Slurry and dry particle erosion wear properties of WC-10Co4Cr and Cr3C2-25NiCr hardmetal coatings deposited by HVOF and HVAF spray processes

Thermally sprayed hardmetal coatings were produced to provide improved erosion wear compared to conventional cast GX4CrNi13-4 martensitic steel (CA6NM) used in hydro turbine components. Sprayed coatings and reference materials were tested with high-speed slurry pot tester using either fine or coarse quartz as the erosive media. Additional erosion tests were carried out with centrifugal dry erosion tester. Tungsten carbide based coatings provided the highest wear resistance due to the high hardness and even distribution of the fine carbide particles. The cast 13-4 steel samples experienced up to 180 times higher wear rates in fine quartz slurry and up to 36 times higher wear rates in coarse slurry compared to the sprayed coatings

Structure property relationship of suspension thermally sprayed WC-Co nanocomposite coatings.

Tribomechanical properties of nanostructured coatings deposited by suspension high velocity oxy-fuel (S-HVOF) and conventional HVOF (Jet Kote) spraying were evaluated. Nanostructured S-HVOF coatings were obtained via ball milling of the agglomerated and sintered WC-12Co feedstock powder, which were deposited via an aqueous-based suspension using modified HVOF (TopGun) process. Microstructural evaluations of these hardmetal coatings included transmission electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. The nanohardness and modulus of the coated specimens were investigated using a diamond Berkovich nanoindenter. Sliding wear tests were conducted using a ball-on-flat test rig. Results indicated that low porosity coatings with nanostructured features were obtained. High carbon loss was observed, but coatings showed a high hardness up to 1000 HV2.9N. S-HVOF coatings also showed improved sliding wear and friction behavior, which were attributed to nanosized particles reducing ball wear in three-body abrasion and support of metal matrix due to uniform distribution of nanoparticles in the coating microstructure

Picosecond laser surface cleaning of AM1 superalloy

Laserové skenovací zpracování povrchu superslitiny AM1 na bázi niklu pomocí ultrakrátkých pulsů (10 ps) je představeno jako čisticí a deoxidační zpracování. Laserové čištění je zkoumáno s dvousměrným skenováním povrchu laserovým paprskem s několika opakovacími frekvencemi pulzů. Optimální rychlost, laserová opakovací frekvence, překryv a počet opakování vrstev jsou určeny pro minimální strukturní změny na mechanicky leštěných površích AM1. Laserové čistění po posuvném laserovém texturování (sLST) je prezentován jako dvoustupňová příprava povrchu superslitiny pro žárový nástřik. Efekt akumulace tepla a teplotní pole jsou vypočteny ze semi-rovinného modelu působení tepelného zdroje vypůsobeného skenováním laserového paprsku.Laser scanning processing of nickel-based superalloy AM1 surfaces by ultra-short pulses (10 ps) is introduced as a cleaning and deoxidation postprocess. The laser cleaning is investigated with two-directional surface scanning by a laser beam with several frequencies of pulse generation. The optimal speed, laser pulse repetition frequency, overlapping and layer repetition count are determined for minimal structural changes on the mechanically polished AM1 surfaces. The laser cleaning after shifted laser surface texturing (sLST) is presented as a two-step preparation of a superalloy surface for thermal spraying. The heat accumulation effect and temperature fields are calculated from a semi-planar model of a laser beam scanning heat source

The Effects of Ultrasound Treatment of Graphite on the Reversibility of the (De)Intercalation of an Anion from Aqueous Electrolyte Solution

Low cycling stability is one of the most crucial issues in rechargeable batteries. Herein, we study the effects of a simple ultrasound treatment of graphite for the reversible (de)intercalation of a ClO4− anion from a 2.4 M Al(ClO4)3 aqueous solution. We demonstrate that the ultrasound-treated graphite offers the improved reversibility of the ClO4− anion (de)intercalation compared with the untreated samples. The ex situ and in situ Raman spectroelectrochemistry and X-ray diffraction analysis of the ultrasound-treated materials shows no change in the interlayer spacing, a mild increase in the stacking order, and a large increase in the amount of defects in the lattice accompanied by a decrease in the lateral crystallite size. The smaller flakes of the ultrasonicated natural graphite facilitate the improved reversibility of the ClO4− anion electrochemical (de)intercalation and a more stable electrochemical performance with a cycle life of over 300 cycles

Combining advanced photoelectron spectroscopy approaches to analyse deeply buried GaP(As)/Si(1 0 0) interfaces: Interfacial chemical states and complete band energy diagrams

The epitaxial growth of the polar GaP(1 0 0) on the nonpolar Si(1 0 0) substrate suffers from inevitable defects at the antiphase domain boundaries (APDs), resulting from mono-atomic steps on the Si(1 0 0) surface. Stabilization of Si(1 0 0) substrate surfaces with As is a promising technological step enabling the preparation of Si substrates with double atomic steps and reduced density of the APDs. In this paper, 4–50-nm-thick GaP epitaxial films were grown on As-terminated Si(1 0 0) substrates with different types of doping, miscuts, and As-surface termination by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE). The GaP(As)/Si(1 0 0) heterostructures were investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) combined with gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) sputtering and by hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HAXPES). We found residuals of As atoms in the GaP lattice (∼0.2–0.3 at.%) and a localization of As atoms at the GaP(As)/Si(1 0 0) interface (∼1 at.%). Deconvolution of core level peaks revealed interface core level shifts. In As core levels, chemical shifts between 0.5 and 0.8 eV were measured and identified by angle-resolved XPS measurements. Similar valence band offset (VBO) values of 0.6 eV were obtained, regardless of the doping type of Si substrate, Si substrate miscut or type of As-terminated Si substrate surface. The band alignment diagram of the GaP(As)/Si(1 0 0) heterostructure was deduced