An AM60 magnesium alloy nanocomposite reinforced with 1 wt % of AlN nanoparticles was prepared using an ultrasound (US) assisted permanent-mould indirect-chill casting process. Ultrasonically generated cavitation and acoustic streaming promoted de-agglomeration of particle clusters and distributed the particles throughout the melt. Significant grain refinement due to nucleation on the AlN nanoparticles was accompanied by an exceptional improvement in properties: yield strength increased by 103%, ultimate tensile strength by 115%, and ductility by 140%.Although good grain refinement was observed, the large nucleation undercooling of 14 K limits further refinement because nucleation is prevented by the formation of a nucleation-free zone around each grain. To assess the industrial applicability and recyclability of the nanocomposite material in various casting processes, tests were performed to determine the effect of remelting on the microstructure. With each remelting, a small percentage of effective AlN nanoparticles was lost, and some grain growth was observed. However, even after the third remelting, excellent strength and ductility was retained. According to strengthening models, enhanced yield strength is mainly attributed to Hall-Petch strengthening caused by the refined grain size. A small additional contribution to strengthening is attributed to Orowan strengthening.
The homogeneous and seed-assisted precipitation of dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (DCPD or brushite) and hydroxyapatite (HAP) under controlled supersaturation regimes in chloride media at room temperature (22 °C) is investigated. Prior to their reactive crystallization the metastable zones of precipitation for the two calcium orthophosphates were determined. The effects of supersaturation, reaction time, and seeding on the stoichiometry and crystallinity of these compounds were studied. Acidified solutions (pH ≈ 2.0) of NaH 2 PO 4 (2−90 mmol/L) and CaCl 2 (2−150 mmol/L) were mixed in order to get Ca to P molar ratios in initial solution of 1.0 or 1.67 (the stoichiometric ratios for dicalcium phosphate dihydrate and hydroxyapatite).The supersaturation in solution was built up by the slow addition of 100 mmol/L NaOH solution. In seedassisted precipitation tests (Ca/P = 1) the metastable calcium phosphate solution (37.5 mmol/L) was neutralized until the precipitation pH of 5 was reached and 10 g/L of seed was added. The homogeneous precipitation of DCPD at pH 5.4 was fast and equilibrium was reached in 30 min. In the presence of seed, the precipitation rate was slower due to reduced supersaturation. Even so, in both cases well crystalline plate-like crystals matching the stoichiometry of brushite were produced. Calcium-deficient hydroxyapatite with nanocrystalline structure (nanocrystallite size ∼20 nm) was produced at pH 7.6 under controlled supersaturation. The homogeneously produced material consisted of irregularly shaped agglomerates of the order of 5−15 μm while the product obtained by seed-assisted precipitation was in the form of rather coarse (ca. 20−30 μm) and dense spheroids. The highest Ca:P ratio material (Ca:P = 1.58) was obtained with seed-assisted precipitation at a slow addition rate.
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