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AISI 316L steel was subjected to nitrocarburizing under glow discharge conditions, which was followed by Dlc (diamondlike carbon) coatings deposition using the same device. The coatings were applied under conditions of direct current and pulsed glow discharge. in order to determine the influence of the produced nitrocarbon austenite layer and the type of discharge on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the coatings, the following features were analysed: surface roughness, coating thickness, structure, chemical composition, adhesion and resistance to frictional wear. For comparison purposes, Dlc coatings were also deposited on steel without a nitrocarburised layer. The obtained results indicate a significant influence of the type of glow discharge on the roughness, hardness, nitrogen content and of the nitrocarburised layer on the resistance to wear by friction and adhesion of the produced coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nuclear reactors operating at high temperatures and in harsh environments can benefit significantly from the use of 316L Oxide Dispersion Strengthened (ODS) steel. This steel is particularly suitable due to its excellent machinability, ductility and ability to maintain mechanical integrity at temperatures above 1000 °C. ODS 316L steel achieves its excellent performance through the dispersion of fine, stable oxide particles in the steel matrix. In addition, ODS 316L steel exhibits excellent corrosion and oxidation resistance, further extending its life and reliability under prolonged exposure to high temperatures and radiation. This study aimed to enhance the corrosion resistance of 316L steel by incorporating yttrium oxide (Y2O3) into its matrix. Samples differed in the way the powders were prepared by mechanical alloying (MA). Powder preparation parameters included time: 5, 10 and 50 hours, rotational speed: 250 rpm, with grinding cycles of 15 minutes and 15-minute intervals for diversion. The materials were manufactured using pulse plasma sintering (PPS) and then compared with standard 316L steel rods. The corrosion resistance of the 316L+Y2O3 was investigated, with Y2O3 added in concentrations of 1 wt.% and 3 wt.% in both nano and micro sizes. Electrochemical techniques including corrosion potential measurements, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and potentiodynamic tests in various solutions (0.5M NaCl, 0.5M H2SO4, 0.5M H2SO4+0.5MNaCl) were performed to assess the corrosion properties. Additionally, the surfaces affected by corrosion were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical profilometry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microstructure and texture of the CuCr0.6 alloy processed by rolling with cyclic movement of rolls (RCMR) at room temperature were investigated. The RCMR processing was applied for the samples in different initial conditions in the solid solution followed by quenching into iced water at 1000oC for 3 h and in aging treatment conditions performed at 500oC for 2 h and at 700oC for 24 h. Application of the solution and aging processes prior to RCMR deformation results in the partial dissolution of Cr particles into the Cu matrix and precipitation of the second phase particles. RCMR processing with value of the total effective strain (eft) of 5 was introduced to the material. It was found that the RCMR method is effective in texture weakening. The obtained results revealed that there is a large similarity in texture orientations after RCMR processing independently of heat treatment conditions. Cyclic character of deformation leads to an incomplete transition of LAB to HAB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-temperature and harsh conditions require the use of advanced and resistant materials. Nuclear reactors are a very good example of an environment with such conditions, and 316L Oxide Dispersion Strengthened (ODS) steel is suitable to build them. This is a material with desirable properties such as good workability, ductility, and mechanical integrity at high temperatures. In this study, to improve the corrosion properties of 316 L steel, it was decided to add yttrium to the matrix. Materials for research are manufactured through powder metallurgy technique - Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) and subsequently compared with reference materials (316L commonly available rods). The powders used for the SPS consolidation of the materials have been characterized. The effectiveness of the yttrium addition in increasing corrosion resistance was investigated. Moreover, electrochemical tests and corrosion rate measurements were carried out to determine the corrosive properties. The next stage of the research was the characterization of the corroded surface. The methods used to describe surface changes in the studied materials were scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical profilometry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inconel 718 is a precipitation hardenable nickel-iron based superalloy. It has exceptionally high strength and ductility compared to other metallic materials. This is due to intense precipitation of the γ’ and γ” strengthening phases in the temperature range 650-850°C. The main purpose of the authors was to analyze the aging process in Inconel 718 obtained in accordance with AMS 5596, and its effect on the mechanical properties. Tensile and hardness tests were used to evaluate the mechanical properties, in the initial aging process and after reheating, as a function of temperature and time respectively in the ranges 650°-900°C and 5-480 min. In addition, to link the mechanical properties with the microstructure transmission microscopy observations were carried out in selected specimens. As a result, factors influencing the microstructure changes at various stages of strengthening were observed. The authors found that the γ’’ phase nucleates mostly homogenously in the temperature range 650-750°C, causing the greatest increase in strength. On the other hand, the γ’ and δ phases are formed heterogeneously at 850°C or after longer annealing in 800°C, which may weaken the material.

This study presents a comparative analysis of the corrosion resistance of nitrided layers on conventional Grade 2 titanium alloy and those produced by direct metal laser sintering (DMLS). Low-temperature glow-discharge nitriding of the tested materials was carried out using conventional glow-discharge nitriding (so-called nitriding at the cathode potential-TiN/CP) and with the use of an "active screen" (nitriding at the plasma potential-TiN/PP). The TiN + Ti 2 N + Ti(N) layers were characterized by their microstructure, nanohardness profile distribution, surface topography, and corrosion resistance. The reduction in the cathodic sputtering phenomenon in the process using the active screen allowed the creation of surface layers that retained the topography of the base material. The parameters of the glow-discharge treatment led to grain growth in the printed substrates. This did not adversely affect corrosion resistance. The corrosion resistance of nitrided layers on the printed titanium alloy is only slightly lower than that of layers on the conventional Grade 2 alloy. Iron precipitates at grain boundaries facilitate increased nitrogen diffusion, resulting in reduced nitrogen concentration in the surface layer, slight changes in corrosion potential values, and increased nitrogen concentration in the Ti(N) diffusion layer.

An NbN coating was produced on AISI 316L steel using reactive DC magnetron sputtering. The effects of oxidation of the NbN coating in air on the microstructure, mechanical properties, corrosion resistance, contact angle and bioactivity were investigated. Phase composition was determined using X-ray diffraction (XRD), the coatings' cross-sectional microstructure and thickness including surface morphology using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), microhardness via the Vickers method, corrosion by means of a potentiodynamic polarisation test in Ringer's solution and bioactivity by observation in an SBF solution, while the contact angle was studied using a goniometer. The NbN coating and the oxidised coating were shown to demonstrate a Ca/P ratio close to that of hydroxyapatite, as well as increased microhardness and corrosion resistance. The best combination of mechanical, corrosion, bioactivity and hydrophilic properties was demonstrated by the air oxidised NbN coating, which featured an orthorhombic Nb 2 O 5 structure in the top, surface layer.

In this study, we examined the effects of an aluminization process on the microstructure and texture of Haynes 282 nickel samples fabricated using the direct metal laser sintering technique. The aluminization process involved the use of chemical vapor deposition with AlCl 3 vapors in a hydrogen atmosphere at a temperature of 1040 °C for 8 h. Following the 3D printing and aluminization steps, we analyzed the microstructure of the Haynes 282 nickel alloy samples using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Additionally, we investigated the texture using X-ray diffractometry. A texture analysis revealed that after the process of direct laser sintering of metals, the texture of the Haynes 282 nickel alloy samples developed a texture typical of cast materials. Then, in the aluminization process, the texture was transformed-from foundry-type components to a texture characteristic of recrystallization.

The article describes the Ti 3 SiC 2 powder synthesis process. The influence of the molar ratio and two forms of carbon on the phase composition of the obtained powders was investigated. The synthesis was carried out using a spark plasma sintering (SPS) furnace. In addition, using the obtained powders, composites reinforced with SiC particles were produced. The obtained results showed no effect of the carbon form and a significant impact of annealing on the purity of the powders after synthesis. The composites were also consolidated using an SPS furnace at two temperatures of 1300 and 1400 °C. The tests showed low density and hardness for sinters from 1300 °C (maximum 3.97 g/cm 3 and 447 HV5, respectively, for composite reinforced with 10% SiC). These parameters significantly increase for composites sintered at 1400 °C (maximum density 4.43 g/cm 3 and hardness 1153 HV5, for Ti 3 AlC 2 -10% SiC). In addition, the crack propagation analysis showed mechanisms typical for granular materials and laminates.

In this work we demonstrated the process of co-deposition of copper-tin sulfide species by the atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique using all-low-cost precursors. For the deposition of tin species, the tin(IV) chloride SnCl 4 was used successfully for the first time in the ALD process. Moreover, we showed that the successful deposition of the tin sulfide component was conditioned by the pre-deposition of CuS x layer. The co-deposition of copper and tin sulfides components at 150 °C resulted in the in-process formation of the film containing Cu 2 SnS 3 , Cu 3 SnS 4 and π -SnS phases. The process involving only tin precursor and H 2 S did not produce the SnS x species. The spectroscopic characteristic of the obtained materials were confronted with the literature survey, allowing us to discuss the methodology of the determination of ternary and quaternary sulfides purity by Raman spectroscopy. Moreover, the material characterisation with respect to the morphology (SEM), phase composition (XRD), surface chemical states (XPS), optical properties (UV-vis-NIR spectroscopy) and electric (Hall measurements) properties were provided. Finally, the obtained material was used for the formation of the p-n junction revealing the rectifying I - V characteristics., (© 2022 IOP Publishing Ltd.)

The present study investigates the correlation between mechanical properties and resistance to corrosion of hydrostatically extruded aluminum alloy 7075. Supersaturated solid solutionized samples undergo a plastic deformation process, followed by both natural and artificial aging. Furthermore, two types of hydrostatic extrusion are applied to the samples: single-stepped and double-stepped. This process is shown to influence grain refinement and the precipitation process, resulting in changes in the electrochemical properties of the samples. Hydrostatic extrusion combined with aging is shown to cause an increase in mechanical strength ranging from 50 MPa to 135 MPa in comparison to coarse-grained sample subjected to T6 heat treatment. The highest value of tensile strength is obtained for a sample subjected to single-step hydrostatic extrusion followed by natural aging. This strength increase is caused by refinement of the microstructure, in addition to the small size and number of precipitates at the grain boundaries, which are coarsened by artificial aging. Hydrostatic extrusion is also shown to increase resistance to corrosion, with the T6-treated coarse-grained sample being most susceptible to corrosion attack.

In this paper, the corrosion resistance and mechanical properties of the 7075 aluminum alloy are studied. The alloy was deformed by hydrostatic extrusion and then aged both naturally and artificially. Results are compared with those of coarse-grained material subjected to T6 heat treatment. The aim of the research is to find the optimal correlation between the mechanical properties and the corrosion resistance of the alloy. To this end, static tensile tests with subsequent fractography, open circuit potential, and potentiodynamic polarization tests in 0.05 M NaCl were conducted. Obtained results show that a combination of precipitate hardening and a deformed microstructure leads to increased mechanical strength with high anisotropy due to the presence of fibrous grains. Plastic deformation increases susceptibility to corrosion due to the increased number of grain boundaries, which act as paths along that corrosion propagates. However, further artificial aging incurs a positive effect on corrosion resistance due to changes in the chemical composition of the matrix as a result of the precipitation process.

The use of elemental metallic powders and in situ alloying in additive manufacturing (AM) is of industrial relevance as it offers the required flexibility to tailor the batch powder composition. This solution has been applied to the AM manufacturing of nickel-titanium (NiTi) shape memory alloy components. In this work, we show that laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) can be used to create a Ni 55.7 Ti 44.3 alloyed component, but that the chemical composition of the build has a large heterogeneity. To solve this problem three different annealing heat treatments were designed, and the resulting porosity, microstructural homogeneity, and phase formation was investigated. The heat treatments were found to improve the alloy's chemical and phase homogeneity, but the brittle NiTi 2 phase was found to be stabilized by the 0.54 wt.% of oxygen present in all fabricated samples. As a consequence, a Ni 2 Ti 4 O phase was formed and was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observation. This study showed that pore formation in in situ alloyed NiTi can be controlled via heat treatment. Moreover, we have shown that the two-step heat treatment is a promising method to homogenise the chemical and phase composition of in situ alloyed NiTi powder fabricated by LPBF.

Catalysis has been a key way of improving the efficiency-to-cost ratio of chemical and electrochemical processes. There have been recent developments in catalyst materials that enable the development of novel and more sophisticated devices that, for example, can be used in applications, such as membranes, batteries or fuel cells. Since catalytic reactions occur on the surface, most catalyst materials are based on open porous structures, which facilitates the transport of fluids (gas or liquid) and chemical (or electrochemical) specific surface activity, thus determining the overall efficiency of the device. Noble metals are typically used for low temperature catalysis, whereas lower cost materials, such as nickel, are used for catalysis at elevated temperatures. 3D printing has the potential to produce a more sophisticated fit for purpose catalyst material. This article presents the development, fabrication and performance comparison of three thermoplastic composites where PLA (polylactic acid), PVB (polyvinyl butyral) or ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) were used as the matrix, and nickel particles were used as filler with various volume fractions, from 5 to 25 vol%. The polymer-metal composites were extruded in the form of filaments and then used for 3D FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) printing. The 3D printed composites were heat treated to remove the polymer and sinter the nickel particles. 3D printed composites were also prepared using nickel foam as a substrate to increase the final porosity and mechanical strength of the material. The result of the study demonstrates the ability of the optimized filament materials to be used in the fabrication of high open porosity (over 60%) structures that could be used in high-temperature catalysis and/or electrocatalysis.

This article presents an attempt to determine the effect of the MXene phase addition and its decomposition during sintering with the use of the spark plasma sintering method on mechanical properties and residual stress of silicon carbide based composites. For this purpose, the unreinforced silicon carbide sinter and the silicon carbide composite with the addition of 2 wt.% of Ti 3 C 2 T x were tested. The results showed a significant increase of fracture toughness and hardness for composite, respectively 36% and 13%. The numerical study involving this novel method of modelling shows the presence of a complex state of stress in the material, which is related to the anisotropic properties of graphitic carbon structures formed during sintering. An attempt to determine the actual values of residual stress in the tested materials using Raman spectroscopy was also made. These tests showed a good correlation with the constructed numerical model and confirmed the presence of a complex state of residual stress.

In this work, the comparison of microstructure, texture, and mechanical properties of the newly developed TZ61 (Mg-6Sn-1Zn) alloy with the commercially available AZ61 (Mg-6Al-1Zn) has been presented. Both analyzed Mg alloys were processed by conventional symmetric and asymmetric rolling (i.e., Differential Speed Rolling-DSR). The microstructure and texture were examined by EBSD and XRD, whereas the mechanical behavior was investigated by uniaxial tensile tests. DSR processing led to more effective grain refinement of both TZ61 and AZ61 sheets. However, a high fraction of Mg 2 Sn phase precipitates in the TZ61 sheets hindered grain growth what resulted in their smaller grain size as compared to AZ61 sheets. DSR processing lowered also the basal texture intensity in the TZ61 and AZ61 sheets. A unique basal poles splitting was observed for the as-rolled TZ61 alloy, while AZ61 alloy exhibited a typical single-peak basal texture. Finally, the reduced grain size and weakened basal texture by DSR processing caused increase of plasticity of the annealed TZ61 and AZ61 sheets. Nevertheless, the annealed AZ61 sheets showed higher uniform elongation and strength (as compared to TZ61 ones), which has been attributed to their significantly lower texture intensity and greater ability to strain hardening.

This article presents new findings related to the problem of the introduction of MXene phases into the silicon carbide matrix. The addition of MXene phases, as shown by the latest research, can significantly improve the mechanical properties of silicon carbide, including fracture toughness. Low fracture toughness is one of the main disadvantages that significantly limit its use. As a part of the experiment, two series of composites were produced with the addition of 2D-Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene and 2D-Ti 3 C 2 T x surface-modified MXene with the use of the sol-gel method with a mixture of Y 2 O 3 /Al 2 O 3 oxides. The composites were obtained with the powder metallurgy technique and sintered with the Spark Plasma Sintering method at 1900 °C. The effect adding MXene phases had on the mechanical properties and microstructure of the produced sinters was investigated. Moreover, the influence of the performed surface modification on changes in the properties of the produced composites was determined. The analysis of the obtained results showed that during sintering, the MXene phases oxidize with the formation of carbon flakes playing the role of reinforcement. The influence of the Y 2 O 3 /Al 2 O 3 layer on the structure of carbon flakes and the higher quality of the interface was also demonstrated. This was reflected in the higher mechanical properties of composites with the addition of modified Ti 3 C 2 T x . Composites with 1 wt.% addition of Ti 3 C 2 T x M are characterized with a fracture toughness of 5 MPa × m 0.5 , which is over 50% higher than in the case of the reference sample and over 15% higher than for the composite with 2.5 wt.% addition of Ti 3 C 2 T x , which showed the highest fracture toughness in this series.

This study presents new findings related to the incorporation of MXene phases into ceramic. Aluminium oxide and synthesised Ti 3 C 2 were utilised as starting materials. Knowing the tendency of MXenes to oxidation and degradation, particularly at higher temperatures, structural modifications were proposed. They consisted of creating the metallic layer on the Ti 3 C 2 , by sputtering the titanium or molybdenum. To prepare the composites, powder metallurgy and spark plasma sintering (SPS) techniques were adopted. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the applied modifications, the emphasis of the research was placed on microstructural analysis. In addition, the mechanical properties of the obtained sinters were examined. Observations revealed significant changes in the MXenes degradation process, from porous areas with TiC particles (for unmodified Ti 3 C 2 ), to in situ creation of graphitic carbon (in the case of Ti 3 C 2 -Ti/Mo). Moreover, the fracture changed from purely intergranular to cracking with high participation of transgranular mode, analogously. In addition, the results obtained showed an improvement in the mechanical properties for composites with Ti/Mo modifications (an increase of 10% and 15% in hardness and fracture toughness respectively, for specimens with 0.5 wt.% Ti 3 C 2 -Mo). For unmodified Ti 3 C 2 , enormously cracked areas with spatters emerged during tests, making the measurements impossible to perform.

The effect of shear deformation introduced by differential speed rolling (DSR) on the microstructure, texture and mechanical properties of Mg-6Sn alloy was investigated. Mg-6Sn sheets were obtained by DSR at speed ratio between upper and lower rolls of R = 1, 1.25, 2 and 3 (R = 1 refers to symmetric rolling). The microstructural and textural changes were investigated by electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) and XRD, while the mechanical performance was evaluated based on tensile tests and calculated Lankford parameters. DSR resulted in the pronounced grain refinement of Mg-6Sn sheets and spreading of basal texture as compared to conventionally rolled one. The average grain size and basal texture intensity gradually decreased with increasing speed ratio. The basal poles splitting to transverse direction (TD) or rolling direction (RD) was observed for all Mg-6Sn sheets. For the as-rolled sheets, YS and UTS increased with increasing speed ratio, but a significant anisotropy of strength and ductility between RD and TD has been observed. After annealing at 300 °C, Mg-6Sn sheets became more homogeneous, and the elongation to failure was increased with higher speed ratios. Moreover, the annealed Mg-6Sn sheets were characterized by a very low normal anisotropy (0.91-1.16), which is normally not achieved for the most common Mg-Al-Zn alloys.

This paper discusses the influence of Ti 3 C 2 (MXene) addition on silicon nitride and its impact on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the latter. Composites were prepared through powder processing and sintered using the spark plasma sintering (SPS) technic. Relative density, hardness and fracture toughness, were analyzed. The highest fracture toughness at 5.3 MPa·m 1/2 and the highest hardness at HV5 2217 were achieved for 0.7 and 2 wt.% Ti 3 C 2 , respectively. Moreover, the formation of the Si 2 N 2 O phase was observed as a result of both the MXene addition and the preservation of the α-Si 3 N 4 →β-Si 3 N 4 phase transformation during the sintering process.