Thermal Properties of Carbon Nanotube–Copper Composites for Thermal Management Applications

Carbon nanotube–copper (CNT/Cu) composites have been successfully synthesized by means of a novel particles-compositing process followed by spark plasma sintering (SPS) technique. The thermal conductivity of the composites was measured by a laser flash technique and theoretical analyzed using an effective medium approach. The experimental results showed that the thermal conductivity unusually decreased after the incorporation of CNTs. Theoretical analyses revealed that the interfacial thermal resistance between the CNTs and the Cu matrix plays a crucial role in determining the thermal conductivity of bulk composites, and only small interfacial thermal resistance can induce a significant degradation in thermal conductivity for CNT/Cu composites. The influence of sintering condition on the thermal conductivity depended on the combined effects of multiple factors, i.e. porosity, CNTs distribution and CNT kinks or twists. The composites sintered at 600°C for 5 min under 50 MPa showed the maximum thermal conductivity. CNT/Cu composites are considered to be a promising material for thermal management applications

In Situ Ternary Boride: Effects on Densification Process and Mechanical Properties of WC-Co Composite Coating

New coatings resistant to corrosion in high-temperature molten zinc aluminum were prepared by supersonic flame spraying of various composite powders. These composite powders were prepared by mixing, granulation, and heat treatment of various proportions of Mo–B4C powder and WC and Co powder. X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF–STEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and mechanical analysis were used to study the effects of Mo–B4C on the microstructure, phase, porosity, bonding strength, and elastic modulus of the composite powder and coating. Results show that the addition of an appropriate quantity of Mo–B4C reacts with Co to form ternary borides CoMo2B2 and CoMoB. Ternary boride forms a perfect continuous interface, improving the mechanical properties and corrosion resistance property of the coating. When the amount of Mo–B4C added was 35.2%, the mechanical properties of the prepared coating reached optimal values: minimum porosity of 0.31 ± 0.15%, coating bonding strength of 77.81 ± 1.77 MPa, nanoindentation hardness of 20.12 ± 1.85 GPa, Young’s modulus of 281.52 ± 30.22 GPa, and fracture toughness of 6.38 ± 0.45 MPa·m1/2

Effect of Tempering Conditions on Secondary Hardening of Carbides and Retained Austenite in Spray-Formed M42 High-Speed Steel

In this study, the effect of tempering conditions on microstructure, grain size, and carbide phase compositions of spray-formed high-speed steel after quenching at 1180 °C was studied. The influence of carbide phase, size of carbides, and retained austenite content on secondary hardening of the steel was analyzed by field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC); the hardness, microhardness of carbide, and bending strength were tested. The results show that M3C, M6C, M7C3, and MC carbides may precipitate at different tempering temperatures and the transformation of the retained austenite can be controlled by tempering. The phase composition of carbides, microstructure, and retained austenite content strongly influences the performance characteristics of M42 high-speed steel after tempering. In contrast, the secondary carbides produced by tempering thrice at 540 °C are mainly M6C carbides rich in W and Mo elements, and the content of retained austenite is effectively reduced. At this stage, the Rockwell hardness reaches 67.2 HRC, bending strength reaches 3115 MPa, and the properties and microstructure are optimal

Microstructure and Photocatalytic Activity of the Anti-Virus CaWO4:Eu3+ Nanoparticles

CaWO4:Eu3+ anti-virus nanoparticles have been successfully prepared by a modified sol-gel method. Characteristics of nano-structure were measured by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Experimental results show that Rhodamine B and methyl orange could be degraded effectively by Scheelite nanoparticles (40-50 nm) and the photocatalytic decomposition was characterized by UV-visible absorption spectra. Inhibitory actions against herpes simplex virus (HSV) reflected the anti-virus behavior tungstenic nanoparticles. Owing to the nano-traps shown in high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), microstructure of tungstate on the surface that looks like bunches of grapes, which make the nanoparticles absorbed by organic dyestuff and virus, due to the high active hydroxyl free radicals on surface of nanoparticles and electrons complement from semiconductor photoelectric behavior. This micro-battery analysis explains photocatalytic activity and anti-virus behavior, and displays the relationship between them, which gives support to prove the oxidation and deoxidization circulation theory of Yamase