EBSD investigation of microstructure and microtexture evolution on additively manufactured TiC-Fe based cermets-Influence of multiple laser scanning

Sustainable TiC-Fe-based cermets have been fabricated by adopting an Additive Manufacturing route based on laser powder bed fusion technology (L-PBF). The objective is to produce crack-free cermet components by employing novel multiple laser scanning techniques with variations in laser process parameters. Electron backscatter diffraction analysis (EBSD) was used to study the microstructure and microtexture evolution with variations in laser process parameters. The investigation revealed that adjusting the preheating scan speed (PHS) and melting scan speed (MS) influenced the growth and nucleation of TiC phases. Lowering these speeds resulted in grain coarsening, while higher scan speeds led to grain refinement with larger sub-grain boundaries. Moreover, a high scanning speed increases the degree of dislocation density and internal stress in the fabricated cermet parts. Notably, it is revealed that decreasing the laser scan speed enhanced the proportion of high-angle grain boundaries in the cermet components, signifying an increase in material ductility.

Multi-scale pore network modelling to evaluate connectivity in ceramic composites

Complex morphologies, such as open or connected feature networks, are present in a wide variety of materials. Characteristics of these networks can impact key performance attributes of the materials themselves, affecting transport properties such as thermal conductivity. Therefore, it is critical to analyze the microstructure of these materials to gain a better understanding of the fundamental characteristics of the morphology. This study utilized pore network modeling as a method to extract morphological information on the solid network formed by boron nitride ceramic flakes in a polymeric resin matrix and uses the characteristics of the model to analyze the connectivity of the flakes. In this work, Micro-CT and FIB/SEM tomography were used in tandem to provide complimentary analyses of the microstructure and nanostructure, respectively, of the flake network to understand how this may contribute to transport properties of the material. Rather than a pore network model (PNM), the flake network model (FNM) was extracted from the tomographic datasets and the coordination number distribution was determined for the flakes detected in each. Micro-CT analysis showed that the flakes had formed a cage-like network around the exterior of the sample with limited connectivity in the interior, likely due to flake agglomeration at the outer surface of the material. A comparison of the full and interior-only Micro-CT FNMs indicated lower connectivity in the interior. This was confirmed by flow rate models generated from the network analysis for the flake contact points. The FNM extracted from the FIB/SEM tomography dataset exhibited similar connectivity compared to the interior-only FNM, indicating that the connectivity of the material was consistent when measured at the micron scale and at the nanometer scale.

A data-driven framework for permeability prediction of natural porous rocks via microstructural characterization and pore-scale simulation

Understanding the microstructure-property relationships of porous media is of great practical significance, based on which macroscopic physical properties can be directly derived from measurable microstructural informatics. However, establishing reliable microstructure-property mappings in an explicit manner is difficult, due to the intricacy, stochasticity, and heterogeneity of porous microstructures. In this paper, a data-driven computational framework is presented to investigate the inherent microstructure-permeability linkage for natural porous rocks, where multiple techniques are integrated together, including microscopy imaging, stochastic reconstruction, microstructural characterization, pore-scale simulation, feature selection, and data-driven modeling. A large number of 3D digital rocks with a wide porosity range are acquired from microscopy imaging and stochastic reconstruction techniques. A broad variety of morphological descriptors are used to quantitatively characterize pore microstructures from different perspectives, and they compose the raw feature pool for feature selection. High-fidelity lattice Boltzmann simulations are conducted to resolve fluid flow passing through porous media, from which reliable permeability references are obtained. The optimal feature set that best represents permeability is identified through a performance-oriented feature selection process, upon which a cost-effective surrogate model is rapidly fitted to approximate the microstructure-permeability mapping via data-driven modeling. This surrogate model exhibits great advantages over empirical/analytical formulas in terms of prediction accuracy and generalization capacity, which can predict reliable permeability values spanning four orders of magnitude. Besides, feature selection also greatly enhances the interpretability of the data-driven prediction model, from which new insights into the mechanism of how microstructural characteristics determine intrinsic permeability are obtained.

Data regarding the experimental findings compared with CALPHAD calculations of the AlMo0.5NbTa0.5TiZr refractory high entropy superalloy

This contribution contains the raw data used to compare experimental results with thermodynamic calculations using the CALPHAD method, which is related to the research article "The AlMo_0.5NbTa_0.5TiZr refractory high entropy superalloy: experimental findings and comparison with calculations using the CALPHAD method" [1], and therefore this article can be used as a basis for interpreting the data contained therein. The AlMo_0.5NbTa_0.5TiZr refractory superalloy was characterized in the cast and annealed condition (1400 °C for 24 h) in order to measure grain size and to identify and measure the size and area fraction of the phases present. The raw data of this article include X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements, microstructural characterization by scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM), and elemental analysis by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). XRD includes the determination of phases and the lattice parameters (A2, B2, and hexagonal structure). Microstructural analysis by scanning and transmission electron microscopy includes (1) identification of composition, size, and volume fraction of the present phases and (2) determination of grain size. Based on these experimental data, it is possible to identify similarities and discrepancies with the data calculated using the CALPHAD method for the alloy under study in Ref. [1], which provides the basis for better and more efficient development of reliable databases.

Microstructural characterization data for nuclear graphite samples generated during tribology testing in argon

This article contains microstructural characterization data related to the research article 'Self-lubrication of Nuclear Graphite in Argon at High Temperature', published in Tribology International. Digital, optical, and scanning electron micrographs are collected on the pebble and disk samples generated in the tribological tests and in their corresponding reference samples. Surface roughness measurements of the test and control samples are performed using the 3D-depth composition feature of the digital microscope. X-ray diffraction and Raman spectra of the test and reference samples are acquired and peak-fitted according to published literature on nuclear graphite characterization. Plots of the peak-fitted spectra are included in this article; the full list of peak-fitting parameters is provided in the linked data repository.

Investigating role of ammonia in nitrogen-doping and suppressing polyselenide shuttle effect in Na-Se batteries

Sodium-ion battery (SIB) has attracted extensive research attention owing to its high theoretical capacity and low cost. Herein, we synthesize bio-waste-derived activated carbon (BAC) through a facile synthesis process followed by selenium loading (using melt-infusion method) to form BAC@Se composites. The synthesized BAC and its composite BAC@Se revealed excellent rate performance, great cycling stability, and good reversibility. The BAC revealed a maximum specific capacity of 257 mAh/g at 20 mA/g current density. The BAC@Se showed the maximum specific capacity of 701 mAh/g at 50 mA/g current density (equivalent to a specific energy of about 1051 WhKg^-1/75 WKg^-1) and good rate performance with 226 mAh/g specific capacity at a high current density of 2500 mA/g. Moreover, the composite revealed good cycling stability by retaining 348 mAh/g capacity at 500 mA/g after 500 cycles. The excellent electrochemical properties were attributed to the unique design of composites, which not only provided the physio-chemically trapped selenium but also ensure the fast kinetics of Na ions through interconnected 3-D channels and high restrain against the dissolution of polyselenides into an electrolyte. This work may shed light on recycling different bio-wastes into energy materials for energy storage devices.

Structural Characterizations and Dielectric Properties of Sphere- and Rod-Like PbTiO3 Powders Synthesized via Molten Salt Synthesis

By reaction of PbC₂O₄ and TiO₂ in the eutectic NaCl-KCl salts, both sphere- and rod-like PbTiO₃ (PTO) powders were synthesized via molten salt synthesis (MSS) and template MSS methods, respectively. X-ray diffraction patterns reveal that all the PTO powders crystallize in a tetragonal phase structure. Increasing the molar ratio of PbC₂O₄:TiO₂:NaCl:KCl from 1:1:10:10 to 1:1:60:60 in the MSS process has little effect on the sphere-like morphology of the PTO powders synthesized at 950 °C for 5 h. Large-scale polycrystalline rod-like PTO powders with diameters of 480 nm-1.50 μm and lengths up to 10 μm were synthesized at 800 °C for 5 h by template MSS method, where the rod-like anatase TiO₂ precursors were used as templates and the molar ratio of PbC₂O₄:TiO₂:NaCl:KCl was equal to 1:1:60:60. X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy spectra reveal that all the PTO powders are composed of Pb, Ti, and O elements, and the measured Pb:Ti atomic ratios are close to 1:1. In the template MSS process, the molten salt content plays an important role in forming the rod-like PTO powders. Under low molten salt content, the rod-like PTO powders cannot be synthesized even if the rod-like TiO₂ templates are used. In addition, prolonging the reaction time suppressed the formation of rod-like PTO powders but promoted the formation of sphere-like PTO nanoparticles. The dielectric properties the sphere- and rod-like PTO powders were comparatively investigated. At room temperature, the dielectric constant and dielectric loss of the spherical PTO powders synthesized by MSS method with the molar ratio of PbC₂O₄:TiO₂:NaCl:KCl equal to 1:1:30:30 were ~ 340 and 0.06 (measured at 10⁶ Hz), respectively. The corresponding values for the rod-like PTO powders synthesized by template MSS method with the molar ratio of PbC₂O₄:TiO₂:NaCl:KCl equal to 1:1:60:60 were 140 and 0.08, respectively. The present results demonstrate the sphere-like PTO powders have better dielectric properties, which have promising applications in the fields of multilayer capacitors and resonators.

Characterization of microstructural changes due to prolonged thermal exposure of directionally solidified Ni-base super alloy CM 247LC using ultrasonic

The high temperature strength of directionally solidified Ni-base super alloy CM 247LC strongly depends on the morphology, volume fraction, size and size distribution of γ' precipitate (Ni₃Al) in the FCC γ matrix. The microstructure of the alloy is engineered to achieve the right combination of these parameters that provides the required high temperature strength and creep resistance. The alloy contains high volume fraction of coherent γ' precipitates having near cubic shape. High temperature exposure of gas turbine components made out of the alloy leads to coarsening of the γ' precipitates and broadening of the γ matrix channel. This in turn, adversely affects the high temperature mechanical properties of the alloy. The present study endeavours to non-destructively characterize such detrimental changes in the microstructure that controls the mechanical properties and limits the life of components. The microstructural changes of the fully heat treated alloy exposed at 980 °C for different hours (100-1200) of thermal exposure have been characterized using ultrasonic methods. Changes in microstructural parameters due to different hours of thermal exposure have been correlated with changes in ultrasonic velocity, ultrasonic attenuation coefficient and second order acoustic nonlinearity parameter. It is observed that the change in attenuation is predominantly by absorption of the ultrasonic wave due to dislocation damping in the γ channels. Nonlinear ultrasonic parameter changes with thermal exposure predominantly due to the alteration of dislocation precipitate interaction. A dislocation precipitation interaction model for ultrasonic wave distortion has been used to explain the observed variation in nonlinear parameter. A microstructural parameter has been identified that varies in a similar way as ultrasonic attenuation and second order ultrasonic parameter. It is shown that variations in the acoustic non-linearity parameter follow the trend more closely with the identified microstructural parameter.

Microstructural, Magnetic, and Optical Properties of Pr-Doped Perovskite Manganite La0.67Ca0.33MnO3 Nanoparticles Synthesized via Sol-Gel Process

We report on microstructural, magnetic, and optical properties of Pr-doped perovskite manganite (La_1 - xPr_x)_0.67Ca_0.33MnO₃ (LPCMO, x = 0.0-0.5) nanoparticles synthesized via sol-gel process. Structural characterizations (X-ray and electron diffraction patterns, (high resolution) TEM images) provide information regarding the phase formation and the single-crystalline nature of the LPCMO systems. X-ray and electron diffraction patterns reveal that all the LPCMO samples crystallize in perovskite crystallography with an orthorhombic structure (Pnma space group), where the MnO₆ octahedron is elongated along the b axis due to the Jahn-Teller effect. That is confirmed by Raman spectra. Crystallite sizes and grain sizes were calculated from XRD and TEM respectively, and the lattice fringes resolved in the high-resolution TEM images of individual LPCMO nanoparticle confirmed its single-crystalline nature. FTIR spectra identify the characteristic Mn-O bond stretching vibration mode near 600 cm^- 1, which shifts towards high wavenumbers with increasing post-annealing temperature or Pr-doping concentration, resulting in further distortion of the MnO₆ octahedron. XPS revealed dual oxidation states of Mn³⁺ and Mn⁴⁺ in the LPCMO nanoparticles. UV-vis absorption spectra confirm the semiconducting nature of the LPCMO nanoparticles with optical bandgaps of 2.55-2.71 eV. Magnetic measurements as a function of temperature and magnetic field at field cooling and zero-field cooling modes, provided a Curie temperature around 230 K, saturation magnetization of about 81 emu/g, and coercive field of 390 Oe at 10 K. Such magnetic properties and the semiconducting nature of the LPCMO nanoparticles will make them as suitable candidate for magnetic semiconductor spintronics.