Volumen 19 (2019): Edición 1 (March 2019)

In this study, novel polyacrylonitrile/polystyrene (PAN/PS) blend has been prepared and reinforced with carbon nanoparticle to form polyacrylonitrile/polystyrene/carbon nanoparticle (PAN/PS/CNP) nanocomposite foam. Acid-functional carbon nanoparticle (0.1-3 wt.%) was used as nano-reinforcement for PAN/PS blend matrix. 2’-azobisisobutyronitrile was employed as foaming agent. The PAN/PS/CNP nanocomposite foams have been tested for structure, morphology, mechanical properties, thermal stability, non-flammability, water uptake, and toxic ion removal. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy exposed unique nanocellular morphology owing to physical interaction between the matrix and functional CNP. PAN/PS/CNP 0.1 Foam with 0.1 wt.% nanofiller had compression strength, modulus, and foam density of 41.8 MPa, 22.3 GPa, and 0.9 mgcm⁻³, respectively. Nanofiller loading of 3wt.% (PAN/PS/CNP 3 Foam) considerably enhanced the compression strength, modulus, and foam density as 68.2 MPa, 37.7 GPa, and 1.9 mgcm⁻³, respectively. CNP reinforcement also enhanced the initial weight loss and maximum decomposition temperature of PAN/PS/CNP 3 Foam to 541 and 574 ºC, relative to neat foam (T₀ = 411 ºC; T₁₀ = 459 ºC). Nanocomposite foams have also shown excellent flame retardancy as V-0 rating and high char yield of up to 57% were attained. Due to hydrophilic nature of functional carbon nanoparticle, water absorption capacity of 3 wt.% nanocomposite foam was 30% higher than that of pristine foam. Moreover, novel foams were also tested for the removal of toxic Pb²⁺ ions. PAN/PS/CNP 3 Foam has shown much higher ion removal capacity (166 mg/g) and efficiency (99 %) than that of PAN/PS foam having removal capacity and efficiency of 90 mg/g and 45 %, respectively.

Laser welding is used in modern industry, having many advantages comparing to traditional welding technologies. Nowadays, industry sectors such as shipbuilding, automotive and aviation can’t be imagined without laser processing technologies. Possibility of increase of welded joint properties, autogenous welding and high level of process automation makes the technology of laser welding perspective part of the industry. Physical multidimensional processes complexity requires a deeper understanding of the impact of laser welding parameters on the quality of welded joints for industrial implementation. The paper presents results of microstructure investigations of laser beam welded stainless steel under various welding parameters. Welded joints was achieved by Ytterbium fiber laser type without the use of the filler material. Material for test was 2205 ferritic-austenitic duplex stainless steel (DSS) plates with thickness of 8 mm in delivery condition. The objectives of this research was to investigate influence of laser welding parameters on weld geometry of butt-welded joints. Investigations of bead shape revealed correlation between laser beam focus position and weld penetration depth.

Present paper deals with the influence of a wide range of cold rolling (5, 10, 15 and maximum 40% cold deformation) and the sensitization time (aging at 700°C for 0.12, 0.5, 1, 4, 16 and 32 hours) on intergranular corrosion (IGC). Intergranular corrosion of commercial stainless steel type X6CrNiTi18-10 (1.4541, AISI 321) is frequently observed in several process environments. These localized attacks are normally attributed to the carbide precipitation and concomitant depletion of chromium near grain boundary due to steel exposure to sensitization temperature. Such undesirable microchemistry is expected to be changed further if the material undergoes deformation prior to sensitization. The consequences of deformation on IGC have been investigated by using EN ISO 3651-1methods (Huey test – Corrosion test in nitric acid medium by measurement of loss in mass). Introducing deformation to the investigated stainless steel seems to change the kinetics of carbide precipitation M₂₃C₆ and thereby changes it resistance to IGC. Cold deformation before sensitization reduces the intensity of intergranular corrosion of this steel. The deformed structure created during the cold work process, numerous slip planes and the twins boundaries are just like the grain boundaries and the places where the chromium carbides preferentially precipitates. Due to the more evenly occurring precipitation processes within the whole deformed grains, there is no phenomenon of local grain boundary carbide precipitation, and thus there is no decrease in the resistance of this steel to intergranular corrosion. The assessment of the degree of intergranular corrosion was based on the measurement of mass loss and observation of corroded surfaces on optical and electron transmission and scanning microscopes.

The laser alloying is a continually developing surface treatment because of its significant and specific structuration of a surface. In particular, it is applied for Ti alloys, being now the most essential biomaterials’ group for load-bearing implants. The present research was performed on the Ti13Nb13Zr alloy subject to laser modification in order to determine the treatment effects on surface topography and its some mechanical properties like nanohardness, Young’s modulus, roughness. A pulse laser Nd:YAG was applied at three different laser pulse regimes: either 700 W, 1000 W or 1000 W treatment followed by 700 W modification at a pulse duration of 1 ms. The surface topography and morphology were examined using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy with spectroscope of X-ray energy dispersion. The mechanical properties were determined by nanoindentation tests and surface roughness with a use of profilograph. The wettability was tested with a goniometer. The obtained results demonstrate complex behavior of the material surface: decrease in penetration distance and increase in hardness after first laser treatment, maintenance of this trend when machining using a higher laser pulse power, followed by an increase in penetration and decrease in hardness after additional laser treatment at lower power input, due to which a surface with fewer defects is obtained. The change in Young’s modulus follows the change in other mechanical properties, but not a change in roughness. Therefore, the observed hardening with the increase of the laser pulse power and then a small softening with the use of additional treatment with lower power can be attributed to some processes of remelting, diffusion and crystallization, sensitive to the previous surface state and heat energy flux. Despite that, the laser treatment always caused a significant hardening of the surface layer.

The paper presents the results of the investigation of microstructure of the welded X5CrNiCuNb16-4 (17-4PH) steel after solution treatment and aging at 620°C for different periods. The microstructure and the phase composition of the steel was investigated using light microscopy (LM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and the X-ray diffraction (XRD). Hardness was measured for samples aged at different times. Density distributions of Cu precipitates were established. The investigation has shown that the microstructure of the X5CrNiCuNb16-4 steel welds after aging at 620 ° C consists of tempered martensite, fine Cu precipitates and austenite. It was observed that the size of the Cu precipitates increases with increasing the aging time, what affects the decrease of hardness. Simultaneously, the quantity of reversed austenite increases with increase of aging time. It was revealed that enrichment of the austenite in Ni, Cu and C affects the increase of M_s, but this factor does not determine the stability of austenite.

The paper consist of characterization of the essence of structure, properties and application of AlSi-SiC composite foams as well as limitations and possibilities of their joining. Porous structure with porosity up to 80% and exceptional properties of aluminium foams are the reason of their numerous application and interest of their joining. Consideration of methods of welding, soldering and gluing AlSi9-SiC10 composite foams, the joint structure, and properties. Recommendations for surface preparation of foam, and different joining procedures aimed at control the porosity of the foam and glued surface roughness were established. Result of EDS and XRD investigations of the AlSi9-SiC10 composite foams joint were considered.

The aims of the present study were to synthesize the intercalated kaolinite samples with dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), glutamic acid (GA), succinimide (SIM), cetylpyridiniumchloride (CPC), and hexadecyltrimethylammoniumchloride (HDTMA⁺); to characterize by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy-attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR), and to determine the hemocompatibility and the cytotoxic effects of the intercalated kaolinite nanoclays on human lymphocytes. It was found that the intercalation with DMSO did not cause any decrease in cell viability until its maximum concentration (500 µg/mL), however, the intercalation with SIM, CPC, and (HDTMA⁺) causd important decreases in lymphocyte viabilities. It was determined that no significant decrease was observed in protein content of the lymphocyte cells exposed to the kaolinite nanoclays except the ones intercalated with SIM. Furthermore, the pristine kaolinite nanoclays which were intercalated with DMSO, GA, and SIM exhibited high hemocompatibility and the nanoclays intercalated with CPC and (HDTMA⁺) were highly hemocompatibile for the amounts below 125 and 500 µg/mL, respectively. All the results of this work can serve for the human risk assesment of intercalated nanoclays.