Crack mechanical failure in ceramic materials under ion irradiation: case of lithium niobate crystal

Swift heavy ion irradiation (ions with mass heavier than 15 and energy exceeding MeV/amu) transfer their energy mainly to the electronic system with small momentum transfer per collision. Therefore, they produce linear regions (columnar nano-tracks) around the straight ion trajectory, with marked modifications with respect to the virgin material, e.g., phase transition, amorphization, compaction, changes in physical or chemical properties. In the case of crystalline materials the most distinctive feature of swift heavy ion irradiation is the production of amorphous tracks embedded in the crystal. Lithium niobate is a relevant optical material that presents birefringence due to its anysotropic trigonal structure. The amorphous phase is certainly isotropic. In addition, its refractive index exhibits high contrast with those of the crystalline phase. This allows one to fabricate waveguides by swift ion irradiation with important technological relevance. From the mechanical point of view, the inclusion of an amorphous nano-track (with a density 15% lower than that of the crystal) leads to the generation of important stress/strain fields around the track. Eventually these fields are the origin of crack formation with fatal consequences for the integrity of the samples and the viability of the method for nano-track formation. For certain crystal cuts (X and Y), these fields are clearly anisotropic due to the crystal anisotropy. We have used finite element methods to calculate the stress/strain fields that appear around the ion- generated amorphous nano-tracks for a variety of ion energies and doses. A very remarkable feature for X cut-samples is that the maximum shear stress appears on preferential planes that form +/-45º with respect to the crystallographic planes. This leads to the generation of oriented surface cracks when the dose increases. The growth of the cracks along the anisotropic crystal has been studied by means of novel extended finite element methods, which include cracks as discontinuities. In this way we can study how the length and depth of a crack evolves as function of the ion dose. In this work we will show how the simulations compare with experiments and their application in materials modification by ion irradiation.

Production of nanoTiC–graphite composites using Ti-doped self-sintering carbon mesophase powder

This work reports the synthesis of nanoTiC–graphite composites using mesophase pitch containing titanium as TiC or TiO2 nanoparticles. NanoTiC–graphite composites have been prepared using Ti-doped self-sintering mesophase powders as starting materials without using any binders or a metal carbide-carbon mixing stage. The effect of manufacture variables on the graphite compacts properties was studied. Graphites were characterised using XRD and Raman spectroscopy, SEM and TEM, as well as by their mechanical, electrical and thermal properties. The presence of TiC promotes graphitisation producing materials with larger crystal sizes. The kind of titanium source and mesophase content of the starting pitch affects to the final properties. Mesophase pitch with higher amount of mesophase content produces graphites with higher degree of graphitisation. The incorporation of TiC nanoparticles to the graphites composites improved thermal conductivity more than four times, and mechanical properties are not significantly modified by the presence of TiC.

Catalytic intermediate pyrolysis of Brunei rice husk for bio-oil production

Rice husks from Brunei were subjected via intermediate pyrolysis for bio-oil production. Two main objectives were set out for this study. The application of intermediate pyrolysis on Brunei rice husk for the production of bio-oil is the main objective of this experiment. Characterisation of the rice husks was inclusive as a pre-requisite step to assess the suitability as feedstock for production of liquid fuels. Following on from the characterisation results, a temperature of 450°C was established as the optimum temperature for the production of bio-oil. A homogenous bio-oil was obtained from the pyrolysis of dry rice husk, and the physicochemical properties and chemical compositions were analysed. The second objective is the introduction of catalysts into the pyrolysis process which aims to improve the bio-oil quality, and maximise the desired liquid bio-oil properties. The incorporation of the catalysts was done via a fixed tube reactor into the pyrolysis system. Ceramic monoliths were used as the catalyst support, with montmorillonite clay as a binder to attach the catalysts onto the catalyst support. ZSM-5, Al-MCM-41, Al-MSU-F and Brunei rice husk ash (BRHA) together with its combination were adopted as catalysts. Proposed criterions dictated the selection of the best catalysts, subsequently leading to the optimisation process for bio-oil production. ZSM-5/Al-MCM-41 proved the most desirable catalyst, which increases the production of aromatics and phenols, decreased the organic acids and improved the physicochemical properties such as the pH, viscosity, density and H:C molar ratios. Variation in the ratio and positioning of both catalysts were the significant key factor for the catalyst optimisation study.

The nitrate to ammonia and ceramic (NAC) process for the denitration and immobilization of low-level radioactive liquid waste (LLW)

Hazardous radioactive liquid waste is the legacy of more than 50 years of plutonium production associated with the United States' nuclear weapons program. It is estimated that more than 245,000 tons of nitrate wastes are stored at facilities such as the single-shell tanks (SST) at the Hanford Site in the state of Washington, and the Melton Valley storage tanks at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in Tennessee. In order to develop an innovative, new technology for the destruction and immobilization of nitrate-based radioactive liquid waste, the United State Department of Energy (DOE) initiated the research project which resulted in the technology known as the Nitrate to Ammonia and Ceramic (NAC) process. However, inasmuch as the nitrate anion is highly mobile and difficult to immobilize, especially in relatively porous cement-based grout which has been used to date as a method for the immobilization of liquid waste, it presents a major obstacle to environmental clean-up initiatives. Thus, in an effort to contribute to the existing body of knowledge and enhance the efficacy of the NAC process, this research involved the experimental measurement of the rheological and heat transfer behaviors of the NAC product slurry and the determination of the optimal operating parameters for the continuous NAC chemical reaction process. Test results indicate that the NAC product slurry exhibits a typical non-Newtonian flow behavior. Correlation equations for the slurry's rheological properties and heat transfer rate in a pipe flow have been developed; these should prove valuable in the design of a full-scale NAC processing plant. The 20-percent slurry exhibited a typical dilatant (shear thickening) behavior and was in the turbulent flow regime due to its lower viscosity. The 40-percent slurry exhibited a typical pseudoplastic (shear thinning) behavior and remained in the laminar flow regime throughout its experimental range. The reactions were found to be more efficient in the lower temperature range investigated. With respect to leachability, the experimental final NAC ceramic waste form is comparable to the final product of vitrification, the technology chosen by DOE to treat these wastes. As the NAC process has the potential of reducing the volume of nitrate-based radioactive liquid waste by as much as 70 percent, it not only promises to enhance environmental remediation efforts but also effect substantial cost savings. ^

Rotary moulding of ceramic hollow wares

A novel processing method for the fast and economic production of hollow ceramic components has been developed by combining in situ coagulation moulding with a modified version of the technique of rotary moulding[Binner, J. G. P., Al-Dawery, I. A., Tari, G. and Yan, Y., Rotary casting technique. UK Patent application No. 0506349.0, March 2005], the latter being adapted from the polymer industry. The process was found to require a high solids content suspension, hence development work was performed in this direction though in the end a new, commercial suspension was utilised. Of the three forming routes of gel casting, direct coagulation casting and in situ coagulation moulding, the latter was found to be the most promising for the new process of rotary moulding of ceramics. Due to the low value of clay-based ceramics, a new low cost coagulant was identified and the effect of lactone concentration and temperature on setting time determined. Following substantial optimisation work, it was found that a two-speed approach to multi-axial rotation was the most successful; medium sized cream jugs could be produced in just 7 min. With respect to mould materials, the porous resin normally used for pressure casting of sanitary ware was found to be the best option, though since this is quite expensive conventional plaster-of-paris moulds were found to be a suitable material to enable companies, particularly SMEs, to become familiar with the technology whilst avoiding high costs for trials. The processed articles could be successfully fired and glazed using gas-fired kilns with no sign of any black cores. Major advantages of the process include the ability to precisely calculate the amount of ceramic slip required, eliminating either slip wastage or the need to pour used slip back into the virgin material as currently happens with slip casting. In addition, since the precursor suspension has a very high solids content, the time and energy required to dry the green product and associated moulds has been considerably reduced. © 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Análise microestrutural de misturas cerâmicas de grês porcelanato com adição de chamote de telhas cerâmicas

MELO, Maxymme Mendes de ; PINHEIRO, Andrea Santos ; NASCIMENTO, R. M. ; MARTINELLI, Antonio Eduardo ; DUTRA, Ricardo Peixoto Suassuna ; MELO, Marcus Antônio de Freitas . Análise microestrutural de misturas cerâmicas de grês Porcelanato com adição de chamote de telhas cerâmicas. Cerâmica (São Paulo. Impresso), v. 55, p. 356-364, 2009

Análise microestrutural de misturas cerâmicas de grês porcelanato com adição de chamote de telhas cerâmicas

MELO, Maxymme Mendes de ; PINHEIRO, Andrea Santos ; NASCIMENTO, R. M. ; MARTINELLI, Antonio Eduardo ; DUTRA, Ricardo Peixoto Suassuna ; MELO, Marcus Antônio de Freitas . Análise microestrutural de misturas cerâmicas de grês Porcelanato com adição de chamote de telhas cerâmicas. Cerâmica (São Paulo. Impresso), v. 55, p. 356-364, 2009

Formulação e caracterização de matérias-primas para revestimento cerâmico Semi-Poroso com adição de chamote de telhas

The ceramics industry in Piauí is nowadays with 55 industries where 11 are in Teresina which is the mainstream of the state, producing 55 million shingles; in which 10 % is of this production is wasted being sometimes thrown on the margins of rivers, roads and highways provoking an environmental degradation. The main goal of this work is to verify the potential of producing semi porous ceramic using grog of shingles, on the first part of this work bodies-of-proof were produced from a basic formula of an industry, doping it with 5 %, 10 %, 15 % and 20 % in mass and in the second part of this work some bodies-of-proof were produced from a formula where one raw material was substituted by 50 % of grog and another substituting it all by grog, bodies-of-proof made of a basic formula previously announced was used for experiment control.The grog and the raw materials were characterized by: particle size analysis , thermal differential analysis, X ray diffraction , X ray fluorescence, an thermal gravimetric analysis and rational analyses. The bodies-of-proof were sintetisized in an industrial oven obeying the normal cycle adopted by an industry, with peak temperatures of 1135 oC and a fast burning cycle of 25 minutes having as energetic fuel liquefied petroleum gas . The pieces that were obtained by this were submersed in rehearsed physics of: water absorption of, apparent specific mass, apparent porosity, lineal retraction, rupture tension to the flexural and dilatometry; mineralogical analysis for X ray diffraction; and microstructural for electronic microscope of sweeping. For all the formulas with addition of grog, superior priorities to the requested by the requirements for semi porous and for the formula to F2-2,5 superior priorities to standard formulas which justifies the incorporation of the shingles in mass for the semi porous ceramic

CERAMIC MATERIAL FROM SEWAGE SLUDGE AS SUPPORT MATERIAL SUPPLY WATER FILTRATION

This study shows a possibility of using municipal sewage sludge after thermal treatment in the production of a filtering material to water treatment. Due to the fast urbanization and implementation of high standards for effluent in many countries in recent years, the sewage sludge is being produced in an ever increasing amount. Therefore, the use of sludge is a suitable solution for the expected large quantity of sludge. Dehydration of sludge was performed by controlled heating at temperatures of 1100 degrees C, 850 degrees C, 650 degrees C, 350 degrees C for 3 hours. After thermal treatment the sludge was characterized by X-ray fluorescence, TG/DTG/DTA, residue solubilization and residue lixiviation tests. The aim of the present work was to observe, thought the characterization techniques, if the treated sewage sludge is or not adequate to be used as filter material to water treatment. It will be verified which treatment temperature of the sludge offer possibility to its use in water treatment without carrying pollutants in concentrations out of the standards.

Estudo de Matérias-Primas do Rio Grande do Norte para Uso em Revestimento Poroso: Influência do teor de dolomita e temperatura de calcinação nas propriedades físico-mecânicas

The state of Rio Grande do Norte presents a great potentiality for the production of ceramic tiles because of having natural raw material in quantity and quality making its economical exploration possible, beyond the great energetic differential of the state, the natural gás. This works aims to study the influence of the dolomite and granulometry concentration and calcinations temperature in the obtaining of formulations for porous coverings which have to be coherent to the project,s specifications. The experiments have involved the physical-chemical and mineralogical characterizations of raw materials and mechanical tests in the dry and burnt proof bodies preceding a mixture experiment planning with the use of the response surface methodology, in order to get the best raw materials combinations to produce a ceramic mass with specific properties. The twelve ceramic masses studied in this work were prepared by the via dry process, characterized, shaped by uniaxial pressing and sinterized in the temperatures of 940ºC, 1000ºC, 1060ºC, 1120ºC and 1180ºC, using a fast burning cycle. The crystalline phases formed during the sintering in the temperatures in study have revealed the presence of anorthite and diopside beyond quartz with a remaining phase. These phases were the main responsible ones by the physical- mechanical properties of the sinterized proof bodies. The proof bodies after the sintering stage have presented water absorption higher than 10% and a good dimensional stability in all studied temperatures. However, the flexural breaking strength results in the temperatures of 940ºC, 1000ºC and 1060ºC, under the temperature zone of the vitrification of ceramic whiteware do not reach the flexural breaking strength specific for the porous wall tile (15 MPa), but in the temperature of 1120ºC next to the vitrification temperature zone, some whiteware ceramic (formulations) has reached the specified value for the porous wall tile. The results of this work have showed that the studied raw materials have great importance for used in the production of porous wall tiles (BIII)