Search

One challenge in developing new materials is solid metal-induced embrittlement, where the fracture stress or ductility of the metal decreases upon contact with another metal surface. Materials such as aluminium demand precise temperature control for optimal results, often requiring specialized equipment. Strengthening aluminium alloys often involves cold working techniques like wire drawing or cold rolling. By combining methods such as cold working, heat treatment, and most especially alloying, the mechanical properties of aluminium alloys can be optimized. To address these concerns, an experimental study investigated the nanomechanical response of an alloy developed for anti-corrosion and structural applications. Corrosion behaviour was evaluated in a 3.65 wt% NaCl solution using a potentiostat/galvanostat, while tribological performance was assessed using a reciprocating sliding tribometer. Microhardness properties were studied using a Vickers microindenter, and thermal stability was examined using a thermo-gravimetric analyzer. Structural modifications were analysed using SEM/EDX and X-ray diffractometer (XRD). Results showed that the HEA (high entropy alloy) 17 sample exhibited outstanding corrosion resistance, with a corrosion rate (CR) of 0.0639 mm/year and corrosion current density (jcorr) of 5.500E−06 A/cm2. All HEA samples displayed high wear rates and worn track sections compared to CONTROL 2. The HEA 16 and HEA 18 samples demonstrated notably high Vickers hardness of 534.50 µN/mm2 and 533.48 µN/mm2, respectively. Despite its high copper content, the CONTROL 1 sample did not exhibit comparable hardness. SEM images revealed refined microstructures and distinct outer morphologies in the examined samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Equipment failure brought on by corrosion is one of the biggest issues the chemical and petrochemical industry are challenged with. Coating is a useful strategy to address this problem on mild steel, and the superhydrophobic coating produced by the electroplating process is particularly noteworthy. Zinc bars serve as the anode, mild steel substrates as the cathode, and a sulphate bath solution as the electrolyte in the electrodeposition coating procedure. With the aid of a DC rectifier, the coating is applied to each sample for 15 min at a voltage range of 1.4–1.5 V and an average current density of 0.2816–0.353 A/cm2. Using a magnetic stirrer and a temperature of 40 °C, the procedure is carried out. Investigating the electrochemical and microstructural characteristics of Zn-TiO2-starch coatings electrodeposited on mild steel substrates was the study's main goal. Each coated sample served as the working electrode during the electrochemical corrosion investigation, while graphite served as the counter electrode and KCl solution as the reference electrode. 3.65% NaCl solution was the electrolytic solution that was employed. The unaltered Zn-TiO2 (control sample) was found to corrode at a rate of 0.00067197 mm/year. The corrosion rates of Zn-TiO2-starch coatings, on the other hand, ranged from 0.00041902 to 0.0002418 mm/year depending on the degree of starch modification. These findings suggest that the highly modified starch coatings provide increased corrosion resistance. The XRD pattern displayed sharp peaks corresponding to Al(ZnSO4) and Fe(Mn,Ti) crystallites on the TiO2 samples, with high diffracting intensity exceeding 2000 c.p.a., suggesting the presence of the most stable phase in those coatings. Microstructural imaging through SEM/EDS revealed a higher dispersion of starch granules in the sample with 4.5 g starch concentration than in the sample with 1.5 g starch concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]