Iranian Journal of Materials Science and Engineering

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In this research, after pressing in a cylindrical mold, the AA 7075 alloy swarf was melted and cast in a wet sand mold. After rolling and cutting, sheets with two different thicknesses of 6 and 20 mm were obtained. The sheets after homogenization were solutionized at 485°C for 30 and 90 minutes, respectively, due to differences in thickness and thermal gradients. The solutionized samples were quenched in 3 polymer solutions containing 10, 30, and 50% Poly Alekylene Glycol. The results showed that melting, casting, rolling, and heat treatment of AA7075 alloy swarf similar properties to this alloy is achievable. Microstructural studies by optical microscopes (OM), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed that by increasing the quenching rate after the solutionizing process, precipitation increases during aging. The tensile test results indicated that as the quench rate and internal energy increase, the diffusion driving force would increase the precipitation of alloying elements. Hence, this leads to an increase in hardness and reduction of its strain after aging.

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In the third generation of solar cells, cheaper absorbent layers such as Cu₂ZnSnS₄ (CZTS) have been developed with specifications similar to Cu₂InGaS₄ (CIGS). This CZTS material is known as a material with good structural and optical properties where the CZTS material has a series of atoms bonded to each other to form a kesterite or stannite crystal arrangement. In its use as an absorbent layer for solar cells, CZTS material is synthesized using the electrochemical deposition method. In this electrochemical deposition technique, an electrical circuit will be connected to the electrode and inserted into the electrolyte. Several voltage variations from 1 volt to 5 volts will be applied to the electrical circuit, which will then trigger ions from the precipitating material in the electrolyte to stick to one of the electrodes. Variation of deposition voltage was carried out to determine the effect of deposition stress on the electrochemical deposition method on the characteristics of the CZTS absorbent layer. The characterizations used are X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), UV-Vis Spectrometry, and I-V meter. XRD results show that the resulting crystal size is getting smaller with greater deposition voltage around 6.07 - 7.27 nm. The optical absorption results show that the CZTS absorber layer is sensitive at low wavelengths around 300 – 480 m,, with Light Harvesting Efficiency (LHE) ranging from 13.3 - 24.75%. The band gap energy values obtained ranged from 1.4 to 1.48 eV. The cell efficiency test results show an excellent efficiency value according to the reference ranges from 2.56-8.77%. These results indicate that the deposition voltage affects the characteristics of the CZTS absorbent layer for solar cell applications.

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The objective underlined in this work is to apply Rotary Friction Welding (RFW) process to joint similar AA2024 and TiAl6V4 welds. The experiment is conducted by varying the input parameters (rotational speed, friction pressure and friction time) using Taguchi’s L9 orthogonal array method. MINITAB software was used to plot the response chart. The output parameter considered in this approach is the Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS) of the weld joint, where the optimum RFW condition for maximizing the UTS were determined. Besides, the most influential process parameter has been determined using statistical analysis of variance (ANOVA). Finally, the general regression equations of the UTS for both materials are formulated and confirmed by means of the experimental tests values.

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Amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) which is a transient phase in natural bio-mineralization process has recently gained the spotlight. This study aimed to assess the effect of incorporation of nano-ACP (NACP) in a dental adhesive with/without surface treatment with silane coupling agent on bond strength. NACP was synthesized by the wet chemical precipitation technique. To characterize the structure of NACP, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were used. Forty molars were randomized into 4 groups of 10. The teeth were restored with composite resin and the bonding agent (one of the four groups). Adper Single Bond 2 was used as the control group. In 4wt% NACP group, NACP fillers were added to the bonding agent. In 0.4wt% and 4wt% SNACP groups, silanized NACP fillers were added to the bonding agent. Finally, the mode of failure of specimens was determined. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA and Tukey's post-hoc tests. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Addition of 4wt% non-silanized NACP decreased the bond strength compared with the control group (P<0.05). The bond strength of the groups with silanized fillers was not significantly different from that of the control group. Addition of silanized NACP to dental adhesive had no significant adverse effect on bond strength, which is a promising finding to pave the way for the synthesis of bonding agents containing bioactive fillers.

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Several extensive researches are being carried out in the field of 3D printing. Polymer matrices, such as High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE), are less explored in particular on the microstructure and mechanical properties of HDPE composites developed via Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) process. Very scarce amount of works is devoted to study HDPE’s reinforced with carbon nano-tubes (CNT’s) . In the present work, we report on the mechanical properties of  HDPE composites prepared via FDM process. Varying proportions of CNTs ( 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2%) are used as reinforcements. It is found that increasing CNT content enhances impact and tensile strength, with HDPE/2.0%CNT outperforming pure HDPE by approximately 71.6% and 25.4%, respectively. HDPE/2.0%CNT composite also showed Young's modulus approximately 49.2% higher than pure HDPE. According to fracture analysis, pure HDPE failed near ductile, whereas composites failed brittle. CNTs occupy the free positions in the polymeric chains, and their tendency to restrict chain mobility causes HDPE to lose ductility and begin to behave brittle. The use of CNTs as reinforcement successfully improved the mechanical properties of HDPE.

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In this study, the potential of calcined montmorillonite as a primary precursor for one-part alkali-activated cement incorporated with high percentage of limestone, is evaluated. Comparative studies on the properties of the sodium silicate activated metakaolin-limestone and metamontmorillonite-limestone fresh and hardened cement pastes depending on several formulation and processing parameters (precursor nature, dosages of limestone and alkali reactant, curing conditions) showed that metamontmorillonite exhibits reactivity comparable to that of metakaolin in the studied cement systems. The mechanical performance of optimal alkali-activated cement formulations consisted of 20-30% of metamontmorillonite and 70-80% of limestone is provided by both reactivity of metamontmorillomite under sodium silicate activation and the filler, nucleation, and chemical effects of the raw limestone. The reaction products and microstructures of alkali-activated metamontmorillonite-limestone cement-based hardened pastes were investigated using thermal, XRD, and SEM/EDS analyses.   
 

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In this study, CoFe₂O₄  (CoF) and ZnFe₂O₄ (ZnF) photocatalysts were successfully prepared by a facile and simple chemical precipitation method for degradation of methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO) dyes under direct sunlight irradiation. The obtained ferrites were then characterized through XRD, TEM, EDS, UV-vis, and SEM. XRD and TEM results exhibited cubic nanostructures with sizes ranging from 9 to 16 nm and 11 to 18 nm for ZnF and CoF, respectively. SEM images showed homogenous, porous flat surfaces. EDS spectra confirmed the successful synthesis of ZnF and CoF nanostructures with high purity. UV-vis spectra results of MB and MO dyes showed maximum sunlight absorbance in the absence of ZnF and CoF, while a regular decrease in the sunlight absorbance was observed in the presence of ZnF and CoF within 15-60 min. The UV-vis results also showed that ZnF had higher photocatalytic activity than CoF. The experimental findings showed that the highest % degradation was 92.89% and 96.89% for MO and MB dyes, respectively, over ZnF compared to CoF photocatalyst (87.55% and 88.41% for MO and MB, respectively). These findings confirm that porous ZnF and CoF nanostructures are critical in promoting the degradation of dyes under sunlight instead of UV-vis light lamps that consume/require electrical energy.

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In this study, zinc chloride (ZnCl) was used as a precursor chemical to form boron reinforced zinc oxide (ZnO:B) particles. The supercapacitor performance of the reduced graphene oxide/boron reinforced zinc oxide (RGO/ZnO:B) composite electrodes produced by hydrothermal methods, and the impact of different boron doping ratios on the capacitance, were both examined. The characterization of the RGO/ZnO:B composites containing 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% boron by weight were performed using X-Ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The capacitance measurements of the electrodes produced were conducted in a 6 M KOH aqueous solution with a typical three electrode setup using Iviumstat potentiostat/galvanostatic cyclic voltammetry. The specific capacitance value of the 20% reinforced RGO/ZnO:B composite electrode was 155.88 F/g, while that of the RGO/ZnO composite electrode was 36.37 F/g. According to this result, the capacitance increased four-fold with a 20% boron doping concentration. Moreover, a longer cycle performance was observed for the RGO/ZnO:B electrodes with higher boron doping concentrations.
 

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In the present work, development models of a new artificial human soft heart and artificial heart valves using nanocomposite materials and synthetics were designed, manufactured, and tested. The fabricated mechanical artificial heart valves were examined to determine the best service life for each type. The fatigue life results were implemented by using the transient repeated and continuously applied blood pressure on each produced value to simulate diastolic and systolic that occur in the natural heart at each pulse cycle. The obtained results showed that a 3D printing of a new generation soft artificial heart for a permanent replacement was implemented as an alternative to the high-cost available temporary implant mechanical hearts, which may exceed the price by tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars, with a working life of not more than five years. The obtained fatigue safety factors for the produced artificial valves using different materials and designs were decreased with the complexity of the movement of the moving parts of the valve. The highest rates were obtained when using the valves with flat, simple movement in one direction like the single-leaflet type valve, where all the used materials are suitable for the production of this type of valve. The highest obtained safety factor was reached (15). The lowest rates were recorded when using the highly flexible and strong PSN4 nanocomposite material for fabricating the mitral tri-leaflet valve (thick. = 1.0 mm) reached 1.91. This value decreases to 0.99 when using the same type and material of valve but with a thickness equal to 0.5 mm. It can be noted here that the only suitable for the manufacture of this artificial valve type is the nanocomposite polyetherimide/ silicone rubber with nano silica (PSN4), whereas the other used materials failed because the fatigue factor values are less than 1. The service life span of this material is about 9200 x 106 cycles, which is equivalent to about 290 years, followed by SIBSTAR 103 with a default age of 209.6 x 106 cycles or 9 years.
 

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Microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of Zn-22Al alloy after post-ECAP natural/artificial aging were investigated. A homogenization treatment was applied to the casting samples. In addition, after preparing the samples for the ECAP, secondary homogenization treatment was done and then the samples quenched in the water to form a fine grain structure. After 8 passes of ECAP, some ECAPed samples were naturally aged and some ECAPed samples were artificially aged. Natural aging after 8 passes of ECAP showed that Zn-22Al alloy has a quasi-stable microstructure because limited grain growth occurred. Two-phase structure of Zn-22Al alloy prevented excessive grain growth after natural aging. On the other hand, artificial aging after 8 passes of ECAP caused a relatively much grain growth took place. In shorter times of artificial aging, the grain growth rate is faster due to the high surface energy of grain boundaries. On the contrary, as the time of artificial aging increased, the surface energy of grain boundaries decreased, which leads to a decrease in the grain growth rate. In addition, texture evolution was studied after aging artificial. Therefore, the main texture of α and η phases was determined.
 

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Glasses in the B₂O₃-Li₂ (O, Cl₂, I₂) system were prepared through the conventional melt-quenching method. Then, the conductivity of the molten and glassy states of these compositions was evaluated. Furthermore, the thermal and crystallization behavior of the glasses was determined using simultaneous thermal analysis (STA) and X-ray diffractometry (XRD). The electrical conductivity of the melts was measured at temperatures ranging from 863 to 973 K, and the activation energy of the samples was calculated using the data obtained from ion conduction in the molten state and found to be in the vicinity of 32 kcal/mol. In glassy states, electrical conductivity was also measured. To determine this property, the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy method (EIS) was used. In the molten state, temperature played an important role in the ion conductivity; however, at lower temperatures, other factors became important. Based on the results, the addition of LiI and LiCl to the B₂O₃-Li₂O base glass system (75 B₂O₃, 10 Li₂O, 7.5 LiI, 7.5 LiCl) (mol%) increases the ionic conductivity of the glass from 3.2 10^-8 S.cm^-1 to 1.4 10^-7 S.cm^-1 at 300 K.
 

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Phase transformations and the evolution of hardness during elevated-temperature annealing of Inconel 718 superalloy manufactured by the laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) were investigated. The microstructural evolution, elemental analysis, phase formation, and hardening were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Vickers indentation test, respectively. It was observed that the effect of annealing treatments is directly governed by the annealing parameters (i.e. time and temperature), for which the hardness measurement as a fruitful and convenient tool can reveal this effect. The increase of the hardness, which was obtained by the annealing (aging) treatments at the temperature range of 800-900 °C, indicated precipitation of the Ni₃Nb γ˝ strengthening phase; while owing to the coarsening of precipitates as a results of overaging at this temperature range, the hardness decreased. For instance the length and aspect ratio of precipitates in the aged sample at 800 °C for 1 h is 67.14 nm and 0.32, respectively; while these values in the aged sample at 800 °C for 8 h is 78.34 nm and 0.44, respectively. On the other hand, the decrease of the hardness at temperatures of 950 and 1000 °C was attributed to the decrease of dislocation density in conjunction with the Ni₂Nb Laves phase dissolution. Hence, it is crucial to determine the annealing parameters according to the required microstructure and properties.

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In the present investigation, an attempt was made to evaluate the dissolution behavior of Ti in molten KCl-LiCl. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of heated Ti plate at 800 oC for 4 h without carbon black in molten salt revealed that TiCl3 formation was feasible. For more assurance, Ti plate was heated at 950 oC for 4 h in the presence of carbon black to identify synthesized TiC. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) images from precursors and the final product showed that nano-crystalline TiC formation from coarse Ti particles was almost impossible without Ti dissolution. Thermodynamics calculations using Factsage software proved that it was possible to form various TiClx compounds. The TiC formation mechanism can be discussed in two possible ways: a reaction between Ti ion and carbon black for synthesizing TiC (direct) and a reaction between TiCl4 and carbon black led to indirect TiC synthesis. Elemental mapping using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscope (EDS) indicated that up to 815 oC, chlorine existed in the map. 

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Deformation-induced α΄-martensite generally forms at shear bands in the coarse-grained austenite, while it nucleates at grain boundaries in the ultrafine-grained (UFG) austenite. The available kinetics models are related to the nucleation on the shear band intersections, and hence, their application to investigating the kinetics of α΄-martensite formation for the UFG regime cannot be justified. Accordingly, in the present work, the general Johnson–Mehl–Avrami–Kolmogorov (JMAK-type) model was implemented for comparing the kinetics of α΄-martensite formation in the UFG and coarse-grained regimes using an AISI 304L stainless steel. On the experimental front, the X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns and the electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) maps were used for phase and microstructural analyses, respectively. It was revealed that the simple JMAK-type model, by considering the dependency of the volume fraction of α΄-martensite on the strain, is useful for modeling the experimental data, predicting the nucleation sites based on the theoretical Avrami exponents, and characterizing the transformation kinetics at low and high strains.

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Friction stir additive manufacturing (FSAM) is a variant of sheet lamination additive manufacturing used to produce large, near-net-shaped 3D parts. Unlike traditional friction stir lap welding, FSAM introduces a new plate to one that is already joined, with the effective area limited to the nugget zone. The present study focuses on exploring the microstructure and microhardness around the nugget zone in a five-plate AA 7075-T651 laminate synthesized at 1000 rpm and 35 mm/min. Microhardness increased vertically in the weldment NZ, reaching 143 HV in the top layer with 2.0 μm fine equiaxed grains. The grains on the advancing and retreating sides were coarser compared to the nugget zone. A W-shaped microhardness profile appeared across layer interfaces. These findings contribute significantly to advancing the FSAM technique, particularly in manufacturing multi-layered, multi-pass laminates.

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Two-dimensional molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) is used as a promising flame retardant and smoke suppressant nano additive in polymer composites due to its high thermal stability and layered structure. In this study, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) was melt-blended with MoS2 (1wt. %) and a halogen-free intumescent flame retardant (IFR) system. The IFR system consisted of ammonium polyphosphate (APP), Melamine polyphosphate (MPP), and pentaerythritol (PER), with a total amount of 25 wt. %. The TPU/IFR/MoS2 composite exhibited outstanding flame-retardant properties, achieving a UL-94 V-0 rating and a limiting oxygen index (LOI) value of 34%. Reaction-to-fire performance of the TPU/IFR/MoS2 composite was evaluated by cone calorimeter test (CCT). The CCT results indicated high flame-retardant efficiency and considerable smoke suppression performance, along with a significant decrease in the peak heat release rate (PHRR: 65.9%), peak smoke production rate (PSPR: 65.6%), and peak CO production (PCOP: 60.7%) compared to the neat TPU. The significant improvement in fire performance of TPU composite was mainly attributed to the effects of the physical barrier of MoS2 and catalytic carbonization of the IFR system. These resulted in forming an intumescent compact carbonized layer during the combustion, effectively restricting dripping. The continuous structure of the residual char was revealed by FESEM. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) indicated improved thermal behavior of the TPU composite in high temperatures. This work provides an effective method to improve the reaction to fire of TPU composites by incorporating traditional IFRs and MoS2, resulting in enhanced fire safety.

 
 

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The polymer modified cementitious tile adhesives are very significant in construction sector. In order to considerably improve the bond qualities of the tile adhesive in polymer modified mortars, the proportions of constituent ingredients should be carefully selected. Consequently, to design high performance tile adhesives, interactions between all the components, such as the adhesion mechanisms between the polymers film and the substrate and the effect of various additives should be recognized. The effect of vinyl acetate ethylene (EVA), high alumina cement (HAC), and additives such as calcium formate and polycarboxylate on the adhesion qualities of ceramic tile adhesive was explored in this study. The findings indicated that these ingredients had an impact on the mortars' adhesive properties, and it is necessary to find their optimal amounts in order to achieve the maximum adherence. The results showed that the tensile strength of mortar was increased with increasing the polymer amounts. A microstructural analysis revealed that the polymer was distributed homogenously throughout the mortar.  The optimum amount of the used high alumina cement was determined 3 wt.%. Additionally, increasing the amount of accelerator and super plasticizer increased the tensile strength of ceramic tile adhesive by approximately 20-30%.
 

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The coated β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) with dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (DCPD) has attracted much attention in the biomaterials field due to the increase in its osteoconductivity. Besides, the porous bioceramic scaffolds with controlled pore sizes are significant in stimulating bone-like cell activity. In this study, the effect of the setting-time process and acidic-calcium phosphate (CaP) concentrations on the fabrication and properties of porous DCPD/ β-TCP scaffolds were studied. Subsequently, the specimens were examined using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), compression strength and Fourier transforms infrared (FTIR). The study results revealed that the porous DCPD/ β-TCP scaffolds with macro- and micropore sizes were successfully obtained after the 300-600 µm of porous β-TCP granules were exposed to an acidic-CaP solution. Furthermore, the setting-time process and acidic-CaP concentrations increased the DCPD interlocking between granules, and the mechanical strengths of scaffolds increased up to 0.5 MPa. Meanwhile, the porosity levels were changed based on the formation of DCPD crystals. This study was expected to provide novel insights to researchers in the field of bioceramics through its investigation on the creation of porous DCPD/ β-TCP scaffolds.