Spatial pore distribution: an approach to uncouple the strength–porosity trade-offs

Journal of Materials Science - A spatial porosity distribution methodology is proposed to overcome the strength/porosity trade-offs in engineered porous materials. Stainless steel–316L...     

Three-dimensional hybrid implicit?explicit finite-difference time-domain method in the cylindrical coordinate system

A novel hybrid implicit--explicit (HIE) finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method, which is extremely useful for problems with very fine structures along the w-direction in cylindrical coordinate system, is presented. This method has higher computation efficiency than conventional cylindrical FDTD methods, because the time step in this method is only determined by the space discretisations in the radial and vertical directions. The numerical stability of the proposed HIE--FDTD method is presented analytically. Compared with the cylindrical alternating-direction implicit (ADI)--FDTD method, this HIE--FDTD method has higher accuracy, especially for larger time step size. At each time step, the HIE--FDTD method requires the solution of two tridiagonal matrices and four explicit updates. While maintaining the same size of time step, the central processing unit (CPU) time for this weakly conditionally stable FDTD method can be reduced to about 3/5 of that for the ADI--FDTD scheme. The numerical performance of the proposed HIE--FDTD over the conventional cylindrical FDTD method and cylindrical ADI--FDTD method is demonstrated through numerical examples.     

Thermodynamic calculation of the phase diagram of the Si–C system up to 8 GPa

The isobaric sections of the phase diagram of the silicon–carbon system at 8 GPa has been calculated using the phenomenological thermodynamics models with parameters of the interaction that have been defined based on the experimental data on the phase equilibria at high pressures and temperatures.     

Phase Relations in the Cu–Sb–O System

The Cu–Sb–O system was studied by x-ray diffraction and thermal analysis between 700 and 1000°C. The compositions of copper antimonates were refined. Sb₂O₄ was found to exist in two polymorphs above 800°C: -Sb₂O₄ (dominant phase) and -Sb₂O₄. The evolution of phase equilibria with increasing temperature was examined. The isothermal sections of the Cu–Sb–O phase diagram were mapped out using new and earlier reported results.     

Phase Relations in the Bi–(Pb)–Sr–Ca–Cu–Sc–O System

The phase relations in the Bi–(Pb)–Sr–Ca–Cu–Sc–O system were studied near Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O_{8 +} (Bi-2212) and (Bi,Pb)₂Sr₂Ca₂Cu₃O_{10 +} (Bi-2223) between 850 and 930°C. The introduction of Sc led to the formation of a new compound Sr₂ScBiO₆, which coexisted with Bi-2212 and Bi-2223. Using crystallization from a peritectic melt at different cooling rates, we obtained Bi-2212 matrix composites containing finely dispersed Sr_1.9Ca_0.1ScBiO₆inclusions, with T _cattaining 89 K. The T _cof the Bi-2223–Sr_1.9Ca_0.1ScBiO₆superconducting ceramic prepared by solid-state sintering of a Bi–(Pb)–Sr–Ca–Cu–Sc–O precursor was 108.5 K.     

Phase Equilibria in the Li–W–Mn–O System

An isothermal compositional subsolidus phase equilibrium diagram of the Li–W–Mn–O system is constructed. Possible solid-state transformations in the system at a variable pressure and constant temperature are presented and phase transformations involving melt in temperature and pressure ranges of interest are analyzed.     

Phase Equilibria in the Cd–Ga–As–Te System

Inorganic Materials - An isothermal subsolidus x–y–z phase diagram, a block diagram of invariant phase equilibria, and a model for the p–T projection of the...     

Self-Propagating High-Temperature Synthesis in the Ti–Al–Si System

Inorganic Materials - Lightweight Ti–Al–Si intermetallic alloys with the compositions (wt %) 37Ti–50Al–13Si, 74.1Ti–6.3Al–19.6Si, and...     

p–T–x Phase Diagram of the Sb–O System

Vaporization processes in the Sb–O system are studied by Knudsen cell mass spectrometric measurements. The results indicate that Sb₂O₄ sublimes congruently and is the most stable oxide in the system. Experimental data are used to evaluate the enthalpies of formation of Sb₂O₃, Sb₂O₄, and Sb₆O₁₃ and to construct the p–T–x phase diagram of the Sb–O system.     

New Cubic Phases in the Li–Na–Sb–Bi System

New compounds with the general formula A _x A"_3-x B _y B"_1-y (A, A" = Li, Na; B, B" = Sb, Bi) were prepared in the system Li–Na–Sb–Bi. Na₃Sb_0.5Bi_0.5has a hexagonal structure (Na₃As type, a= 5.415 Å, c= 9.595 Å), and Li₃Sb_0.5Bi_0.5and Li₂NaSb_0.5Bi_0.5have a cubic structure (BiF₃type, a= 6.645 and 6.772 Å, respectively). The phase transitions of alkali-metal pnictides were studied by in situ x-ray diffraction at room temperature and pressures from 10⁵Pa to 9.0 GPa. Li₃Sb and Na₃Sb were each shown to exist in two polymorphs with hexagonal (Na₃As type) and cubic (BiF₃type) structures. At atmospheric pressure, Li₃Sb undergoes an irreversible – phase transition at 650°C, while Na₃Sb undergoes a reversible transformation into a cubic phase at 2.3 GPa and room temperature.     

Activity-Based Tolerance Allocation (ABTA) – driving tolerance synthesis by evaluating its global cost

This paper deals with tolerance allocation driven by an activity-based approach. Its main objective is to rationally give a good indicator of the relevance of tolerance values fixed by designers. Taking into consideration the impacts of tolerance allocation on the manufacturing process and so the production cost, several examples are given to illustrate this concept. Moreover this paper deals with how the geometrical analysis can be carried out in this activity framework, illustrated by several industrial cases. In addition, this paper explains how, coupled with an optimisation algorithm, this method can generate the best compromise between cost and high performance. To illustrate the efficiency of this approach and its realisation, models and user interfaces based on an industrial case are given.     

Special features of the diamond crystallization in the Mg–Zn–B–C system

The diamond crystallization in the Mg–Zn–B–C system occurring in the diamond thermal stability region have been considered. The phase transformations, which take place during the preparation of the alloy–solvent for carbon and its structure, the diamond crystallization and properties of the resultant diamond crystals have been studied. The formation of the acceptor centers and inclusions in diamond crystals caused by the addition of boron into the growth system have been considered. It has been found that the use of the diamond powder produced in this system for abrasive machining surfaces of sapphire parts makes it possible to increase the machining efficiency and quality as compared with that of the powder produced in the Ni–Mn–C system.     

Phase transformations in the ternary Ag–Ga–Sb system

Phase diagram of the Ag–Ga–Sb ternary system was extrapolated using calculation of phase diagrams (CALPHAD) method. Phase transition temperatures of the alloys with compositions along three vertical sections with constant molar ratios Ga/Sb = 1, Ag/Ga = 1 and Ag/Sb = 1 were measured using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX) was used for identification of phases in equilibrated samples. Experimental results were compared with thermodynamic prediction.     

High–temperature phase chemistry of the system Gd–Pd–O

Anisothermal sectionof the phase diagram for the system Gd–Pd–O at 1223 K has been established by equilibrationof samples and phase identification after quenching by optical and scanning electron microscopy, X–ray powder diffraction, and energy dispersive spectroscopy. Three ternary oxides Gd₄PdO₇,Gd₂PdO₄ and Gd₂Pd₂O₅ were identified. Liquid alloys, the four inter–metallic compounds and Pd–rich solid solutionwere found to be inequilibrium with Gd₂O₃.

Based on the phase relations, four solid–state cells were designed to measure the Gibbs energies of formation of the three ternary oxides in the temperature range from 920 to 1320 K. Although three cells are sufficient to obtain the properties of the three compounds, the fourth cell was deployed to cross check the data. An advanced version of the solid–state cell incorporating a buffer electrode with yttria–stabilized zirconia solid electrolyte and pure oxygen gas at a pressure of 0.1 MPa as the reference electrode was used for high–temperature thermodynamic measurements. The standard Gibbs energy of formation of the inter–oxide compounds from their component binary oxides can be represented by the following equations:

Gd₄PdO₇(s) : Δ_f(ox)G⁰/J mol^–1 = –25,030 + 0.33T (±140), Gd₂PdO₄(s) : Δf(ox)_f(ox)G⁰/J mol^–1 = –25,350 + 0.84T (±135), Gd₂Pd₂O₅(s) : Δf(ox)_f(ox)G⁰/J mol^–1 = –48,700 + 0.38T (±270)

Based on the thermodynamic information, isothermal chemical potential diagrams and isobaric phase diagrams for the system Gd–Pd–O are developed.     

Phase Relations in the SiC–LaB6 System

The T–x phase diagram of the SiC–LaB₆ join in the quaternary system La–B–C–Si is mapped out. The join is shown to be pseudobinary, with simple eutectic phase relations. The eutectic is located at 74 mol % SiC and 26 mol % LaB₆, with a melting point of 2110 ± 20°C.     

p–T–x Phase Equilibria in the Cd–Zn–Te System

The p–T–x–y phase equilibria in the Cd–Zn–Te system are analyzed. The p–T and T–x–yprojections of the p–T–x–y phase diagram and a T–x–y isobar (for pressures at which Cd_1–x Zn _x Te_{1 ±} solid solutions sublime congruently in terms of Te) are mapped out. The key features of the sublimation behavior of the solid solution are examined. The p–T projection is studied by static vapor pressure measurements at temperatures from 700 to 1300 K and pressures of up to 101.3 kPa. The p–T sections of the phase diagram are constructed for x = 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 0.90, and 1. The solid solution containing 35 mol % ZnTe is found to phase-separate at 473 K.