Thermal properties and microstructure of a plasma sprayed wollastonite coating

Wollastonite coatings were deposited using an atmospheric plasma spraying technique. The microstructure and phase compositions of the coating before and after heat treatment were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), and differential thermal analysis (DTA) technologies, respectively. In addition, the coefficient of thermal expansion and thermal diffusivity of the coating were also investigated. Crystalline wollastonite, glassy phase, and tridymite (SiO₂) were observed in the coating. Tridymite (SiO₂) likely reacted with other composites such as CaO and glassy phase to form crystalline wollastonite when the coating was heated at about 882 °C. During the first thermal cycle, the coefficient of thermal expansion of the coating decreased dramatically between 700 and 850 °C and the thermal diffusivity of the coating was 2.7–3.1 × 10⁻³cm²/s between 20 and 1000 °C. During the second thermal cycle, the coefficient of thermal expansion of the coating increased slightly between room temperature and 1000 °C and the thermal diffusivity of the coating increased by about 20% compared with that of the first thermal cycle. The atmospheric plasma sprayed Wollastonite coating may be used as thermal barrier coating.     

Sintering and annealing effects on ZnO microstructure and thermoelectric properties

The influence of different thermal treatments on zinc oxide has been investigated regarding the thermal diffusivity and structural properties of doped and undoped samples. ZnO powders having various grain sizes and morphologies, with or without aluminum doping, have been prepared under different temperatures by spark plasma sintering (SPS). The microstructural properties and thermal diffusivities of the prepared samples have been measured before and after annealing treatments in air at 800 °C. In undoped samples, the crystallite sizes increased after the annealing treatments, while it was retained in the Al-doped samples. The thermal diffusivities, microstrain and degree of preferred orientation were affected by the SPS temperature and the annealing; however, the general trends were retained after the annealing treatments. Lower maximum temperature yielded a lower degree of preferred orientation, less microstrain, higher density of grain boundaries, lower thermal diffusivities and, for Al-doped samples, lower electrical conductivity and a difference in zT-values from 0.2 to 0.3 at 800 °C. Calculations of the wavelengths and mean free paths of the phonons that contribute to the main part of the thermal conductivity have been conducted and reveal that nanostructures <12 nm are required to lower the thermal conductivity by quantum confinement.     

Effect of Thermal Exposure on Mechanical Properties of a Plasma-Sprayed Nanostructured Thermal Barrier Coating

A nanostructured thermal barrier coating (TBC) was deposited by air plasma spraying. The effect of microstructural evolution on nano-hardness and Young’s modulus has been investigated by nanoindentation technique after exposure at 1200 °C in air for different times. The results showed that the sintering process of nanostructured TBC at 1200 °C was divided into two stages. TBC completely kept the nanostructure with the grain size <100 nm at the first stage of 10 h thermal exposure. The nanostructure was lost gradually at the second stage from 10 to 200 h thermal exposure. During the first stage, nano-hardness and Young’s modulus increased rapidly for TBC densification, and Weibull bimodal distribution of both Young’s modulus and nano-hardness disappeared as grain grew and most microcracks were healed. The structure of TBC did not change basically, and nano-hardness and Young’s modulus increased slightly at the second stage.     

Effect of Alloying Elements on Thermal Diffusivity of Gray Cast Iron Used in Automotive Brake Disks

The purpose of this work was to experimentally investigate the thermal diffusivity of four different gray cast iron alloys, regularly used to produce brake disks for automotive vehicles. Thermal diffusivity measurements were performed at temperatures ranging from room temperature to 600 °C. The influence of the thermal conductivity on the thermomechanical fatigue life is also briefly presented. The measurements were sensitive to the influence of the carbon equivalent and alloying elements, such as molybdenum, copper and chromium. Molybdenum, unlike copper, lowered the thermal diffusivity of the gray cast iron, and alloy E (without molybdenum), besides presenting a relatively low carbon equivalent content and an increase in the values of the thermal diffusivity, presented the best performance during the thermomechanical fatigue. The molybdenum present in alloys B and C did not fulfill the expectations of providing the best thermomechanical fatigue behavior. Consequently, its elimination in the gray cast iron alloy for this application will result in a significant economy.     

Quantitative Analysis of the Relationship Between Microstructures and Thermal Conductivity for YSZ Coatings

The thermal conductivities of as-sprayed yttria-stabilized zirconia thermal barrier coating prepared by atmospheric plasma spraying at different temperatures are investigated based on quantitative microstructural analysis. Multiple linear regression is used to develop quantitative models which describe the relationship between multiple elements such as porosity, grain boundary density, monoclinic phase content, temperature and thermal conductivity. Results reveal that the thermal conductivity of the coating is mainly determined by the porosity and grain boundary density below 300 °C and by the monoclinic phase content above 800 °C. Furthermore, based on the significance testing analysis, the confidence interval under a confidence level of 95% at different temperatures enables researchers to predict the thermal conductivity based on microstructural information.     

Unlubricated friction and wear behaviors of Al2O3/TiC ceramic cutting tool materials from high temperature tribological tests

The unlubricated friction and wear behaviors of Al₂O₃/TiC ceramic tool materials were evaluated in ambient air at temperature up to 800 °C by high temperature tribological tests. The friction coefficient and wear rates were measured. The microstructural changes and the wear surface features of the ceramics were examined by scanning electron microscopy. Results showed that the temperature had an important effect on the friction and wear behaviors of this Al₂O₃ based ceramic. The friction coefficient decreased with the increase of temperature, and the Al₂O₃/TiC ceramics exhibited the lowest friction coefficient in the case of 800 °C sliding operation. The wear rates increased with the increase of temperature. During sliding at temperature above 600 °C, oxidation of the TiC is to be expected, and the formation of lubricious oxide film on the wear track is beneficial to the reduction of friction coefficient. The wear mechanism of the composites at temperature less than 400 °C was primary abrasive wear, and the mechanisms of oxidative wear dominated in the case of 800 °C sliding operation.     

Effect of Destabilization Heat Treatments on the Microstructure of High-Chromium Cast Iron: A Microscopy Examination Approach

A 18.22 wt.% Cr white iron has been subjected to various destabilization heat treatments. Destabilization at 800 °C caused gradual precipitation of M₂₃C₆ secondary carbide particles with time leading to a gradual increase in the bulk hardness. At 900, 1000, and 1100 °C, an initial sharp increase in bulk hardness with time occurred, reaching a plateau that was followed by a slightly decreasing trend. The combination of martensite formed, stoichiometry, and morphology of the secondary carbides present (mostly M₇C₃) are responsible for the obtained values of hardness. At 1100 °C, severe dissolution of the secondary carbides and consequent stabilization of the austenitic phase took place. Maximum hardness values were obtained for destabilization at 1000 °C. The correlation between bulk hardness and microstructural features was elaborated.     

Thermophysical,mechanical and microstructural characterization of aged free-standing plasma-sprayed zirconia coatings

The effect of porosity on the thermal diffusivity and elastic modulus has been studied on artificially aged, free-standing thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) produced by air plasma spray (APS). The activation energy of the sintering phenomenon was estimated from the variation in diffusivity with time and temperature. X-ray diffraction was used to evaluate the phase stability of 7 wt.% yttria partially stabilized zirconia (YPSZ) coatings. The thermal diffusivity and elastic modulus as measured by photothermal techniques and three-point bending, respectively, are reported as a function of the ageing time. Correlations between the thermal and mechanical parameters are investigated by suitable models based on the microstructural features revealed by electron microscopy. The reliability of porosity information provided by image analysis and used as input for the modelling is critically discussed.     

Accelerated precipitation in the AFA stainless steel Fe–20Cr–30Ni–2Nb–5Al via cold working

The effects of cold work on the microstructural evolution during aging of a solutionized alumina-forming austenitic stainless steel, Fe–20Cr–30Ni–2Nb–5Al (at.%), were investigated using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and scanning transmission electron microscopy. Cold work prior to aging at either 700 °C or 800 °C facilitated the heterogeneous precipitation of both Laves phase and B2-type NiAl precipitates. While often co-located after cold work, these particles were distinct. γ′-Ni₃Al precipitates were also observed in samples aged at 700 °C with 90% prior cold work. Compared to material that had not been strained, defects introduced by 50 and 90% cold work at 700 °C and 90% cold work at 800 °C not only caused a more rapid precipitation in the matrix but also an increase in the total volume fraction of precipitates as compared to material that had been simply aged.     

Decarburization of 60Si2MnA in Atmospheres Containing Different Levels of Oxygen,Water Vapour and Carbon Dioxide at 700–1000 °C

The decarburization behaviour of 60Si2MnA in atmospheres containing 0–21% O₂,?<?20 ppm–17%H₂O, and with or without 8%CO₂, at 700–1000 °C, was investigated. The new findings of the current study were: (a) severe decarburization was associated with the formation of wüstite (FeO) scale on the steel surface, (b) the carbon activity at the steel–FeO interface was most likely determined by the reaction equilibrium between FeO and dissolved carbon in steel, (c) when a ferrite layer was able to form, the decarburization tendency was determined by the relative carbon permeability (defined as the product of carbon concentration difference at the two interfaces of the ferrite layer and carbon diffusivity) through the ferrite layer, and therefore, (d) the decarburization tendency at 800 °C was greater than those at 700 and 900 °C as the relative carbon permeability at 800 °C was the greatest. If FeO was absent when heating in dry O₂-containing gases, however, possibly as a result of the formation of a SiO₂ layer at the steel surface, decarburization was very much alleviated or avoided. At 1000 °C, the decarburization tendency was alleviated even when FeO was able to form because formation of a ferrite layer was not possible and carbon diffusivity in austenite was much lower than that in ferrite. A preformed oxide scale was effective in providing decarburization protection only when the steel was exposed to dry O₂-containing atmospheres.

     

Thermal shock characteristics of plasma sprayed mullite coatings

Commercially available mullite (3Al₂O₃·2SiO₂) powders containing oxides of calcium and iron as impurities, have been made suitable for plasma spraying by using an organic binder. Stainless steel substrates covered with Ni-22Cr-10Al-1.0Y bond coat were spray coated with mullite. The 425 μm thick coatings were subjected to thermal shock cycling under burner rig conditions between 1000 and 1200 °C and less than 200 °C with holding times of 1, 5, and 30 min. While the coatings withstood as high as 1000 shock cycles without failure between 1000 and 200 °C, spallation occurred early at 120 cycles when shocked from 1200 °C. The coatings appeared to go through a process of self erosion at high temperatures resulting in loss of material. Also observed were changes attributable to melting of the silicate grains, which smooth down the surface. Oxidation of the bond coat did not appear to influence the failure. These observations were supported by detailed scanning electron microscopy and quantitative chemical composition analysis, differential thermal analysis, and surface roughness measurements.     

Structural Characterization and Corrosion Behavior of Stainless Steel Coated With Sol-Gel Titania

Sol-gel titania films were prepared from hydrolysis and condensation of titanium (IV) isopropoxide. Diethanolamine was used as chelant agent in titania synthesis. 316L stainless steel substrates were dip-coated at three different withdrawal speeds (6, 30, and 60 mm/min) and heated up to 400 °C. Thermogravimetry and differential thermal analyses of the titania gel solution evinced a continuous mass loss for temperatures up to 800 °C. The transition of anatase to the rutile phase begins at 610-650 °C, being the rutile transformation completed at 900 °C. The thicknesses of the films were determined as a function of the heat treatment and withdrawal speed. It was observed that their thicknesses varied from 130 to 770 nm. Scanning electron microscopy images of the composites revealed the glass-like microstructure of the films. The obtained sol-gel films were also characterized by energy dispersive spectroscopy. The chemical evolution of the films as a function of the heating temperature was evaluated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (specular reflectance method). After performing the adhesion tests, the adherence of the titania films to the stainless steel substrate was excellent, rated 5B according to ASTM 3359. The hardness of the ceramic films obtained was measured by the Knoop microindentation hardness test with a 10 g load. We observed that the titania film became harder than the steel substrate when it was heated above 400 °C. The corrosion rates of the titania/steel composites, determined from potentiodynamic curves, were two orders of magnitude lower than that of the bare stainless steel. The presence of the sol-gel titania film contributed to the increase of the corrosion potential in ca. 650 mV and the passivation potential in ca. 720 mV.     

Active Metal Brazing of Machinable Aluminum Nitride-Based Ceramic to Stainless Steel

Shapal™-M machinable AlN-based ceramic and AISI 304 stainless steel were joined by active metal brazing, at 750, 800, and 850 °C, with a dwell stage of 10 min at the processing temperature, using a 59Ag-27.25Cu-12.5In-1.25Ti (wt.%) filler foil. The influences of temperature on the microstructural features of brazed interfaces and on the shear strength of joints were assessed. The interfacial microstructures were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the composition of the phases detected at the interfaces was evaluated by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The fracture surfaces of joints were analyzed by SEM, EDS, and GIXRD (Grazing Incidence X-Ray Diffraction). Reaction between the liquid braze and both base materials led to the formation of a Ti-rich layer, adjacent to each base material. Between the Ti-rich layers, the interfaces consist of a (Ag) solid-solution matrix, where coarse (Cu) particles and either Cu-In or Cu-In-Ti and Cu-Ti intermetallics phases are dispersed. The stronger joints, with shear strength of 220 ± 32 MPa, were produced after brazing at 800 °C. Fracture of joints occurred preferentially not only through the ceramic sample but also across the adjoining TiN layer, independent of the brazing temperature.     

Re‐establishing the paradigm for evaluating halide salt compatibility to study commercial chloride salts at 600°C–800°C

Chloride salts are one candidate for a >700°C concentrating solar power (CSP) cycle, however, many reports from the literature suggest very high reaction rates between chloride salts and structural alloys. Historically, a specific methodology was established for evaluating halide salt compatibility based on solution kinetics. This study returned to that paradigm where the salts are purified and evaluated in sealed capsules before moving to a flowing experiment to determine a true corrosion rate in a temperature gradient for a commercial K–Mg–Na chloride salt. Isothermal testing focused on Ni‐based alloys 230 and 600 at 600°C–800°C. The results indicated there were promising combinations of salt chemistry, temperature, and alloy composition that reduce the extent of reaction. The results of the first monometallic thermal convection loop of alloy 600 run for 1,000 hr with a peak temperature of 700°C showed low attack with rates ≤9 µm/yr.     

Microstructures and thermal damage mechanisms of sintered polycrystalline diamond compact annealing under ambient air and vacuum conditions

The microstructures and thermal damage mechanisms of sintered polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) were studied in ambient air and vacuum at the temperature up to 1000 °C. The microstructures and compositions of the annealed PDC were characterized by white light interferometer, X-ray diffractometry (XRD), Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that no visible change in the morphologies of surface of PCD layers (PDC surfaces) was observed at 200 °C both in ambient air and vacuum. After annealing at 500 °C, numbers of spalling pits appeared on the PDC surface, and the stress-induced spall mechanism was the dominant thermal damage mechanism in ambient air and vacuum. With the temperature up to 800 °C, the annealed PDC surface in ambient air was seriously damaged with a mixed thermal damage mechanism such as graphitization, oxidation and stress-induced micro-cracks. Whereas, the thermal damage mechanism in vacuum was nearly the same as that at 500 °C. At 900 °C, only a dendritic phase of Co₃O₄ was contained on the annealed PDC surface due to extensive graphitization and oxidation in ambient air. When it comes to vacuum environment, many cracks were observed on the PDC surface and some fine diamond grains near the cracks spalled, which demonstrated that the thermal damage mechanisms consisted of stress-induced crack and spall mechanisms caused by the different thermal expansion coefficients between the diamond and Co phase. Compared with that at 900 °C, the degree of thermal damage reduced at 1000 °C in vacuum because of the diffusion of unevenly distributed Co.     

Thermo-Physical Properties and Thermal Shock Resistance of Segmented La2Ce2O7/YSZ Thermal Barrier Coatings

La₂Ce₂O₇ (LCO)/yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) thermal barrier coating (TBC) with segmentation crack structure was produced by atmospheric plasma spraying. Thermo-physical properties, such as thermal diffusivities and thermal conductivities, and thermal cycling performance of the segmented LCO/YSZ TBC were investigated. The thermal conductivity of the segmented coating was measured to be around 1.02 W/mK at 1200 °C, relatively lower than that of the non-segmented coating, respectively. The segmented LCO/YSZ TBC exhibited a thermal cycling lifetime of around 2100 cycles, improving the durability by nearly 50% as compared to the non-segmented TBC. The failure of the segmented coating occurred by chipping spallation and delamination cracking within the coating.     

La2O3-modified YSZ coatings: High-temperature stability and improved thermal barrier properties

Lanthana precursor was coated on yttria-stabilized-zirconia (YSZ) powders by wet chemical infiltration, and was introduced to the crystalline structure and grain boundaries of YSZ after plasma spraying of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs). The microstructural stability and thermal barrier properties of this new kind of TBCs were studied under different annealing conditions. It demonstrates that the La₂O₃ surface coating restrains grain growth of YSZ during both deposition and post-annealing processes, compared to a TBC obtained from commercially available unmodified YSZ powders. According to the composition analysis, lanthana partially dissolved in the zirconia matrix after heat treatment. The thermal diffusivity of YSZ coating significantly decreased after lanthana modification, typically from 0.354 mm² s^− 1 for an unmodified sample to 0.243 mm² s^− 1, reflecting a decrease of 31%. Even after annealed at 1200 °C for 50 h, the thermal diffusivity of modified coatings still shows a reduction of 25% than unmodified samples.     

Thermal stability and creep behavior of Ti–V–Cr burn-resistant alloys

The thermal stability and creep behavior of Ti–35V–15Cr (35V alloy) and Ti–25V–15Cr (25V alloy) burn-resistant titanium alloys are researched. The results show that post-exposure tensile properties deteriorated with the increase in exposure temperature (450–600 °C). The decrease in tensile properties of the 35V alloy results from the combination of surface oxidation and microstructural changes and the decrease in tensile properties of the 25V alloy results from surface oxidation. The main change of the microstructure during thermal exposure is the heterogeneous precipitation of α phase on β grain boundaries. Increased vanadium content in the alloy shows an adverse effect on alloys’ thermal stability. The creep resistance of the 35V alloy is little better that that of the 25V alloy. During creep exposure at 540 °C for 100 h, the heterogeneous precipitation of α phase on β grain boundaries in 35V alloy strengthens the grain boundary, leading to increases in the creep resistance, while the heterogeneous precipitation of α phase in grains and grain boundaries in the 25V alloy is rod-like, leading to decreases in the creep resistance.     

Etch pit and γ′ precipitate evolution in controlled Waspaloy microstructures aged at 725, 800 and 875 °C

In this paper, controlled microstructures of Waspaloy were produced with the objective of studying the kinetic mechanisms that drive microstructural evolution during short-term aging. Three individual sets of controlled microstructures were produced by an initial solution-treatment at 1145 °C followed by aging-treatments at 725, 800 and 875 °C for times up to 263.5 h. The resulting microstructures varied markedly from one aging set to the next. The three sets of aged specimens were systematically characterized via microscopy (SEM and AFM), DC four-point probe resistivity and X-ray diffraction techniques. The occurrence of perfect polygonal etch-pit shapes in the solution-treated microstructures, which transformed upon aging first into corner-rounded shapes, followed by irregular shapes and eventual dissolution, was evidenced here. This phenomenon of transformation of etch-pit shapes appears to occur concurrently with gamma prime nucleation and growth. The formation mechanism of the etch-pits and subsequent microstructural evolution upon aging are discussed herein.     

Organic conductor: Influence of preparation temperature

The conducting polypyrrole–polyethylene glycol (PPy–PEG) composite films were produced at various polymerization temperature ranging from 5 °C to 60 °C using 1 × 10^?3 M PEG, 0.20 M pyrrole and 0.10 M p-toluene sulfonate at 1.20 V (vs. SCE). The polymerization temperature of 5 °C appeared as the optimum preparation temperature showing the highest electrical conductivity of 70 S/cm and the thermal diffusivity of 8.76 × 10^?7 m² s^?1. The electrical conductivity and thermal diffusivity exhibited a decreasing trend with the increase in polymerization temperature in the pyrrole solution used to prepare the composite films. The XRD results reveal that low temperature (5 °C) typically results in more crystalline films, which are denser, stronger and have higher conductivity. The optical microscopy of PPy–PEG shows the globular surface morphology. The surface of the of the solution side of PPy–PEG film prepared at low temperatures showed a globular morphology.