Partial amount of austenite can be dynamically transformed into ferrite above the Ae3 temperature when it is being deformed. This happens by a displacive mechanism. On removal of the load, it retransforms back into the stable austenite by diffusional processes. Plate rolling simulation under continuous cooling conditions was carried out on a high Nb X70 steel. Pass strains of 0.2 together with interpass times of 10, 20 and 30 s were employed. The initial and final temperatures for the finishing simulation were 920 and 830 °C, respectively. The mean flow stresses (MFS`s) behaviour indicates that dynamic transformation (DT) and recrystallization (DRX) were taking place during straining. It is shown that ferrite is formed during the roughing passes and increases its volume fraction throughout the finishing rolling steps. The ferrite formation is favoured by strain accumulation, shorter time between passes and also when the temperature reaches the Ae3 line. The results obtained here can be used to design improved models for transformation on accelerated cooling.

Low-density austenitic Fe-Mn-Al-C steels have high strength, high ductility and a significant weight reduction respect to other alloyed steels. However, this complex system exhibits second-phase precipitation, particularly κ-carbide. It is well-known that the microalloying elements addition to steel generates precipitation hardening, as well as grain refinement effect. It is worth noting that low-density steels can cause cracking during hot-rolling due to high Mn, Al and C contents and segregation in grain boundaries. Hot-rolling conditions play an important role in the dynamic recrystallization mechanisms, and therefore in the austenitic grain size. The main objective of this research work is the metallographic, structural and mechanical characterization of low-density steels microalloyed with Ti/B and Ce/La in hot-rolling condition. For this purpose Fe-(27-30)Mn-(7-8)Al-(1.2-1.8)C (wt.%) low density steels microalloyed with Ti/B and Ce/La were hot-rolled at 1200 °C in two stages. Metallographic, structural and mechanical characterization was carried out by optical (LOM) and scanning electron (SEM) microscopies, electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) through quality images, inverse pole figures (IPF) and orientation distribution functions (ODF) maps, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and microhardness Vickers (HV) testing. In general, the first stage of hot-rolling exhibits a strongly bimodal microstructure of dynamically recrystallized austenitic grains, while the second stage shows more uniform recrystallized grain size. In the first stage of hot-rolling the austenite is the predominant phase, while in the second stage the α-ferrite phase is barely visible. Low-density steel microalloyed with Ti/B presented better grain size and microhardness values compared to steel microalloyed with Ce/La. Preferred crystallographic orientations were not found.

Pseudo-α or near-α titanium alloys are being widely used in the power generation industry due to their stability at high temperature service, good mechanical characteristics and corrosion resistance. Particularly Ti-6% Al-1.5% V-1.0Mo-0.5% Zr-0.1% C alloy is mainly used in turbines components, heat exchangers and pipes for steam conduction, among others; these are subjected to critical conditions of temperature, abrasion and corrosive environments. A good performance of such devices depends on the chemistry and of the material processing story.

Effects on microstructure and wear resistance with the addition of Ru and small variation of V and Mo amounts in the Ti-6% Al-1.5% V-1.0Mo-0.5% Zr-0.1% C alloy were analyzed. Three different alloys were melted in a vacuum induction furnace with a cooled copper skull under an argon protective atmosphere for this study

Four alloys were melted “Alloy 1” Ti-6% Al-1.5% V-1.0Mo-0.5% Zr-0.1% C-0.3% Ru, “Alloy 2” Ti-6%Al-0.5%V-1.6%Mo-0.5%Zr-0.1% C-0.3% Ru, “Alloy 3” Ti-6%Al-2.2%V-0.5%Mo-0.5%Zr-0.1%C-0.3%Ru. After melting, all alloys were homogenized at 1200°C for two hours, followed by hot rolling above β transition temperature with a reduction of 50% in thickness.

All alloys were analyzed by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Vickers Micro hardness (HV). Results shown that Mo and V variations modified the micro hardness by microstructure refinement. In contrast, the addition of Ru showed no microstructure modification.

Since ancient times, lubricants have been used to reduce friction and wear problems of mechanical systems. However, nowadays, there is a constant effort to improve their performance through additives so that they can accomplish properly in this modern world. In that sense, in this study, it was proposed the use of Poly(ε-Caprolactone) (PCL) as a biodegradable additive in Castor oil. The effect that this additive has on the tribological properties of AISI 4140 steel/Al2O3 tribosystem was analyzed. For this purpose, PCL was dissolved in Castor oil at 65 °C for 15 minutes. Later, once the lubricant formulations got into room temperature, friction tests were conducted with a ball-on-disk configuration. Several experiments were systematically carried out in order to study the factors that could influence the performance of the tribological system, for instance: additive concentration, velocity, temperature, and wear track radius. The kinetic friction coefficient was used to analyze the results as an output variable. The parameters in which the best friction behavior was observed were employed again to compare the efficiency of the polymeric additive by profoundly analyzing and comparing the wear response of the system. The PCL additive showed great results by decreasing friction up to 30% compared to the neat Castor oil. Nevertheless, as the opposite effect, this additive increased the steel wear to almost half an order of magnitude. Given the above, this investigation showed that, with further studies, Poly(ε-Caprolactone) could be used as an additive in vegetable oil-based lubricants for the improvement of friction performance.

The present work has been carried out in order to investigate the sliding wear performance of a Ni-Cr based alloy, containing boron, carbon, silicon and iron, deposited onto a SAE 1045 steel substrate. The coatings were thermally sprayed by means of a High Velocity Oxy-Fuel system and post heat-treated for one hour at 760°C in an argon atmosphere. The relative sliding performance was evaluated under unlubricated dry conditions at different applied normal loads and sliding velocities, in order to analyze the influence of these parameters on the wear response. Test results are discussed and interpreted on the basis of both microstructural evaluations and mechanical properties measurements. The surface morphology and topography of the wear scars have been studied through of a Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) techniques. The results have shown an improved wear resistance of the coated steel samples as compared to the uncoated ones.

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) possess impressive properties along with low density. Integration of CNTs in the form of fabrics or other preformed assemblies simplifies their handling and allows for the higher CNT content needed to better leverage their properties in multifunctional structures. Here we describe production of non-woven CNT-polyurethane fabrics made from industrial-grade CNTs via a one-step filtration method. Individual sheets were scaled to 30 cm x 30 cm size and subsequently used to fabricate thicker composites, including via lamination with itself to produce simple panels and with other materials to further tailor the nanocomposite properties and address several example applications including electrical heating, fire resistance, electromagnetic shielding, and a skin for stretchable morphing structures.

AISI 316L stainless steel substrates were coated with hydroxyapatite [HAp, Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2]-seeded 58S bioglass, and then their in vitro bioactivity was evaluated by soaking in a simulated body fluid (SBF). The bioglass was prepared via the sol-gel technique and nanometric HAp single crystals were obtained by hydrothermal synthesis. The coatings had bioglass/HAp weight ratios of 100/0, 90/10 or 80/20. The in vitro bioactivity tests were carried out under static conditions at 37 °C and pH = 7.25, for time periods ranging from 1 to 21 days. The results showed that the HAp-seeding significantly accelerates the formation of a HAp layer at the bioglass-coated steel surface during the bioactivity tests.

An old procedure used to carry out a graphical derivation of curves, which is based on the optical properties of plane mirrors, has been adapted for the measurement of the contact angle (θ) formed between a liquid drop and a flat solid substrate in wettability experiments carried out by the so-called “sessile drop” method. The method was tested for mercury on soda-lime glass at room temperature in air as well as for Cusil (Ag-28wt.%Cu) and Incusil-ABA (Ag-27wt.%Cu-12wt.%In-2wt.%Ti) brazing alloys on pressureless-sintered silicon carbide (PLS-SiC) at 850 °C, under a vacuum of 10-4/10-5 Torr. The proposed method is fast, simple and accurate enough from high (∼140°) to relatively low (∼10°) contact angles. Although the proposed method has been tested for metal-ceramic systems, it is of general application, so that it would be useful for any liquid-solid system. The method is applicable for any temperature, pressure and atmospheric experimental conditions employed, as well as for any chemical composition of liquid and solid. It is also useful for both low and high contact angles, as well as for reactive and non-reactive systems, as long as a photograph of a liquid drop resting on a flat solid surface is available for the studied system.

Based on wettability and reaction interfaces previously reported, as well as on thermodynamic considerations, a likely mechanism has been proposed for the chemical interaction taking place at the metal/ceramic interface during wettability experiments carried out by the so-called “sessile drop” method. The experiments involved three Ag-Cu-based brazing alloys [Cusil (Ag-28wt.%Cu), Cusil-ABA (Ag-34.6wt.%Cu-1.58wt.%Ti) and Incusil-ABA (Ag-26.6wt.%Cu-12.4wt.%In-0.89wt.%Ti)] and as polished and pre-oxidized pressure-less sintered silicon carbide (PLS-SiC), with a total holding time of 90 minutes at 850 °C, under a Zr sponge-gettered vacuum of 10-4/10-5 Torr.

An alternative method for the standardless quantitative x-ray diffraction analysis of mixtures of inorganic crystalline phases proposed in the literature several years ago is presented. Our method requires only previously calculated μ*i values from tabulated data for all phases present in the mixtures. It does not require either the determination of calibration constants or the use of external standards, but it does require that the number of analyzed mixtures is larger than or equal to the number of phases present in them, and that the chemical composition of the mixtures are significantly different from each other. The integrated intensities of the chemically pure phases are estimated by a least-squares procedure from XRD data obtained from the mixtures. The method was tested against data published in the literature, with good results. Finally, a general expression for the “Normalized Height Law” proposed on an empirical basis by other researchers, has been theoretically derived.

An initial mixture of raw materials (batch) typically used for the manufacture of conventional soda-lime float glass was subjected to a mechanical activation process for 30 or 60 minutes in a planetary ball mill. An intensification of the chemical reactivity of the batch, which was directly related with the increase in the milling time, was observed. This accelerated the chemical reactions that took place during the batch melting process between sodium, calcium and magnesium carbonates and other components of the mixture, which happened at significantly lower temperatures with respect to the batch without mechanical activation. The heat of fusion of the batch, estimated using a methodology previously reported in the literature, indicated that the mechanical activation given to the initial mixture of raw materials decreased the energy consumed during the batch melting. This was also evidenced by a decrease in the temperature at which the release of CO2 ended, which was considerably larger than that previously reported in the literature based solely on the decrease in the particle size of a batch of similar composition achieved by dry sieving.

Hernia is defined as the protrusion of one or several internal organs through an opening in the cavity that contains them due to a tissue defect, abdominal wall surgery by means of synthetic meshes is the most common method used for hernia repair, however, postsurgical effects can range from some discomfort, to chronic pain and even the reappearance of the hernia due to a poor mechanical adaptability between the synthetic tissue and the host tissue. The knowledge of the mechanical properties of the materials involved in hernia repair is fundamental in the understanding and subsequent solution of this type of problems. In this work, experimental data were obtained by means of uniaxial tensile tests in two perpendicular directions of commercial meshes used in hernia repair. The tests were carried out on the UniVert® machine of the CellScale® brand. Anisotropic mechanical behavior is observed due to the structure of the mesh and the interaction between each of the yarns that make it up. The data found vary with respect to the direction of traction and also has non-linear hyperelastic behavior, so the adjustment of curves was made through a hyperelastic model in the COMSOL Multiphysics® software through the Levenberg-Marquardt Algorithm for the characterization of these materials.