Effect of diffusion on coating microstructure and oxidation resistance of aluminizing steel

The effect of diffuse treatment on coating microstructure and oxidation resistance at high-temperature of hot-dip aluminum were studied by means of TEM, SEM and XRD. The results show that, the diffusion temperature has significant effect on structure of coatings and its oxidation resistance. After diffusion at 750 degreesC, the coating consists of thick outer surface layer (Fe2Al5+ FeAl2), thin internal layer (FeAl + stripe FeAl2), and its oxidation resistance is poor. After diffusion at 950 degreesC, the outer surface layer is composed of single FeAl2 phase, the internal layer is composed of FeAl phase, and its oxidation resistance declines due to the occurrence of early stage internal oxidation cracks in the coating. After diffusion at 850 degreesC, the outer surface layer becomes thinner and consists of FeAl2 Fe2Al5(small amount), the internal layer becomes thicker and consists of FeAl+spherical FeAl2, and the spheroidized FeAl2 phase in the internal layer and its existing in FeAl phase steadily improve the oxidation resistance of the coating.

Flows with Inertia in a Three-Dimensional Random Fiber Network

A fiber web is modeled as a three-dimensional random cylindrical fiber network. Nonlinear behavior of fluid flowing through the fiber network is numerically simulated by using the lattice Boltzmann (LB) method. A nonlinear relationship between the friction factor and the modified Reynolds number is clearly observed and analyzed by using the Fochheimer equation, which includes the quadratic term of velocity. We obtain a transition from linear to nonlinear region when the Reynolds numbers are sufficiently high, reflecting the inertial effect of the flows. The simulated permeability of such fiber network has relatively good agreement with the experimental results and finite element simulations.

Some observations describing the electrochemical surface annealing of austenitic stainless steel

Cold-worked austenitic stainless steels have been subject to a pulsed electrochemical treatment in fairly concentrated aqueous solutions of sodium nitrite. The electrochemical reactions that occur transform the strain-induced martensite phase, originally formed by the cold work, back to the austenite phase. However, unlike the conventional thermal annealing process, electrochemically induced surface annealing also hardens the surface of the alloy. Because the process causes transformation of the surface martensite, we term it "electrochemical surface annealing", despite the fact that it results in an increase in surface hardness.

The temperature dependence of effective thermal conductivity of open-celled steel alloy foams

The effective thermal conductivity of steel alloy FeCrAlY (Fe-20 wt.% Cr-5 wt.% Al-2 wt.% Y-20 wt.%) foams with a range of pore sizes and porosities was measured between 300 and 800 K, under both vacuum and atmospheric conditions. The results show that the effective thermal conductivity increases rapidly as temperature is increased, particularly in the higher temperature range (500-800 K) where the transport of heat is dominated by thermal radiation. The effective conductivity at temperature 800 K can be three times higher than that at room temperature (300 K). Results obtained under vacuum conditions reveal that the effective conductivity increases with increasing pore size or decreasing porosity. The contribution of natural convection to heat conduction was found to be significant, with the effective thermal conductivity at ambient pressure twice the value of vacuum condition. The results also show that natural convection in metal foams is strongly dependent upon porosity. © 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Erosion-corrosion of mild steel in a temperature gradient

Thinning of heat-exchanger tubes by erosion-corrosion has been a problem in fluidized bed combustors (FBCs), particularly at lower metal temperatures where thicker, mechanically protective oxide scales are unable to form. Many laboratory-scale tests have shown a decrease in material loss at higher temperatures, in a similar manner to FBC boilers, but also show a decrease in wastage at low temperatures (e.g. 200°C) which has not been detected in boilers. It has been suggested that this difference is due to laboratory tests being carried out isothermally whereas in a FBC boiler the fluidized bed is considerably hotter than the metal heat exchanger tubing. In this laboratory study the simulation was therefore improved by internally cooling one of the two low carbon steel specimens. These were rotated in a horizontal plane within a lightly fluidized bed with relative particle velocities of 1.3-2.5 m s-1. Tests were carried out over a range of bed temperatures (200-500°C) and cooled specimen surface temperatures (115-500°C), with a maximum temperature difference between the two of 320°C. Although specimens exposed isothermally still showed maximum wastage at intermediate temperatures (about 350°C), those which were cooled showed high levels of wastage at temperatures as low as 200°C in a similar manner to FBC boilers. Cooling may modify the isothermal erosion-corrosion curve, causing it to broaden and the maximum wastage rate to shift to lower temperatures. © 1995.

An experimental study on the load carrying capacity of cold-formed steel studs and panels

A full-scale experimental study on the structural performance of load-bearing wall panels made of cold-formed steel frames and boards is presented. Six different types of C-channel stud, a total of 20 panels with one middle stud and 10 panels with two middle studs were tested under vertical compression until failure. For panels, the main variables considered are screw spacing (300 mm, 400 mm, or 600 mm) in the middle stud, board type (oriented strand board - OSB, cement particle board - CPB, or calcium silicate board - CSB), board number (no sheathing, one-side sheathing, or two-side sheathing), and loading type (1, 3, or 4-point loading). The measured load capacity of studs and panels agrees well with analytical prediction. Due to the restraint by rivet connections between stud and track, the effective length factor for the middle stud and the side stud in a frame (unsheathed panel) is reduced to 0.90 and 0.84, respectively. The load carrying capacity of a stud increases significantly whenever one- or two-side sheathing is used, although the latter is significantly more effective. It is also dependent upon the type of board used. Whereas panels with either OSB or CPB boards have nearly identical load carrying capacity, panels with CSB boards are considerably weaker. Screw spacing affects the load carrying capacity of a stud. When the screw spacing on the middle stud in panels with one-side sheathing is reduced from 600 mm to 300 mm, its load carrying capacity increases by 14.5 %, 20.6% and 94.2% for OSB, CPB and CSB, respectively.

Quasi-static three-point bending of carbon fiber sandwich beams with square honeycomb cores

Sandwich beams comprising identical face sheets and a square honeycomb core were manufactured from carbon fiber composite sheets. Analytical expressions were derived for four competing collapse mechanisms of simply supported and clamped sandwich beams in three-point bending: core shear, face microbuckling, face wrinkling, and indentation. Selected geometries of sandwich beams were tested to illustrate these collapse modes, with good agreement between analytic predictions and measurements of the failure load. Finite element (FE) simulations of the three-point bending responses of these beams were also conducted by constructing a FE model by laying up unidirectional plies in appropriate orientations. The initiation and growth of damage in the laminates were included in the FE calculations. With this embellishment, the FE model was able to predict the measured load versus displacement response and the failure sequence in each of the composite beams. © 2011 American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

Electron Beam Surface Treatment. Part II: Microstructure Evolution of Stainless Steel and Aluminum Alloy During Electron Beam Rapid Solidification

Surface rapid solidification microstructures of AISI 321 austenitic stainless steel and 2024 aluminum alloy have been investigated by electron beam remelting process and optical microscopy observation. It is indicated that the morphologies of the melted layer of both stainless steel and aluminum alloy change dramatically compared to the original materials. Also, the microstructures were greatly refined after the electron beam irradiation.

Bismuth-doped fiber integrated ring laser mode-locked with a nanotube-based saturable absorber

We demonstrate passive mode-locking of a bismuth-doped fiber laser using a singlewall nanotube-based saturable absorber. Stable operation in the all-normal dispersion and average soliton regime is obtained, with an all-fiber integrated format. © 2010 Optical Society of America.

Model for solidification cracking in low alloy steel weld metals

Data on the occurrence of solidification cracking in low alloy steel welds have been analysed using a classification neural network based on a Bayesian framework. It has thereby been possible to express quantitatively the effect of variables such as the chemical composition, welding conditions, and weld geometry, on the tendency for solidification cracking during solidification. The ability of the network to express the relationship in a suitably non-linear form is shown to be vital in reproducing known experimental phenomena. © 1996 The Institute of Materials.

Debonding and cracking energy release rate of the fiber/matrix interface

An investigation of fiber/matrix interfacial fracture energy is presented in this paper. Several existing theoretical expressions for the fracture energy of interfacial debonding are reviewed. For the single-fiber/matrix debonding and pull-out experimental model, a study is carried out on the effect of interfacial residual compressive stress and friction on interface cracking energy release rate.

Symmetrical 2-D Hermite-Gaussian square launch for high bit rate transmission in multimode fiber links

A 2-D Hermite-Gaussian square launch is demonstrated to show improved systems capacity over multimode fiber links. It shows a bandwidth improvement over both center and offset launches and exhibits ±5 μm misalignment tolerance. © 2011 Optical Society of America.

Osteoblast and monocyte responses to 444 ferritic stainless steel intended for a Magneto-Mechanically Actuated Fibrous Scaffold

The rationale behind this work is to design an implant device, based on a ferromagnetic material, with the potential to deform in vivo promoting osseointegration through the growth of a healthy periprosthetic bone structure. One of the primary requirements for such a device is that the material should be non-inflammatory and non-cytotoxic. In the study described here, we assessed the short-term cellular response to 444 ferritic stainless steel; a steel, with a very low interstitial content and a small amount of strong carbide-forming elements to enhance intergranular corrosion resistance. Two different human cell types were used: (i) foetal osteoblasts and (ii) monocytes. Austenitic stainless steel 316L, currently utilised in many commercially available implant designs, and tissue culture plastic were used as the control surfaces. Cell viability, proliferation and alkaline phosphatase activity were measured. In addition, cells were stained with alizarin red and fluorescently-labelled phalloidin and examined using light, fluorescence and scanning electron microscopy. Results showed that the osteoblast cells exhibited a very similar degree of attachment, growth and osteogenic differentiation on all surfaces. Measurement of lactate dehydrogenase activity and tumour necrosis factor alpha protein released from human monocytes indicated that 444 stainless steel did not cause cytotoxic effects or any significant inflammatory response. Collectively, the results suggest that 444 ferritic stainless steel has the potential to be used in advanced bone implant designs. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.

Fractography and Crack Initiation of Very-High-Cycle Fatigue for a High Carbon Low Alloy Steel

Very-High-Cycle Fatigue (VHCF) is the phenomenon of fatigue damage and failure of metallic materials or structures subjected to 108 cycles of fatigue loading and beyond. This paper attempts to investigate the VHCF behavior and mechanism of a high strength low alloy steel (main composition: C-1% and Cr-1.5%; quenched at 1108K and tempered at 453K). The fractography of fatigue failure was observed by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The observations reveal that, for the number of cycles to fatigue failure between 106 and 4108 cycles, fatigue cracks almost initiated in the interior of specimen and originated at non-metallic inclusions. An “optical dark area” (ODA) around initiation site is observed when fatigue initiation from interior. ODA size increases with the decrease of fatigue stress, and becomes more roundness. Fracture mechanics analysis gives the stress intensity factor of ODA, which is nearly equivalent to the corresponding fatigue threshold of the test material. The results indicate that the fatigue life of specimens with crack origin at the interior of specimen is longer than that with crack origin at specimen surface. The experimental results and the fatigue mechanism were further analyzed in terms of fracture mechanics and fracture physics, suggesting that the primary propagation of fatigue crack within the fish-eye local region is the main characteristics of VHCF.