Sharif Digital Repository

S500MC high strength low alloy automotive steel is exposed to bulk severe plastic deformation (SPD) via constrained groove pressing (CGP) and surface severe plastic deformation (S2PD) via severe shot peening (SSP) and ultrasonic nanocrystal surface modification (UNSM). SSP and UNSM could create a nanocrystallization layer till 50–100 µm away from outmost surface. EBSD investigations showed average nano-grain size obtained via SSP and UNSM was found to be below 100 nm regime. The strength was improved via 1st to 4th pass of CGP, but elongation percentage decreased abruptly. UNSM achieves both strength-ductility improvement with gradient structure. SSP improves the total elongation however a... 

The heat-affected zone (HAZ) softening is considered one of the most significant challenges during welding of ferrite–martensite dual-phase (DP) steels. In fact, the strain localization in the softened area results in a premature fracture that degrades the mechanical properties of the joint. Herein, the objective is to investigate the effectiveness of improved cooling using a high thermal diffusivity backing plate (BP) to reduce HAZ softening and enhance the mechanical properties of friction stir-welded DP700 steel. Accordingly, friction stir butt welding of DP700 steel was conducted using copper and mild steel BPs. The findings show that the replacement of steel BP with copper significantly... 

The in vitro endothelial response of human umbilical vein endothelial cells was investigated on a poly (caprolactone)-based polyurethane surface vs an in situ TiO2-polyurethane nanocomposite surface, which has been produced as scaffolds for artificial vascular graft. The in situ synthesis of TiO2 nanoparticles in polyurethane provided surface properties that facilitated cellular adhesion, cell sensing, cell probing and especially cell migration. Cells on the nanocomposite surface have elongated morphology and were able to produce more extracellular matrix. All of these advantages led to an increase in the rate of endothelialization of the nanocomposite scaffold surface vs pure polyurethane.... 

The heat-affected zone (HAZ)softening is considered one of the most significant challenges during welding of ferrite–martensite dual-phase (DP) steels. In fact, the strain localization in the softened area results in a premature fracture that degrades the mechanical properties of the joint. Herein, the objective is to investigate the effectiveness of improved cooling using a high thermal diffusivity backing plate (BP) to reduce HAZ softening and enhance the mechanical properties of friction stir-welded DP700 steel. Accordingly, friction stir butt welding of DP700 steel was conducted using copper and mild steel BPs. The findings show that the replacement of steel BP with copper significantly... 

Stress-relieved Al-Mn-Si specimens were constrained groove pressed (CGPed) and in the following, cold-rolled under different strains of 0.47, 0.8 and 1.27. Dual strained sheets were isothermally heat treated at 150, 250, and 350 °C. Microstructure survey revealed that generated shear-bands by CGP acted as talent sites for further strain-induced grain boundary migration (SIGBM) during annealing. SEM micrographs pointed out that coarse particles (1 μm <) had not preferential positions within the aluminum matrix and often comminuted into fine dispersoids (0.5 μm >) under heavy strains. Assessment of the softening fraction (Rrec) depicted that greater accumulated strains along with higher... 

In the present study, SiC samples with 3, 5, 7.5 and 10 wt% Al2O3–Y2O3 as additives were made by powder metallurgy method, then sintering was performed by microwave-assisted process. β–SiC samples sintering was performed for 100 min. The highest sintered relative density 91.06% was achieved at 10 wt% additives content. The maximum values of hardness and toughness were up to 23.3 GPa and 6.14 MPa.m− 1/2. α–SiC and α–SiC/β–SiC samples sintering was performed for 120 min. The maximum value of density and hardness were up to 96.38% T.D and 24.88 GPa in α–SiC with 7.5 wt% additives, whereas the highest toughness was achieved at 10 wt% additives content in β–SiC samples. The α–SiC samples... 

Flow stress and ductility behaviors of the annealed and severely deformed Al were investigated at warm deformation temperatures. Constrained groove pressing (CGP) method as a severe plastic deformation process was used. The tensile test was carried out at the temperature range of the 298-573 K and strain rate range of 0.001-0.1 s−1 to present the elevated temperature deformation behavior utilizing hyperbolic sine constitutive equation. The flow stress of the CGPed sample is increased with the number of CGP passes and decreased with temperature. Dynamic recovery and strain softening are found as main restoration mechanisms. Flow stress amounts are not remarkably affected by the strain rate.... 

The aim of this research is bonding of three-layered St/AZ31/St composite by roll-bonding process. The roll-bonding process was performed at three preheating temperatures, 340, 400 and 450°C, with thickness reduction of 30 to 68% and different thicknesses of intermediate layer (AZ31). In order to improve the bonding strength, the as-rolled specimens were annealed at constant temperature of 375°C. For evaluation of bond strength and investigating the formation of a diffusion layer, the results of peel test and microscopic images were studied. Tensile specimens were prepared along the rolling direction to measure the mechanical properties of the composite. The results showed that by increasing... 

Ethylene vinyl acetate/graphene oxide (EVA/GO) nanocomposite films were prepared via solution casting method. The morphological studies investigated using SEM and XRD methods and the results confirmed the formation of likely exfoliation structures and good interaction between matrix and fillers. The results of permeability measurements showed that films have good resistance against oxygen. Mechanical measurements revealed that Young’s modulus and tensile strength of EVA have improved with introducing GO because of proper dispersion of GO into matrix and good interaction between them; however, elongation at break decreased due to formation of strong and rigid polymer/filler network preventing... 

The effects of melt quality and the placement of a filter in the filling system on Weibull distributions of tensile strength and elongation of Al-7%Si-Mg alloy castings were investigated. Three different combinations of melt quality and filtering were used: (a) unstirred, with filter in the filling system, (b) stirred to produce and entrain surface oxide films with no filter in the filling system to emulate poor initial melt preparation and melt handling, and (c) stirred and with a filter placed in the filling system. The results showed that the highest elongation and tensile strength values were obtained from the unstirred, filtered condition and lowest values were from stirred and... 

This work was carried out to investigate the effect of different Ti concentrations as a modifying agent on the microstructure and tensile properties of an in-situ Al-15 pctMg2Si composite. Cast, modified, homogenized small ingots were extruded at 753 K (480°C) at the extrusion ratio of 18:1 and ram speed of 1 mm/s. Various techniques including metallography, tensile testing, scanning electron microscopy were used to characterize the mechanical behavior, microstructural observations, fracture mechanisms of this composite. The results showed that 0.5 pctTi addition and homogenizing treatment were highly effective in modifying Mg2Si particles. The results also exhibited that the addition of Ti... 

Ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE)/fumed silica nanocomposites were prepared via in situ polymerization using a bi-supported Ziegler-Natta catalytic system. Nanocomposites with different nanoparticle weight fractions were produced in order to investigate the effect of fumed silica on thermal and mechanical properties of UHMWPE/fumed silica nanocomposites. The viscosity average molecular weight (M) of all samples including pure UHMWPE as the reference sample and nanocomposites were measured. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images showed the homogenous dispersion of nanoparticles throughout the UHMWPE matrix while no nanoparticle cluster has been formed. Crystallization... 

The oxygen-barrier properties of poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/poly(vinyl acetate-co-vinyl alcohol) [P(VAc-co-VA)] were investigated. P(VAc-co-VA)s with vinyl alcohol (VA) contents of 5, 10, and 15 mol % were prepared with the acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of poly(vinyl acetate). The obtained copolymers with various contents of VA were blended with PLA at 5/95, 10/90, and 15/85 compositions. Films of the blends were prepared by a solution-casting method with chloroform as the cosolvent. Although the blend with 5% VA in the copolymer appeared to be miscible, the blends with 10 and 15% VA content in the copolymer were immiscible, as verified by dynamic mechanical analysis. The oxygen-barrier properties... 

In this study, a near equiatomic NiTi shape memory alloy was hot rolled at 800°C using thethickness reductions of 30 and 50%. Optical and transmission electron microscopy, together withX-ray diffraction were used to demonstrate the microstructural changes associated with the hotrolling at different thickness reductions. Repeated transformation cycling was employed toinvestigate the evolution of R phase during cycling. Microstructural observations revealed thepresence of deformation twins embedded in an elongated grain matrix in the hot rolled material.Moreover, it was found that with increasing degree of thickness reduction, the size and number ofdeformation twins increased throughout the... 

A cyclic forward-backward extrusion (CFBE) process was used as a severe plastic deformation (SPD) technique to produce ultrafine-grained aluminum rods. Yield strength and tensile strength of the specimens increased by increasing the number of CFBE cycles, while elongation to break decreased due to an increase in the grain refinement and microhardness. According to transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) results, the average grain size was reduced from 120 μm to 315 nm after only 3 cycles of CFBE  

Hot deformation behavior of Al6063 alloy produced by direct powder extrusion was studied by means of uniaxial compression test in the temperature range between 300 and 450°C and strain rate range between 0.01 and 1s -1. Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) technique and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were utilized to study the microstructure of the material before and after the hot deformation. The microstructure of the extruded alloy consisted of elongated grains within a subgrain structure and small grains free of low angle grain boundaries (LAGBs). An equiaxed duplex microstructure consisting of large substructured grains and fine grains separated by high angle grain boundaries... 

This paper presents the effect of martensite volume fraction (VM) on mechanical properties of AISI 4340 steel with ferrite-bainite-martensite microstructures. The steel bars were austenitized at 900°C for 1h followed by intercritical annealing at 740°C for 100min and quenching into a salt bath with temperature of 300°C and holding at different times to obtain triple phase (TP) microstructures with 34vol.% fraction ferrite and various martensite (or bainite) contents. Presence of three phases in adjacent to each other was confirmed by metallographic analysis and TEM studies. TEM observation also indicates higher density of dislocations within ferrite near martensite colonies compared to that... 

Reinforcement of styrene-butadiene-rubber (SBR) was investigated using two different carbon blacks (CBs) with similar particle sizes, including highly structured CB and conventional CB, as well as multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) prepared by mechanical mixing. The attempts were made to examine reinforcing mechanism of these two different classes of carbon nanoparticles. Scanning electron microscopy and electrical conductivity measurement were used to investigate morphology. Tensile, cyclic tensile and stress relaxation analyses were performed. A modified Halpin-Tsai model based on the concept of an equivalent composite particle, consisting of rubber bound, occluded rubber and... 

Al6063 powder was subjected to severe plastic deformation via high-energy mechanical milling to prepare ultrafine-grained (UFG) aluminium alloy. Uniaxial compression test at various temperatures between 300 and 450 °C and strain rates between 0.01 and 1 s-1 was carried out to evaluate hot workability of the material. Microstructural studies were performed by EBSD and TEM. The average activation energy and strain rate sensitivity of the hot deformation process were determined to be 280 kJ mol-1 and 0.05, respectively. The deformation temperature and applied strain rate significantly affected the grain structure of UFG Al alloy. A finer grain structure was obtained at lower temperatures and... 

Dual-phase (DP) steels with different martensite contents were produced by subjecting a low carbon steel to various heat treatment cycles. In order to investigate the effect of dynamic strain aging (DSA) on mechanical properties, tensile specimens were deformed 3% at 300 °C. Room temperature tensile tests of specimens which deformed at 300 °C showed that both yield and ultimate tensile strengths increased, while total elongation decreased. The fatigue limit increased after pre-strain in the DSA temperature range. The effects of martensite volume fraction on mechanical properties were discussed