Study of the recast layer of a surface machined by sinking electrical discharge machining using water-in-oil emulsion as dielectric

Electrical discharge machining (EDM) caused a recast layer to form at the machined surface of the workpiece. The characteristics of the recast layer have a great relationship with the type of dielectric. The research work in this paper aims to acquire a profound knowledge of the recast layers of a surface machined by sinking EDM using water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion as dielectric. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive spectrograph (EDS) and micro hardness analysis were performed. The characteristics of the recast layer formed in W/O emulsion were investigated by comparing them with those of the recast layer formed in kerosene and de-ionized water dielectric. It was found that the recast layer formed in W/O emulsion exhibited larger surface roughness, thickness and micro hardness compared with that formed in kerosene and de-ionized water. Both carbide and oxide were detected in the recast layer formed in W/O emulsion whereas only carbide was detected in the recast layer formed in kerosene. Due to the higher supersaturation of gases in the melted material, the recast layer formed in W/O emulsion was found to possess more micro-voids than that formed in kerosene and de-ionized water.     

Electrical discharge machining of titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V)

In this study, the electrical discharge machining (EDM) of titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V) with different electrode materials namely, graphite, electrolytic copper and aluminium and process parameters such as, pulse current and pulse duration were performed to explore the influence of EDM parameters on various aspects of the surface integrity of Ti6Al4V. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive spectrograph (EDS) and hardness analysis were performed. The experimental results reveal that the value of material removal rate, surface roughness, electrode wear and average white layer thickness are tendency of increase with increasing current density and pulse duration. However, extremely long-pulse durations such as 200 μs led to decrease MRR and surface roughness. Furthermore, the surface hardness is increasing due to the Ti₂₄C₁₅ carbides formed on the surface and obvious cracks are always evident in re-solidified layer when machining copper electrode. The surface crack densities and critical crack lines were determined for the tested material. The graphite electrode is beneficial on material removal rate, electrode wear and surface crack density but relatively poorer surface finish.     

The electric double layer effect on the microchannel flow stability and heat transfer

The effect of the electric double layer (EDL) on the linear stability of Poiseuille planar channel flow is reported. It is shown that the EDL destabilises the linear modes, and that the critical Reynolds number decreases significantly when the thickness of the double layer becomes comparable with the height of the channel. First results coming from direct numerical simulations on the non-linear effects show also that the by-pass transition is much more rapid in the presence of EDL. There is an acceptable qualitative correspondence between the estimated transitional Reynolds numbers and some experiments, showing that early transition is plausible in microchannels under some conditions. Several questions remain however unanswered such as the surface conduction effect on EDL.     

The characteristics of chromized 1020 steel with electrical discharge machining and Ni electroplating pretreatments

A uniform and continuous chromized coating on AISI 1020 steel is produced by low-temperature pack chromization (LTPC) with electrical discharge machining and Ni electroplating pretreatments. The anticorrosive performance of the chromized steels is investigated in a 0.5 M H₂SO₄ solution at room temperature. The testing results indicate that the chromized specimen with electrical discharge machining and Ni electroplating pretreatments exhibits the lowest corrosion current density, 2.16 × 10⁻⁸ A cm⁻², among the tested specimens. The corrosion resistance of all tested specimens are in the order of bare 1020 < 1020-Cr(700-2) < 1020-Ni-Cr(700-2) < 1020-EDM-Ni-Cr(700-2). Moreover, the 1020-Ni-Cr(700-2) specimen have the best conductivity as a result of the less amount of oxides in the superficial coating.     

Effect of metal oxide and oxygen on the growth of single-walled carbon nanotubes by electric arc discharge

The effect of oxygen on the growth of single-walled carbon nanotubes was studied with Ni–Co alloy powder as catalyst under helium atmosphere of 500 Torr by electric arc discharge. The oxygen included in nickel or (and) cobalt oxides was added in catalyst. The content of oxygen in atmosphere was controlled by changing vacuum degree inside furnace before inputting buffer gas. The examinations of TEM and Raman scattering showed that oxygen in metal oxide as catalyst promotes the nucleation of SWCNT by taking effect on the metal catalyst particles. However, O₂ in atmosphere has the role of oxidizing amorphous particles along with nanotubes. When its molar proportion is higher than 0.22 ppm (Parts per million), the carbon nanotubes produced are oxidized and their purity decreases. The diameter of single-walled carbon nanotube obtained under different condition has a narrow distribution around 1.28 nm.     

Ps four-wave mixing measurements of electric field in a ns pulse discharge in a hydrogen diffusion flame

Time-resolved electric field in ns pulse discharge plasmas generated in room air and in an atmospheric pressure hydrogen diffusion flame has been measured by ps four-wave mixing, for plane-to-plane electrode geometry. Electric field is put on the absolute scale using the Laplacian field measured before breakdown. The results show that peak electric field during breakdown in the flame, approximately 40?kV/cm, is significantly lower compared to that in room air, 75?kV/cm, due to higher temperature of combustion products. In both cases, peak electric field is higher compared to DC breakdown field. Both in air and in the flame, the electric field follows the applied voltage before breakdown and decreases rapidly after breakdown, due to charge separation and plasma self-shielding. The electric field in air is compared with the predictions of an analytic model of ns pulse breakdown, showing good agreement between the predicted and the measured breakdown field. The model also predicts earlier breakdown as well as breakdown voltage reduction as the temperature is increased, in qualitative agreement with the experimental data. The use of the present ps four-wave mixing diagnostics for measurements of electric fields below ～20?kV/cm in atmospheric pressure flames is challenging, due to low signal-to-noise. The sensitivity of the present diagnostics is controlled by the high temperature and low N₂ fraction in the combustion product mixture, as well as by the limited bandwidth of the Stokes beam generated by the stimulated Raman cell, which provides access only to several rotational levels of nitrogen molecules. The present diagnostics will have much better sensitivity in high-pressure flames, since the four-wave mixing signal scales as the squared number density of nitrogen.     

Experimental and modelling study of the dependence of corona discharge on electrode geometry and ambient electric field

The results of experimental observations and mathematical modeling of corona formation on the tips of grounded rods are presented as a function of their tip height, curvature radius, the magnitude and polarity of the applied electric field producing corona. The investigations demonstrate that corona current depends on the active volume of zone in which electric field strength exceeds the breakdown criteria for air. The mathematical model was verified with the experimental data, enabling dependence of corona current on rod tip height, tip radius and applied electric field strength to be quantified with the need for a plethora of experiments.     

Effect of laser-remelting of surface cracks on microstructure and residual stresses in 12Ni maraging steel

The paper presents the results of a study on possible application of laser-remelting to repair of narrow and comparatively deep cracks at the surface of highly thermo-mechanically loaded parts made of 12% Ni hot-working maraging tool steel. Laser-remelting of maraging steel is, due to very good weldability and flexibility of the process, very prospective for repair of fatigued surfaces of parts made of this steel at which the presence of surface microcracks may be observed. In addition to the efficiency of crack remelting, the influence of laser-remelting on the heat-affected zone in terms of its microstructure and residual stresses was also studied. The microstructure in the laser-remelted track is cellular/dendritic. In the heat-affected zone surrounding the laser-remelted track, the microstructure varies considerably. A microstructure analysis revealed, in the heat-affected zone, five microstructural zones and sub-zones. Residual stresses measured after laser-remelting are with reference to gradual through-depth changing of the stresses favourable.     

Triboelectrification of granular insulating materials as affected by dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) treatment

The aim of this paper is to point out the influence of dielectric barrier discharge treatment on tribocharging of granular insulating materials. Particles of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) and Polypropylene (PP) were subjected to an AC dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma treatment in ambient airprior to tribocharging in a vibratory device. The charge to mass ratio was measured for treated and untreated materials. Electrostatic separation of a mixture of granular materials (PVC and PP) to measure the effectiveness of DBD treatment was evaluated by processing treated and untreated PVC/PP granular mixtures in a free-fall electrostatic separator. The obtained results clearly indicate that DBD has the capability to influence surface charging proprieties of polymer granular materials. In case of short treatment time, typically less than 3 s, a marked increase in the charge to mass ratios was observed for both PVC (about 35%) and PP (roughly 45%). In the same way, the quantity of DBD-treated materials, recovered after electrostatic separation, was increased by about 104% and 30% for PVC and PP, respectively, as compared to untreated case. The DBD treatment time is a key factor to increase the tribo electric effect.     

A least-squares method to cancel rigid body displacements in a hole drilling and DSPI system for measuring residual stresses

This paper presents the evaluation of a method to cancel rigid body displacements that can be introduced when a hole drilling and digital speckle pattern interferometry (DSPI) combined system is used to measure residual stresses. The proposed method is based on a least-square calculation of three correction parameters determined from two evaluation lines located near the edge of the phase map where the displacement field generated by the drilling process is supposed to be negligible. The errors introduced by the method for different residual stress levels and rigid body displacements are analysed using a numerical simulation. An application of the method to experimental data is also presented.     

Surface analysis for catalyst layer (PT/PTFE/C) and diffusion layer (PTFE/C) for proton exchange membrane fuel cells systems (PEMFCs)

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies have been used to analyze the surface of diffusion layer (PTFE/C) and catalyst layer (Pt/C/PTFE) of electrode. Detail analysis of carbon C_1s peak showed that the carbon was of the form of C, C-O, CO, CF, CF₂ and CF₃ with CF₂ is more dominated on the surface compared to CF and CF₃. The oxygen O_1s photoelectron peak showed that the oxygen was of the form of CO and C-O. The platinum was of the form of Pt⁰ with some Pt oxidized to PtO. The scanning electron microscopy was used to observe the dispersion of Teflon in the diffusion layer, the distribution of platinum in the catalyst layer loaded with 0.38 mg Pt/cm² and also the cross section of the membrane electrode assembly. The prepared electrode delivers a superior performance compared with the commercial electrode (E-TEK). The difference in performance between the two electrodes is due to the good localization of the platinum particles.     

Observation of the dynamics of the dust structure in a dust trap in a double electric layer in a magnetic field up to 10,000 G

In this work, we, for the first time, present the experimental study of complex plasmas in glow discharge in the narrow region of the current channel under magnetic fields up to 10⁴ G. We obtain the conditions for the existence and stability of structures under the whole range of the magnetic field. We could detect a record‐breaking rotation velocity of the dusty structure, reaching 15 rad/s. Measurements of the angular velocity behaviour under varied magnetic fields were performed. In order to characterize the geometry of the dusty structure as a function of the magnetic induction, the size and shape of the sections normal to the discharge axis were measured. The inter‐particle distance as another informative characteristic was fixed for structures under a whole range of the applied magnetic field. Based on the results of the mentioned observations, we propose a qualitative interpretation of the rotation variation with the magnetic field. This interpretation includes the model of mechanisms driving the rotation of the dusty structure.     

等电位辉光放电电子温度的光谱测量与计算

用SII- IV 型全息凹面光栅单色仪对各种工艺参数条件下双层辉光等电位放电的发射光谱的相对强度进行了测量, 获得一系列光谱谱线。通过对玻尔兹曼方程式的计算, 得到了不同工艺条件下等离子放电时的电子温度。分析了工件电压、工作气压对电子温度的影响。结果表明: 在本工艺条件下, 电子温度随着工件电压的升高, 先减小后增大, 然后又减小, 并随着工作气压的增大而单调增大。工作气压的变化较工件电压的变化对电子温度的影响大。     

Nano-scale chemical and structural segregation induced in surface layer of NaNbO3 crystals with thermal treatment at oxidising conditions studied by XPS,AFM, XRD,and electric properties tests

The process of ionic segregation in the surface layer induced by the thermal treatment of the NaNbO₃ crystal was studied. The study of the as grown crystal and the crystal heated at 970 K in ambient air was carried out for comparison. The changes in the concentration of the elements within the surface layer were determined using XPS measurements. The AFM technique was applied to determine the surface morphology related to nano-scale transformation. The possibility of appearance of the Ruddlesden–Popper phases was detected by the XRD test. The change in the features of the electric permittivity, the loss tangent, and the electric conductivity was ascribed to the marked participation of the chemically modified surface layer in the measured effective electrical properties.     

Pockels effect of water in the electric double layer at the interface between water and transparent electrode

We have obtained the first experimental evidence for the Pockels effect of water, which is induced by a high electric field in the electric double layer (EDL) on the water-transparent electrode interface. The electric-field induced energy shift of the visible interference fringes of a 300 nm indium-tin-oxide (ITO) electrode layer is observed, indicating a negative refractive index change at the interface. Numerical calculation reproduces well the experimental observation, showing that the signal mainly originates from water in the EDL. The Pockels constants of water are estimated to be r₃₃ = 5.1 × 100 pm/V and r₁₃ = 1.7 × 100 pm/V. The large anisotropy of the Pockels effect of water is deduced from the incidence angle dependence of the p-polarization signal. At the same time, the ITO shows a blue shift of the band gap in the UV due to the band population effect in the space charge layer. The plasma frequency in the near IR is also expected to increase due to the band population effect, since the ITO has a high doped carrier population close to metal. A negative refractive index change in the ITO space charge layer is induced from both effects, but its effect on the signal is estimated to be much smaller than that of the negative refractive index change of water in the EDL.     

Roles of blocking layer and anode bias in processes of impurity-band transition and transport for GaAs-based blocked-impurity-band detectors

Recently, GaAs-based BIB detector has attracted a lot of attention in the area of THz photovoltaic detection due to potential application values in security check and drug inspection. However, the physical mechanisms involving in carrier transition and transport are still unclear due to the poor material quality and immature processing technique. In this paper, the dark current and THz response characteristics have thus been numerically studied for GaAs-based blocked-impurity-band (BIB) detectors. The key parameters and physical models are constructed by simultaneously considering carrier freeze-out and impurity-band broadening effects. Roles of blocking layer and anode bias in processes of impurity-band transition and transport are intensively investigated, and the results can be well explained by numerical models. It is demonstrated that the effective electric field for the detector is only located in the absorbing layer, and can determine to a large extent the magnitude of the dark current and THz response. While the blocking layer not only can suppress dark current but also can attenuate responsivity due to its electric-field modulation effect.     

Combined implementing the hole-drilling method and reflection hologram interferometry for residual stresses determination in cylindrical shells and tubes

Main features inherent in simplified approach to residual stresses determination in cylindrical shells and tubes, external diameter of which is not less than 60 mm, by combing the hole-drilling method and reflection hologram interferometry are discussed in detail. Initial experimental information in a form of hole diameter increments in principal stress directions is derived from high-quality reflection holograms recorded near cylindrical objects of intermediate curvature value. Converting measured parameters into required stress values is based on the transition model that corresponds to plane stress conditions of pure membrane type. The technique developed is capable of determining residual stress component values within 5% accuracy in an absence of stress gradients over the probe hole diameter when a type of residual stress field corresponds to the transition model adopted. The accuracy analysis involved is based on matrix formulation of conventionally direct problem and an assumption on a pure membrane character of residual stress field under study for thin-walled shell. Required error estimations in a case of inspecting thick-walled cylindrical tube are obtained by combining the above-mentioned approach and an analogy of reconstructed fringe patterns with actual and artificial interferograms, which follow from drilling blind hole of the same geometrical parameters in thick-walled plates. Experimental verification of the developed approach is founded upon a determination of actual stresses in thin-walled cylindrical shell and obtaining residual stress distributions at the proximity of welded joint in thick-walled cylindrical tube.     

Dielectric permittivity and electric modulus of polyethylene oxide (PEO)-LiClO4 composite electrolytes

Dielectric permittivity and conductivity relaxation in polyethylene oxide (PEO)-LiClO₄ salt polymer electrolytes have been investigated for different lithium ion concentrations. We have observed that imaginary modulus spectra exhibit asymmetric maxima with peak-width much broader than that of the Debye peak and are skewed toward the high frequency sides of the maxima. The charge carriers for the electrolyte having higher lithium salt concentration relax much faster than that for other electrolytes and produces higher conductivity. The modulus data have been fitted using non-exponential Kohlrausch-Williams-Watts (KWW) function φ(t). We have observed that the value of the non-exponential parameter (β) is fairly low and nearly constant for different salt concentrations. The low value of β suggests a wide distribution of non-exponential relaxation times. Using the scaling of modulus data we have observed that the relaxation dynamics of charge carriers in these PEO-Li salt based electrolytes is independent of temperature and salt concentration.     

Characteristic of a negative corona discharge in active media of Xe(6p−5d) and eximer lasers

The article contains results of a study of electric and optical characteristics of a negative corona discharge in a “needles-grid” electrode system in the mixtures He/Xe and He/Xe(Kr)/HCl, which are used in periodic pulsed electric-discharge Xe(6p−5d), XeCl, and KrCl lasers. The corona discharge was ignited in a multielectrode system whose length is commensurable with the length of the active medium of the lasers. Voltage-current characteristics, radiation spectra of the discharge plasma, and the dependences of the radiation intensity of atomic spectral lines and the band λ=308 nm of XeCl (B-X) on parameters of the corona discharge are studied. For the mixture He/Xe the corona discharge exists as a spatially homogeneous discharge that is intermediate between corona and glow discharges and is transformed into an anode streamer at higher charge voltages. Collisional purification of the 6p states of the Xe atom by helium was observed. In the mixture He/Xe/HCl the corona discharge is ignited in the form of individual generation zones and a dark external region and can be used in electric systems for pumping the active media of XeCl and KrCl lasers. Uzhgorod State University, 46, Pidgirna St., Uzhgorod, 294000, Ukraine. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 65, No. 2, pp. 205–210, March–April, 1998.     

Application of multi-buffer layer of (Zn,Mg)O/CdS in Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 solar cells

(Zn,Mg)O (ZMO) buffer layer has attracted attention for having the potential to control the conduction band offset of buffer layer and large band-gap (Eg) Cu₂ZnSn(S,Se)₄ (CZTSSe) absorber interface, where the ZMO layer is deposited by the sputtering. However, the solar cell efficiency is decreased with the ZMO layer as compared with the CdS layer. The decrease in conversion efficiency is attributed to the sputtering damage on the absorber and high light reflection from the surfaces of CZTSSe solar cells. To completely suppress the damage, a CdS layer with very thin thickness of 20 nm is inserted between the ZMO layer and the CZTSSe layer. In addition, MgF₂ layers are deposited on CZTSSe solar cells as anti-reflection coating. Ultimately, the solar cell with multi-buffer layer of ZMO/thin-CdS is almost same level as that with the CdS layer. Therefore, the multi-buffer layer can be an appropriate buffer layer of the large-Eg CZTSSe layer.