Reactivities of aluminium and aluminium-magnesium alloy powders in polymeric composites

Polymeric compositions containing Al-Mg alloys show higher reactivities, in comparison with similar compositions containing aluminium. This is observed irrespective of the amount of oxidizer, type of oxidizer used, type of polymeric binder, and over a range of the particle sizes of the metal additive. This is evident from the higher calorimetric values obtained for compositions containing the alloy, in comparison to samples containing aluminium. Analysis of the combustion residue shows the increase in calorimetric value to be due to the greater extent of oxidation of the alloy. The interaction between the polymeric binder and the alloy was studied by coating the metal particles with the polymer by a coacervation technique. On ageing in the presence of ammonium perchlorate, cracking of the polymer coating on the alloy was noticed. This was deduced from differential thermal analysis experiments, and confirmed by scanning electron microscopic observations. The increase in stiffness of the coating, leading to cracking, has been traced to the cross-linking of the polymer by magnesium.

Effect of laser processing parameters on the structure of ductile iron

Laser processing of structure sensitive hypereutectic ductile iron, a cast alloy employed for dynamically loaded automative components, was experimentally investigated over a wide range of process parameters: from power (0.5-2.5 kW) and scan rate (7.5-25 mm s(-1)) leading to solid state transformation, all the way through to melting followed by rapid quenching. Superfine dendritic (at 10(5) degrees C s(-1)) or feathery (at 10(4) degrees C s(-1)) ledeburite of 0.2-0.25 mu m lamellar space, gamma-austenite and carbide in the laser melted and martensite in the transformed zone or heat-affected zone were observed, depending on the process parameters. Depth of geometric profiles of laser transformed or melt zone structures, parameters such as dendrile arm spacing, volume fraction of carbide and surface hardness bear a direct relationship with the energy intensity P/UDb2, (10-100 J mm(-3)). There is a minimum energy intensity threshold for solid state transformation hardening (0.2 J mm(-3)) and similarly for the initiation of superficial melting (9 J mm(-3)) and full melting (15 J mm(-3)) in the case of ductile iron. Simulation, modeling and thermal analysis of laser processing as a three-dimensional quasi-steady moving heat source problem by a finite difference method, considering temperature dependent energy absorptivity of the material to laser radiation, thermal and physical properties (kappa, rho, c(p)) and freezing under non-equilibrium conditions employing Scheil's equation to compute the proportion of the solid enabled determination of the thermal history of the laser treated zone. This includes assessment of the peak temperature attained at the surface, temperature gradients, the freezing time and rates as well as the geometric profile of the melted, transformed or heat-affected zone. Computed geometric profiles or depth are in close agreement with the experimental data, validating the numerical scheme.

Electron-Beam-Induced Modifications in High-Density Polyethylene

Post-irradiation studies have been carried out to elucidate the effects of electron beam irradiation on the structural, optical, dielectric, and thermal properties of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) films. The experimental results showed that both the optical band gap and activation energy of HDPE films decreases with an increase in the doses of electron radiation. The electrical measurements showed that dielectric constant and the ac conductivity of HDPE increases with an increase in the dose of electron radiation. The thermal analysis carried out using DSC and TGA revealed that the melting temperature, degree of crystallinity, and thermal stability of the HDPE films increased, obviously, due to the predominant cross-linking reaction following high doses of electron irradiation.

The formation of ?-FeSiAl5 and Be---Fe phases in Al---7Si---0.3Mg alloy containing Be

Thermal analysis and interrupted quench experiments have been carried out to study the formation of beta-FeSiAl5 and (Be-Fe)-BeSiFe2Al8 phases in Al-7Si-0.3Mg alloy with and without Be addition. In the base alloy with 0.6% Fe (without Be addition), a needle- and plate-shaped beta-phase is present in the interdendritic regions and is formed by a ternary eutectic reaction. In the Be- added alloy with 0.6% Fe, a Be-Fe phase of Chinese script and polygon shapes grows along with the primary alpha-Al dendrites, leading to superior mechanical properties. It is proposed that this Be-Fe phase is formed by a peritectic reaction. Be addition has also resulted in some grain refinement.

Critical buckling temperature of single-walled carbon nanotubes embedded in a one-parameter elastic medium based on nonlocal continuum mechanics

In this paper, the critical budding temperature of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), which are embedded in one-parameter elastic medium (Winkler foundation) is estimated under the umbrella of continuum mechanics theory. Nonlocal continuum theory is incorporated into Timoshenko beam model and the governing differential equations of motion are derived. An explicit expression for the non-dimensional critical buckling temperature is also derived in this work. The effect of the nonlocal small scale coefficient, the Winkler foundation parameter and the ratio of the length to the diameter on the critical buckling temperature is investigated in detail. It can be observed that the effects of nonlocal small scale parameter and the Winkler foundation parameter are significant and should be considered for thermal analysis of SWCNTs. The results presented in this paper can provide useful guidance for the study and design of the next generation of nanodevices that make use of the thermal buckling properties of embedded single-walled carbon nanotubes. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mechanically activated synthesis of nanocrystalline powders of ferroelectric bismuth vanadate

Mechanical milling of a stoichiometric mixture of Bi2O3 and V2O5 yielded nanosized powders of bismuth vanadate, Bi2VO5.5 (BN). Structural evolution of the desired BiV phase, through an intermediate product (BiVO4), was monitored by subjecting the powders, ball milled for various durations to X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), differential thermal analysis (DTA), and transmission electron microscopic (TEM) studies. XRD studies indicate that the relative amount of the BiV phase present in the ball-milled mixture increases with increase in milling time and its formation reaches completion within 54 h of milling. Assynthesized powders were found to stabilize in the high-temperature tetragonal (gamma) phase. DTA analyses of the powders milled for various durations suggest that the BN phase-formation temperature decreases with increase in milling time. The nanometric size (30 nm) of the crystallites in the final product was confirmed by TEM and XRD studies. TEM studies clearly demonstrate the growth of BiV on Bi2O3 crystallites. (C) 1999 Academic Press.

Nonlinear optical activity of anhydrous and hydrated sodium p-nitrophenolate

Differently hydrated sodium p-nitrophenolate (NPNa) crystals were obtained while growing them from different solvents such as methanol and water. Thermal analysis and powder X-ray diffraction studies were carried out on these crystals. Kurtz powder SHG technique was used for qualitative assessment of their nonlinear optical (NLO) activity. From the detailed single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies it is established that NPNa has three different forms, of which only one is found to possess NLO activity. Additionally, a new NLO active crystal was also found to grow from aqueous solution. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Phase modification of ammonium nitrate by potassium salts

Modification of the room temperature phase (IV-III) of ammonium nitrate (AN) has been attempted using a variety of potassium salts namely, KF, KCl, KI, KNO3, K2CO3, K2SO4, KSCN and K2Cr2O7. No phase transition was observed when AN containing 1-2% by mass of these potassium salts is heated from room temperature (25 degrees C) onwards in DTA and DSC scans, but the linear expansion due to phase transition was still observable in TMA measurements. Complete arrest of the linear expansion occurs only when a higher concentration of the additive is used. Similarly, in thermal cycling experiments, complete phase modification in the temperature range -80 to 100 degrees C occurs only with a higher percentage of the potassium salt. The extent of modification, however, is found to be dependent both on the concentration, and the type of the anion. Potassium dichromate when used as an additive modifies the phase as well as the decomposition pattern of AN.