Experimental Investigation on the Joining of Aluminum Alloy Sheets Using Improved Clinching Process

Aluminum alloy sheets have been widely used to build the thin-walled structures by mechanical clinching technology in recent years. However, there is an exterior protrusion located on the lower sheet and a pit on the upper sheet, which may restrict the application of the clinching technology in visible areas. In the present study, an improved clinched joint used to join aluminum alloy sheets was investigated by experimental method. The improved clinching process used for joining aluminum alloy evolves through four phases: (a) localized deformation; (b) drawing; (c) backward extrusion; and (d) mechanical interlock forming. A flat surface can be produced using the improved clinching process. Shearing strength, tensile strength, material flow, main geometrical parameters, and failure mode of the improved clinched joint were investigated. The sheet material was compressed to flow radially and upward using a punch, which generated a mechanical interlock by producing severe localized plastic deformation. The neck thickness and interlock of the improved clinched joint were increased by increasing the forming force, which also contributed to increase the strength of the clinched joint. The improved clinched joint can get high shearing strength and tensile strength. Three main failure modes were observed in the failure process, which were neck fracture mode, button separation mode, and mixed failure mode. The improved clinched joint has better joining quality to join aluminum alloy sheets on the thin-walled structures

A prognostic estimation model based on mRNA-sequence data for patients with oligodendroglioma

BackgroundThe diagnosis of oligodendroglioma based on the latest World Health Organization Classification of Tumors of the Central Nervous System (WHO CNS 5) criteria requires the codeletion of chromosome arms 1p and 19q and isocitrate dehydrogenase gene (IDH) mutation (mut). Previously identified prognostic indicators may not be completely suitable for patients with oligodendroglioma based on the new diagnostic criteria. To find potential prognostic indicators for oligodendroglioma, we analyzed the expression of mRNAs of oligodendrogliomas in Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA).MethodsWe collected 165 CGGA oligodendroglioma mRNA-sequence datasets and divided them into two cohorts. Patients in the two cohorts were further classified into long-survival and short-survival subgroups. The most predictive mRNAs were filtered out of differentially expressed mRNAs (DE mRNAs) between long-survival and short-survival patients in the training cohort by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), and risk scores of patients were calculated. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to screen factors associated with survival and establish the prognostic model. qRT-PCR was used to validate the expression differences of mRNAs.ResultsA total of 88 DE mRNAs were identified between the long-survival and the short-survival groups in the training cohort. Seven RNAs were selected to calculate risk scores. Univariate analysis showed that risk level, age, and primary-or-recurrent status (PRS) type were statistically correlated with survival and were used as factors to establish a prognostic model for patients with oligodendroglioma. The model showed an optimal predictive accuracy with a C-index of 0.912 (95% CI, 0.679–0.981) and harbored a good agreement between the predictions and observations in both training and validation cohorts.ConclusionWe established a prognostic model based on mRNA-sequence data for patients with oligodendroglioma. The predictive ability of this model was validated in a validation cohort, which demonstrated optimal accuracy. The 7 mRNAs included in the model would help predict the prognosis of patients and guide personalized treatment

NOVEL METHOD OF MANUFACTURING HYDROGEN STORAGE MATERIALS COMBINING WITH NUMERICAL ANALYSIS BASED ON DISCRETE ELEMENT METHOD

High efficiency hydrogen storage method is significant in development of fuel cell vehicle. Seeking for a high energy density material as the fuel becomes the key of wide spreading fuel cell vehicle. LiBH4 + MgH2 system is a strong candidate due to their high hydrogen storage density and the reaction between them is reversible. However, LiBH4 + MgH2 system usually requires the high temperature and hydrogen pressure for hydrogen release and uptake reaction. In order to reduce the requirements of this system, nanoengineering is the simple and efficient method to improve the thermodynamic properties and reduce kinetic barrier of reaction between LiBH4 and MgH2. Based on ab initio density functional theory (DFT) calculations, the previous study has indicated that the reaction between LiBH4 and MgH2 can take place at temperature near 200°C or below. However, the predictions have been shown to be inconsistent with many experiments. Therefore, it is the first time that our experiment using ball milling with aerosol spraying (BMAS) to prove the reaction between LiBH4 and MgH2 can happen during high energy ball milling at room temperature. Through this BMAS process we have found undoubtedly the formation of MgB2 and LiH during ball milling of MgH2 while aerosol spraying of the LiBH4/THF solution. Aerosol nanoparticles from LiBH4/THF solution leads to form Li2B12H12 during BMAS process. The Li2B12H12 formed then reacts with MgH2 in situ during ball milling to form MgB2 and LiH. Discrete element modeling (DEM) is a useful tool to describe operation of various ball milling processes. EDEM is software based on DEM to predict power consumption, liner and media wear and mill output. In order to further improve the milling efficiency of BMAS process, EDEM is conducted to make analysis for complicated ball milling process. Milling speed and ball’s filling ratio inside the canister as the variables are considered to determine the milling efficiency. The average and maximum speed of balls is critical to affect the collision force among balls. High collision force can be achieved by applying large torque on the milling shaft. The high milling speed and large ball’s filling ratio increase the torque and average speed of balls. However, the high average speed and large torque lead to non-uniformed milled material. Therefore, appropriate milling speed and ball’s filling ratio are ought to be selected to have better milled materials. The results of this study lead to the feasibility of LiBH4 + MgH2 system for reversible hydrogen storage application near ambient temperature. Applying appropriate ball’s filling ratio and milling speed can improve the milling efficiency of BMAS method.M.S. in Material Science Engineering, July 201

Problèmes de switching optimal, équations différentielles stochastiques rétrogrades et équations différentielles partielles intégrales.

There are three main results in this thesis. The first is existence and uniqueness of the solution in viscosity sense for a system of nonlinear m variational integral-partial differential equations with interconnected obstacles. From the probabilistic point of view, this system is related to optimal stochastic switching problem when the noise is driven by a Lévy process. As a by-product we obtain that the value function of the switching problem is continuous and unique solution of its associated Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman system of equations. Next, we study a general class of min-max and max-min nonlinear second-order integral-partial variational inequalities with interconnected bilateralobstacles, related to a multiple modes zero-sum switching game with jumps. Using Perron’s method and by the help of systems of penalized unilateral reflected backward SDEs with jumps, we construct a continuous with polynomial growth viscosity solution, and a comparison result yields the uniqueness of the solution. At last, we deal with the solutions of systems of PDEs with bilateral inter-connected obstacles of min-max and max-min types in the Brownian framework. These systems arise naturally in stochastic switching zero-sum game problems. We show that when the switching costs of one side are smooth, the solutions of the min-max and max-min systems coincide. Furthermore, this solution is identified as the value function of the zero-sum switching game.Cette thèse est composée de trois parties. Dans la première nous montrons l'existence et l'unicité de la solution continue et à croissance polynomiale, au sensviscosité, du système non linéaire de m équations variationnelles de type intégro-différentiel à obstacles unilatéraux interconnectés. Ce système est lié au problème du switching optimal stochastique lorsque le bruit est dirigé par un processus de Lévy. Un cas particulier du système correspond en effet à l’équation d’Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman associé au problème du switching et la solution de ce système n’est rien d’autre que la fonction valeur du problème. Ensuite, nous étudions un système d’équations intégro-différentielles à obstacles bilatéraux interconnectés. Nous montrons l’existence et l’unicité des solutions continus à croissance polynomiale, au sens viscosité, des systèmes min-max et max-min. La démarche conjugue les systèmes d’EDSR réfléchies ainsi que la méthode de Perron. Dans la dernière partie nous montrons l’égalité des solutions des systèmes max-min et min-max d’EDP lorsque le bruit est uniquement de type diffusion. Nous montrons que si les coûts de switching sont assez réguliers alors ces solutions coïncident. De plus elles sont caractérisées comme fonction valeur du jeu de switching de somme nulle

Multi-modes switching problem, backward stochastic differential equations and partial differential equations

Cette thèse est composée de trois parties. Dans la première nous montrons l'existence et l'unicité de la solution continue et à croissance polynomiale, au sensviscosité, du système non linéaire de m équations variationnelles de type intégro-différentiel à obstacles unilatéraux interconnectés. Ce système est lié au problème du switching optimal stochastique lorsque le bruit est dirigé par un processus de Lévy. Un cas particulier du système correspond en effet à l’équation d’Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman associé au problème du switching et la solution de ce système n’est rien d’autre que la fonction valeur du problème. Ensuite, nous étudions un système d’équations intégro-différentielles à obstacles bilatéraux interconnectés. Nous montrons l’existence et l’unicité des solutions continus à croissance polynomiale, au sens viscosité, des systèmes min-max et max-min. La démarche conjugue les systèmes d’EDSR réfléchies ainsi que la méthode de Perron. Dans la dernière partie nous montrons l’égalité des solutions des systèmes max-min et min-max d’EDP lorsque le bruit est uniquement de type diffusion. Nous montrons que si les coûts de switching sont assez réguliers alors ces solutions coïncident. De plus elles sont caractérisées comme fonction valeur du jeu de switching de somme nulle.There are three main results in this thesis. The first is existence and uniqueness of the solution in viscosity sense for a system of nonlinear m variational integral-partial differential equations with interconnected obstacles. From the probabilistic point of view, this system is related to optimal stochastic switching problem when the noise is driven by a Lévy process. As a by-product we obtain that the value function of the switching problem is continuous and unique solution of its associated Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman system of equations. Next, we study a general class of min-max and max-min nonlinear second-order integral-partial variational inequalities with interconnected bilateralobstacles, related to a multiple modes zero-sum switching game with jumps. Using Perron’s method and by the help of systems of penalized unilateral reflected backward SDEs with jumps, we construct a continuous with polynomial growth viscosity solution, and a comparison result yields the uniqueness of the solution. At last, we deal with the solutions of systems of PDEs with bilateral inter-connected obstacles of min-max and max-min types in the Brownian framework. These systems arise naturally in stochastic switching zero-sum game problems. We show that when the switching costs of one side are smooth, the solutions of the min-max and max-min systems coincide. Furthermore, this solution is identified as the value function of the zero-sum switching game

Research on Applying the Self-Pierce Riveting (SPR) for die Casting Aluminum Alloys

Self-pierce riveting as a relative new technology has been used by automotive industry for decades. Because of the several benefits of the SPR technique, it has been widely used for joining the similar or dissimilar materials to satisfy the light-weighting requirements of automobile. There were many researchers and automotive manufacturers that had been investigated the SPR by experiments and applied this technique to their products. The SPR was designed for joining the materials with sufficient ductility because the joining process was going to introduce the large plastic deformation on the joint button area. Die casting aluminum alloy products became more and more popular to be used for structural components. However, the casting aluminum components have relative low ductility than the wrought alloy product. The cracking problems were easy to occur during the riveting process. In terms of the cracking issues on die casting aluminum products, an analysis was conducted in this study to investigate the influence of composition on cracking problem. And the cracking mechanism was also analyzed and summarized. Corresponding to the influence of silicon content difference and silicon morphology, heat treatment was used to modify the eutectic silicon morphology of the casting aluminum alloys to improve the rivetability. Once the silicon network was broken by the heat treatment, the rivetability of die casting aluminum was drastically increased and the cracks on joint button were also suppressed. Under the effect of heat treatment, the joint performance was tightly related to the variation of the eutectic silicon phase and the cracks on the joint button. The joint strength was obtained by shear test to investigate the influence of heat treatment and die depth. A novel cracking statistics has been generated and used to calculate the cracks on the joint button. Eventually, a comprehensive joint performance was obtained by taking into consideration of joint strength, heat treatment and die depth. Finally, the simulation of the SPR process was conducted and analyzed by FORGE. The die depth as the variable was used to investigate the strain and fracture distribution in cross-section view of the joint. In terms of the initial results of the simulation, the die cavity with various sidewall incline angles was simulated to find the optimal die cavity geometry in order to improve the rivetability of the bottom material sheet

Microstructure of Semi-Solid 6063 Alloy Fabricated by Radial Forging Combined with Unidirectional Compression Recrystallization and Partial Melting Process

Radial forging combined with unidirectional compression (RFCUM) is introduced in recrystallization and partial melting (RAP) to fabricate semi-solid 6063 aluminum alloy, which can be defined as a process of RFCUM-RAP. In this study, the microstructures of semi-solid 6063 alloy prepared by semi-solid isothermal treatment (SSIT) and RFCUM-RAP processes are investigated. The results show that, the solid grains of semi-solid alloy prepared by SSIT are large and irregular. However, solid grains of semi-solid billet prepared by RFCUC-RAP are fine and spherical. Additionally, during RFCUC-RAP process, with the increase of isothermal holding time, the shape of solid grain is more and more spherical, but the size of solid grain is gradually increased. To obtain ideal semi-solid microstructure, the optimal isothermal holding temperature and time are 630 °C and 5~10 min, respectively