Reactive hot pressing of ZrB2-ZrCx ultra-high temperature ceramic composites with the addition of SiC particulate

Starting with non-stoichiometric Zr-B4C powder mixture ZrB2-ZrC matrix composites with SiC particulate addition have been made. It was found that variable amounts (5-25 vol%) of SiC could be incorporated and reactively hot pressed (RHPed) to relative densities of 97-99% at 1400-1500 degrees C. This technique has the potential to fabricate ZrB2-based matrices at low temperatures with a variety of reinforcements whose composition and volume fraction are not limited by stoichiometric considerations. The hardness of the composites is in the range of 17-22 GPa. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Graphene analogue BCN: Femtosecond nonlinear optical susceptibility and hot carrier dynamics

Third-order nonlinear absorption and refraction coefficients of a few-layer boron carbon nitride (BCN) and reduced graphene oxide (RGO) suspensions have been measured at 3.2 eV in the femtosecond regime. Optical limiting behavior is exhibited by BCN as compared to saturable absorption in RGO. Nondegenerate time-resolved differential transmissions from BCN and RGO show different relaxation times. These differences in the optical nonlinearity and carrier dynamics are discussed in the light of semiconducting electronic band structure of BCN vis-a-vis the Dirac linear band structure of graphene. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of substrate roughness on growth of diamond by hot filament CVD

Polycrystalline diamond coatings are grown on Si (100) substrate by hot filament CVD technique. We investigate here the effect of substrate roughening on the substrate temperature and methane concentration required to maintain high quality, high growth rate and faceted morphology of the diamond coatings. It has been shown that as we increase the substrate roughness from 0.05 mu m to 0.91 mu m (centre line average or CLA) there is enhancement in deposited film quality (Raman peak intensity ratio of sp (3) to non-sp (3) content increases from 1.65 to 7.13) and the substrate temperature can be brought down to 640A degrees C without any additional substrate heating. The coatings grown at adverse conditions for sp (3) deposition has cauliflower morphology with nanocrystalline grains and coatings grown under favourable sp (3) condition gives clear faceted grains.

Analysis of performance of a hot gas injection thrust vector control system

The complex three-dimensional flowfield produced by secondary injection of hot gases in a rocket nozzle for thrust vector control is analyzed by solving unsteady three-dimensional Euler equations with appropriate boundary conditions. Various system performance parameters like secondary jet amplification factor and axial thrust augmentation are deduced by integrating the nozzle wall pressure distributions obtained as part of the flowfield solution and compared with measurements taken in actual static tests. The agreement is good within the practical range of secondary injectant flow rates for thrust vector control applications.

Characterization of hot deformation behavior of brasses using processing maps: Part II. β Brass and α-β brass

The hot deformation behaviors of β brass in the temperature range of 550°C to 800°C and α-β brass in the temperature range of 450°C to 800°C have been characterized in the strain rate range of 0.001 to 100 s−1 using processing maps developed on the basis of the Dynamic Materials Model. The map for β brass revealed a domain of superplasticity in the entire temperature range and at strain rates lower than 1 s−1, with a maximum efficiency of power dissipation of about 68 pct. The temperature variation of the efficiency of power dissipation in the domain is similar to that of the diffusion coefficient for zinc in β brass, confirming that the diffusion-accommodated flow controls the superplasticity. The material undergoes microstructural instability in the form of adiabatic shear bands and strain markings at temperatures lower than 700°C and at strain rates higher than 10 s−1. The map for α-β brass revealed a wide domain for processing in the temperature range of 550°C to 800°C and at strain rates lower than 1 s−1, with a maximum efficiency of 54 pct occurring at about 750°C and 0.001 s−1. In the domain, the α phase undergoes dynamic recrystallization and controls the hot deformation of the alloy, while the β phase deforms superplastically. At strain rates greater than 1 s−1, α-β brass exhibits microstructural instabilities manifested as flow rotations at lower temperatures and localized shear bands at higher temperatures.

Effect of process variables on die-billet temperature history in a slow speed hot coining type process

A computer code is developed as a part of an ongoing project on computer aided process modelling of forging operation, to simulate heat transfer in a die-billet system. The code developed on a stage-by-stage technique is based on an Alternating Direction Implicit scheme. The experimentally validated code is used to study the effect of process specifics such as preheat die temperature, machine ascent time, rate of deformation, and dwell time on the thermal characteristics in a batch coining operation where deformation is restricted to surface level only.

Effect of stacking fault energy on the dynamic recrystallization during hot working of FCC metals: A study using processing maps

The influence of stacking fault energy (SFE) on the mechanism of dynamic recrystallization (DRX) during hot deformation of FCC metals is examined in the light of results from the power dissipation maps. The DRX domain for high SFE metals like Al and Ni occurred at homologous temperature below 0·7 and strain rates of 0·001 s−1 while for low SFE metals like Cu and Pb the corresponding values are higher than 0·8 and 100 s−1. The peak efficiencies of power dissipation are 50% and below 40% respectively. A simple model which considers the rate of interface formation (nucleation) involving dislocation generation and simultaneous recovery and the rate of interface migration (growth) occurring with the reduction in interface energy as the driving force, has been proposed to account for the effect of SFE on DRX. The calculations reveal that in high SFE metals, interface migration controls DRX while the interface formation is the controlling factor in low SFE metals. In the latter case, the occurrence of flow softening and oscillations could be accounted for by this model.

Mixed Convection Induced in a Gas Flowing Past a Hot Horizontal Flat Plate

A boundary layer analysis of mixed convective motion over a hot horizontal flat plate is performed under the conditions of steady flow and low speed. Use of the Howarth-Dorodnytsyn transformation makes it possible to dispense with the usual Boussinesq approximation, and variable gas properties are accounted for via the assumption that dynamic viscosity and thermal conductivity are proportional to the absolute temperature. The formulation presented enables the entire mixed convection regime to be described by a single set of equations. Finite difference solutions when the Prandtl number is 0.72 are obtained over the entire range of the mixed convection parameter ξ from 0 (free convection) to 1 (forced convection) and heating parameter ▵ values from 2 to 12. The effects of both ξ and ▵on the velocity profiles, the temperature profiles, and the variation of skin friction and heat transfer functions are clearly illustrated in tables and graphs.

Processing map for hot working of alpha-zirconium

The hot deformation characteristics of alpha-zirconium in the temperature range of 650 °C to 850 °C and in the strain-rate range of 10-3 to 102 s-1 are studied with the help of a power dissipation map developed on the basis of the Dynamic Materials Model.[7,8,9] The processing map describes the variation of the efficiency of power dissipation (η =2m/m + 1) calculated on the basis of the strain-rate sensitivity parameter (m), which partitions power dissipation between thermal and microstructural means. The processing map reveals a domain of dynamic recrystallization in the range of 730 °C to 850 °C and 10−2 to 1−1 with its peak efficiency of 40 pct at 800 °C and 0.1 s-1 which may be considered as optimum hot-working parameters. The characteristics of dynamic recrystallization are similar to those of static recrystallization regarding the sigmoidal variation of grain size (or hardness) with temperature, although the dynamic recrystallization temperature is much higher. When deformed at 650 °C and 10-3 s-1 texture-induced dynamic recovery occurred, while at strain rates higher than 1 s-1, alpha-zirconium exhibits microstructural instabilities in the form of localized shear bands which are to be avoided in processing.

Characterisation of dynamic recrystallisation in nickel using processing map for hot deformation

The hot deformation behaviour of polycrystalline nickel has been characterised in the temperature range 750-1200-degrees-C and strain rate range 0.0003-100 s-1 using processing maps developed in the basis of the dynamic materials model. The efficiency of power dissipation, given by [2m/(m + 1)]. where m is the strain rate sensitivity, is plotted as a function of temperature and strain rate to obtain a processing map. A domain of dynamic recrystallisation has been identified, with a peak efficiency of 31% occurring at 925-degrees-C and 1 s-1. The published results are in agreement with the prediction of the processing map. The variations of efficiency of power dissipation with temperature and strain rate in the dynamic recrystallisation domain are identical to the corresponding variation of hot ductility. The stress-strain curves exhibited a single peak in a single peak in the dynamic recrystallisation domain, whereas multiple peaks and 'drooping' stress-strain curves were observed at lower and higher strain rates, respectively. The results are explained on the basis of a simple model which considers dynamic recrystallisation in terms of rates of interface formation (nucleation) and migration (growth). It is shown that dynamic recrystallisation in nickel is controlled by the rate of nucleation, which is slower than the rate of migration. The rate of nucleation itself depends on the process of thermal recovery by climb, which in turn depends on self-diffusion.

Effect of zinc content on the processing map for hot working of α brass

The hot deformation behavior of α brass with varying zinc contents in the range 3%–30% was characterized using hot compression testing in the temperature range 600–900 °C and strain rate range 0.001–100 s−1. On the basis of the flow stress data, processing maps showing the variation of the efficiency of power dissipation (given by Image where m is the strain rate sensitivity) with temperature and strain rate were obtained. α brass exhibits a domain of dynamic recrystallization (DRX) at temperatures greater than 0.85Tm and at strain rates lower than 1 s−1. The maximum efficiency of power dissipation increases with increasing zinc content and is in the range 33%–53%. The DRX domain shifts to lower strain rates for higher zinc contents and the strain rate for peak efficiency is in the range 0.0001–0.05 s−1. The results indicate that the DRX in α brass is controlled by the rate of interface formation (nucleation) which depends on the diffusion-controlled process of thermal recovery by climb.

Characteristics of Dynamic Recrystalization Domain in the Processing Map for Hot-Working of OFHC Coper

The constitutive flow behaviour of OFHC copper under working conditions is studied using hot compression in the temperature range 650 to 900-degrees-C and strain rate range 0.001 to 100 s-1. The variation of the efficiency of power dissipation given by [2m/(m + 1)] (where m is the strain rate sensitivity) with temperature and strain rate is represented in the form of a power dissipation map and interpreted on the basis of the Dynamic Materials Model. The map prominently exhibited a domain centered at 850-degrees-C and 100 s-1 with a peak efficiency of 35 %. On the basis of the correlation of variations of grain size, efficiency of power dissipation and hot workability with temperature, the domain is identified to represent dynamic recrystallization (DRX).

Effect of Zirconium on the Processing MAPS For Hot-Working of Alpha-Beta Brass

The effect of zirconium on the hot working characteristics of alpha and alpha-beta brass was studied in the temperature range of 500 to 850-degrees-C and the strain rate range of 0.001 to 100 s-1. On the basis of the flow stress data, processing maps showing the variation of the efficiency of power dissipation (given by [2m/(m+1)] where m is the strain rate sensitivity) with temperature and strain rate were obtained. The addition of zirconium to alpha brass decreased the maximum efficiency of power dissipation from 53 to 39%, increased the strain rate for dynamic recrystallization (DRX) from 0.001 to 0.1 s-1 and improved the hot workability. Alpha-beta brasses with and without zirconium exhibit a domain in the temperature range from 550 to 750-degrees-C and at strain rates lower than 1 s-1 with a maximum efficiency of power dissipation of nearly 50 % occurring in the temperature range of 700 to 750-degrees-C and a strain rate of 0.001 s-1. In the domain, the alpha phase undergoes DRX and controls the hot deformation of the alloy whereas the beta phase deforms superplastically. The addition of zirconium to alpha-beta brass has not affected the processing maps as it gets partitioned to the beta phase and does not alter the constitutive behavior of the alpha phase

Influence of cast versus wrought microstructure on the processing map for hot working of stainless steel type AISI 304

Processing maps for hot working of as-cast and wrought stainless steels of type AISI 304 have been developed in the temperature range 600 to 1250°C and strain rate range 0.001 to 100 s−1. The domain of dynamic recrystallization (DRX) in as-cast material occurs at higher temperatures (1250°C) and lower strain rates (0.001 s−1) than in the wrought steel (1100°C and 0.01 s−1). The effect is explained in terms of enhanced nucleation rate of DRX due to the carbide, ferrite particles, stable oxides/nitrides and second-phase intermetallics in the as-cast microstructure. The DRX domain is wider in the wrought material although the peak efficiency is less (32%) than in the as-cast case (40%). The flow instability regime is not significantly affected by the initial microstructure