MICROSTRUTTURAZIONE SUPERFICIALE IN ACCIAI PER IL MIGLIORAMENTO DELLE PERFORMANCES TRIBOLOGICHE

Nell’ambito delle tecnologie per l’ottimizzazione di contatti striscianti, una soluzione interessante è la microingegnerizzazione superficiale mediante la tecnica Laser Surface Texturing (LST). Il presente lavoro sperimentale mira a chiarire il beneficio tribologico garantito dalla micro-strutturazione laser in superfici di acciaio. I provini in acciaio sono stati micro-strutturati mediante LST creando micro-cavità circolari distribuite uniformemente sulla superficie. Sono stati effettuati test di prestazione mediante tribometri “pin-on-disk” e “ballon- disk” in regimi di “piena lubrificazione”, “scarsa lubrificazione”, e “contatto a secco” accoppiato con un rivestimento sottile in CrN cresciuto mediante deposizione da fase vapore-magnetron sputtering. A fini comparativi, sono stati contemporaneamente testati in analoghe condizioni provini in acciaio non micro-strutturati (lisci). L’analisi morfologica delle tracce d’usura è stata effettuata mediante un sistema dual beam che combina un fascio elettronico (SEM) ed un fascio ionico (FIB), ambedue ad alta focalizzazione. Nelle condizioni di contatto lubrificato, la micro-strutturazione superficiale contribuisce ad un significativo abbassamento del coefficiente d’attrito dell’acciaio. In assenza di lubrificante, la presenza di micro-cavità rallenta i processi di usura abrasiva

EFFECT OF N2 PARTIAL PRESSURE ON THE GROWTH OF CHROMIUM NITRIDE COATINGS

Chromium nitride films has been prepared by reactive magnetron sputtering using a mixture of Ar and N2 gas. Keeping constant the total pressure during the film deposition the ratio of N2 to Ar has been varied from 0.3 to 5.0 to promote the growth of CrN films with different microstructure. The structural chemical characterization of grown films were performed by means of x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, auger electron spectroscopy and x-ray photoemission spectroscopy. Even if no clear correlation between material hardness and coating microstructure was observed with nanoindentation, the tribological characterization of the films, evidenced a strong dependence of the wear rate of the material by the process conditions. In particular we observed an improved wear resistance for coatings with a compressive residual stress

Do nanoparticle physico-chemical properties and developmental exposure window influence nano ZnO embryotoxicity in Xenopus laevis?

The growing global production of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) suggests a realistic increase in the environmental exposure to such a nanomaterial, making the knowledge of its biological reactivity and its safe-by-design synthesis mandatory. In this study, the embryotoxicity of ZnONPs (1\u2013100 mg/L) specifically synthesized for industrial purposes with different sizes, shapes (round, rod) and surface coatings (PEG, PVP) was tested using the frog embryo teratogenesis assay-Xenopus (FETAX) to identify potential target tissues and the most sensitive developmental stages. The ZnONPs did not cause embryolethality, but induced a high incidence of malformations, in particular misfolded gut and abdominal edema. Smaller, round NPs were more effective than the bigger, rod ones, and PEGylation determined a reduction in embryotoxicity. Ingestion appeared to be the most relevant exposure route. Only the embryos exposed from the stomodeum opening showed anatomical and histological lesions to the intestine, mainly referable to a swelling of paracellular spaces among enterocytes. In conclusion, ZnONPs differing in shape and surface coating displayed similar toxicity in X. laevis embryos and shared the same target organ. Nevertheless, we cannot exclude that the physico-chemical characteristics may influence the severity of such effects. Further research efforts are mandatory to ensure the synthesis of safer nano-ZnO-containing products