium foams were reinforced by both ceramic particulate reinforcing of the aluminium matrix and resin-impregnating pores. The mechanical properties and the energy absorption of the reinforced aluminium foams were investigated by dynamic and quasi-static compression. Results indicated that the ceramic particle additions of CBN, SiC and B4C in aluminium foams increase the peak stress, elastic modulus and energy absorption of the aluminium foams, under both conditions of dynamic and quasi-static compression. Moreover, the aluminium foams with and without ceramic particle additions exhibited obvious strain rate sensitivity during dynamic compression. Furthermore, the resin-impregnation improves the mechanic properties and energy absorption of aluminium foams significantly. However, aluminium foams with resin-impregnation showed negligible strain rate sensitivity under dynamic compression. It is reported that both the ceramic particle addition and resin-impregnation can be effective techniques to improve the mechanical and the energy absorption properties of aluminium foams.

Effect of B4C, TiB2 and ZrSiO4 ceramic particles on mechanical properties of aluminium matrix composites: Experimental investigation and predictive modelling

This paper focuses on the influence of processing temperature and inclusion of micron-sized B4C, TiB2 and ZrSiO4 on the mechanical performance of aluminium matrix composites fabricated through stir casting. The ceramic/aluminium composite could withstand greater external loads, due to interfacial ceramic/aluminium bonding effect on the movement of grain and twin boundaries. Based on experimental results, the tensile strength and hardness of ceramic reinforced composite are significantly increased. The maximum improvement is achieved through adding ZrSiO4 and TiB2, which has led to 52% and 125% increase in tensile strength and hardness, respectively. To predict the effect of incorporating ceramic reinforcements on the mechanical properties of composites, experimental data of mechanical tests are used to create 3 models named Levenberg-Marquardt Algorithm (LMA) neural networks. The results show that the LMA- neural networks models have a high level of accuracy in the prediction of mechanical properties for ceramic reinforced-aluminium matrix composites.

The effect of incorporation of a Brazilian water treatment plant sludge on the properties of ceramic materials

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Conventional and microwave sintering of CaCu(3)Ti(4)O(12)/CaTiO(3) ceramic composites: non-ohmic and dielectric properties

The non-ohmic and dielectric properties as well as the dependence on the microstructural features of CaCu(3)Ti(4)O(12)/CaTiO(3) ceramic composites obtained by conventional and microwave sintering were investigated. It was demonstrated that the non-ohmic and dielectric properties depend strongly on the sintering conditions. It was found that the non-linear coefficient reaches values of 65 for microwave-sintered samples and 42 for samples sintered in a conventional furnace when a current density interval of 1-10 mA cm(-2) is considered. The non-linear coefficient value of 65 is equivalent to 1500 for samples sintered in the microwave if a current interval of 5-30 mA is considered as is shortly discussed by Chung et al (2004 Nature Mater. 3 774). Due to a high non-linear coefficient and a low leakage current (90 mu A) under both processing conditions, these samples are promising for varistor applications. The conventionally sintered samples exhibit a higher relative dielectric constant at 1 kHz (2960) compared with the samples sintered in the microwave furnace (2100). At high frequencies, the dielectric constant is also larger in the samples sintered in the conventional furnace. Depending on the application, one or another synthesis methodology is recommended, that is, for varistor applications sintered in a microwave furnace and for dielectric application sintered in a conventional furnace.

The influence of area/volume ratio on microstructure and non-Ohmic properties of SnO2-based varistor ceramic blocks

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Dielectric and pyroelectric properties of a composite of ferroelectric ceramic and polyurethane

Flexible piezo- and pyroelectric composite was made in the thin film form by spin coating. Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) ceramic powder was dispersed in a castor oil-based polyurethane (PU) matrix, providing a composite with 0-3 connectivity. The dielectric data, measured over a wide range of frequency (10(-5) Hz to 105 Hz), shows a loss peak around 100 Hz related with impurities in the polymer matrix. There is also an evidence of a peak in the range 10(-4) Hz, possibly originating from the glass transition temperature T of the polymer. The pyroelectric coefficient at 34 K is 7.0x10(-5) C(.)m(-2.)K(-1) which is higher than that of P-PVDF (1X10(-5) C(.)m(-2.)K(-1)).

Structural and dielectric properties of relaxor Sr0.5Ba0.5Bi2Nb2O9 ceramic

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Dosimetric properties of UV irradiated calcium co-doped borate glass-ceramic

The thermoluminescence (TL) response of Dy and Li doped 20CaB(4)O(7)-80CaB(2)O(4) (Wt%) glass-ceramic irradiated with ultraviolet (UV) radiation was studied. In order to act as TL activator ions, the Dy and Li ions were included in the matrix during the melting process to increase its TL efficiency. A single crystalline CaB2O4 phase was present in the glass-ceramic as determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The glass-ceramic 20CaB(4)O(7)-80CaB(2)O(4):Dy,Li wt% (named 20CBO7:Dy,Li) is a newly prepared TL material. Its thermoluminescent dosimetric characteristics have shown a linear response under UV radiation exposure and a good TL signal reproducibility, thus proving to be a promising material for using as an ultraviolet radiation dosimeter. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of Ta2O5 doping on the electrical properties of 0.99SnO(2)center dot 0.01CoO ceramic

The effect of Ta2O5 doping in 0.99SnO(2). 0.01CoO on the microstructure and electrical properties of this ceramic were analyzed in this study. The grain size was found to decrease from 6.87 mu m to 5.68 mu m when the Ta2O5 concentration increased from 0.050 to 0.075 mol%. DC electrical characterization showed a dramatic increase in the current loss and decrease in the non-linear coefficient with the increase of the Ta2O5 concentration. The conduction mechanism is by thermionic emission and the potential barriers are of Schottky type, separated by a thin film. (C) 2000 Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Influence of the LiNbO3 and KNbO3 seeds on the sintering and electrical properties of PMN ceramic

The effect of LiNbO3 and KNbO3 seeds on the microstructure and dielectric characteristics of PMN ceramic prepared by columbite route have been investigated with the addition of 0, 1, and 2-wt% of seeds. X-ray diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscopy and an impedance analyzer were used to characterize the influence of seeds on physical characteristics and dielectric properties of PMN. LiNbO3 -seeded PMN samples present a significant increase in the amount of perovskite phase. The addition of LiNbO3 seeds in sintered PMN ceramics at 1100degreesC during 4 h causes a decrease in the porosity and the amount of pyrochlore phase. Weight losses during sintering of PMN ceramics are suppressed more significantly for LiNbO3 -seeded PMN. T-m of PMN ceramics changes with seeds concentration. KNbO3 seeds displace T-m to lower temperature whereas LiNbO3 causes its elevation. Dielectric constants of approximately 13,000 at 1 kHz was measured at -5degreesC in PMN ceramics with 1-wt% of LiNbO3 seeds.

Rietveld refinement, microstructure, conductivity and impedance properties of Ba[Zr0.25Ti0.75]O-3 ceramic

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Ceramic raw materials from the State of Maranhao, Brazil. Part 1: chemical and mineralogical characterization and technological properties of clays from Sao Luis, Rosario, Pinheiro and Mirinzal

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Nanomechanical properties of glass-ceramic films obtained by pressure impregnation of oxide powders on commercial float glass surfaces

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

MnO2 influence on the electrical properties of SnO2-based ceramic systems

Tin dioxide is an n-type semiconductor that when doped with other metallic oxides exhibits non-linear electric behavior with high non-linear coefficient values typical of a varistor. In this work, electrical properties of the SnO2.CoO.Ta2O5 and SnO2.CoO.MnO2.Ta2O5 ceramics systems were studied with the objective of analyzing the influence of MnO2 on sintering behavior and electrical properties of these systems. The compacts were prepared by powder mixture process and sintered at 1300°C for 1 hour, in air, using a constant heating rate of 10°C/min. The morphological and structural properties were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The densities of the sintered ceramics were measured using the Archimedes method. The SnO2.CoO.Ta2O5 and SnO2.CoO.MnO2.Ta2O5 systems presented breakdown fields (Eb) about 3100 V.cm-1 and 3800 V.cm-1, respectively, and non-linear coefficient (α) about 10 and 20, respectively.