Numerical simulation of dendrite growth and microsegregation formation of binary alloys during solidification process

The dendrite growth and solute microsegregation of Fe-C binary alloy are simulated during solidification process by using cellular automaton method. In the model the solid fraction is deduced from the relationship among the temperature, solute concentration and curvature of the solid/liquid interface unit, which can be expressed as a quadric equation, instead of assuming the interface position and calculating the solid fraction from the interface velocity. Then by using this model a dendrite with 0 and 45 degree of preferential growth direction are simulated respectively. Furthermore, a solidification microstructure and solute microsegregation are simulated by this method. Finally, different Gibbs-Thomson coefficient and liquid solute diffusing coefficient are adopted to investigate their influences on the morphology of dendrite.     

宏微观耦合模拟熔池不同区域中枝晶竞争生长过程

针对熔化焊过程建立了宏微观耦合模型,模拟了熔池内不同区域凝固过程中随机取向枝晶的竞争生长过程. 通过宏观三维有限元模型计算熔池中瞬态的传热传质过程,利用双线性插值算法将凝固参数传递给微观组织模型. 采用元胞自动机法模拟随机取向的枝晶在熔池凝固条件下的竞争生长过程. 模拟结果表明,所建立的微观模型能够精确模拟任意生长取向的枝晶. 凝固条件中最大温度梯度方向对枝晶竞争过程有明显选择作用,生长方向与最大温度梯度方向相同或接近的枝晶在竞争中具有更大优势. 焊缝中的晶粒组织由枝晶簇发展形成,晶粒组织的形貌演变取决于相邻枝晶簇之间的竞争过程,具有择优取向的枝晶簇会逐渐排挤非择优取向的枝晶簇并最终将其阻挡在凝固组织内部,宏观晶粒的取向与其内部枝晶簇的生长方向并不一定相同. 熔池中心线附近区域在焊接过程中具有更小的温度梯度、更大的凝固速率以及更大的局部冷却速率,凝固后可以获得更加细小的焊缝枝晶组织. 枝晶间距的模拟结果与相应凝固条件下的试验数据符合较好. 关键词： 焊接熔池 枝晶形貌 竞争生长 元胞自动机     

强迫对流影响二元合金非等温凝固枝晶生长的相场法模拟

在二元合金相场模型的研究基础上,建立了耦合溶质场、温度场和流场的相场模型,采用Simple算法求解质量和动量守恒方程,用交替隐式有限差分法求解温度控制方程,模拟了流场作用下二元合金等温和非等温凝固过程中枝晶的生长过程,研究了流场对枝晶生长形貌、溶质场和温度场分布情况的影响,将流场作用下二元合金等温和非等温凝固枝晶生长过程进行比较,分析了由于凝固潜热的释放对流场作用下凝固枝晶生长的影响． 关键词： 相场法 对流 非等温凝固 枝晶生长     

Lack of partial thermal equilibrium in pinch discharges

Measurements of the deuterium Balmer line intensities in the early phase of a theta pinch discharge show strong deviations from steady state population of levels considerably above the collision limit, even if criteria for the relaxation times of these levels are well satisfied. Solutions of time dependent rate equations for a hydrogen plasma confirm these observations. In cases of rising electron temperatures and rising degree of ionization the population of the ground level deviates by orders of magnitude from the steady state population of the momentary electron temperature and density. The population rates from the highly overpopulated ground level into levels above the collision limit then successfully compete with population rates from other levels and the continuum. Under such circumstances the relaxation time of excited levels above the collision limit into thermal equilibrium is determined by the relaxation time of the ground level into its steady state population.     

Ultrasonic dispersion of inorganic nanoparticles in epoxy resin

The incorporation of nanoscale fillers into a polymer can lead to a considerable improvement of mechanical properties, i.e. stiffness and toughness of a material can be enhanced simultaneously by the insertion of nanofillers. Thereby, the crucial difference between conventional microscale fillers and nanofillers is the high specific surface of the latter. In order that this surface can interact with the matrix material a good dispersion, i.e. a good separation and a homogeneous distribution of the nanoparticles into the polymer, is required. In the present study ultrasonic waves generated by an ultrasonic horn were used to disperse titanium dioxide nanoparticles into epoxy resin. The process parameters, e.g. the ultrasonic amplitude, the dispersion time and the material’s volume, were varied systematically with the aim of achieving an optimum dispersion process. A dispersion model for bead mills was adapted to the ultrasonic process and compared to a second dispersion model in order to find an adequate mathematical expression to correlate the ultrasonic process parameters to the particle sizes in the material and to allow predictions for further experiments.     

Light-scattering study of a supercooled epoxy resin

The dynamics of the fragile glass-forming liquid diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A was studied by depolarized Rayleigh-Brillouin light-scattering and photon correlation spectroscopy above the glass transition, in the temperature range from 261 to 473 K and in the frequency range from 1 Hz to 300 GHz. The structural (alpha-) relaxation process was revealed and no signature of the secondary relaxation previously evidenced by dielectric spectroscopy at about 0.1 GHz was observed. The characteristic time of the alpha process differs from that determined by dielectric spectroscopy of an amount, which increases with increasing temperature. The relaxation times were compared with viscosity data to test the predictions of the classic Stokes-Einstein-Debye model. The tau proportional, variant eta behavior was verified for dielectric data, while a fractional power law of viscosity tau proportional, variant eta(0.89) was obtained for light-scattering relaxation times, extending over more than seven decades in viscosity and time. This deviation of light scattering from viscosity data could be interpreted in terms of cooperative motion in the supercooled liquid with a characteristic length xi(a) proportional, variant(T-T0)(-v) where T(0)=229 K is the Vogel temperature and v is close to 2 / 3 which is consistent with the prediction of the fluctuation theory of glass transition.     

Ion synthesis of silver nanoparticles in viscous-fluid epoxy resin

A method is described for the ion synthesis of silver nanoparticles in epoxy resin that is in a viscousfluid state (viscosity 30 Pa s) during irradiation. The viscous-fluid or glassy polymer is implanted by 30-keV silver ions at a current density of 4 μA/cm² in the ion beam in the dose range 2.2 × 10¹⁶–7.5 × 10¹⁶ ions/cm². The epoxy layers thus synthesized contain silver nanoparticles, which are studied by transmission electron microscopy and optical absorption spectroscopy. The use of the viscous-fluid state increases the diffusion coefficient of the implanted impurity, which stimulates the nucleation and growth of nanoparticles at low implantation doses and allows a high factor of filling of the polymer with the metal to be achieved.     

Optical fiber sensor-based detection of partial discharges in power transformers

In this paper, a fiber optic acoustic sensor system is designed and tested for on-line detection of the partial discharges inside high voltage power transformers. The fiber optic sensor uses a silica diaphragm and a single mode optical fiber encapsulated in a silica glass tube to form an extrinsic Fabry–Perot interferometer. Test results indicate that the developed fiber optic sensors are capable of detecting the acoustic signals propagating inside the transformer oil with high resolution and high frequency.     

液态Ti-Al合金的深过冷与快速枝晶生长

采用电磁悬浮和自由落体两种试验技术研究了液态Ti-25 wt.%Al合金的亚稳过冷能力、晶体形核机制和枝晶生长过程. 试验发现, 即使电磁悬浮无容器状态下仍难以消除润湿角θ ≥60°的异质晶核, 合金熔体过冷度可达210 K (0.11T_L). β-Ti相形核的热力学驱动力随过冷度近似以线性方式增大, 其枝晶生长速度高达11.2 m/s, 从而在慢速冷却条件下实现了快速凝固. 理论计算表明, 随着过冷度的逐步增大, β相枝晶生长从溶质扩散控制转变为热扩散控制. 当过冷度超过100 K时, 非平衡溶质截留效应可使合金熔体发生无偏析凝固. 然而, 单靠深过冷状态不足以抑制β相的后续固态相变. 对于落管中快速凝固的直径77-1048 μm合金液滴, 其冷却速率最高达1.05×10⁵ K/s, 深过冷与快速冷却的耦合作用能更有效地调控凝固组织形成过程.     

石墨改性环氧树脂抗强激光辐照性能

在激光硬杀伤防护体系研究中,制备了鳞片石墨改性环氧树脂涂层,分析了它与辐照激光能量耦合作用规律,研究了其热烧蚀性能、隔热性能等抗激光辐照性能,并对不同参数激光辐照后该材料的损伤形貌进行宏观、微观分析,确定了损伤阈值与损伤形式。实验结果表明：石墨改性环氧树脂具有优良的抗强激光辐照性能,连续激光辐照下功率密度损伤阈值高于2 kW/cm2;高温下与激光能量耦合系数仅为10%左右,稳定热烧蚀率低至μg/J量级;具备优良的纵向隔热性能,高温下热导率在10 W·K-1·m-1以下;低功率密度激光辐照下损伤形式为轻微氧化,高功率密度激光辐照下则以汽化烧蚀为主;材料制备工艺简单,成本低廉,与被加固材料界面结合良好。     

Interphase characterization in epoxy resin/carbon fibre composites

In this paper, interphase properties of carbon fibre/epoxy resin single-fibre model and unidirectional (UD) composites are reported. To study the contribution of the carbon fibre surface chemistry and morphology and of the resin itself to the overall properties of the composites, untreated, oxidized and sized fibres are used with bi- and tetrafunctional, diglycidylether of Bisphenol A, DGEBA and tetraglycidyl 4,4'-diaminodiphenylmethane, TGDDM-based resins, cured with amine and anhydride hardeners. Adsorption measurements and single fibre contact angle experiments, as well as the pull-out test were applied to characterize the surface of carbon fibre and the interfacial shear strength with different matrices. It was shown that the presence of the size on the surface can drastically affect the wettability as well as the starting rate of the cure reaction of epoxide in the vicinity of the fibre surface, as revealed by FTIR microscopy. Different elastic-plastic behavior of model composites before debonding is found for untreated, oxidized and sized fibres, due to the various interphase structures formed. Both micro-and macromechanical properties of the composites are found to be significantly affected by the matrix properties. The role of the surface treatment of fibers becomes especially important in high performance resin systems.     

晶体取向对定向凝固枝晶生长的影响

采用类金属透明模型合金丁二腈-1.0 wt%乙醇(SCN-1.0 wt% Eth)合金, 考察了晶体取向对定向凝固过程中晶粒的平界面失稳孕育时间、枝晶形态演化以及枝晶一次间距的影响. 结果表明, 随着枝晶择优生长方向与温度梯度方向夹角的增大, 晶粒的平界面失稳孕育时间增加, 界面的稳定性增强; 对于不同晶体取向的枝晶形态演化, 枝晶择优生长方向与温度梯度方向夹角越大, 枝晶二次臂不对称生长越严重, 同时, 具有生长优势的枝晶二次臂对相邻枝晶的生长的抑制越强烈; 至于不同晶体取向的枝晶一次间距, 随着枝晶择优生长方向与温度梯度方向夹角的增大, 枝晶一次间距增大. 关键词： 定向凝固 平界面失稳 枝晶间距 晶体取向     

The effect of mechanical relaxation on ultra-fast charge pulses in flexible epoxy resin nanocomposites

Previously we have reported the existence of small-amplitude charge pulses in crosslinked Polyethylene (XLPE) and epoxy resin with a mobility several orders of magnitude higher than that found for the incoherent charge transport relevant to the steady state current. Here the relationship of this phenomenon to mechanical relaxation in the material is investigated by using a series of epoxy resin nanocomposites based on a resin that has its flexibility increased above that of the fully cured glassy epoxy network by the addition of a suitable flexibilizing chemical. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) measurements show that the stiffness of the nanocomposite is progressively increased as the nanoparticle concentration increases. Pulsed Electro-Acoustic (PEA) measurements reveal that both positive and negative fast charge pulses exist in the unfilled epoxy at 45 and 70°C under a field of 10?kV/mm with mobility 5×10^?10 to 9×10^?10 m²?V^?1?s^?1, amplitude between 2×10^?5 and 3.6×10^?5 C?m^?2 and repetition rates between 8 and 12?s^?1. These values are reduced progressively as the nanoparticle concentration is increased from 0% in the unfilled epoxy. A???-mode mechanical relaxation is identified in the loss modulus by Dynamical Mechanical Analysis (DMA), whose activation energy moves to higher values with increasing nanoparticle concentration. It is shown that the repetition rates of both positive and negative pulses have similar values and are correlated with the ??-mode activation energy; a similar correlation is found for the activation energy of the mobility of positive pulses. The correlation of the activation energy of the mobility of negative pulses and that of the ??-mode is weaker although both show a progressive increase with nanoparticle concentration. The modification of the fast charge pulse properties by the mechanical stiffness of the epoxy nanocomposite is discussed in terms of the theory presented previously for their formation and transport.     

Observation of dust particle growth and fallout in RF-excitedsilane discharges

Particles formed during plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition of amorphous silicon thin films which fall to the film surface, either during or after the process, may have a severely deleterious effect on film properties. In order to understand the mechanisms of particle formation and fallout we have investigated the growth and dynamics of particles in RF discharges in pure silane. The diameter of particles formed within the first 20 s of the discharge was investigated by electron microscopy of substrates with fallen out particles. Furthermore we used a He-Ne laser in combination with a diode array camera to measure temporally and spatially resolved light scattering from particles and deduced their sinking speed after switching off the discharge. The results are compared to a theoretical model on the particle dynamics     

液态三元Fe-Cr-Ni合金中快速枝晶生长与溶质分布规律

采用落管方法实现了液态三元Fe-Cr-Ni合金的深过冷与快速凝固,合金液滴的冷却速率和过冷度均随液滴直径的减小而迅速增大.两种成分合金近平衡凝固组织均为粗大板条状α相.在快速凝固过程中,不同直径Fe_(81.4)Cr_(13.9)Ni_(4.7)合金液滴凝固组织均为板条状α相,其固态相变特征很明显,随着过冷度增大,初生δ相由具有发达主干的粗大枝晶转变为等轴晶.Fe_(81.4)Cr_(4.7)Ni_(13.9)合金液滴凝固组织由α相晶粒组成,随着过冷度增大,初生γ相由具有发达主干的粗大枝晶转变为等轴晶,其枝晶主干长度和二次分枝间距均显著下降,晶粒内溶质的相对偏析度也明显减小,溶质Ni的相对偏析度始终大于溶质Cr.理论计算表明,与γ相相比,δ相枝晶生长速度更大.在实验获得的过冷度范围内,两种Fe-Cr-Ni合金枝晶生长过程均由热扩散控制.     

Influence of interface interaction on enthalpy relaxation in polysiloxane-modified epoxy resin

The enthalpy relaxation and dynamic relaxation properties of phenol-formaldehyde novolac-cured o-cresol novolac epoxy resin modified with hydroxyl-terminated polysiloxane were studied by differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and torsional pendulum analysis. The results show that the extent and rate of enthalpy relaxation are closely related to the amount of modifier and the ratio of modifier and coupling agent: the (β′ relaxation that appeared at around 40°C in the dynamic relaxation spectra is found to be correlated with the interfacial stress at the interface between the epoxy resin matrix and polysiloxane domain.     

A particle-in-cell simulation of dust charging and shielding in lowpressure glow discharges

The transport of particles (“dust”) in low pressure electrical glow discharges is being studied in regard to its role in contaminating silicon wafers during plasma etching and deposition. Particles (10 s nm-μm) negatively charge in glow discharges and, to first order, appear to be massively large negative ions around which sheaths develop. The forces on particles in plasmas include electrostatic (drift of charged particles in electric fields) and viscous ion drag. The latter force is momentum transfer from ions to particles by either collisions or orbital motion. This force critically depends on the charge on the particle and the shape of the sheath surrounding the particle. In this work, we report on a pseudoparticle-in-cell (PIC) simulation of the transport of electrons and ions in the vicinity of dust particles in low pressure glow discharges. The simulation produces the electrical charge on the dust particle, the sheath structure around the dust particle and the orbital dynamics of the ions. A companion molecular dynamics simulation uses these parameters to produce ion-dust and electron-dust particle cross sections for momentum transfer and collection. Results will be discussed for charge, sheath thickness, cross sections and viscous ion drag forces on dust particles as a function of radius and plasma parameters     

Rapid solidification and dendrite growth of ternary Fe-Sn-Ge and Cu-Pb-Ge monotectic alloys

The phase separation and dendrite growth characteristics of ternary Fe-43.9%Sn- 10%Ge and Cu-35.5%Pb-5%Ge monotectic alloys were studied systematically by the glass fluxing method under substantial undercooling conditions. The maximum undercoolings obtained in this work are 245 and 257 K, respectively, for these two alloys. All of the solidified samples exhibit serious macrosegregation, indicating that the homogenous alloy melt is separated into two liquid phases prior to rapid solidification. The solidification structures consist of four phases including α-Fe, (Sn), FeSn and FeSn2 in Fe-43.9%Sn-10%Ge ternary alloy, whereas only (Cu) and (Pb) solid solution phases in Cu-35.5%Pb-5%Ge alloy under different undercoolings. In the process of rapid monotectic solidification, α-Fe and (Cu) phases grow in a dendritic mode, and the transition "dendrite→monotectic cell" happens when alloy undercoolings become sufficiently large. The dendrite growth velocities of α-Fe and (Cu) phases are found to increase with undercooling according to an exponential relation.     

Measurements and analysis of the acoustic signals produced by partial discharges in insulation oil

This paper focuses on the frequency analysis of acoustic signals produced by partial discharges (PDs) in insulation oil and the positioning of the PD occurrence for application in the diagnosis of oil-insulated transformers. Three types of electrode systems; the needle–plane, the plane–plane, and the wire–wire structures were assembled to simulate the partial discharge in insulation oil. A low-noise amplifier and a de-coupler were designed to detect the acoustic signal with high-sensitivity. The frequency ranges of the acoustic signal were 60–270 kHz in the needle–plane electrode system, 45–250 kHz in the plane–plane electrode system, and 50–180 kHz in the wire–wire electrode system. Their peak frequencies were 145 kHz, 118 kHz and 121 kHz, respectively.The position of the PD occurrence was calculated from the time difference of arrival (TOA) using three acoustic emission (AE) sensors. The position was found within a 1% error in the experimental set-up.