Assessment of Segregation in Hot Tear Cracks

In solidified slabs different types of segregations such as crystal segregation (micro segregation), centre segregation (macro segregation) and hot tear segregation (HTS) may occur. The present paper examines the segregation behaviour of different elements in hot tear cracks depending on the carbon content. The aim of this work is to determine the segregation factors in the hot tear cracks filled with residual melt and compare with micro and macro segregation. Within the scope of this examination, a microanalytical assessment was made of eight slab samples with different steel grades each showing different types of hot tear cracks that had been healed up by an inflow of residual melt. The hot tear cracks are located outside the primary dendrites in the dendritic interstices, parallel or transversal to the direction of casting. Segregation in the cracks healed up by residual melt depends on the carbon content and will become more pronounced as the carbon content increases. The intensity of segregation for the various elements in the hot tear cracks (hot tear crack segregation) is between that of crystal segregation and centre segregation. The thickness of the segregated zone in the hot tear crack area is 30 ‐ 50 μm. Apart from an enrichment of the alloying elements manganese, silicon and chromium, the healed up hot tear cracks also contain secondary precipitates of sulphides and niobium‐titanium‐carbonitrides. Towards the slab centre, the latter can cause, among other things, the development of niobium‐titanium‐carbonitrides (Nb_1‐x, Ti_x)(C_1‐y, N_y) networks in the primary dendritic interstices.     

Polarization-dependent electrolyte electroreflectance study of Cu2ZnSiS4 and Cu2ZnSiSe4 single crystals

Polarization-dependent electrolyte electroreflectance (EER) measurements were carried out on the oriented Cu₂ZnSiS₄ and Cu₂ZnSiSe₄ single crystals at room temperature. Thin blade single crystals of Cu₂ZnSiS₄ and Cu₂ZnSiSe₄ were grown by chemical vapor transport technique using iodine as a transport agent. Laue pattern normal to the basal plane of the as-grown crystal revealed the formation of orthorhombic structure with the normal along [2 1 0] and the c axis parallel to the long edge of the crystal platelet. The polarized EER spectra in the vicinity of the direct band edge of Cu₂ZnSiS₄ displayed distinct structures associated with transitions from two upper-most valence bands to the conduction band minimum at Γ point. In the E⊥c configuration, the feature designated as E_A ∼ 3.345 eV was detected and for Е‖c, only E_B ∼ 3.432 eV appeared. For Cu₂ZnSiSe₄, three features denoted as E_A, E_B, and E_C at around 2.348, 2.406 and 2.605 eV, respectively, were recorded for E⊥c polarization, whereas in the Е‖c, only E_B and E_C were the allowed transitions. Based on the experimental observations and a recent band-structure calculation by Chen et al. [Phys. Rev. B 82 (2010) 195203], plausible band structures near the direct band edge of Cu₂ZnSiS₄ and Cu₂ZnSiSe₄ have been proposed.     

Evaluation of a functionalized copolymer as adsorbent on direct dyes removal process: Kinetics and equilibrium studies

Functionalized polymeric microbeads were investigated as adsorbent for the removal of three direct dyes from aqueous solutions. The effects of different experimental parameters, such as initial dye concentration, temperature, and solution pH on the adsorption process were investigated. The adsorption process can be conducted with very good result at normal working conditions: neutral pH and normal temperature. The maximum percentage removal obtained was 99.11% for the symmetrical disazo dye, 90.14% for asymmetrical disazo dye, and 98.53% for trisazo dye. The adsorption kinetics followed the pseudo‐second‐order equation for all three investigated dyes in all working conditions. The experimental data were fitted to Langmuir, Freundlich, Sips, and Redlich–Peterson isotherm models, and the best fit was obtained with Sips model. Thermodynamic parameters (ΔH°, ΔS°, and ΔG°) revealed that dye adsorption is an endothermic and spontaneous process. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013     

Untersuchung des zweiten Duktilit?tsminimums mikrolegierter St?hle mit einer neu entwickelten Hei?zugprüfung

The chemical composition as well as the temperature cycles and forces arising during the continuous casting process have a decisive influence on the microstructural evolution and therefore on the ductility behaviour of microalloyed steels. During the bending and straightening operation, typically in a temperature range between 700?°C and 1100?°C, the ductility of the continuous cast product is reduced, which often leads to transversal surface cracks. In the present paper this “second ductility minimum” of microalloyed steels with various titanium contents was investigated by means of an in-house developed hot tensile testing method at the Institute for Materials Science and Welding (Graz University of Technology). The technique provides an investigation of the high temperature properties of in-situ solidified steel samples and facilitates new insights into the materials behaviour with focus on the solidification process (“on-cooling” tests), generating microvoids and cracks similar to continuous casting conditions, as well as more or less identical microstructures and precipitation processes. In contrast to conventional hot tensile tests in literature, where an improvement of the ductility by the addition of the micro-alloying element titanium could be observed, this behaviour could not be noticed with the present investigation in the case of the steel with a higher titanium-amount.     

Factors Influencing the Reversion of Stress-induced Martensite to Austenite in a Fe-Mn-Si-Cr-Ni Shape Memory Alloy

It is well known that one way shape memory effect (SME) in Fe-Mn-Si-based shape memory alloys (SMAs) is related to the thermally induced reversion of ε (hexagonal close packed, hcp) stress-induced martensite (SIM) to γ (face centered cubic, fcc) austenite. In the case of a Fe-Mn-Si-Cr-Ni SMA, this reverse martensitic transformation was analyzed in regard to the critical temperature for the beginning of austenite formation (A _s) in different states characterized by quenching temperature and permanent tensile strain. For this purpose, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), dilatometry (DIL), differential thermal analysis (DSC), and optical microscopy (OM) were employed to determine the influence of quenching temperature and permanent tensile straining on SIM reversion to austenite during heating.     

New electromagnetic shielding materials based on viscose‐carbon nanotubes composites

A convenient approach for the preparation of cellulose ‐ carbon nanotubes (CNT) hybrid materials owning electromagnetic shielding properties, based on viscose (V) and TEMPO‐oxidized viscose fibers (VO) is proposed. Viscose ‐ carbon nanotubes (V‐CNT) and TEMPO‐oxidized viscose ‐ carbon nanotubes (VO‐CNT) composites were prepared by embedding carbon nanotubes on the surface of two types of cellulose fibers, that is, viscose and its C₆‐oxidized derivative. The chemical composition, morphology, and thermal stability of the prepared hybrid materials were thoroughly investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermogravimetric analyses. Moreover, electrical properties of the original and composite fibers were assessed. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 59:1499–1506 2019. © 2019 Society of Plastics Engineers     

The copper influence on the PL spectra of CdTe thin film as a component of the CdS/CdTe heterojunction

The influence of annealing in the presence of CdCl₂ and a thin copper layer deposited onto CdTe on the photoluminescence spectra of CdTe, as a component of CdS/CdTe heterojunction, has been studied for two excitation wavelengths: 0.337 μm and 0.6328 μm. The behavior of the PL was studied as a function of the measurement temperature and excitation intensity. At 0.6328 μm excitation, the interface PL consists of a known 1.43X band, and the chloride annealing enhances radiative transitions at 1.536 eV. The intensity of the 1.536 eV transitions increases when Cu is present. The PL of as-deposited CdTe films prepared in the presence of oxygen has the 1.45X band attenuated when excited with 0.337 μm excitation wavelength.     

Reliability Program Development and Implementation for a Remote Piloted Vehicle

This paper decribes the implementation of a Reliability Program from the definition of a major project throughout development, to operational flights. The Reliability Program enjoyed full support by IAI Engineering Division management without any outside (client) pressure and enabled the reliability group to prove its competence and usefulness to all levels of design engineers and prototype shop engineers and management. A life cycle cost analysis was used at the start of the program to determine reliability goals; systematic design reviews were conducted during the program; environmental testing was applied to all components and systems belonging to both the aircraft and the ground station; all failures were analysed and improvements were made whenever needed; prototype quality assurance was reorganized. All these were done while taking into account that the remote piloted aircraft was not manrated and had to fit quite tight cost levels. Reliability group was monitored during flight test and operational flight and significant improvements were achieved during these phases. In short, a text-book reliability program was successfully applied. The RPV is a most successful program from all points of view: proven operational capability, survivability and mission reliability. This project demonstrated that preliminary reliability evaluations can be achieved when there is a close partnership among project management, design engineering and reliability & maintainability engineering - and most important - full management support. The advantage of having a reliability and maintainability group completely dedicated to the project was proven.     

Boolean sets and most general solutions of Boolean equations

The aim of this paper is twofold. First we determine the most general form of the subsumptive general solution of a Boolean equation (Theorem 1 and Theorem 2). Then we discuss several characterizations of Boolean sets, meaning sets of zeros of Boolean functions, and prove that every Boolean transformation X=Φ(T) is the parametric general solution of a certain Boolean equation.