Characteristics of microstructural evolution during deformation-enhanced ferrite transformation in Nb-microalloyed HSLA steel

Microstructure evolution during deformation of undercooled austenite at 760℃ was investigated in Nb-microalloyed steel by using SEM （scanning electron microscope）, TEM （transmission electron microscope）, and EBSD （electron backscattered diffraction）. It is indicated that during deformation-enhanced ferrite transformation （DEFT） in Nb-microalloyed steel, the incubation period is prolonged, and the higher strain is needed to accomplish ferrite transformation. Therefore, the transformation kinetics curves move to high strain parallelly; and the transformation kinetics curves of Nb-microalloyed steel can be divided into three stages. At the fast stage, the solute drag effect of Nb and the consumption of strain energy for the dynamic precipitation of Nb（CN） led to a long incubation period, and at the second stage, ferrite transformation was accelerated significantly and fine Nb（CN） precipitates restrict the grain growth of ferrite effectively. The results also showed that DEFT in Nb-microalloyed steel is still a nucleation dominated process, and during the microstructure evolution the interchange of 〈001〉 and 〈111〉 texture was obtained.     

Nucleation and three-dimensional morphology of intragranular ferrite in a vanadium microalloyed steel

The formation of intragranular ferrite at inclusions was analyzed by SEM-EDX in a vanadium microalloyed steel with an excess amount of sulfur. The precipitation of MnS at aluminum oxides may result in Mn depletion, which, in turn, promotes the formation of intragranular ferrite. The morphology of intragranular ferrite changed with undercooling. At higher temperatures intragranular ferrite is nearly equiaxed whereas it is plate-like at lower temperatures.     

Microstructures and properties of 550 MPa grade high strength thin-walled H-beam steel

The microstructures and mechanical properties of 550 MPa grade lightweight high strength thin-walled H-beam steel were experimentally studied. The experimental results show that the microstructure of the air-cooled H-beam steel sample is consisted of ferrite, pearlite and a small amount of granular bainites as well as fine and dispersive V（C,N） precipitates. The microstructure of the water-cooled steel sample is consisted of ferrite and bainite as well as a small amount of fine pearlites. The microstructure of the water-cooled sample is finer than that of the air-cooled sample with the average intercept size of the surface grains reaching to 3.5 gna. The finish rolling temperature of the thin-walled high strength H-beam steel is in the range of 750 ~C-850 ~C. The lower the finish rolling temperature and the faster the cooling rate, the finer the ferrite grains, the volume fraction of bainite is increased through water cooling process. Grain refinement strengthening and precipitation strengthening are used as major strengthening means to develop 550 MPa grade lightweight high strength thin- walled H-beam steel. Vanadium partially soluted in the matrix and contributes to the solution strengthening. The 550 MPa grade high-strength thin-walled H-beam steel could be developed by direct air cooling after hot rolling to fully meet the requirements of the target properties.     

Effect of inclusions on the formation of acicular ferrite in Ti-bearing non quenched-and-tempered steel

Nucleation of acicular ferrite and its influence factors in non quenched-and-tempered steel was studied by using TEM and thermodynamic calculation. The results show that the complex particles with a center made of Ti oxide, Al2O3, and silicate and an outside made of a small quantity of mixture of TiN and MnS are able to act as ferrite nucleation nuclei. The acicular ferrite percent- age changes little with Ti. When the oxygen content was 80 ppm, the volume percentage of acicular ferrite decreased due to an in- crease in allotriomorphic ferrite. The larger the cooling rate and the shorter the incubation time, the finer the titanium oxide and the higher the nucleation ratio of acicular ferrite.     

Simulation of the Ultrasonic Precipitation Process of Nano-hydroxyapatite by an Artificial Neural Network

The ultrasonic precipitation technique for preparing hydroxyapatite nanoparticles is a complex process that was strongly influenced by temperature, reaction time and ultrasonic power. The use of a modified artificial neural network （ANN） was proposed to model the non-linear relationship between ultrasonic precipitation parameters and the hydroxyapatite content. The improved model for processing dataset and selecting its topology was developed using the Levenberg-Marquardt training algorithm and was trained with comprehensive dataset of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles collected from experimental data. A basic repository on the domain knowledge of ultrasonic precipitation process for the preparation of hydroxyapatite is established via sufficient data mining by the network. With the help of the repository stored in the trained network, the influence of preparation temperature, preparation time and ultrasonic sonicating power on the hydroxyapatite content can be analyzed and predicted. The results show that the ANN system is effective and successful in analyzing the influence of ultrasonic precipitation parameters on the preparation of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles.     

Influence of isothermal aging onσprecipitation in super duplex stainless steel

The time-temperature-transformation (TTT) curve of the 00Cr25Ni7Mo4N duplex stainless steel was obtained with a Formastot-digital thermal dilatometer,and the influence of isothermal aging on σ precipitation was studied by metallographic observation,X-ray diffraction (XRD),and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).The results show that the decomposition of ferrite phase is accompanied by the formation of σ phase at 750-1000℃,especially in the range of 800-900℃.The longer the aging time,the higher the amount of σ precipitation.The area fraction of various phases remains at a certain value upon the completion of ferrite deformation.The temperature of 850℃ is the most sensitive transaction temperature,the incubation time for the formation of o precipitation is less than 1 min,and aging for 20 min leads to the complete transformation of ferrite.The o phase is formed preferentially at the α/α/γ junction,and then grows along the α/α boundary in the matrix.     

Forming condition and control strategy of ferrite decarburization in 60Si2MnA spring steel wires for automotive suspensions

The ferrite decarburization behavior of 60Si2MnA spring steel wires for automotive suspensions, including the forming condition and the influence of heating time and cooling rate after hot rolling, was investigated comprehensively. Also, a control strategy during the reheating process and cooling process after rolling was put forward to protect against ferrite decarburization. The results show that ferrite decarburization, which has the strong temperature dependence due to phase transformation, is produced between 675 and 875°C. The maximum depth is found at 750°C. Heating time and cooling rate after rolling have an important influence on decarburization. Reasonable preheating temperature in the billet reheating process and austenitizing temperature in the heat-treatment process are suggested to protect against ferrite decarburization.     

Effects of Ti addition on low carbon hot strips produced by CSP process

Large quantity of fine Ti（C,N） particles, 15-30 nm in size, were observed in low carbon hot strips added to a small amount of Ti and produced by CSP process. The results showed that the precipitation of Ti（C,N） mostly took place during soaking and hot rolling, which is significantly different from that in the conventional production. These fine Ti carbonitride particles could be very effective on the austenite grain refinement by hindering grain growth of recrystallized austenite. Their precipitation behavior was discussed and compared with that of the steels produced in the conventional production.     

Hot deformation behavior of microstructural constituents in a duplex stainless steel during high-temperature straining

The hot deformation characteristics of 1.4462 duplex stainless steel （DSS） were analyzed by considering strain partitioning between austenite and ferrite constituents. The individual behavior of ferrite and austenite in microstructure was studied in an iso-stress condition. Hot compression tests were performed at temperatures of 800-1100~C and strain rates of 0.001-1 s-1. The flow stress was modeled by a hyperbolic sine constitutive equation, the corresponding constants and apparent activation energies were determined for the studied alloys. The constitutive equation and law of mixture were used to measure the contribution factor of each phase at any given strain. It is found that the contribution factor of ferrite exponentially declines as the Zener-HoUomon parameter （Z） increases. On the contrary, the austenite contribution polynomially increases with the increase of Z. At low Z values below 2.6. x 1015 （lnZ---35.5）, a negative contribution factor is determined for austenite that is attributed to dynamic recrystallization. At high Z values, the contribution factor of austenite is about two orders of magnitude greater than that of ferrite, and therefore, austenite can accommodate more strain. Microstructural characterization via electron back-scattered diffraction （EBSD） confirms the mechanical results and shows that austenite recrystallization is possible only at high temperature and low strain rate.     

Electromagnetic anti-fouling technology for prevention of scale

An electromagnetic anti-fouling technology（EAFT） was developed further. The operating principle of the EAFT was presented using fundamental physics laws. To validate the effect of EAFT and identify the mechanism, a circulating flow setup was built. A series of fouling tests were carried out with and without EAFT, measuring fouling thermal resistance as function of time, making scanning electron microscope images and analyzing the particles size distribution in solution by dynamics light scattering technology. The main results were as follows： 1） All the precipitated crystals in solution were calcite and there were little differences between with EAFT and without EAFT in the experimental range. 2） The number of precipitate nucleation in solution was small and the particle growth was slow without EAFT. In opposition to the case untreated, a rapid particle growth was observed and the number of nucleation was expected to be large, due to the fact that the EAFT effectively increases the ions and crystals collision frequency and effectiveness by utilizing the induced electric field. It is indicated that the particle growth is promoted mainly by coagulation process but not nucleation growth. 3） The EAFT could prolong the delay time of fouling greatly, and after the delay time, the thermal resistance quickly increased. Therefore, in order to mitigate scale significantly, the floccules in solution should be deposited beforehand in a low-lying area of the exchangers and let off in time.     

Straight SiO<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript> nanorod Y junctions

Novel straight silicon oxide [SiO _x (1<x<2)] nanorod Y junctions have been synthesized on Si plate by thermal evaporation of mixed powders of silica and carbon nanofibers at 1300°C and condensation on a Si substrate without assistance of any catalyst. The synthesized samples were characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The results suggested that the straight nanorod Y junctions are amorphous and consist only of elements Si and O, and these rods with diameters about 50–200 nm have a neat smooth surface. The growth of such silicon oxide nanorods may be a result of the second nucleation on the surface of rods causing a change in the growth direction of silicon oxide nanorods developed. Supported by the Academic Human Resources Development in Institutions of Higher Learning under the Jurisdiction of Beijing, and the Program of Science & Technology Activity for Chinese Homecoming Fellow Abroad and Research Program of Beijing Key Laboratory for Sensor (Grant No. KM200810772009)     

Influence of formate on bioactivity material-thuringiensin synthesized by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus thuringiensis</Emphasis> YBT-032

The biological method to synthesize thuringiensin and the influence of formate on thuringiensin biosynthesis were investigated. Addition of 1.00 g/L formate to growth medium of bacillus thuringiensis YBT-032 resulted in significant enhancements in productions of citrate, α -ketoglutarate, intracellular adenine and thuringiensin. These results demonstrate that added formate attends metabolism of cell, facilitates carbon metabolic flux in tricarboxylic acid cycle and hexose monophosphate pathway. As a carbon source, formate facilitates cell growth, increases glucose consumption and enhances the ability of cell to synthesis adenine analogues, and subsequently thuringiensin. Thuringiensin production rate significantly enhanced from 6.44 to 8.46 mg·g^-1 · h and transformation ratio from glucose to thuringiensin increased by 43.30%.     

Fabrication and magnetic properties of Sm3(Fe,Ti)29Nx/α-Fe dual-phase nanocomposite permanent magnetic material

Sm3(Fe,Ti)29Nx/α-Fe dual-phase nanometer magnetic material was fabricated through rapid solidification, crystallization and nitridation of Sm-Fe (Ti) alloy. The effect of combination of rapid solidification and Ti alloy addition on the phase formation and microstructure of the Sm-Fe alloy is investigated in this paper. The microstructure of amorphous phase and dual-phase nano-grain crystals before and after crystallization annealing were observed using a high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HREM). The dual-phase nano-grains after annealing were compacted together with a clear interface with the direct exchange-coupling mechanism. Different annealing processes were used to examine the melt-spun alloy. Comparison of the images of SEM showed that annealing at 750℃ for 10 min was most suitable to get homogeneous and nano-grains. No obvious kink was detected in the second quadrant of the hysteresis loop like a single hard magnet, and strong exchange coupling was found between hard magnets and soft magnets.     

Synthesis and electrochemical properties of Cr-doped Li<Subscript>3</Subscript>V<Subscript>2</Subscript>(PO<Subscript>4</Subscript>)<Subscript>3</Subscript> cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries

Cr-doped Li₃V₂(PO₄)₃ cathode materials Li₃V_2−x Cr _x (PO₄)₃ were prepared by a carbothermal reduction(CTR) process. The properties of the Cr-doped Li₃V₂(PO₄)₃ were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopic (SEM), and electrochemical measurements. Results show that the Cr-doped Li₃V₂(PO₄)₃ has the same monoclinic structure as the undoped Li₃V₂(PO₄)₃, and the particle size of Cr-doped Li₃V₂(PO₄)₃ is smaller than that of the undoped Li₃V₂(PO₄)₃ and the smallest particle size is only about 1 μm. The Cr-doped Li₃V₂(PO₄)₃ samples were investigated on the Li extraction/insertion performances through charge/discharge, cyclic voltammogram (CV), and electrochemical impedance spectra(EIS). The optimal doping content of Cr was that x=0.04 in the Li₃V_2−x Cr _x (PO₄)₃ samples to achieve high discharge capacity and good cyclic stability. The electrode reaction reversibility was enhanced, and the charge transfer resistance was decreased through the Cr-doping. The improved electrochemical performances of the Cr-doped Li₃V₂(PO₄)₃ cathode materials are attributed to the addition of Cr³⁺ ion by stabilizing the monoclinic structure. Funded by the Guangxi Natural Science Foundation(No. 0832259) and the National Basic Research Program of China (No. 2007CB613607)     

Synthesis and characterization of (PEO)<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>−(V<Subscript>0.85</Subscript>Mo<Subscript>0.15</Subscript>)<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>5</Subscript> nanocomposite films

(PEO) _x −(V_0.85Mo_0.15)₂O₅(x=0,0.5,1.0) nanocomposite films were prepared by a modified sol-gel method. The structure of the films was analyzed by XRD, and the DC electrical conductivity. Cyclic voltammogram and optical spectral transmittance were investigated. The results show that the (V_0.85Mo_0.15)₂O₅ xerogel has a layered structure and its interlayer space increased from 1.3181 nm at x=0 to 1.7897 nm at x=1.0. The introduction of MoO₃ improved the DC electrical conductivities of the films due to the generation of V₄₊ to maintain the electrical neutrality of the oxides. PEO intercalated in the interlayer of (V_0.85Mo_0.15)₂O₅ oxides has interaction with the oxides, enhancing the amount of Li⁺ ions inserted into the interlayer of the oxides. Moreover, the intercalation of PEO into the interlayer of (V_0.85Mo_0.15)₂O₅ oxides improved the cathodic electrochromic property in near ultraviolet region and anodic electrochromic property in visible range. JIANG Cong-sheng: Born in 1963 Supported by the Science Foundation of Hubei Province (Grant No. 2001ABB083)     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">In situ</Emphasis> preparation of nanoparticles/polymer composites

Nanoparticle (NP) is the matter between molecule and bulk material. It has attracted much attention in catalysis, optoelectronics and biology due to its unique physical and chemical properties. Incorporation of these NPs into the polymer matrix is one of the best methods to display their special functions, which not only stabilize the NPs but also realize the functional assembly of NPs and polymers. However, realization of this idea depends largely on the compatibility of NPs and polymers as well as the interaction between them. Therefore, many methods have been developed to prepare the composites of NPs and polymers in order to obtain the function expected. In this review, we mainly focus on the combination of in situ method with other methods to synthesize different functional one-dimension, two-dimension as well as bulk composites, which has been recently developed by our group. The most striking character of our method is the excellent compatibility between NPs and polymers which ensures a homogeneous distribution of NPs in the polymer matrix. The existence of the polymer network makes the NPs more stable, and is significant for displaying their functions. Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 2007CB936402, 20534040) and Science Foundation for Young Teachers of Northeast Normal University (Grant No. 20070306)     

Nanocomposite films of V<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>5</Subscript>−MoO<Subscript>3</Subscript> xerogel with poly ethylene oxide intercalation

Poly ethylene oxide (PEO)_x−V₂O₅−V₂O₅−MoO₃ (x=0, 0.5, 1) films were prepared by the sol-gel method. The synthesis and structure of the films were investigated by XRD, TG-DTA, FTIR, etc. The results show that V₂O₅−MoO₃ xerogel has a layered structure and its interlayer space increased from 1.3181 nm at x=0 to 1. 7898 nm at x=1 after the nanocomposite films were dried, and PEO in the interlayer changes the interface structure by forming hydrogen bonds with V=0 bands. CV measurement indicates that the intercalation of PEO improves insertion/extration properties of Li⁺ ions in the interlayer. ZHENG Jin-xia: Born in 1976 Funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 50172036) and Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province(No. 2001ABB083)     

Structures and properties of [CoPt/Ag]<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis></Subscript> multilayer fims

The magnetic properties and structures of [CoPt/Ag] _n , multilayer films deposited by DC magnetron sputtering have been studied. During the deposited process, two kinds of deposited sequences, that is Ag layer (FDAG) first deposited or CoPt layer (FDCP) first deposited, have been chosen. The results show that the microstructures and coercivities were strongly influenced by the deposited sequence and the thickness of films. The coercivities of [Ag/CoPt] _n with FDAG are obviously higher than those of [CoPt/Ag] _n with FDCP. Especially, when the thickness of films is 8 nm, the difference of coercivities between the FDAG film and the FDCP film is the largest. It is possibly because Ag plays a role of underlayer in FDAG multilayers, which can induce both the transformation from fcc to fct and the oriented growth along c-axis. In addition, δM curves reveal that the [CoPt/Ag]₈ multilayer, film has a lower intergrain interaction than the CoPt/Ag bilayer film.     

Structure and electrochemical properties of LiMn<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript>−<Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis>F<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>

LiMn₂O₄−_xF_x prepared by the sol-gel method has a perfect crystal formation. The crystal particle size of the material was medium and distributed uniformly. The substitution of F for O increased the specific capacity of the material at the cost of the cycleability. The explanation of this results is that the F decreases the valence of Mn, that is, more Mn³⁺ and less Mn⁴⁺ exist in the material. The increase of Mn³⁺ will improve the initial specific capacity and Mn³⁺ is the original reason for Jahn-Teller effect that caused the poor cycleability of the cathode material by the micro-distortion of the crystal structure. In addition, the expanded measurement of the crystal lattice is also the reason for the poor cycleability. Therefore, the results of F-substitution and cation-substitution are opposite. If the two methods are combined, they can compensate the inability each other and the satisfactory results may be obtained. XIA Jun-lei: Born in 1977 Funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 59972026)     

A new processing method for the <Emphasis Type="Italic">AE</Emphasis> index

In this paper, we introduce an effective processing method to acquire the time derivative of the AE index as a coefficient. Using this coefficient, the AE index can be divided into the four stages: quiet, ascending, descending and active stages. The statistical results show that the ascending and descending stages of the AE index are dominant and occupy two thirds of the whole period. An analysis of the relationship between the occurrence frequencies of the Dst index and AE index in solar cycle 23 shows that the monthly variation of the occurrence frequencies of the ascending stage of AE is closely related to the decrease of the Dst index. Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 40704031, 40536030)