Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance

This article presents the effect of heat treating temperature on chemical composition of hydroxyapatite (HA) that was produced by burning bovine bone, and then heat treating the obtained bone ash at different temperatures in range of 600-1100 °C in air. Bone ash and the resulting white powder from heat treating were characterized by Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and x-ray diffractometry (XRD). The FT-IR spectra confirmed that heat treating of bone ash at temperature of 800 °C removed the total of organic substances. x-ray diffraction analysis showed that the white powder was HA and HA was the only crystalline phase indicated in heat treating product. x-ray fluorescence analyses revealed that calcium and phosphorous were the main elements and magnesium and sodium were minor impurities of produced powder at 800 °C. The results of the energy dispersive x-ray analysis showed that Ca/P ratio in produced HA varies in range of 1.46-2.01. The resulting material was found to be thermally stable up to 1100 °C.

With finite line contact mixed elastohydrodynamic lubrication, rough contact can occur between the two contact surfaces, which can result in material wear. Variation in the surface morphology that are caused by wear also alter the local lubrication state between the contact surfaces, and the prediction of this coupling relationship can be difficult. For this study, a numerical simulation model was constructed for the evolution of surface tribological parameters under sliding wear based on the deterministic finite line contact lubrication model and the Archard’s wear model. Variations in contact area ratio, coefficient of friction, accumulated wear, and other parameters were analyzed, and the effect of the rough surface wavelength ratio and roughness amplitude on the wear characteristics are discussed. The results of the research demonstrate that it is possible to predict lubrication and wear characteristics of multiple contact types. Considering the effect of rough surface morphology, reducing the wavelength ratio and increasing the roughness range can aggravate the wear of the rough surface.

The bending fatigue behavior of two carburized steels is investigated for lives between approximately 105 and 108 cycles. Cracks are observed to start at sub-surface inclusions and develop features on fracture surfaces resembling “fish eyes” in appearance. This type of sub-surface cracking tends to govern fatigue strength at long lives. Previous studies of “fish eye” fatigue in carburized steel have been relatively few and have mainly considered failures originating at depths beneath a carburized case, where compressive residual stresses are minimal and hardness values approach those in the core. This study provides fatigue data for cracks originating within cases at various depths where compressive residual stresses are substantial and hardness is much higher than in the core. Fatigue strength is predicted by a simple model, accounting for the influence of residual stresses and hardness values at the different depths at which cracks started. Predictions of fatigue strength are compared with data generated in this study.

In the light of attractive wear characteristics as well as high strength to weight ratio, extensive research on Al-based Metal Matrix Composite (MMC) have been carried out globally in the last two decades. However, very limited research has been pursued on tribological behavior of Al-based MMC under combined action of rolling and sliding. This study investigates the wear behavior of 6061 Al-alloy/SiC with 10 vol.% SiCp against hardened and tempered AISI 4340 steel under combined rolling-sliding conditions. 23 factorial design of experiments have been carried out to see the effect of few parameters, i.e., contact stress, speed and duration with respect to wear. The interaction effect has also been studied by 3D graphical contours. A mathematical model is developed using regression analysis technique for prediction of wear behavior of the MMC and adequacy of the model has been validated using analysis of variance (ANOVA) techniques. Finally, the optimization of parameter has also been done using Design Expert software. The results have shown that Response Surface Methodology (RSM) is an effective tool for prediction of wear behavior under combined sliding and rolling action. It is also found that the wear of MMC is much lower than hardened; tempered AISI 4340 steel and rolling speed has the maximum influence in wear of both materials under investigation.

The common brazed diamond micropowder bur fabricated in a vacuum furnace produces an even brazing alloy surface. The small brazed diamond grits show low outcropping from the brazing alloy surface, and the chip space between them is small. The bur shows a low grinding efficiency and poor heat dissipation. In this study, a brazed diamond micropowder bur was fabricated by supersonic frequency induction heating. The method afforded a fluctuant surface on the brazing alloy. The brazed diamond grits with an outcropping height distributed uniformly on the fluctuant surface. The fluctuant surface showed a certain chip space. These characteristics of the tool increased the grinding efficiency and decreased the temperature of the grinding arc area. The roughness R a of the ceramic tile surface trimmed by the tool cylinder was between 0.09 and 0.12 μm. In the first 90 min, the decrease in the weight of the ceramic tile ground by the tool cylinder was higher than that ground by the tool fabricated in a vacuum furnace. When the ceramic tile was cylindrically ground, the temperature of the grinding arc area measured using a thermocouple remained below 70 °C.

In order to meet the requirements of an increased efficiency applying to modern devices and in more general terms science and technology, it is necessary to develop new materials. Combining various types of materials (such as metals and ceramics) and developing composite materials seem to be suitable solutions. One of the most interesting materials includes Cu-Al2O3 composite and gradient materials (FGMs). Due to their potential properties, copper-alumina composites could be used in aerospace industry as rocket thrusters and components in aircraft engines. The main challenge posed by copper matrix composites reinforced by aluminum oxide particles is obtaining the uniform structure with no residual porosity (existing within the area of the ceramic phase). In the present paper, Cu-Al2O3 composites (also in a gradient form) with 1, 3, and 5 vol.% of aluminum oxide were fabricated by the hot pressing and spark plasma sintering methods. Two forms of aluminum oxide (αAl2O3 powder and electrocorundum) were used as a reinforcement. Microstructural investigations revealed that near fully dense materials with low porosity and a clear interface between the metal matrix and ceramics were obtained in the case of the SPS method. In this paper, the properties (mechanical, thermal, and tribological) of composite materials were also collected and compared. Technological tests were preceded by finite element method analyses of thermal stresses generated in the gradient structure, and additionally, the role of porosity in the formation process of composite properties was modeled. Based on the said modeling, technological conditions for obtaining FGMs were proposed.

The effect of Ti on microstructural characteristics and reaction mechanism in bonding of Al-Ceramic composite was studied. Ti and Al-Ceramic composite were diffusion welded at 550, 600, 700, 800, and 900 °C in a vacuum furnace. The microstructures and compositions of the interface layers were analyzed, and the mechanical properties and fracture morphology of the joints were examined. The results indicated that there was a systematic switch from Ti/Ti7Al5Si12/composite at 600 °C and Ti/TiAl3/Ti7Al5Si12/composite at 700 °C to Ti/Ti7Al5Si12/TiAl3/Ti7Al5Si12/composite at 800 °C and Ti/Ti7Al5Si12/TiAl3/composite at 900 °C. The formation of TiAl3 at 700 and 800 °C depended on Al segregation, which was an uphill diffusion driven by chemical potential. The maximum shear strength was 40.9 MPa, found in the joint welded at 700 °C. Most joints fractured between Ti7Al5Si12 and Al-Ceramic composite. In any case, Ti7Al5Si12 was favorable for Al-Ceramic composite welding, which attached to Al-Ceramic composite, reducing the differences in physiochemical properties between SiC and metal, improving the mechanical properties of the joints and increasing the surface wettability of Al-Ceramic composite.

The present study deals with the welding of titanium alloys thin sheets 1.3 mm thick, with the use of concentrated solar energy. The experimental part of the work took place at a medium size solar furnace at the installation of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, at Odeillo, in Southern France, where similar and dissimilar defect-free welds of titanium Grades 4 and 6 were achieved, in the butt joint configuration. After the determination of the appropriate welding conditions, the optimum welded structures were examined and characterized microstructurally, by means of light optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and microhardness testing. In addition, test pieces extracted from the weldments were tested under uniaxial tensile loading aiming to the estimation of the strength and the ductility of the joint. The analysis of the experimental results and the recorded data led to the basic concluding remarks which demonstrate increased hardness distribution inside the fusion area and severe loss of ductility, but adequate yield and tensile strength of the welds.