A systematic investigation of fracture mechanisms in Al-Si based eutectic alloy-Effect of Si modification

The fracture characteristics of Al-Si based eutectic alloy are investigated in the unmodified and modified conditions under compression. The investigations are carried out at different strain rates and temperatures. Fracture of the alloy starts with eutectic Si particle fracture and modification plays an important role in particle fracture. The fraction of fractured particles is found to be always lesser in the modified condition than in the unmodified condition. Particle fracture increases with increase in strain. It is found that the Si particle fracture shows an increase with increase in strain rate and decreases with increase in temperature at 10% strain. Large and elongated particles show a greater tendency for fracture in the unmodified and modified conditions. Particle orientation plays an important role on fracture and the cracks are found to occur almost in a direction normal to the tensile strain imposed upon the particles by the deforming matrix in the unmodified alloy. The modified alloy shows a random distribution of fractured particles and crack orientation. The criteria of fracture based on dislocation pile-up mechanism and fiber loading explain the observed difference in particle fracture characteristics due to modification. The particle fracture for the modified alloy is also discussed in terms of Weibull statistics and the existing models of dispersion hardening. Particle/matrix interface decohesion is observed at higher strain rates and temperatures in the modified alloy. Dendritic rotation of 10 degrees is also observed at higher strain rates, which can increase the amount of particle fracture. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Detailed investigation of contact deformation in ZrN/Zr multiplayer-understanding the role of volume fraction, bilayer spacing, and morphology of interfaces

A systematic study was done to understand the influence of volume fractions and bilayer spacings for metal/nitride multilayer coating using finite element method (FEM). An axisymmetric model was chosen to model the real situation by incorporating metal and substrate plasticity. Combinations of volume fractions and bilayer spacings were chosen for FEM analysis consistent with experimental results. The model was able to predict trends in cracking with respect to layer spacing and volume fraction. Metal layer plasticity is seen to greatly influence the stress field inside nitride. It is seen that the thicker metal induces higher tensile stresses inside nitride and hence leads to lower cracking loads. Thin metal layers < 10 nm were seen to have curved interfaces, and hence, the deformation mode was interfacial delamination in combination with edge cracking. There is an optimum seen with respect to volume fraction similar to 13% and metal layer thickness similar to 30 nm, which give maximum crack resistance.

Formulation of a mathematical approach to regional frequency analysis

Estimation of design quantiles of hydrometeorological variables at critical locations in river basins is necessary for hydrological applications. To arrive at reliable estimates for locations (sites) where no or limited records are available, various regional frequency analysis (RFA) procedures have been developed over the past five decades. The most widely used procedure is based on index-flood approach and L-moments. It assumes that values of scale and shape parameters of frequency distribution are identical across all the sites in a homogeneous region. In real-world scenario, this assumption may not be valid even if a region is statistically homogeneous. To address this issue, a novel mathematical approach is proposed. It involves (i) identification of an appropriate frequency distribution to fit the random variable being analyzed for homogeneous region, (ii) use of a proposed transformation mechanism to map observations of the variable from original space to a dimensionless space where the form of distribution does not change, and variation in values of its parameters is minimal across sites, (iii) construction of a growth curve in the dimensionless space, and (iv) mapping the curve to the original space for the target site by applying inverse transformation to arrive at required quantile(s) for the site. Effectiveness of the proposed approach (PA) in predicting quantiles for ungauged sites is demonstrated through Monte Carlo simulation experiments considering five frequency distributions that are widely used in RFA, and by case study on watersheds in conterminous United States. Results indicate that the PA outperforms methods based on index-flood approach.

Numerical and experimental investigation and optimization of an open wheeled race car cooling air duct

In this study the cooling performance due to air flow and aerodynamics of the Formula Student open wheeled race car has been investigated and optimized with the help of CFD simulations and experimental validation. The race car in context previously suffered from overheating problems. Flow analysis was carried out based on the detailed race car 3D model (NITK Racing 2012 formula student race car). Wind tunnel experiments were carried out on the same. The results obtained from the computer simulations are compared with experimental results obtained from wind tunnel testing of the full car. Through this study it was possible to locate the problem areas and hence choose the best configuration for the cooling duct. The CFD analysis helped in calculating the mass flow rate, pressure and velocity distribution for different velocities of the car which is then used to determine the heat dissipated by the radiator. Area of flow separation could be visualized and made sure smooth airflow into the radiator core area. This significantly increased the cooling performance of the car with reduction in drag.

Effect of Inlet Jet injection angle on a calandria based reactor-An investigation with numerical analysis of heat and mass transfer for an optimum reactor design

Heat and mass transfer studies in a calandria based reactor is quite complex both due to geometry and due to the complex mixing flow. It is challenging to devise optimum operating conditions with efficient but safe working range for such a complex configuration. Numerical study known to be very effective is taken up for investigation. In the present study a 3D RANS code with turbulence model has been used to compute the flow fields and to get the heat transfer characteristics to understand certain design parameters of engineering importance. The angle of injection and of the coolant liquid has a large effect on the heat transfer within the reactor.

Experimental investigation of a thermoacoustic refrigerator driven by a standing wave twin thermoacoustic prime mover

The objective of this study is to analyse the performance of thermoacoustic refrigerator (TAR) measured in terms of hot end temperature and temperature difference across refrigerator stack with two different spacing namely 0.4 mm and 0.8 mm and stack used in refrigerating section was made of low thermal conductivity materials namely Mylar sheet and photographic film & the experiments were carried out at 1 MPa pressure using helium as working fluid. High powered acoustic wave with frequency of 460 Hz and pressure amplitude of congruent to 0.07 MPa was obtained from twin thermoacoustic prime mover (TAPM) and this acoustic wave produced temperature difference of 16 degrees C across the Mylar sheet stack made of 0.4 mm spacing in refrigerator section. From this study, it has been inferred that twin TAPM can act as efficient drive for TAR. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd and IIR. All rights reserved.

A structural and spectroscopic investigation of reduced graphene oxide under high pressure

The effect of high pressure on reduced graphene oxide (RGO) has been investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and infrared (IR) absorption spectroscopy. Our XRD measurements show two-step reversible compression in the inter-layer spacing of RGO whereas intra-layer ordering exhibits a high pressure behavior similar to that of graphite up to 20 GPa. The line shape analysis of (100) peak, representing the intra-layer ordering, suggests presence of local out of plane distortions in RGO in the form of puckered regions which progressively straighten out as a function of pressure. IR measurements show reversible changes in spectroscopic features attributed to remnant functional groups in the inter-layer region. These measurements suggest high stability and recovering ability of RGO under pressure cycling. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Laser- induced optical properties change in Sb10S40Se50 chalcogenide thin films: An investigation through FTIR and XPS measurements

Chalcogenide glasses are interesting materials for their infrared transmitting properties and photo-induced effects. This paper reports the influence of light on the optical properties of Sb10S40Se50 thin films. The amorphous nature and chemical composition of the deposited film was studied by X-ray diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX). The optical constants, i.e., refractive index, extinction coefficient, and optical band gap as well as film thickness are determined from the measured transmission spectra using the Swanepoel method. The dispersion of the refractive index is discussed in terms of the single-oscillator Wemple-DiDomenico model. The dispersion energy parameter was found to be less for the laser-irradiated film, which indicates the laser-irradiated film is more microstructurally disordered as compared to the as-prepared film. It is observed that laser-irradiation of the films leads to decrease in optical band gap (photo-darkening) while increase in refractive index. The decrease in the optical band gap is explained on the basis of change in nature of films due to chemical disorderness and the increase in refractive index may be due to the densification of films with improved grain structure because of microstructural disorderness in the films. The optical changes are supported by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data. (C) 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim

Investigation on the Sr-doped ceria Ce1-xSrO2-delta (x=0.05-0.2) as an electrolyte for intermediate temperature SOFC

The effect of Sr doping in CeO2 for its use as solid electrolytes for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFCs) has been explored here. Ce1-xSrxO2-delta (x = 0.05-0.2) are successfully synthesized by citrate-complexation method. XRD, Raman, FT-IR, FE-SEM/EDX and electrochemical impedance spectra are used for structural and electrical characterizations. The formation of well crystalline cubic fluorite structured solid solution is observed for x = 0.05 based on XRD and Raman spectra. For compositions i.e., x > 0.05, however, a secondary phase of SrCeO3 is confirmed by the peak at 342 cm(-1) in Raman spectra. Although the oxygen ion conductivity was found to decrease with increase in x, based on ac-impedance studies, conductivity of Ce0.95Sr0.05O2-delta was found to be higher than of Ce0.95Gd0.1O2-delta and Ce0.8Gd0.2O2-delta. The decrease in conductivity of Ce1-xSrxO2-delta with increasing dopant concentration is ascribed to formation of impurity phase SrCeO3 as well as the formation of neutral associated pairs, Se `' Ce V-o. The activation energies are found to be 0.77, 0.83, 0.85 and 0.90 eV for x = 0.05, 0.1, 0.15 and 0.20, respectively. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Experimental investigation of biofuel drop impact on stainless steel surface

Blends of conventional fuels such as Jet-A1 (aviation kerosene) and diesel with bio-derived components, referred to as biofttels, are gradually replacing the conventional fuels in aircraft and automobile engines. There is a lack of understanding on the interaction of spray drops of such biofuels with solid surfaces. The present study is an experimental investigation on the impact of biofuel drops onto a smooth stainless steel surface. The biofuel is a mixture of 90% commercially available camelina-derived biofuel and 10% aromatics. Biofuel drops were generated using a syringe-hypodermic needle arrangement. On demand, the needle delivers an almost spherical drop with drop diameter in the range 2.05-2.15 mm. Static wetting experiments show that the biofuel drop completely wets the stainless steel surface and exhibits an equilibrium contact angle of 5.6. High speed video camera was used to capture the impact dynamics of biofuel drops with Weber number ranging from 20 to 570. The spreading dynamics and maximum spreading diameter of impacting biofuel drops on the target surface were analyzed. For the impact of high Weber number biofuel drops, the spreading law suggests beta similar to tau(0.5) where beta is the spread factor and tau, the nondimensionalized time. The experimentally observed trend of maximum spread factor, beta(max) of camelina biofuel drop on the target surface with We compares well with the theoretically predicted trend from Ukiwe-Kwok model. After reaching beta(max), the impacting biofuel drop undergoes a prolonged sluggish spreading due to the high wetting nature of the camelina biofuel-stainless steel system. As a result, the final spread factor is found to be a little more than beta(max). (C) 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Synthesis, characterization and spectroscopic investigation of Cr3+ doped wollastonite nanophosphor

This work explores the preparation of nanocrystalline Cr3+ (1-5 mol%) doped CaSiO3 phosphors by solution combustion process and study of its photoluminescence (PL) behavior. The nanopowders are well characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopy. PXRD results confirm monoclinic phase upon calcination at 950 degrees C for 3 h. SEM micrographs indicates that the powder is highly porous and agglomerated. The TEM images show the powder to consist of spherical shaped particles of size similar to 30-60 nm. Upon 323 nm excitation, the emission profile of CaSiO3:Cr3+ exhibits a narrow red emission peak at 641 nm due to E-2 -> (4)A(2) transition and broad band at 722 nm due to T-4(2g) -> (4)A(2g). It is observed that PL intensity increases with increase in Cr3+ concentration and highest PL intensity is observed for 3 mol% doped sample. The PL intensity decreases with further increase in Cr3+ doping. This decrease in PL intensity beyond 3 mol% is ascribed to concentration quenching. Racah parameters are calculated to describe the effects of electron-electron repulsion within the crystal lattice. The parameters show 21% reduction in the Racah parameter of free ion and the complex, indicating the moderate nephelauxetic effect in the lattice. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Experimental investigation of forming limit, void coalescence and crystallographic textures of aluminum alloy 8011 sheet annealed at various temperatures

In this work, a combined forming and fracture limit diagram, fractured void coalescence and texture analysis have been experimentally evaluated for the commercially available aluminum alloy Al 8011 sheet annealed at different temperatures viz. 200 degrees C, 250 degrees C, 300 degrees C and 350 degrees C. The sheets were examined at different annealing temperatures on microstructure, tensile properties, formability and void coalescence. The fractured surfaces of the formed samples were examined using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and these images were correlated with fracture behavior and formability of sheet metals. Formability of Al 8011 was studied and examined at various annealing temperatures using their bulk X-ray crystallographic textures and ODF plots. Forming limit diagrams, void coalescence parameters and crystallographic textures were correlated with normal anisotropy of the sheet metals annealed at different temperatures. (C) 2013 Politechnika Wroclawska. Published by Elsevier Urban & Partner Sp. z o.o. All rights reserved.

Syntheses and structural investigation of some alkali metal ion-mediated (LVO2-)-O-V (L2- = tridentate ONO ligands) species: DNA binding, photoinduced DNA cleavage and cytotoxic activities

Eight alkali metal ion-mediated dioxidovanadium(V), {(VO2L1-6)-O-V} A(H2O)n]proportional to, complexes for A = Li+, Na+, K+ and Cs+, containing tridentate aroylhydrazonate ligands coordinating via ONO donor atoms, are described. All the synthesised ligands and the metal complexes were successfully characterised by elemental analysis, IR, UV-Vis and NMR spectroscopy. X-ray crystallographic investigation of 3, 5-7 shows the presence of distorted NO4 coordination geometries for LVO2- in each case, and varying mu-oxido and/ or mu-aqua bridging with interesting variations correlated with the size of the alkali metal ions: with small Li+, no bridging-O is found but four ion aggregates are found with Na+, chains for K+ and finally, layers for Cs+. Two (5) or three-dimensional (3, 6 and 7) architectures are consolidated by hydrogen bonding. The dioxidovanadium(V) complexes were found to exhibit DNA binding activity due to their interaction with CT-DNA by the groove binding mode, with binding constants ranging from 10(3) to 10(4) M-1. Complexes 1-8 were also tested for DNA nuclease activity against pUC19 plasmid DNA which showed that 6 and 7 had the best DNA binding and photonuclease activity; these results support their good protein binding and cleavage activity with binding constants ranging from 104 to 105 M-1. Finally, the in vitro antiproliferative activity of all complexes was assayed against the HeLa cell line. Some of the complexes (2, 5, 6 and 7) show considerable activity compared to commonly used chemotherapeutic drugs. The variation in cytotoxicity of the complexes is influenced by the various functional groups attached to the aroylhydrazone derivative.