Article
Engineering, Mechanical
D. A. Wragg, D. P. Davies, S. L. Jenkins
Summary: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of two commonly used anodising processes, Chromic acid anodising (CAA) and Sulphuric acid anodising (SAA), on the fatigue life of 7050-T7451 (AMS4050). The results showed that both anodising processes reduced fatigue compared to the as machined condition, but the mechanisms differed. The reduction in fatigue for CAA was due to grain boundary attack and dissolution of non-metallic precipitates, while for SAA it was primarily attributed to surface cracking caused by the dissolution of non-metallic precipitates. Differences in fatigue loss and failure mode were also observed, with SAA samples showing greater fatigue loss and more multi-failure sites when notched.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FATIGUE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
R. Kroll, Z. Henderson, B. F. Spencer, P. Kaya, V. Knoblauch, D. L. Engelberg
Summary: The Mott-Schottky approach was used to investigate the semiconduction behavior of native aluminium oxide films of pure aluminium (99.5 wt%) and Al-7075-T6 (Al-Zn-Mg-Cu) alloy, and the effect of acquisition parameters and surface treatment. Mott-Schottky cycling revealed higher defective donor states for Al-7075-T6. Applying step rates of 50-100 mV resulted in flat M-S plots, indicating the influence of the potential independent Helmholtz layer on the space charge capacitance. Chemical etching reduced the oxide thickness for both specimens, while higher defect donor densities were determined for pure Al.
JOURNAL OF ELECTROANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Manufacturing
Aylanna P. M. de Araujo, Simon Pauly, Rodolfo L. Batalha, Francisco G. Coury, Claudio S. Kiminami, Volker Uhlenwinkel, Piter Gargarella
Summary: This study investigated a metastable quasicrystal-forming Al95Fe2Cr2Ti1 alloy prepared by selective laser melting (SLM), revealing high relative density and the presence of nm-sized quasicrystalline precipitates in the microstructure. The alloy exhibited high compressive strength and ductility, suggesting the potential for fabricating higher-performance high-temperature quasicrystal-forming alloys with freedom of geometry design and lower cost.
ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Jakob Kraner, Varuzan Kevorkijan, Matjaz Godec, Irena Paulin
Summary: Metallographic investigations are critical for research and materials' quality control, with most methods used for aluminum alloys' quality determination being non-standard and customer-specified. Interlaboratory investigations showed that the suitability and effectiveness of these methods depend on correct and easily followed instructions.
MATERIALI IN TEHNOLOGIJE
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Cheng Chen, Chenrong Ling, Yinjin Shao, Youwen Yang, Dongsheng Wang, Cijun Shuai
Summary: Alloying treatment with rare earth yttrium (Y) was adopted to improve the overall performance of Mg-Zn-Zr alloy, resulting in the formation of quasicrystal I-phase. Laser-processed ZW61 parts showed reduced corrosion rate and improved strength and plasticity, making them a competitive candidate for orthopedics device application.
JOURNAL OF ALLOYS AND COMPOUNDS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Shahnawaz Uddin, Md Roslan Hashim, Mohd Zamir Pakhuruddin
Summary: This study investigated the fabrication of b-Si absorber using the AACE process for the first time, and found that b-Si fabricated with a 12 nm thick aluminum film exhibited the lowest Ravg and highest broadband light absorption. The findings demonstrate the potential of the AACE process for producing b-Si with superior broadband light absorption, which is important for photovoltaic applications.
MATERIALS CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Shuvam Sarkar, Marian Krajci, Pampa Sadhukhan, Vipin Kumar Singh, Andrei Gloskovskii, Prabhat Mandal, Vincent Fournee, Marie-Cecile de Weerd, Julian Ledieu, Ian R. Fisher, Sudipta Roy Barman
Summary: This study reports the occurrence of Anderson localization in an icosahedral polygrain quasicrystal Al-Pd-Re due to site disorder, using hard X-ray photoemission spectroscopy, resistivity, and density functional theory. The research shows that electron states primarily originate from Re 5d-Pd 4d hybridization and are enhanced in polygrain i-Al-Pd-Re due to compositional difference, but are broadened because of disorder that brings about Anderson localization. The estimated localization length is 23 angstrom, confirmed by Mott variable range hopping behavior of conductivity.
Article
Physics, Applied
Seda Kizir, Wesley T. E. van den Beld, Jort D. Verbakel, Roman Pushkarev, ZSilvester Houweling, Robbert W. E. van de Kruijs, Jos P. H. Benschop, Fred Bijkerk
Summary: An etch-mitigation method using atomic layer deposition (ALD) of H etch-resistant material was presented in this study to selectively passivate defect sites in graphene. The results showed that local deposition of Al2O3 ALD at sites vulnerable to H radical etching can slow down the etching process effectively.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICS D-APPLIED PHYSICS
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Shuai Zhang, Qianqian Li, Hongcan Chen, Qun Luo, Qian Li
Summary: In this study, the Mg40Zn55Nd5 icosahedral quasicrystal (I-phase) structure was observed in an as-cast Mg-58Zn-4Nd alloy using high-resolution electron microscopy. The thermodynamic stability of the quasicrystal was investigated and it was found to decompose into other phases after annealing.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MINERALS METALLURGY AND MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Janusz Kozana, Aldona Garbacz-Klempka, Marcin Piekos, Malgorzata Perek-Nowak, Pawel Palka
Summary: Investigations were conducted on copper-tin alloys with nickel and titanium additions to maintain or improve their properties under limited fractions of critical elements. The presence of titanium reduced columnar crystals and led to precipitation of intermetallic phases in interdendritic regions. Bronze with titanium additions showed increased hardness and decreased elongation, while CuSnNi bronze showed increased hardness and ultimate tensile strength with reduced elongation when 0.2 wt.% titanium was added. Higher titanium additions further increased hardness, slightly decreased tensile strength, and significantly reduced elongation.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Hong-Shik Shin
Summary: This paper proposes a method called Deep Electrochemical Etching (DEE), which involves electrodeposition, laser patterning, and electrochemical etching steps. The processing characteristics of the DEE process were analyzed through experiments, and it was confirmed that this method can successfully fabricate microstructures with high aspect ratios.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Sebastian Samberger, Irmgard Weissensteiner, Lukas Stemper, Christina Kainz, Peter J. Uggowitzer, Stefan Pogatscher
Summary: This study presents age-hardenable, fine-grained AlMgZnCu crossover alloys intended for superplastic and quick plastic forming processes. These alloys utilize T-phase (Mg32(Al,Zn)49) to refine the grain structure and increase age-hardening. The study demonstrates the importance of particle stimulated nucleation (PSN) using T-phase particles, which leads to a fine grain size as low as 4 μm. The resulting alloys have excellent high-temperature forming properties and high stability.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Alok Singh, Takanobu Hiroto, Machiko Ode, Hiroyuki Takakura, Karel Tesar, Hidetoshi Somekawa, Toru Hara
Summary: The precipitation of a stable quasicrystalline i-phase has been observed in a Mg-6Zn-3Al magnesium alloy, which may be the first discovery of a stable i-phase in this alloy. The dissolution of i-phase at grain boundaries leads to precipitation in the Mg-matrix during cooling. Nucleation characteristics, phase transformation, and interface morphology were investigated.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
H. T. Jeong, H. K. Park, W. J. Kim
Summary: The deformation mechanisms and microstructural evolution of an Al0.7CoCrFeMnNi high-entropy alloy composed of dual phases have been studied, with results indicating that the most effective grain refinement can be achieved from a eutectic microstructure under specific deformation conditions.
JOURNAL OF ALLOYS AND COMPOUNDS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ching-Ming Ku, Stone Cheng
Summary: During oxide layer etching process, particles adhering to the wafer edge reduce the yield. To decrease edge particle contamination, we propose a method of changing equipment parameters, which can effectively reduce edge particle adherence.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Franc Zupanic, Matej Steinacher, Sandi Zist, Tonica Boncina
Summary: The study investigated a novel Al-Mg-Si alloy with higher Si content, copper and zirconium, to improve strength while maintaining ductility. After T6 temper, the alloy showed significantly increased tensile strength and retained high elongation at fracture.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Iztok Naglic, Blaz Leskovar, Zoran Samardzija, Bostjan Markoli
Summary: This study investigated the influence of gallium addition on the phases formed in Al-Mn alloys during casting, revealing that an increase in gallium content led to the formation of IQCs and DQCs in the alloys. Microanalysis showed that IQCs contained more gallium and less manganese compared to DQCs.
Article
Polymer Science
Brigita Polanec, Franc Zupanic, Tonica Boncina, Francisek Tasner, Srecko Glodez
Summary: This study experimentally investigated the wear behavior of coated spur polymer gears made of POM, and found that the surface coatings of aluminum, chromium, and chromium nitrite did not significantly affect the wear behavior of the analyzed polymer gear, possibly due to their thin nature. Further research with thicker coatings should be considered.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Franc Zupanic, Matjaz Macerl, Toshio Haga, Tonica Boncina
Summary: In this study, strips of an experimental Al-Mn-Cu-Be alloy were manufactured using high-speed single-roll and twin-roll casting methods. The results showed that the twin-roll-cast strip had a smooth surface, while the single-roll-cast strip had a rough surface. Both strips contained quasicrystalline phases in their microstructures, but the microstructure of the single-roll-cast strip was more uniform than that of the twin-roll-cast strip. The presence of coarse particles adversely affected the properties of the alloy.
Article
Engineering, Mechanical
Branko Necemer, Jernej Klemenc, Franc Zupanic, Srecko Glodez
Summary: This study presents experimental and computational analysis for determining the fatigue life of auxetic cellular structures made of aluminum alloys. The strain life approach was applied in the ANSYS software for fatigue life calculation. The obtained experimental results were evaluated using comprehensive statistical analysis and presented as fatigue-life curves. The proposed computational model was validated based on the reasonable agreement between computational and experimental results, and can be further used for fatigue studies of various auxetic structures made of Al-alloys.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FATIGUE
(2022)
Article
Crystallography
Matjaz Macerl, Franc Zupanic, Lara Hocurscak, Damjan Klobcar, Andras Kovacs, Tonica Boncina
Summary: The study investigated the impact of friction stir processing on the microstructure and properties of an experimental Al-Mn-Cu-Be alloy twin-roll cast strips. It was found that increasing rotational speed led to enhanced microstructure uniformity and several key processes occurring in the stir zone that positively affected alloy performance.
Article
Crystallography
Sandi Zist, Matej Steinacher, Tonica Boncina, Mihaela Albu, Jaka Burja, Maja Voncina, Franc Zupanic
Summary: The effects of 0.2 wt.% and 1 wt.% scandium (Sc) additions on the microstructure of aluminium alloy AA 6086 were investigated. It was found that the addition of Sc significantly reduced the grain size and induced the appearance of Sc-rich phases. Homogenisation resulted in the dissolution of most phases and the formation of different types of dispersoids. The addition of 0.2% Sc did not considerably affect the strengthening of AA 6086.
Article
Polymer Science
Tonica Boncina, Brigita Polanec, Franc Zupanic, Srecko Glodez
Summary: This study conducted a comprehensive experimental investigation on the wear behavior of coated spur polymer gears made of POM. The results showed that the metallization of aluminium coatings did not significantly affect the wear behavior of the analysed polymer gear. Additionally, gears with thicker aluminium coatings exhibited greater wear compared to gears with thinner coatings or without coatings.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Peter Panjan, Peter Gselman, Matjaz Panjan, Tonica Boncina, Aljaz Drnovsek, Mihaela Albu, Miha Cekada, Franc Zupanic
Summary: The microstructure and surface topography of the TiAlN/CrN nanolayer coating were systematically analyzed in this study. The effects of substrate rotation modes, substrate material, and ion etching methods on the coating were investigated, with special attention given to the influence of non-metallic inclusions. The results indicate that substrate rotation modes significantly influence the microstructure, surface topography, and periodicity of the coating layer.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Franc Zupanic, Jernej Klemenc, Matej Steinacher, Srecko Glodez
Summary: This study presents a comprehensive experimental investigation on a new high-strength aluminium alloy AA 6086, which was developed from a commercial aluminium alloy AA 6082. The alloy exhibited improved static strength compared to other AA 6xxx alloys, while maintaining similar ductility. It also demonstrated good fatigue resistance in Low Cycle Fatigue (LCF) and High Cycle Fatigue (HCF) regimes, making it suitable for engineering design applications.
JOURNAL OF ALLOYS AND COMPOUNDS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Tonica Boncina, Srecko Glodez, Brigita Polanec, Lara Hocurscak, Franc Zupanic
Summary: This study extensively analyzed different coating materials on the POM substrate. It specifically investigated three different thicknesses of physical vapor deposition (PVD) coatings, including aluminum (Al), chromium (Cr), and chromium nitride (CrN). The study conducted a three-step process to deposit Al, a single step process to deposit Cr, and a two-step process to deposit CrN. The research focused on comprehensive indentation tests, SEM analyses, and thorough adhesion analyses between the POM substrate and the respective PVD coating.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Branko Necemer, Franc Zupanic, Tomaz Vuherer, Srecko Glodez
Summary: This study presents a comprehensive experimental investigation of the high-cycle fatigue behavior of the ductile aluminium alloy AA 5083-H111. The results show that specimens fabricated in the rolling direction have longer fatigue life compared to those in the transverse direction.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Franc Zupanic, Sandi Zist, Mihaela Albu, Ilse Letofsky-Papst, Jaka Burja, Maja Voncina, Tonica Boncina
Summary: This study investigates the effects of Sc and Y on the formation of dispersoids in the aluminum alloy AA 6086, particularly the L1(2)-type ones, to increase its high-temperature strength. Various techniques such as LM, SEM, TEM, EDS, XRD, DSC, and dilatometry were used to understand the mechanisms and kinetics of dispersoid formation during isothermal treatments. Sc and Y promote the formation of L1(2) dispersoids during heating, homogenization, and isothermal heat treatments, resulting in the highest hardness when heat-treated in the as-cast state between 350°C and 450°C (via T5 temper).
Article
Engineering, Mechanical
Jernej Klemenc, Srecko Glodez, Matej Steinacher, Franc Zupanic
Summary: The proposed research presents a comprehensive investigation of the Low Cycle Fatigue (LCF) behavior of two high-strength aluminium alloys, AA 6110A and AA 6086. The study found that AA 6086 alloy exhibited significantly higher quasi-static strength and hardness compared to AA 6110A alloy, albeit with slightly lower ductility. LCF tests indicated that AA 6086 alloy is better suited for high-cycle fatigue, while AA 6110A alloy is more suitable for low-cycle fatigue applications.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FATIGUE
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Branko Necemer, Franc Zupanic, Dusan Gabriel, Eduardo Alarcon Tarquino, Matjaz Sraml, Srecko Glodez
Summary: This study investigates the low cycle fatigue behavior of ductile aluminium alloy AA 5083-H111 through experimental and computational methods, proposing a computational model that considers both damage initiation and evolution stages to simulate the cyclic stress-strain response. The model utilizes Chaboche constitutive equations for nonlinear isotropic/kinematic hardening and the direct cyclic algorithm in Abaqus/Standard software for stable specimen response under cyclic loading.
MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING A-STRUCTURAL MATERIALS PROPERTIES MICROSTRUCTURE AND PROCESSING
(2021)
